Latest news with #VictoryI
USA Today
2 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
US Customs removes crew members from at least 2 cruise ships
U.S. Customs and Border Protection removed crew members from at least two cruise ships operating in the Great Lakes. A 'limited number' of crew working aboard Victory Cruise Lines' Victory I and Victory II vessels were removed at the Port of Detroit, according to Founder and Chairman John Waggoner. 'We are actively cooperating with federal authorities to clarify the circumstances, and my priority is always our crew and the experience for our guests,' Waggoner told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. 'We wish to thank federal, state and local representatives across the Great Lakes for their prompt and continued attention to this matter.' Eight crew members were removed from Victory I on July 11, and five were removed from Victory II on July 9. The employees – who Victory hires primarily through third parties and have valid work visas – had been cleared to enter the U.S. to work aboard the ships, the line confirmed. A CBP spokesperson told USA TODAY the agency is 'involved in an ongoing operation on the Great Lakes,' but could not provide further details. Travel Weekly reported that crew members were also removed from other ships operating in the region, including Viking and Pearl Seas Cruises vessels. Viking did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. Pearl Seas Cruises declined to comment. The news comes as the Trump administration has cracked down on immigration and pursued mass deportations, as President Donald Trump promised on the campaign trail. A mid-July Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 51% of Americans disapprove of the policies, while 41% approve.
Chicago Tribune
24-06-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Inaugural Great Lakes cruise sets sail from Chicago's Navy Pier to Toronto
A boat cruising the Niagara River that flows between the U.S. and Canada appeared close enough to Niagara Falls to get sucked into the powerful rapids and plummet 188 feet. But that was just an illusion created by the view from a helicopter over one of the world's most famous waterfalls. 'That's Horseshoe Falls,' the pilot announced into my headset. Horseshoe Falls is the largest of the trio of falls — including American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls — that comprise the natural wonder known as Niagara Falls. A ribbon of emerald water unfurled below and the mist from the crescent-shaped waterfall rose heavenward. Many visitors see Niagara Falls from a tourist boat but few enjoy this lofty vantage point from a helicopter that accommodates only four or five people. The 'flightseeing' was an experience offered by Victory Cruise Lines on a 10-night Great Lakes cruise that traveled from Chicago to Toronto last month. Ports of call in Michigan included Escanaba, Mackinac Island, Sault Sainte Marie and Detroit on a trip that also took us to Cleveland. The Victory II ship was christened at Chicago's Navy Pier on May 12, ahead of its inaugural sailing on all five of the Great Lakes, marking the debut of the relaunched cruise line. Its sister ship, the Victory I, was christened in Toronto on April 27. The Victory I and II are the only ships in the small cruise line's fleet. Both 190-passenger vessels were purpose-built to sail the five Great Lakes and the Canadian Coast. It's the only such cruise line operating out of Navy Pier and has cruises scheduled between Chicago and Toronto, and between Milwaukee and Toronto, into October. After the flightseeing, when my traveling companions and I landed at the 13th Street Winery in the heart of Ontario's wine country, a bottle of sparkling Blanc de Blanc was poured into Champagne flutes to welcome us. We strolled through lush vineyards and a sun-splashed sculpture garden before sitting down to a tasting that included the region's famous ice wine. The dessert wine is made from grapes that freeze naturally on the vine, producing a honey-like elixir. Afterward, an alfresco lunch was served on a perfectly manicured lawn where other wine enthusiasts sipped Gamay and Riesling, some with canine companions at their feet. 'This cruise appeals to retired baby boomers seeking a low-key experience close to home,' said Kari Tarnowski, vice president of marketing with Victory Cruise Lines. Unlike international cruises, these trips don't require long flights, which can be hard on arthritic joints and cause jet lag. That was part of the appeal for Phil and Gee Barker of Charlotte, North Carolina. 'I've lost my desire for traveling all night and not sleeping,' Phil Barker said. 