Reintroducing Victory Cruise Lines’ Victory I and Victory II

American Queen Voyages may no longer be around, but two of its vessels will soon be reintroduced. In May, American Queen founder John Waggoner — now founder and chairman of Victory Cruise Lines — acquired Victory I and Victory II, which will once again sail the Great Lakes and Canadian Coasts beginning next April under the Victory Cruise Lines banner in partnership with Anglo-Eastern Leisure Management.

Anglo-Eastern, a small-ship and expedition provider headed by president and CEO Dietmar Wertanzl, will be put in charge of hotel operations, provisioning, crewing and other logistical services.

“Wertanzl and the Anglo-Eastern team have a proven track record of superior service delivery across the cruise industry and small-ship space, paired with firsthand knowledge of these specialized vessels operating in the Great Lakes,” said David William Kelly, chief operating officer for Victory Cruise Lines. “I value Wertanzl’s personal touch collaborating on the onboard cuisine development, in particular, and look forward to this partnership relaunching Victory Cruise Lines together.”

Dining

Both Victory I and Victory II will feature three dining venues onboard: The Coastal Dining Room, The Tavern and The Grill.

A new introduction will be Tuscan Stone Grill, an inclusive specialty concept for dinner at The Grill developed by Wertanzl of Anglo-Eastern and Kelly of Victory Cruise Lines. During the upscale experience, guests will cook their meals on hot volcanic lava rocks — complemented by panoramic views overlooking the stern.

Waggoner of Victory Cruise Lines recounts walking into Victory I and Victory II for the first time again earlier this year and immediately seeing the potential for an elevated dinner service experience in The Grill.

“We are so proud of the Tuscan Stone Grill concept and look forward to sharing it with our guests, along with The Tavern and The Coastal Dining Room — each will create lasting culinary memories,” Waggoner said.

Besides the interactive hot stone dinner, The Grill will also be home to buffet breakfasts and lunches, as well as an all-day, self-serve ice cream machine.

The Coastal Dining Room, meanwhile, will be the main restaurant on each vessel, offering full-service breakfast, lunch and dinner. Regionally inspired courses will include roast rack of lamb Dijonnaise, pan-seared scallops Provencal, chicken with roasted vegetables, miso-glazed Atlantic cod and roasted prime rib of beef with horseradish sauce. Health-conscious and special-diet alternatives will also be available.

Filling in the dining offerings, The Tavern is a casual English-style venue for social gatherings, live music and sing-alongs.

Differentiators

Victory Cruise Lines touts a number of differentiators from competitors. For one, it is the only company that can conveniently dock at the Navy Pier in Chicago, and it also has the most seasonal voyages that visit all five Great Lakes during a single sailing. Altogether, the brand will embark on 36 Great Lakes cruises in one season, and it will further offer a one-night pre-cruise premium hotel stay and ground transfers for every sailing.

Additional inclusions will extend to all-ocean-view accommodations; an included shore excursion in every port; multi-venue breakfast, lunch and dinner; culinary events; unlimited alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages; unlimited Wi-Fi access; live entertainment and enrichment; and hiking sticks.

Enrichment Onboard

During every journey, guests can enjoy the line’s signature LakeLorian lectures, known for their destination-specific historians and naturalists who discuss regional history, ecology and culture. The grand piano-equipped Compass Lounge will also be on hand for enrichment activities, as will observation decks and sundecks with padded sofas — ideal for cocktails, sunsets and stargazing.

We are passionate about small-ship cruising and admire Waggoner for returning these beautiful boutique vessels back to where they were intended to sail: the Great Lakes.

Itineraries

Clients can expect an array of itineraries, which will kick off with a special 10-night New England & Canada 2025 Reunion Cruise hosted by Waggoner and his wife, Claudette, from Portland, Maine, to Toronto on April 16, 2025.

Others options for 2025 will be the nine-night Ultimate Great Lakes, sailing from Chicago to Toronto from April through September; the nine-night Ultimate Great Lakes, sailing from Milwaukee to Toronto from May through August; the 11-night Ultimate Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway, sailing from Chicago to Montreal in September and October; and the 14-night Great Lakes & Thunder Bay, sailing roundtrip from Chicago in May and June. (Note: All trips are one day longer than noted with the included hotel stay.)

“We are passionate about small-ship cruising and admire Waggoner for returning these beautiful boutique vessels back to where they were intended to sail: the Great Lakes,” Wertanzl said. “I look forward to once again collaborating with Kelly and the Victory Cruise Lines team to deliver memorable experiences onboard.”