TORONTO — Victory Cruise Lines is back in Toronto – and its 2026 Great Lakes cruise season is now underway.
Now in its second season of operations, the relaunched cruise company with founder and chairman John Waggoner at the wheel is once again offering all-inclusive, small ship, coastal cruising onboard Victory I and Victory II. The 190-guest ships are purpose-built to cruise on all five Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Maritimes.
Victory Cruise Lines continues to offer more itineraries that visit all five Great Lakes in a single voyage than any other cruise line, with 35 itineraries scheduled to call on Toronto in 2026. Victory I was at Port Toronto recently, with Waggoner welcoming aboard elected officials, port and tourism partners including MPs James Maloney and Chi Nguyen along with Sally Davis Berry, Tourism Director of Cruise the Great Lakes, and RJ Steenstra, President and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority.
During the winter layup, Victory I and Victory II underwent a US$5 million fleet enhancement combining what the cruise line says are significant technical overhauls, regulatory compliance and elevated guest-experience upgrades.
The current itinerary on Victory I is a 10-night journey from Toronto to Chicago, with stops in Niagara Falls, Port Colborne, Cleveland, Detroit, Mackinac Island and Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, MI and Milwaukee, before docking at Navy Pier.
Passengers get a one-night pre-cruise hotel stay, complimentary ground transfers, an included shore excursion in every port, regionally inspired cuisine, unlimited beverages including fine wines and spirits, open bars and lounges, WiFi and live entertainment and enrichment programming.
Q&A WITH CHAIRMAN & FOUNDER JOHN WAGGONER
Last fall Travelweek checked out Victory I and spoke with Waggoner about the cruise line’s prospects in these challenging times for cross-border travel. Waggoner is well-known in the industry as the founder of American Queen Voyages (AQV), with its beautiful and historic fleet of paddlewheelers. AQV acquired Victory Cruise Lines, in its original incarnation, back in 2019. After some twists and turns Victory I and Victory II went up for sale – and in something like a full circle moment, Waggoner bought the two vessels in spring 2024.
Now with the 2026 season getting underway, Travelweek re-connected with Waggoner.
Given its size, and certainly the current political climate, the U.S. is still the big fish for Victory Cruise Lines. “We are still primarily focused on the U.S. market to source,” Waggoner told Travelweek.
That said, Canadian bookings for the 2026 are up versus 2025. Amid a 13-month decline in Canada-to-U.S. travel, is there finally a plateau? Or is it just that more Canadians know about Victory’s Great Lakes sailings in this second year of operation? No doubt 2026 will be a tell-tale year from this market.
Travelweek: When we spoke in September 2025, there were plans for a push into the Canadian market in 2026. It’s tough these days to market U.S. destinations to Canadian travellers, to say the least! On the upside, many Canadian travellers are no doubt intrigued by Great Lakes sailings. How have your marketing efforts for Victory I and Victory II sailings been received in Canada?
Waggoner: “Victory Cruise Lines continues to market to the Canadian traveller through our sales and marketing efforts with our Canada-based agencies, most notably with Ensemble which has a significant presence in Canada. These efforts have resulted in increased awareness as well as bookings.”
Travelweek: In 2025 Victory I and Victory II operated 10-15 night voyages from Chicago, Toronto, Milwaukee and Montreal. Are there any major itinerary changes for 2026?
Waggoner: “The biggest difference for us in 2026 is significant expansion is the season growing to 40 all‑inclusive voyages, up from a smaller inaugural slate in 2025, and with 34 itineraries sailing all five Great Lakes, reinforcing the line’s core regional focus. The itinerary map broadens notably with new embarkation and debarkation cities, as Quebec City becomes a major endpoint through newly added Quebec City-Chicago and reverse sailings, while Portland, Maine is used more extensively for Portland-Quebec City and Portland–Toronto routes.
“Chicago operations are also expanded: beyond familiar Chicago-Toronto and Chicago-Montreal itineraries, 2026 introduces two Chicago round‑trip cruises centred on Lake Superior, calling at Thunder Bay, Duluth, Houghton, and Marquette – an itinerary configuration not offered in 2025. In addition, brand‑new Toronto-Milwaukee and Milwaukee-Toronto sailings debut, elevating Milwaukee from a port of call to a full turn‑around port.
“The expanded season also brings new ports of call, including Pictured Rocks, Sturgeon Bay, Whitefish Bay, Trois‑Rivières, Gaspé, Baie‑Comeau and Saguenay, adding more nature‑forward and culturally rich destinations to the Victory I and Victory II experience.”
Victory Cruise Lines’ founder and chairman John Waggoner (back row, third from left) is joined by MPs James Maloney and Chi Nguyen, Sally Davis Berry with Cruise the Great Lakes, RJ Steenstra with the Toronto Port Authority and other industry reps at Port Toronto recently for the kick-off to Victory Cruise Lines’ 2026 season
Travelweek: What feedback do you hear from passengers about Victory I and Victory II and the onboard experience?
Waggoner: “Guest feedback on Victory Cruise Lines was incredibly positive in our first season, with guests consistently praising the intimate, small‑ship experience, attentive service, and inclusive onboard atmosphere. The purposefully-built ships are perfect for the Great Lakes which fosters a relaxed, friendly onboard culture and allows access to ports that larger vessels cannot reach, such as docking directly in Mackinac Island rather than tendering. Dining receives strong marks for quality and variety, with guests highlighting fresh menus, well‑executed regional dishes, and the value of inclusive beverages, though portions are sometimes described as modest by design rather than abundance‑oriented. Service is frequently called out as a standout, with crew described as warm, accommodating, and highly engaged, contributing to a feeling of being well cared for throughout the voyage.”
Travelweek: What do you want Canadian travel advisors to know about Victory Cruise Lines as the 2026 season gets underway?
Waggoner: “We are close to home. Our cruises offer experiences in great Canadian destinations as well as U.S. destinations along the five Great Lakes.”
Travelweek: Is there a timeline for the launch of the new travel advisor portal? Also is there a BDM now for the Canadian market?
Waggoner: “We launched the new travel advisor portal in February. I manage our relationships with the Canadian market. We have been evaluating the need for a GSA in Canada.”
For more ship and itinerary details see VictoryCruiseLines.com. The travel advisor portal is here.
