ESCANABA–Cruise ships will again be docking in Escanaba next spring and summer — and they’ll look familiar. The Victory I and Victory II will be visiting Escanaba a total of 34 times in 2025 as part of Victory Cruise Line’s inaugural season on the Great Lakes.

The Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator cruise ships that visited Escanaba in Summer 2023, previously owned by American Queen Voyages, were recently purchased by cruise industry visionary John W. Waggoner, and renamed under a new company — Victory Cruise Lines.

Itineraries were just recently announced: Escanaba is a stop on most of the Great Lakes cruise voyages, which include destinations such as Toronto, Montreal, Chicago, Detroit, Niagara Falls, Sault Ste. Marie, and Mackinac Island.

Delta County Chamber of Commerce leaders and Downtown Escanaba officials met with Victory Cruise Lines Chief Executive Officer John W. Waggoner and Vice President of Marine Operations Bill Annand recently at the Commerce Center to discuss the plans for Victory Cruise Lines to include Escanaba as a stop on its Great Lakes voyages.

“Our guests are looking for quaint, homey, and unique small-town experiences,” Waggoner told attendees, adding that Escanaba has a reputation for going above and beyond guests’ expectations.

In the meeting, Waggoner also addressed the fact that American Queen Voyages ceased operations, filing for bankruptcy in February 2024. He assured the attendees that his decades of experience in the cruise industry have prepared him to successfully bring back the ships — with a sole focus on Great Lakes cruise itineraries — which are currently in high demand.

One of the meeting attendees, Delta County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Vickie Micheau, is looking forward to a busy and enjoyable summer of cruise ship visits. “The hospitality of our community attracted Victory Cruise Lines to return to Escanaba,” she said. “We are looking forward to welcoming these cruise ships and their guests back to our waterfront community. I just know that the wonderful business owners and residents here will be ready to welcome our cruise guests next spring and summer.”

Another meeting is being planned in the near future with the Victory Cruise Lines excursion team to discuss the company’s plans for which venues their guests will be most interested in visiting.

In the past, American Queen Voyages cruise ship guests visited various locations, including the two Chamber museums — the Webster Marble’s Inventing the Outdoors Museum and U.P. Military Museum — both housed at the Commerce Center building, the Bonifas Arts Center, Sand Point Lighthouse/Ludington Park, Sayklly’s Confectionery & Gifts, and the Potawatomi Heritage Center in Hannahville with a cultural experience provided by the Woodland Sky Native American Dance Company.

Some of the cruise ship’s visits in 2023 also included: log rolling demonstrations and a U.P. Timber Life presentation in the Steam and Gas Village at the U.P. State Fairgrounds; a tour of the MSU Upper Peninsula Forestry Innovation Center; and a craft beer and wine bus tour with stops at Leigh’s Garden Winery, Hereford & Hops Restaurant and Brewpub, Upper Hand Brewery, and Northern Sun Winery. These were offered based on interest from the cruise ship passengers.

Victory Cruise Line officials will decide, based on their research and knowledge about their passengers’ desires, which excursions they will offer to their guests during their cruise ships’ visits in the 2025 season.

Micheau reiterated her pride and thankfulness to the community for their continual support and dedication to the Delta County area: “Our members are continually showing their ongoing commitment to our local area,” she said. “Their support and dedication will undoubtedly make our waterfront community shine this summer when we welcome our cruise ship guests.”

For more information on Victory Cruise Lines, visit their websitehttp://www.AQVoyages.com or call the Chamber at (906) 786-2192 or the Escanaba DDA at (906) 789-8696.