American Queen Steamboat Company, which made its reputation on America’s inland rivers, is looking in wider directions since taking over Victory Cruise Lines as well.
The two boats acquired in the Victory deal have been sailing Great Lakes and Canada itineraries, one from Chicago to Toronto and the other from Detroit to Quebec; now they will turn south for warmer weather.
Victory II will run a series of Mexico trips starting from the Cancun area, and then a series of cruises including Panama and Costa Rica. Victory I will run an itinerary on the U.S. East Coast, but will start from Freeport, Bahamas. Because the two Victory ships are foreign-flagged, they can’t run all-U.S. itineraries. Victory I will cruise from Freeport to Port Canaveral, St. Augustine, Georgia Sea Islands and finally Charleston, SC.
A new-build expedition-style ship, Ocean Victory, will be ready in 2021 and will be used for the company’s first entry into the Alaska cruise market.
