This is the little ship that could. And did so, beautifully.

Victory Cruise Lines’ Victory I made her much anticipated 2025 inaugural voyage in early April to the delight and enthusiasm of a large and loyal fanbase — many of whom were onboard for the voyage from Portland, Maine, to Toronto.

Leading up to this sailing, Victory I and sister ship Victory II had experienced an eventful year. Both had been among American Queen Voyages’ fleet, under different names, when the company abruptly ceased operations in February 2024. In March the ships went to auction, their fate unknown. A month later, cruise industry veteran John Waggoner and his wife, Claudette, stepped in and rescued the 190-passenger ships, which had launched originally in 2001.

The couple and their team of experts then spent a full 12 months reviving and refurbishing Victory I and Victory II for their triumphant return as the premier all-inclusive coastal cruising experience on the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway and Canadian Maritimes. ( Victory II returned to the water May 12).

On April 27, godmother Emily Coleman, the Waggoners’ youngest daughter, broke a bottle of Crown Royal Canadian Whisky on Victory I’s bow during the christening ceremony in Toronto. I was lucky enough to be aboard for the ceremony, joining a rapt audience as Waggoner detailed the journey to bring these vessels back to life—one that included rebuilding the engines and installing new control systems as well as replacing flooring and furniture, adding Wi-Fi throughout and upgrading cabin amenities, among a full complement of fixes and enhancements, all while retaining their historic charm.

Waggoner closed his speech with a quote from author David Viscott: “If you cannot risk, you cannot grow. If you cannot grow, you cannot become your best. If you cannot become your best, you cannot be happy. If you cannot be happy, what else matters?”

And, boy, was everyone present happy.

Part of it was due to the event itself. As Victory I’s LakeLorian noted, the christening was the “celebration of a dream.” Part of it stems from the onboard atmosphere, which feels very much like being at the owner’s lake house—a very charming lake house with exemplary dining, open bar, an eager wait staff, and ever-changing and sweeping views of the lakes and postcard-pretty waterfront towns. Another key ingredient is the boundless enthusiasm of Victory I’s crew and staff that have such heart and warmth and genuinely want everyone onboard to live their best vacation experience.

LIFE ONBOARD

It’s hard not to. Days unfold at a relaxed pace, with games like Family Feud, Outburst or trivia, movie matinees, destination previews, live music shows following dinner and daily talks by the LakeLorian—featuring exclusive programming in collaboration with Toledo, Ohio’s National Museum of the Great Lakes. Strangers become friends over impromptu card games, board games and puzzles in laidback gathering spaces including the ship’s newly refreshed Compass Lounge with its tin ceiling and chummy tavern, distinctive with stained-glass appointments.

Then there is the food. Lots and lots of food—from a bottomless cookie jar to a case full of treats (tiny sandwiches and veggies and dip, cakes and confections) to evening canapes—and all of it delicious.

Breakfast and lunch buffet are laid out in the Grill, which in the evening transforms into the upscale, interactive Tuscan Stone Grill. Here, guests step into the role of chef to cook entrées like salmon and filet mignon over hot stones.

The Coastal Dining Room serves breakfast and lunch along with a multicourse dinner that features appetizers like steak and bleu cheese bruschetta and spicy scallops and avocado ceviche; soups — French onion, crème of mushroom, carrot-ginger and others; a selection of salads; and mouthwatering entrées including steamed Colorado river trout, shrimp fra diavolo, wiener schnitzel and more. Then the desserts come out: plum clafoutis, ice creams and sorbets, decadent layered cakes, a cheese plate.

Cabins are compact but cozy and comfy with luxe bedding and writing desk—and gifts, including guest keepsakes of a beautiful custom journal and a monogrammed water bottle. On Deck 4, the Club Level accommodations offer stateroom access to a shared veranda on the Promenade Deck, plus the convenience of being mere steps from the Grill (and its coffee and ice cream stations). Showers are small, but the heavenly scented rosemary and mint-scented Aveda bath amenities make up for it. Evening turn-down includes a gourmet chocolate and a pillow card with story relating to the sweet treat and its significance on the itinerary.

All of these extra special touches are made to bring happiness—and they do.

GOING ASHORE

The cruise line has created an outstanding selection of excursions, with complimentary ones throughout the itinerary, including the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and Henry Ford Museum of America in Detroit. On the (included) Niagara Falls tour, we watched Horseshoe Falls crash into the pool below, churning up foam and framed by a rainbow. We then crossed the street to Niagara Parks Power Station, boarded a glass elevator that plunged us 180 feet down to the tunnel below and walked its 2,200-foot length to the observation deck. Here was another view of the falls, spraying water and slapping into boulders. The experience elicited rave reviews from everyone on the excursion.

In Escanaba, Michigan, we joined the premium Fine Wine and Fine Arts tour. First stop: Leigh’s Garden Winery & Tasting Room to sample fan favorite Yooper Juice, a sweet wine made with concord grapes. My own preference was for Old Escanaba, a dry, lightly oaked red. Afterward, we strolled the gallery at the Bonifas Fine Arts Center and then peeked into the theater, where “Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland” was playing. We had the good fortune of meeting some of the actors, whose costumes—so colorfully and impeccably made—could have graced any stage, anywhere.

Among outstanding immersive excursions was lunch at the Grand Hotel, with arrival by horse-drawn carriage. The jewel of Michigan’s Mackinac Island and home of the world’s longest front porch, this landmark destination is a visual feast with rooms bursting to life in a Dorothy Draper-designed color palette of reds and greens swirling through the rooms. Amid the timeless elegance of the Main Dining Room were tables and trays of delectables: soups, salads, tea sandwiches, cheeses, dips, entrées like pecan encrusted chicken, breads, pastries and more.

After enjoying lunch and poking into one of the island’s 13 fudge shops, we returned to the ship in time to catch a matinee of the 1980 movie “Somewhere in Time,” which had been filmed at the Grand Hotel. The Jane Seymour-Christopher Reeve romance has a dedicated following—so much so that the Grand Hotel is marking three milestones in 2025 in connection to it: The 35th anniversary of its iconic Somewhere in Time Weekend (Oct. 3-5); the 45th anniversary of the movie; and the 50th anniversary of the novel, "Bid Time Return," on which it was based.

Also aboard Victory I are a small workout room; a spa (with very competitive prices) that offers a fabulous neck, shoulder and back massage, among other treatments; and an Observation and Sun Deck with shaded seating beneath a pergola. With warm ambience and next-level personalized service, Victory I feels like that lake house getaway where everything is comfortable, fun—and pampering, too.

Each Victory Cruise Lines voyage includes one-night pre-cruise hotel stay; complimentary ground transfers (hotel/ship and ship/airport); all water view accommodations, some with veranda; included shore excursion in each port; acclaimed cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner served in multiple venues plus culinary events throughout each cruise; gourmet selections including freshly prepared lobster and regionally inspired dishes; unlimited beverages including an extensive wine list, choice spirits, local craft beers and specialty coffees; open bars and lounges throughout the vessel; unlimited Wi-Fi; live, daily onboard entertainment and enrichment with the ships’ trademark LakeLorians; hiking sticks.

For more information, visit www.VictoryCruiseLines.com.