Victory II Great Lakes Cruises: Experience The Newly Relaunched Ship
Contributor Jackie Sheckler Finch sails on Victory II, one of the growing number of Great Lakes Cruises wooing travelers.
John Waggoner felt too young to retire. So, when he saw that two of the ships he once owned were up for auction, Waggoner and his wife, Claudette, bought them back.
Then Waggoner set up a dream cruise itinerary that his years of experience told him cruisers would love.
From what I saw on my Victory II cruise, Waggoner was certainly right. And cruise devotees are so glad he was.
The 190-passenger sister ships, Victory I and Victory II, bought by the Waggoners for $1.9 million, are cruising the Great Lakes again, offering a refreshing alternative to river and ocean cruising.
“It’s hard to believe we only purchased the Victory II 395 days ago,” Waggoner said at the Victory II christening.
In that short amount of time, Waggoner organized the Victory Cruise Lines’ expert team and had the ships updated in preparation for cruising again.
(credit: Jackie Sheckler Finch)
Continuing a Waggoner Family Tradition
(credit: Jackie Sheckler Finch)
Giving Victory Cruise Lines a new life was definitely a family venture, says Waggoner, thanking “…my entire family who support my crazy ideas and support me unconditionally.”
Ready to cruise again, Victory I was christened in Toronto on April 27 by godmother Emily Coleman, Waggoner’s youngest daughter. Victory II was christened in Chicago on May 12 by godmother Molly Grace Applegate, Waggoner’s 12-year-old granddaughter.
Great Lakes Cruising on Victory II
Since I attended Victory II’s rebirth, that is the cruise story I will share. Our 10-day cruise started in Chicago with an inclusive pre-cruise night at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk.
After breakfast the next morning, we motor-coached to Chicago’s Navy Pier for the ship christening and the start of our cruise, which ended in Toronto. Ground transfers from the hotel to the ship and from the ship to the final destination airport are part of the all-inclusive cruise, as are ship Wi-Fi and unlimited wine, beer, cocktails, specialty coffee, and soda, plus shore excursions at every stop.
Our itinerary included stops in Escanaba, Mackinac Island, Sault Ste. Marie and Detroit, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
A Perfect Size for Great Lakes Cruises
To begin with, Victory II and its twin sister Victory I are the only ships to dock at Chicago’s Navy Pier, quite a handy way for passengers to walk along the Pier and visit downtown Chicago.
These small agile coastal cruising ships can easily navigate canals, locks and ports where larger ships dare not go. I saw that when we visited Mackinac Island, where a 378-passenger cruise ship was docked off the island and passengers had to be transported to shore in small tender boats, a time-consuming inconvenience.
On the other hand, our compact Victory II docked in the heart of Mackinac Island, where we could easily step off the ship and marvel at Mackinac’s charms. One of our fellow passengers made a quick shopping trip and returned to the Victory II to drop off her bags of freshly made fudge and souvenirs. Then she headed out to walk to the famous Grand Hotel. And maybe buy more fudge on her way back.
Originally built in 2004, Victory II seems the best of old and new. Spruced up with new carpeting, wallpaper, curtains, glasses and china, the five-deck ship with its stained-glass accents, lovely polished woodwork, tin ceiling and sparkling glass chandeliers has an old-world feel like the classic coastal steamers of the late 19th century.
The vessel is well maintained and very clean with 95 staterooms on four passenger decks. Other public places on the ship include the Coastal Dining Room, Tavern, Compass Lounge, Grill, Tuscan Stone Grill, Purser’s Office, Gym, Salon and Spa.
On the top sun deck are awnings with comfortable chairs and lounges to watch as the ship cruises. A large, speedy elevator is available but it is quite easy to walk from place to place on Victory II. No long lines or hassle in getting on, off or around the ship.
My Comfortable Victory II Stateroom
Entering my cruise home-away-from-home stateroom for the first time is always a pleasure.
Located on Deck 4, my Stateroom 418 on Victory II measured 161 square feet and was accessed directly from the promenade deck. The room doesn’t have a balcony but does have a large picture window, plus two chairs and a table outside my door to sit on the long walkway.
The room has two twin beds with nightstands in between. Across from the beds is a long vanity and chair with a mirror and a flat screen TV over top. At one end of the vanity is a mini fridge filled with complimentary soft drinks and beer.
The bed’s fluffy pillows and mattresses were so thick that at least one passenger asked for a step stool to easily get in and out of her high-rise bed. The room had plenty of storage – two closets and more than a half-dozen drawers located around the room. Against the far wall was a desk and chair.
The bathroom was large enough with towel racks and a handy counter for storage under the lengthy sink. The shower was small with a half-circular plastic curtain. Aveda Rosemary Mint toiletries were provided and the shower had strong water pressure and wonderfully warm water.
Room attendant Mas kept everything spiffy. He made sure we had a filled ice bucket and large bottle of water. He would clean the room every morning, plus do turndown before bedtime with a tasty snack left on our pillows.
A nice touch was that some of the pillow-top snacks were specific to where we were docked. A box of JoAnn’s Mackinac Island Fudge, a bag of chocolate-covered Michigan cherries, and a special caramel cluster were a few of the treats ready for us each night.
Delicious Dining Options
Victory II offers guests a variety of attractive dining options:
Coastal Dining Room
The Coastal Dining Room was the main place to dine. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered delightful lake views.
A great feature at dinner time was seeing menu items arranged in the dining room entry hall. Undecided what entrée to choose? Everything was right there to see, which is quite helpful.