'It takes me two or three days to acclimate, and then it's time to come home. We started to ask, 'Why did we go so far when there's so much to see here?'' Detroit is a perfect example, a city undergoing a renaissance. It's the only UNESCO City of Design in the United States, and a shore excursion introduces cruisers to two architects who left a mark on the city: Eliel Saarinen and Frank Lloyd Wright, both of whom have ties to the Chicago area. In the Saarinen House on the campus of Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, a Detroit suburb, hangs a black and white sketch that is easily overlooked but worth scrutinizing. It reveals how different the Chicago skyline would look today had Finnish American architect Saarinen won the 1922 architectural contest to design Chicago's Tribune Tower, once the Tribune newspaper's headquarters. Saarinen's submission came in second, but the modern design made waves in the world of architecture. It caught the eye of George Gough Booth, founder of the art academy, and he engaged Saarinen to design the Cranbrook campus, including a home for the president, a position held by Saarinen himself from 1932 to 1946. Saarinen lived in his own architectural masterpiece until his death in 1950. Aside from patterned brick, the exterior is unimposing, but inside, Saarinen's unique aesthetic unfolds. Scandinavian ideals of simplicity and functionality don't equate to sparseness and lack of adornment. Elements of the Arts and Craft Movement that champion handcrafted simplicity are present, but so are the bold geometric shapes and luxury materials that define Art Deco. The piece de resistance is the octagonal dining room. A dome-shaped brass light fixture hangs from a gilded ceiling, and Chinese red art niches break up the neutral-toned walls. A tour of the campus itself is where Saarinen's genius shines. Lush, rolling landscapes are punctuated by Carl Milles sculptures, and the result is a harmonious blend of architecture, art and nature. The tour concludes at a Frank Lloyd Wright house once owned by school teachers Melvyn Maxwell Smith and Sara Stein Smith. It's a stellar example of Wright's Usonian ideal of building affordable, functional housing for the American middle class. Other cruise highlights include car-free Mackinac Island, where passengers take a horse and carriage ride to the iconic Grand Hotel, known for its expansive front porch lined with geraniums, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, where new inductees include Cyndi Lauper, Joe Cocker and Salt-N-Pepa. Toronto's CN Tower, an architectural marvel that looks like a needle puncturing the clouds, soars 1,815 feet and offers a panoramic view of Canada's most populous city with an aerial perspective of Lake Ontario and the skyscrapers that comprise the cityscape. In the evenings, passengers enjoy fine cuisine in the Coastal Dining Room and entertainment in the Compass Lounge. On sea days, passengers settle into the lounge for educational talks about the region. Ian Ross, the ship's 'lakelorian,' or regional storyteller, spoke about the system of locks, canals and channels that allow vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to Great Lakes ports. The Victory II passes through the Chicago Harbor Lock adjacent to Navy Pier, the first of eight canal locks on the cruise, showcasing an engineering feat that reversed the flow of the Chicago River in the 1930s to improve water quality and allow passage between the river and Lake Michigan. Now, Victory I and II are among the ships navigating the Great Lakes, but unlike the numerous cargo ships carrying commodities like grain and coal, they are mainly carrying passengers enjoying their golden years.
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Travel + Leisure
22-05-2025
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
This Cruise Line Lets You Visit Iconic Frank Lloyd Wright Sites as You Voyage Along the Great Lakes
While beach breaks, ziplining, and walking tours are common shore excursions on a cruise ship's itinerary, architectural immersions are less so, particularly in the U.S. To geek out over design, cruisers would need to drop anchor in Milan or Barcelona. But a new partnership between Victory Cruise Lines and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is changing that by bringing architectural enthusiasts to some of the late architect's sites in Illinois and Michigan. The journeys will be available starting May 2025, onboard Victory I and Victory II . Fresh off a 2024 refurbishment, each ship can accommodate up to 190 guests in 95 staterooms. There are lectures on board that educate travelers about Wright's work, life, and legacy—all curated by the Foundation's Taliesin Institute. Off board, there are shore excursions to his sites are available in three ports: Muskegon, Michigan; Chicago; and Detroit, Michigan. These are available on some of the 10-Night 'Toronto to Chicago' voyages, the 10-Night 'Chicago to Toronto' voyages