With its recent purchase of Victory Cruise Lines and its 202-guest Victory I and Victory II, American Queen Steamboat Company is bringing its premium river cruise experience to the Great Lakes. The ships were given stem-to-stern refits and now boast deluxe bedding and new soft fittings in all staterooms, newly enclosed alternate dining grills and handsomely refreshed public areas.

Following is a review of Victory I during a 10-day sailing from Chicago to Toronto.

Matching Clients to Accommodations

Victory I has 101 staterooms that span seven categories, the most lavish being a pair of 335-square-foot, forward-facing Owner’s Suites that have a separate sitting area and bedroom and share a large, private balcony.

Unique to these ships are 161-square-foot category AAs on Deck 4 that are accessed from the exterior promenades, while slightly smaller Category Bs, Cs and Ds on Decks 3, 2 and 1 have interior access and feature a pair of picture windows.

What's Included

Pre-cruise hotel night, non-premium alcoholic beverages, coffee, soft drinks, excursions and WiFi.

Best Entertainment

Unlike on typical cruise ships, there are no Broadway-style shows, although a versatile four-piece band performs everything from country to jazz and rock each evening in the lounge.

What's for Dinner?

In the Coastal Dining Room, breakfast and lunch are open seating, presented in a combination buffet style with limited full-service offerings like eggs cooked to order and daily specials. Dinner is full service and features a new menu each day with four courses that are paired with a select red and white wine.

The Grill offers a pared-down, buffet version of the dining room fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner—enhanced with lovely topside views through a panorama of full-length windows.

Excursions

Highlights included a lavish buffet lunch at Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel, a visit to Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and an up-close encounter with Niagara Falls.

Key Selling Points

The 84-member international crew consistently delivered in terms of efficiency, warmth and remembering details like guests’ dietary and drink preferences. The crew’s hospitality, the ship’s replica Victorian steamer ambiance, the scenic natural beauty of the lakes and Victory’s included tours are all key selling points.

Who Books This Ship?

The target market is European river cruisers. The low-key onboard ambiance, a varied itinerary with an emphasis on excursions and enrichment—all without involving overseas travel—makes the Victory I a perfect fit for well-to-do, well-traveled and older guests.

Insider Booking Tip

Early-season cruises are especially beautiful for the abundant spring blossoms in most ports of call but can be subject to sudden weather fluctuations as well as lake-fly infestations that render the outer decks unusable at times – something to consider when booking outside-access-only Category AA staterooms.

Agent Assistance

AQSC/Victory Cruise Lines offers on-demand training courses, site inspection requests, customizable promotional flyers, an image library and online brochure ordering at agents.aqsc.com.

Just the Facts

—Cruise Line: Victory Cruise Lines

—Ship Name: Victory I

—Size: 4,954 gross tons; 202 guests Year Introduced: 2001 (renovated in 2008 and 2019)

—Facilities: Elevator, reception area, gym, spa, Compass Lounge, the Tavern, the Coastal Dining Room, the Grill

—Price: For 2020 sailings, per person, double occupancy fares range from $445 for a Category E stateroom early or late in the season to $845 for an Owner’s Suite in peak season. Air, transfers, tips ($16.50 per person, per day) and port taxes ($459 per person) are not included.

—Base Commission: 10 percent

—Contact: 888-907-2636, victorycruiselines.com