Experience Victory Cruise Lines – Now available to the UK market!
24 Jan 2018
Chances are you’ve probably never heard of Victory Cruise Lines before – after all they have only just started selling to the UK cruise market – but if you’re looking to experience something totally unique and different, keep reading, this cruise line is for you!
Victory Cruise Lines has two boutique ships, Victory I and Victory II. With 101 cabins and suites on board the two 4,954 ton vessels, itineraries are hand crafted to maximise the culture and history of each and every destination. In a way it’s like the best of an ocean cruise combined with the charm and inclusions of a river cruise. Victory Cruise Lines offers all-inclusive cruising along America’s five Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Atlantic Coast. With Victory Cruise Lines, so much is included in the cost. All shore excursions are complimentary, so you can look forward to enjoying whale watching in the St Lawrence Seaway, witnessing the impressive Niagara Falls, or visiting the Henry Ford Museum. Enjoy a traditional maritime ambience and attentive premium service with all on board drinks, meals, Wi-Fi, and afternoon tea included in the fare.
The Shearwater is the elegant dining room where breakfast, lunch and dinner with regionally inspired dishes is served. The Seascape Tavern is where conversations and laughter flows frequently. Relax and make new friends in this cosy English-style tavern which hosts live music in the evening. The Compass Lounge is ideal for listening to a fascination and enriching presentation, or why not gather around the grand piano for an old fashioned sing-along. Enjoy outdoor dining and fresh selections at the Cliff Rock Bar & Grille. Choose your meal and watch it cook to perfection on a volcanic lava rock. The onboard atmosphere is casual, but sophisticated, with the main focus on delivering you to enchanting destinations. After an enriching day of exploration, and an evening of dining and socialising, you’ll be rewarded by comfortable and spacious boutique accommodation, all with picture windows.
All the itineraries sound amazing. Here’s a couple of sailings that we highly recommend:
Midwest Majesty & The Archipelagos of Georgian Bay – From £4999pp
Start your cruise in Thunder Bay in Ontario where you’ll settle into your cabin aboard Victory II and meet your fellow travellers. Sail to Duluth, a city nestled in the hills overlooking Lake Superior in Northeast Minnesota. You’ll have the opportunity to enjoy a scenic drive and experience the unique phenomenon of the “Raptor flight path” at Hawk Ridge, where these hunting birds migrating from the Arctic come to screeching halt. Day 3 is spent in Houghton in Michigan, where you’ll visit the Quincy Copper Mine and learn all about how the miners extracted copper from the area between 1846 and 1945. The next day is spent along the coast in Marquette, where you’ll visit the Michigan Iron Industry Museum, and see the impressive 1000 ft long Iron ore dock. Relax and enjoy a day of scenic sailing along Lake Superior and witness a transit through the Soo Lock, which bypasses the St Mary Rapids – a 20 ft drop that connects Lake Superior to Lake Huron. Awake on day 6 at Mackinac Island. No cars are allowed, so your complimentary horse drawn carriage tour is a great way to experience the Victorian ambience of this National Historic Landmark. Tour Fort Mackinac and learn all about the importance of the fort during the War of 1812. Enjoy a Grand Luncheon Buffet at the Grand Hotel which holds the record for the longest verandah in the world. That evening, local historian Bob Tagatz will come aboard for a colourful talk on the history of Mackinac Island and its world-famous hotel. Step ashore in Little Current, the gateway to Manitoulin Island. Learn about the islands nautical heritage as you journey to the Immaculate Conception Church, a focal point of the community with its distinctive architecture evoking a teepee. The beautiful Parry Sound boasts many beautiful beaches, parks and trials. Take to one of the parks for some boating, kayaking or a spot of fishing. Enjoy a relaxing day onboard Victory II as the ship navigates Lake Huron, take part in an engaging discussion with one of the onboard local experts. Your cruise sadly comes to an end in Detroit, where you catch your flight home.
Great Lakes Grand Discovery – From £4999pp
This spectacular 10 day cruise visits all five of America’s Great Lakes – Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. Upon arriving in Toronto, you’ll embark Victory I, where you’ll have time to unwind and acquaint yourself with the facilities on offer and of course meet fellow guests. You cruise overnight and disembark the ship in Port Colborne as the ship begins its transit of the Welland Canal. Take a scenic drive to see the vineyards of the Niagara Peninsula. You’ll then enjoy a thrilling Hornblower Cruise which will take you up close to the spectacular Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls. You then rejoin the ship now docked in Port Weller after enjoying a wine tasting, lunch and tour at Chateau des Charmes. The ship sails overnight to Cleveland located on the shores of Lake Erie. See Michael Jackson’s iconic glove on a visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and explore the wonderful West Side Market. Continue your Great Lakes cruise to Detroit (or Windsor, depending on your departure date). Here, you’ll have the day to visit the Henry Ford Museum, which documents the genius of ordinary people. See the limousine that carried President John F. Kennedy on that fateful day in Texas, the bus in which Rosa Parks stood her ground, sparking the Civil Rights movement, and see the chair from the Ford Theatre in which Abraham Lincoln was sitting when he was shot. Spend a delightful day relaxing on board as Victory I sails along Lake Huron. Day 6 is spent in Little Current located in Georgian Bay. Visit the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation, a museum celebrating the heritage of this culture. Participate in an ancient ritual and watch a traditional drum and dance performance offering further insight into the Ojibwe culture. From Lake Huron, you’ll sail into Lake Superior as you witness a transit of the Soo Locks, the busiest in the world in terms of tonnage. You’ll travel upstream to Sault Ste. Marie on the Canadian side of the river. You’ll have the option of taking a half day tour visiting attractions on either the US or Canadian side of the border. Awake on day 8 in the Straits of Mackinac and arrive on Mackinac Island, where cars are forbidden. Enjoy a scenic horse and carriage tour and enjoy the Grand Hotel’s famous Luncheon Buffet. On your final full day, enjoy a relaxing day on board as Victory I navigates Lake Michigan, bound for your final call in Chicago.
The French Canadian Maritimes & Historic St Lawrence Seaway – From £5549pp
This fascinating 11 day cruise sails between Halifax and Detroit and also operates in reverse direction. The elegant Victory II awaits you as your airport transfer arrives at the pier. Spend some time, meeting your fellow passengers and enjoy some welcome aboard cocktails. As you depart Halifax, you’ll spend a day sailing the Atlantic Ocean and following the coastline of Nova Scotia. Arrive at Charlottestown, located on Prince Edward Island – Canada’s smallest and most charming province. The next day you’ll begin sailing the Gulf of St Lawrence, the estuary for the 744 mile long St Lawrence River.The next day, you’ll arrive in Tadoussac, where the St Lawrence River meets the outflow of the Saguenay River. Here, you’ll spend time whale watching. Between May and October, up to 13 species of cetaceans make their way up river from the Atlantic Ocean to feed. Continue along the St Lawrence River to Quebec City where you will see the historical and majestic Montmorency Falls. The next day, Victory II arrives in Montreal where you’ll enjoy a city tour and a visit to the Botanical Gardens. Spend day 8 sailing the scenic river, enjoy elegant dining onboard, with free-flowing wine, beer and spirits. After a leisurely morning, you will dock at Port Colbourne on the southern end of the Welland Canal. Disembark the ship and soak in the views of the iconic Niagara Falls. Visit Cleveland, located on the shores of Lake Erie, and discover the evolution of the rock and roll genre. Enjoy your final night onboard, with newly-made friends, before disembarking Victory II in Detroit.