and the 15-Night 'Chicago Roundtrip'. Interior of a Victory Cruise Lines stateroom. Chicago is an epicenter of Wright's work, as he launched his career in downtown Chicago working as a draftsman with Louis Sullivan. While ships dock at Chicago's Navy Pier, travelers can visit four sites via the 'Frank Lloyd Wright: His Home & Vision for the Future' excursion: Unity Temple, which Wright designed between 1905 and 1908 in the near-Western suburb of Oak Park. The Frederick C. Robie House, a 9,000-square-foot example of Wright's Prairie School Style completed in 1910 near the University of Chicago on the city's South Side. Wright's home and studio in Oak Park, where he raised his family. It is also the largest concentration of Wright homes worldwide, home to 25 of his projects. The Rookery Building, designed by Daniel Burnham and John Wellborn Root in 1888 in the Loop. (Wright was tasked to remodel the lobby in 1905). In addition to Illinois, cruisers can also visit Wright sites in another Great Lakes state, Michigan. From the Muskegon port of call, one excursion visits the Meyer May House in Grand Rapids, a Prairie School Style home completed in 1909, and the David M. and Hattie Amberg House Wright designed in 1911. Journeys start from $5,779 per person and you can learn more or book your sailing at
Travel Weekly
14-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
The reborn Victory Cruise Lines christens second ship
Victory Cruise Lines is now in full service after christening its second ship, Victory II, in Chicago on May 12. The ceremony followed the April 27 christening of Victory I in Toronto, which ushered the cruise line back into service after CEO John Waggoner purchased the ships last year following American Queen Voyages' closure. His granddaughter, Molly Applegate, is Victory II's godmother, and she broke a bottle of bourbon on the ship's bow during the ceremony. Members of the Chicago and Great Lakes tourism industries offered remarks. "Victory Cruise Lines will bring thousands of visitors to Chicago, and we are proud the cruise line is docking right here downtown at Navy Pier," said Jordan Engerman of Choose Chicago, the city's destination marketing organization. Victory is the only cruise line that will dock at Navy Pier. "There is no city in the world quite like Chicago, and we are delighted to celebrate here today at Navy Pier as Victory II joins Victory I in sailing the Great Lakes once again," Waggoner said. Both Victory ships accommodate 190 passengers.
Travel Weekly
10-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Sweet Victory: Two coastal ships with a long history get new lease on life
ONBOARD THE VICTORY I -- Freshly painted, with new carpet, curtains, furniture, glassware and cutlery, the Victory I may not be in its ninth life, but it sure is close. Under new ownership, the 190-passenger coastal ship is back on the Great Lakes, to be joined in May by sister ship the Victory II. And "Victory" is a fitting name, since this is one of cruising's great comebacks. Entrepreneur John Waggoner came out of retirement to revive the line, which he once owned, following the 2024 bankruptcy of parent company Hornblower Group. Waggoner and his wife, Claudette, paid $1.9 million in cash at auction for the ships. Shaded lounge seating on Victory I's sundeck. Photo Credit: Anne Kalosh During Victory I's naming festivities in Toronto on April 27, Waggoner recounted how, in a "very short 380 days," he was able to arrange financing to resume operations, "put the band back together," set up reservations and accounting systems, repair both ships (including a new engine for the Victory II) and enhance the interiors, open bank accounts for credit card payments, launch sales and marketing, develop a website, set up a call center and "a thousand other tasks" to restart service. The Victory I's christening in Toronto was an emotional event for the Waggoners. Their youngest daughter, Emily Coleman, served as the godmother, smashing a bottle of Crown Royal Canadian Whisky on the bow. The event was sentimental for me, too. Recalling the Cape May Light's debut In April 2001, I was present to report on the ship's first naming, as the Cape May Light, for Delta Queen Coastal Voyages, then a new brand. It was a rare U.S.-built cruise ship, constructed at Atlantic Marine in Jacksonville, Fla., as part of a strategy to revive commercial shipbuilding and create American jobs by financing U.S.-built ships with government loan guarantees through the U.S. Maritime Administration. A deluxe outside stateroom with a veranda that is shared with other staterooms on Deck 4. Photo Credit: Anne Kalosh The Cape May Light had national, patriotic significance far beyond its small size. