Latest news with #VictoryII
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Travel + Leisure
22-05-2025
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
This Cruise Line Lets You Visit Iconic Frank Lloyd Wright Sites as You Voyage Along the Great Lakes
While beach breaks, ziplining, and walking tours are common shore excursions on a cruise ship's itinerary, architectural immersions are less so, particularly in the U.S. To geek out over design, cruisers would need to drop anchor in Milan or Barcelona. But a new partnership between Victory Cruise Lines and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is changing that by bringing architectural enthusiasts to some of the late architect's sites in Illinois and Michigan. The journeys will be available starting May 2025, onboard Victory I and Victory II . Fresh off a 2024 refurbishment, each ship can accommodate up to 190 guests in 95 staterooms. There are lectures on board that educate travelers about Wright's work, life, and legacy—all curated by the Foundation's Taliesin Institute. Off board, there are shore excursions to his sites are available in three ports: Muskegon, Michigan; Chicago; and Detroit, Michigan. These are available on some of the 10-Night 'Toronto to Chicago' voyages, the 10-Night 'Chicago to Toronto' voyages and the 15-Night 'Chicago Roundtrip'. Interior of a Victory Cruise Lines stateroom. Chicago is an epicenter of Wright's work, as he launched his career in downtown Chicago working as a draftsman with Louis Sullivan. While ships dock at Chicago's Navy Pier, travelers can visit four sites via the 'Frank Lloyd Wright: His Home & Vision for the Future' excursion: Unity Temple, which Wright designed between 1905 and 1908 in the near-Western suburb of Oak Park. The Frederick C. Robie House, a 9,000-square-foot example of Wright's Prairie School Style completed in 1910 near the University of Chicago on the city's South Side. Wright's home and studio in Oak Park, where he raised his family. It is also the largest concentration of Wright homes worldwide, home to 25 of his projects. The Rookery Building, designed by Daniel Burnham and John Wellborn Root in 1888 in the Loop. (Wright was tasked to remodel the lobby in 1905). In addition to Illinois, cruisers can also visit Wright sites in another Great Lakes state, Michigan. From the Muskegon port of call, one excursion visits the Meyer May House in Grand Rapids, a Prairie School Style home completed in 1909, and the David M. and Hattie Amberg House Wright designed in 1911. Journeys start from $5,779 per person and you can learn more or book your sailing at
Travel Weekly
14-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
The reborn Victory Cruise Lines christens second ship
Victory Cruise Lines is now in full service after christening its second ship, Victory II, in Chicago on May 12. The ceremony followed the April 27 christening of Victory I in Toronto, which ushered the cruise line back into service after CEO John Waggoner purchased the ships last year following American Queen Voyages' closure. His granddaughter, Molly Applegate, is Victory II's godmother, and she broke a bottle of bourbon on the ship's bow during the ceremony. Members of the Chicago and Great Lakes tourism industries offered remarks. "Victory Cruise Lines will bring thousands of visitors to Chicago, and we are proud the cruise line is docking right here downtown at Navy Pier," said Jordan Engerman of Choose Chicago, the city's destination marketing organization. Victory is the only cruise line that will dock at Navy Pier. "There is no city in the world quite like Chicago, and we are delighted to celebrate here today at Navy Pier as Victory II joins Victory I in sailing the Great Lakes once again," Waggoner said. Both Victory ships accommodate 190 passengers.
