Victory Cruise Line’s Victory II sits in the shadow of the magnificent Chicago skyline, she and sister ship Victory I the only ships to call the city’s Navy Pier home. In the waters of this popular Lake Michigan attraction, the diminutive 4,954 grt, 190-passenger vessel looks like a behemoth as the myriad sightseeing vessels and pleasure craft glide around her.

But Victory II’s journey to Navy Pier was a challenging one. The U.S.-built red, white, and blue Victory ships debuted in 2001 and sailed under various flags until 2019 when they were acquired by American Queen Steamship Company (later, American Queen Voyages) and sailed as Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager. 

In 2024, American Queen Voyages’ parent company, Hornblower Group, filed for bankruptcy and it appeared that many of the line’s ships were headed to the scrapyard. AQV founder John Waggoner purchased these two small vessels at a cost of nearly $2 million and in one year launched Victory Cruise Lines to transport guests to all five Great Lakes in a single cruise.

“We repaired both ships,” says Waggoner. “We put in a new engine and control system, along with 20,000 feet of new wiring. We remodeled both ships with 240 curtains, 6,750 square feet of carpet, and 8,904 pieces of china … though we might have broken some so it might be down to 8,000 pieces of china.” An aggressive sales, marketing, and promotion effort was also put in place and partnerships forged with organizations like The National Museum of the Great Lakes in order to elevate the experience of every traveler who steps aboard.

And an elevated experience it is, as the Victory ships sail the Great Lakes and call at ports that include the charming Mackinac Island; Cleveland; Detroit;, Milwaukee; Toronto; and Colborne, Ontario, for Niagara Falls. With Victory Cruise Lines being an almost all-inclusive line, shore excursions that include a boat ride at Niagara Falls, a visit to the fascinating Henry Ford Museum near Detroit, and Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are — like a one-night pre-cruise hotel stay and transfer to the ship, all beverages, unlimited Starlink Wi-Fi, all dining and entertainment, and ship to airport transfer — included in fares. Reasonably priced premium excursions, including a visit to the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, an immersive experience that showcases the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, and a helicopter flight above Niagara Falls, are available at an additional charge.

A Friendly Vessel

At first glance, Victory II looks sort of short and chubby, her 200-foot length and 286-foot width a necessity for navigating the conditions of all five Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and the French-Canadian Maritimes. Board her and you’ll find yourself transported back to a nautical era of yesteryear. An ornate wood-fronted purser’s office stands beside an elegant staircase with plush carpeting of royal blue and papered walls that reflect a vintage beige design. A small fitness room and a spa that offers massage, hair, and nail treatments are tucked discreetly nearby. Head to the Compass Lounge for lectures, crafts classes, movie screenings, evening shows, and musical performances beneath the glow of a dazzling chandelier, and to the British-accented The Tavern with its stained-glass rimmed windows, cozy cocktail-table seating, and gleaming woods for drinks and conversation. Victory II’s outside Terrace or Sundeck is the place to be on pleasant days (the ship does not offer a swimming pool), relaxing atop a lounge chair as you sail across inland America. 

Victory II’s retro feel continues in your stateroom, with period lamp fixtures illuminating wooden furnishings, decorative molding, and beds adorned with linens that emphasize pattern and texture. All 95 suites and staterooms aboard Victory II are outside ones that range in size from 146 square feet to 185 square feet. Two categories are described as “verandas” but, in fact, it is only the two 335-square-foot Owner’s Suites that include a traditional veranda, while the 161-square-foot Deluxe Stateroom with Veranda includes a seating area/side table positioned directly on the deck outside the door to create more of a “porch-like” feel. 

Staterooms, which are serviced twice daily and offer standard USA voltage (110 Volts AC), include flat-screen TV, writing desk with chair, safe, hairdryer, bathrobe and slippers, and small bathroom with a shower stocked with Aveda Rosemary Mint toiletries. Owner’s Suites and Deluxe Outside Staterooms with Veranda also include a stocked mini-fridge.

As a delightful extra, on most nights, you’ll return to your stateroom to find a sweet surprise native to the Great Lakes port you visited that day: a package of Joann’s Fudge, perhaps, or a bag of Garrett Popcorn, or Seroogy’s chocolates. Sure beats a towel animal!

Winning Dinners

A small ship often means limited dining choices and, often, a single restaurant. Not aboard Victory II! Expect five-course lunches and, at dinner, a choice of three appetizers, two soups, two salads, and up to a staggering seven entrées, each superb in terms of quality, variety, and dazzling presentation. (All dietary restrictions may be addressed on board or you may communicate your needs to your Victory Cruise Advisor prior to sailing.)

Victory II’s chef comes to Victory Cruise Lines from Silversea Cruises, one of the most luxe lines afloat, and it shows with creative and delicious dishes that celebrate local ingredients, and run the gamut from traditional fare like pan-seared scallops and Barolo-braised lamb shanks to more exotic ethnic choices like biang-biang noodles, chana masala, shepherd’s pie, and falafel. 

The Coastal Dining Room sets the stage for cooked-to-order breakfasts supplemented by a lavish buffet and those five-course lunches while The Grill is the place to go if you prefer your daytime dining buffet style. 

At dinner, the heat is turned up when guests choose between the formal Coastal Dining Room or head to The Grill which, at dinner, is transformed into the reservations-only Tuscan Stone Grill. This steakhouse-style dining experience allows guests to sizzle up their own sumptuous filet mignon atop a scorching-hot 100-percent pure volcanic lava rock — the result, likely the best steak you’ve ever enjoyed. Start the meal with an appetizer like jumbo shrimp cocktail or burrata and tomato salad, indulge in the steak, and top it off with a decadent tiramisu! After dinner, you’ll likely head straight to the Purser’s office to make another reservation at this outstanding venue. 

The five Great Lakes and the ports along them may be the stars of Victory Cruise Lines’ 10- to 15-day sailings but the onboard experience plays an equally stellar role. Victory II … she’s a great ship for the Great Lakes!

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