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao served as the godmother, and the naming took place near Washington, in Alexandria, Va. Maritime union brass turned out, and a thick cloud of cigar smoke swirled around their intense discussions in the bar. Delta Queen Coastal Voyages belonged to Chicago business mogul Sam Zell's American Classic Voyages, which also operated Delta Queen Steamboat Co., American Hawaii Cruises and United States Lines. The Cape May Light and its sister, the Cape Cod Light, were designed to expand Delta Queen's river focus into coastal operations, including the Great Lakes. But the Cape May Light sailed for just a few months: The 9/11 terrorist attacks and the ensuing travel downturn led to American Classic Voyages' bankruptcy. The U.S. Maritime Administration took possession of the two Cape ships -- the Cape Cod Light had never even sailed -- which languished for years. In 2006, Waggoner put in an offer for the ships but was outbid. Eventually Denmark's Clipper Group, a bulk cargo operator with an office in Nassau, acquired the vessels, reflagged them to the Bahamas and put them out for charter. The Cape May Light, renamed the Sea Voyager, housed relief workers for Haiti's 2010 earthquake recovery and did a stint as a floating dormitory for St. Mary's College in Maryland. In 2015, it would go back to what it was built to do. Chartered to Haimark Line, it was renamed the Saint Laurent and launched Great Lakes itineraries. But early on, the ship struck a lock in the St. Lawrence Seaway and an insurance dispute led to Haimark's demise. Victory Cruise Lines is born Haimark had also been planning to launch Cuba cruises under a partnership with Bruce Nierenberg, an entrepreneur who had snagged a license to sail between the U.S. and Cuba when relations between the countries thawed during the Obama administration. A "LakeLorian" lecture in the Compass Lounge. Photo Credit: Anne Kalosh When Haimark went under, Nierenberg became CEO of the newly formed Victory Cruise Lines, designed to pick up Haimark's Great Lakes business and launch Cuba cruises on the ship that was now named Victory I. In 2019, Waggoner's American Queen Steamboat Co. (AQSC), part of Hornblower, acquired Victory: At last the ships were his. The first Trump administration abruptly halted Cuba cruises in June of that year, and the company focused on the Great Lakes itineraries. Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck. With Canadian ports closed, AQSC canceled Victory's 2020 season. As cruising resumed in 2021, AQSC rebranded as American Queen Voyages, combining its river and coastal fleets. Victory I became the Ocean Voyager and Victory II the Ocean Navigator. Around that time, Waggoner sold his stake to private equity and left Hornblower, which had brought in new management. In early 2024, American Queen Voyages filed for bankruptcy. Waggoner was saddened to see the company he'd built evaporate so quickly. But he also missed the cruise business, and when the ships were put up for auction, he decided to get back in. Once he and his wife had won the Victory pair, they got financing to spruce up the ships, and in a "very short 380 days," he said, the line was relaunched. The Victory I now The Victory I looks fresh but retains it original elements and historic charm. New technology includes LED screens with destination information in the stair landings and the Compass Lounge, the main entertainment and lecture venue. The Compass Lounge is where the "LakeLorian," a storyteller/destination expert trained by the National Museum of the Great Lakes, gives briefings. Diners at the Tuscan Stone Grill cook their steaks on individual hot stones. Photo Credit: Anne Kalosh A compass rose-inspired floor on the Saloon Deck, stained-glass accents in the cozy Tavern, and the tin ceiling and chandelier in the main Compass Lounge are all original and give the ship historical flavor. In the Coastal Dining Room, one dinner menu's entrees included rack of lamb, Boston scrod, spaghetti aglio e olio, Punjabi eggplant, New York sirloin steak, grilled chicken breast and Atlantic salmon -- all elegantly plated. I found the grilled haloumi appetizer and Valrhona chocolate dessert scrumptious. The Grill, a casual buffet spot during the day, converts into the Tuscan Stone Grill by night. Each diner gets a preheated stone to cook their own filet mignon, sirloin or salmon. Staterooms start at 146 square feet, and most have windows, not balconies. My Category AA deluxe outside stateroom with veranda was 161 square feet, with a compact shower, Aveda toiletries, a desk and stocked minifridge. The AA rooms open to a shared veranda. A grilled haloumi appetizer served in the Coastal Dining Room. Photo Credit: Anne Kalosh This is a quaint but well maintained ship, comfortable and perfectly sized for the Great Lakes. I'm happy that after 24 years and many incarnations, it's back where it belongs.