Travel Weekly
10-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Sweet Victory: Two coastal ships with a long history get new lease on life
ONBOARD THE VICTORY I -- Freshly painted, with new carpet, curtains, furniture, glassware and cutlery, the Victory I may not be in its ninth life, but it sure is close. Under new ownership, the 190-passenger coastal ship is back on the Great Lakes, to be joined in May by sister ship the Victory II. And "Victory" is a fitting name, since this is one of cruising's great comebacks. Entrepreneur John Waggoner came out of retirement to revive the line, which he once owned, following the 2024 bankruptcy of parent company Hornblower Group. Waggoner and his wife, Claudette, paid $1.9 million in cash at auction for the ships. Shaded lounge seating on Victory I's sundeck. Photo Credit: Anne Kalosh During Victory I's naming festivities in Toronto on April 27, Waggoner recounted how, in a "very short 380 days," he was able to arrange financing to resume operations, "put the band back together," set up reservations and accounting systems, repair both ships (including a new engine for the Victory II) and enhance the interiors, open bank accounts for credit card payments, launch sales and marketing, develop a website, set up a call center and "a thousand other tasks" to restart service. The Victory I's christening in Toronto was an emotional event for the Waggoners. Their youngest daughter, Emily Coleman, served as the godmother, smashing a bottle of Crown Royal Canadian Whisky on the bow. The event was sentimental for me, too. Recalling the Cape May Light's debut In April 2001, I was present to report on the ship's first naming, as the Cape May Light, for Delta Queen Coastal Voyages, then a new brand. It was a rare U.S.-built cruise ship, constructed at Atlantic Marine in Jacksonville, Fla., as part of a strategy to revive commercial shipbuilding and create American jobs by financing U.S.-built ships with government loan guarantees through the U.S. Maritime Administration. A deluxe outside stateroom with a veranda that is shared with other staterooms on Deck 4. Photo Credit: Anne Kalosh The Cape May Light had national, patriotic significance far beyond its small size. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao served as the godmother, and the naming took place near Washington, in Alexandria, Va. Maritime union brass turned out, and a thick cloud of cigar smoke swirled around their intense discussions in the bar. Delta Queen Coastal Voyages belonged to Chicago business mogul Sam Zell's American Classic Voyages, which also operated Delta Queen Steamboat Co., American Hawaii Cruises and United States Lines. The Cape May Light and its sister, the Cape Cod Light, were designed to expand Delta Queen's river focus into coastal operations, including the Great Lakes. But the Cape May Light sailed for just a few months: The 9/11 terrorist attacks and the ensuing travel downturn led to American Classic Voyages' bankruptcy. The U.S. Maritime Administration took possession of the two Cape ships -- the Cape Cod Light had never even sailed -- which languished for years. In 2006, Waggoner put in an offer for the ships but was outbid. Eventually Denmark's Clipper Group, a bulk cargo operator with an office in Nassau, acquired the vessels, reflagged them to the Bahamas and put them out for charter. The Cape May Light, renamed the Sea Voyager, housed relief workers for Haiti's 2010 earthquake recovery and did a stint as a floating dormitory for St. Mary's College in Maryland. In 2015, it would go back to what it was built to do. Chartered to Haimark Line, it was renamed the Saint Laurent and launched Great Lakes itineraries. But early on, the ship struck a lock in the St. Lawrence Seaway and an insurance dispute led to Haimark's demise. Victory Cruise Lines is born Haimark had also been planning to launch Cuba cruises under a partnership with Bruce Nierenberg, an entrepreneur who had snagged a license to sail between the U.S. and Cuba when relations between the countries thawed during the Obama administration. A "LakeLorian" lecture in the Compass Lounge. Photo Credit: Anne Kalosh When Haimark went under, Nierenberg became CEO of the newly formed Victory Cruise Lines, designed to pick up Haimark's Great Lakes business and launch Cuba cruises on the ship that was now named Victory I. In 2019, Waggoner's American Queen Steamboat Co. (AQSC), part of Hornblower, acquired Victory: At last the ships were his. The first Trump administration abruptly halted Cuba cruises in June of that year, and the company focused on the Great Lakes itineraries. Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck. With Canadian ports closed, AQSC canceled Victory's 2020 season. As cruising resumed in 2021, AQSC rebranded as American Queen Voyages, combining its river and coastal fleets. Victory I became the Ocean Voyager and Victory II the Ocean Navigator. Around that time, Waggoner sold his stake to private equity and left Hornblower, which had brought in new management. In early 2024, American Queen Voyages filed for bankruptcy. Waggoner was saddened to see the company he'd built evaporate so quickly. But he also missed the cruise business, and when the ships were put up for auction, he decided to get back in. Once he and his wife had won the Victory pair, they got financing to spruce up the ships, and in a "very short 380 days," he said, the line was relaunched. The Victory I now The Victory I looks fresh but retains it original elements and historic charm. New technology includes LED screens with destination information in the stair landings and the Compass Lounge, the main entertainment and lecture venue. The Compass Lounge is where the "LakeLorian," a storyteller/destination expert trained by the National Museum of the Great Lakes, gives briefings. Diners at the Tuscan Stone Grill cook their steaks on individual hot stones. Photo Credit: Anne Kalosh A compass rose-inspired floor on the Saloon Deck, stained-glass accents in the cozy Tavern, and the tin ceiling and chandelier in the main Compass Lounge are all original and give the ship historical flavor. In the Coastal Dining Room, one dinner menu's entrees included rack of lamb, Boston scrod, spaghetti aglio e olio, Punjabi eggplant, New York sirloin steak, grilled chicken breast and Atlantic salmon -- all elegantly plated. I found the grilled haloumi appetizer and Valrhona chocolate dessert scrumptious. The Grill, a casual buffet spot during the day, converts into the Tuscan Stone Grill by night. Each diner gets a preheated stone to cook their own filet mignon, sirloin or salmon. Staterooms start at 146 square feet, and most have windows, not balconies. My Category AA deluxe outside stateroom with veranda was 161 square feet, with a compact shower, Aveda toiletries, a desk and stocked minifridge. The AA rooms open to a shared veranda. A grilled haloumi appetizer served in the Coastal Dining Room. Photo Credit: Anne Kalosh This is a quaint but well maintained ship, comfortable and perfectly sized for the Great Lakes. I'm happy that after 24 years and many incarnations, it's back where it belongs.
