Victory Cruise Lines has acquired a second ship to be named Victory II. The vessel is the sister ship to the intimate 202-passenger Victory I, which launched Victory Cruise Lines on the Great Lakes in June 2016. Victory II, which currently is being renovated, will be identical to Victory I and will enter service in May 2018.
Victory II is scheduled is to begin service with a series of seven-night Canada and New England cruises starting May 20, 2018. The itineraries between Gloucester, Massachusetts, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, will call at lesser-visited but much-desired ports along the coast. Cruises departing from Gloucester include Provincetown on Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Newport, Rhode Island; Martha’s Vineyard on Cape Cod; Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine; and Lunenburg, Nova Scotia; with scenic cruising in the Cape Cod Canal. Sailings from Halifax will call at the same ports in reverse order.
“Our goal is to be the first choice in cruising the Great Lakes, Canada, The St. Lawrence Seaway and New England markets by offering the best cuisine and hotel product onboard, along with memorable and unique destination experiences that stand above other operators,” said Bruce Nierenberg, president and CEO of Victory Cruise Lines. “We have dedicated significant time, resources and effort to make sure that our guests are exploring and participating in the real essence of the communities we visit and their people.”
In addition to the New England cruises, Victory II will feature several 10-night voyages on the St. Lawrence Seaway and Canadian Maritimes with calls at Montreal, Quebec, whale watching in the Saguenay Fjord, Quebec; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Halifax; Niagara Falls, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; and Detroit, Michigan.
A highlight of the Victory I’s first season on the Great Lakes will be the line’s first cruises to major ports on Lake Superior, a Victory Cruise Lines exclusive. Lake Superior cruises will visit Marquette and Houghton, Michigan; Duluth, Minnesota; and Thunder Bay, Ontario, gateway to the heartland of Canada. These itineraries also will feature Milwaukee, Green Bay and Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin; and Muskegon, Michigan. These great new ports of call will complement passenger favorites like Mackinac Island, Michigan; Parry Sound, Ontario; Little Current, Manitoulin Island, Ontario; the Soo Locks between Lake Superior and the Lower Great Lakes; and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario; Cleveland, Detroit and Niagara Falls.
With attention to detail, a focus on service and enriching experiences, Victory Cruise Lines caters to sophisticated travelers seeking an off-the-beaten-path adventure. The 5,000-ton, 300-foot-long Victory II, like Victory I, features all-inclusive shipboard amenities, with all food and beverages — including alcoholic beverages — as well as shore excursions and immersive port experiences included in the fare.
New Orleans