Victory: Creating a New Vision for a Re-Born Brand – Cruise Industry News

Being relaunched in 2025 by John Waggoner, Victory Cruise Lines aims to create a new vision for the re-born brand.

According to a blog entry on the company’s website, the new operation is the next chapter in the career of the cruise industry executive who founded American Queen Voyages.

The company is described as Waggoner’s “passion project that grew into the premier name in river and coastal cruising in the United States.”

As part of a business strategy, the executive decided to sell the company to new owners in 2019, the blog entry added.

Last April, when the assets of the former cruise line were auctioned off, Waggoner mobilized a team of investors to secure the purchase of two coastal ships, which are now set to become the Victory I and the Victory II.

Operating the 202-guest vessels, Victory is set to relaunch service in May 2025 with a series of ten- and 15-night cruises to the Great Lakes, Canada and New England.

For management and shipboard teams, Waggoner is said to have former colleagues who share enthusiasm for the operation.

Already open for bookings, Victory’s inaugural season includes itineraries to all five Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Canadian Maritimes.

According to the company, one of the highlights of the operation is the exclusive use of Navy Pier in Chicago.

Victory will be the only cruise line to use the facility, which will serve as the home port for itineraries sailing to Lake Michigan and beyond.

Chicago is one of the homeport’s that will receive Victory’s ships in 2025, along with Portland, Milwaukee, Toronto and Montreal.

In addition to itineraries to the Great Lakes between April and September, Victory will also operate cruises to Canada and New England in 2025.

The first cruise of the reborn company is set to take place in the region, with the Victory I embarking on a celebratory sailing in Portland on April 16, 2025.

Sailing to Toronto, the 10-night voyage will be hosted by John and Claudette Waggoner and will feature guest entertainers such as Phil Westbrook and Greg and Lindy Pendzick.