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Great Lakes cruises: Victory Cruise Lines relaunching with US, Canada sailings this month
Great Lakes cruises: Victory Cruise Lines relaunching with US, Canada sailings this month Show Caption Hide Caption How to find the best price, perks when booking a cruise Find the cruise that works for your budget with these tips. Problem Solved Victory Cruise Lines, a small-ship cruise operator, is relaunching with two refurbished ships, Victory I and Victory II. Itineraries range from nine to 14 nights and include shore excursions, onboard lectures, and multiple dining options. Prices start at $4,999 per person, covering pre-cruise accommodations, transfers, meals, drinks, and various onboard amenities. A small-ship cruise operator is about to make a comeback in the U.S. Victory Cruise Lines is relaunching this month with Great Lakes and Canada cruises. American Queen Voyages' founder John Waggoner is reviving the brand with two 190-passenger ships, Victory I and Victory II. The vessels, which were purpose-built to sail the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway and French-Canadian Maritimes, were previously owned by American Queen Voyages before it shut down last year (Waggonner was no longer involved with the company at the time). American Queen Voyages acquired Victory Cruise Lines in 2019. Both ships have been refurbished, and will sail popular and lesser-visited ports within North America. Many of Victory's customers want to 'wrap (themselves) in the American or Canadian flag,' according to founder and chairman Waggoner. 'I think what we find is that a lot of our guests have traveled all over the world, and now they are looking for something that's at home,' he told USA TODAY. When will Victory Cruise Lines relaunch? Waggoner and his wife Claudette, who co-owns the company, will host Victory's first cruise of the year. The 10-night cruise aboard Victory I will sail from Portland, Maine to Toronto, Canada on April 16 ahead of the ship's christening. Victory II will be christened in Chicago on May 12. What can guests expect? Victory will sail itineraries ranging from nine to 14 nights in 2025. Those include All 5 Great Lakes cruises, which visit Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario and Superior, sailing from either Chicago or Milwaukee to Toronto (or departing from Toronto). The 5 Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway itinerary will sail between Chicago and Montreal, while the Great Lakes & Thunder Bay cruise round-trip from Chicago includes two great lakes – Michigan and Superior – and an overnight stay in Michigan's Mackinac Island, among other sailings. Stops will include Detroit and Marquette in Michigan; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Port Colborne, Ontario – giving guests access to Niagara Falls – and more. Victory will also be the only cruise line to dock at Chicago's Navy Pier. The company offers a variety of excursions along the way, from a visit to the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and the Museum Ship Valley Camp, where guests can learn about the area's history, to a behind-the-scenes tour of Lambeau Field where the Green Bay Packers play. 'And then you hit Cleveland, where you dock right (near) the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,' Waggoner added. 'And then Detroit, where you get to go to the Henry Ford Museum of (American) Innovation.' The ships will also host a LakeLorian program in partnership with the National Museum of the Great Lakes, offering lectures from historians and naturalists. Other onboard features include three dining concepts, a sun deck and a salon and spa. How much does Victory Cruise Lines cost? Available cruises currently start at $4,999 per person, according to Victory's website. The fares include a pre-night hotel stay, transfers from the hotel to the ship, food and drinks onboard, a tour in each port, Wi-Fi and more. 'What I hope (guests) take away is the grandeur and the beauty of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway,' Waggoner said. Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@
