Victory Cruise Lines Opens Bookings for 2025 Great Lakes Voyages

Victory Cruise Lines has announced the opening of bookings for its 2025 season on the Great Lakes and the Canadian coasts. The company will offer sailings onboard two vessels, Victory I and Victory II.

The sister ships, previously part of American Queen Voyages, ceased operations in February. Shortly after, their parent company, Hornblower Group, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. John Waggoner, founder and chairman of Victory Cruise Lines, acquired the ships at auction for around $2 million this spring. Waggoner, who initially founded American Queen Voyages and previously owned the ships, had sold his shares to retire before the company faced difficulties.

The vessels, formerly named Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager, will be rechristened next spring—Victory I in Toronto on April 27, and Victory II in Chicago on May 12. “Our cruise experience will offer many special touches, including being the only cruise line to dock at Chicago’s Navy Pier, and most of all, our ships will be a home away from home exploring all five Great Lakes,” says Waggoner.

In 2025, Victory Cruise Lines will offer 36 departures of four Great Lakes itineraries from April through September, with 33 of those departures visiting all five Great Lakes. Travelers can explore destinations such as Mackinac Island, Niagara Falls, the Soo Locks, and Detroit. Onboard, guests can enjoy talks from naturalists, historians, and other experts through the LakeLorian lecture program. The ships also feature relaxing spaces like the Compass Lounge, an English-style tavern, a sun deck, and a Coastal Dining Room.

The season will commence with a special 10-night reunion cruise hosted by John and Claudette Waggoner. Departing April 16, 2025, this cruise will travel from Portland to Toronto, featuring guest entertainers Phil Westbrook and Greg and Lindy Pendzick.