I was thinking of ordering the grilled New York Sirloin Steak one night until I saw the luscious spaghetti displayed in the hallway. I was quite pleased with the tasty spaghetti and probably would have passed on it if I hadn’t seen the sample.
The Coastal Dining Room menu offered a choice of appetizers, soup, salad, entrée, sides, and dessert, with no shortage of good choices. One menu featured entrees of roast rack of lamb, oven-baked Boston scrod, Punjabi eggplant bharta, steak, grilled natural chicken breast, and Atlantic salmon.
The Grill
During the day, the Grill served classic favorites for breakfast and lunch. A self-service, soft-serve ice cream machine was available all day. With its location spanning the ship’s stern, the Grill offered expansive views of the waterways.
Tuscan Stone Grill
In the evening, the Grill changed into the Tuscan Stone Grill where diners could cook their entrees on sizzling hot volcanic lava stones placed on tabletops. Reservations are required but there is no extra charge for this popular dining spot or to eat anywhere else on the ship.
Entrée choices to cook on the stones included sirloin steak, beef tenderloin, lamb chops, Atlantic salmon and ahi tuna. It was fun to cook my steak just the way I wanted it.
The menu also included appetizers, salads and desserts, including panna cotta and tiramisu. For side items, the server came to our table with a large tray with Tuscan-style fried potatoes with parmesan, green beans and fresh spinach sautéed with garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.
Tavern and Compass Lounge
Both the Tavern and the Compass Lounge are Victory II’s gathering places for cocktails, snacks and late-night bites. The Compass Lounge offers a coffee and tea machine as well as veggies, fresh-baked cookies, and other goodies.
I’ve been on some ships where crewmembers who have other main jobs often serve as bartenders but they really don’t know how to make drinks. Victory II has real bartenders who know what they are doing and add perfect garnishes to the finished cocktail.
In fact, the international crew members are a major part of what makes a Victory cruise so special. Friendly, professional, well-dressed and aiming to please, the crew always knew my name and greeted me with a smile.
Musical Entertainment
The Victory II House Band was composed of three musicians—James on keyboard, Zack on drums and Ian Ross as the lead singer and guitar player. Ross also plays sax, harmonica, pedal steel guitar and probably a couple more instruments. All are quite talented with great shows after dinner in the Compass Lounge.
Each show would have a theme—The Beatles, Songs of the 70s, Rock ‘n’ Roll Dance Party. Talented guest vocalist Michaelyn Oby joined a few shows, including a special Lady Sings the Blues presentation.
Victory II LakeLorian
Over the years, I’ve cruised with many Riverlorians who share the amazing stories of America’s great rivers. But Victory II is the first time I have ever met a LakeLorian.
On Victory II, the LakeLorian is bandleader lan Ross—a great fit for the young man who grew up near Cleveland and has been a lifelong resident of the Great Lakes region.
In 2011, Ross received a master’s degree in American history from the University of Cincinnati and has worked as an archivist, historian and lecturer at various libraries, museums and universities.
As LakeLorian, in partnership with the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio, Ross hosts lectures and discussions and answers questions throughout our journey.
As John Waggoneer said in announcing Victory Cruise Lines’ LakeLorians, “Our guests are looking to not just visit ports in the region but learn as much as they can about the Great Lakes.”
Intriguing Shore Excursions
I could write a separate story for each of our terrific shore excursions on the five Great Lakes—Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and Lake Superior. But will just list my four favorites.
Mackinac Island in Michigan
The love story “Somewhere in Time” was filmed on the island and at the Grand Hotel. In fact, the Grand Hotel has a small museum dedicated to the 1980 film and other movies made on Mackinac.
Starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, the tale concerns a young playwright traveling back in time to meet the woman of his dreams. The movie was shown on Victory II and there may have been some sniffling when it came to an end.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio
Saw a fascinating film to learn about the birth of rock and roll. Viewed musical instruments, performance outfits and much more from great performers.
Two of my memorable sightings were Elvis Presley memorabilia and a 1960 passport photo of John Lennon sporting a hairstyle like Elvis’s. After all, Lennon once said, “Without Elvis, there would be no Beatles.”
Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan
A glass vial with the dying breath of famed inventor Thomas Edison. The maroon chair, still bloodstained, where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theater.
Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford was a collector. As one of the world’s first billionaires, Ford had the money to collect whatever struck his fancy. Instead of expensive works of art or precious gems, however, Ford liked to save pieces of life from the past to preserve history and share with others.
Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada
A cat was the first critter to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel and survive. The cat didn’t volunteer to go but was taken along by Annie Edson Taylor, the first human being to intentionally, successfully take that barrel ride.
That was on Oct. 24, 1901. A teacher celebrating her 63rd birthday, Annie hoped the fame and fortune from her exploits would help her live a comfortable retirement.
Alas, Annie’s manager-agent absconded with the money and the barrel. Although she tried to track down the thief, Annie was unsuccessful and was said to have died on April 29, 1921, at age 82, virtually penniless. Her funeral was paid by donations.
Never know what trivia you might learn on a cruise. Standing beneath the thundering Niagara Falls, it seemed a fitting place for our final shore excursion on my Victory II cruise. Excellent from start to finish.
Disclosure: The author was a guest of Victory Cruise Lines but any opinions expressed in this post are her own.
IF YOU GO
Victory Cruise Lines, [email protected], Phone (855) 556-7193
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My husband and I had the pleasure of traveling on this sailing. What an excellent first impression: the cities we visited were wonderful but the staff and crew won the day with their excellent service and attention to detail! A top notch operation!!!