Victory Cruise Lines is charting an ambitious course into the future, unveiling an expanded 2027 season that will take guests deep into the Great Lakes, along the historic St. Lawrence Seaway, through the Canadian Maritimes, and down key stretches of the Atlantic Coast.

Building on a full relaunch of operations in 2025 and rising demand for small-ship regional cruising, the line’s 2027 program layers new itineraries, new ports of call, and a longer operational window from spring through late autumn, positioning the boutique brand as one of the most comprehensive players in North American coastal cruising.

Victory Cruise Lines ship traveling in the Great Lakes at sunset.

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Expanded 2027 Program Spans Great Lakes to Atlantic Coast

Victory Cruise Lines’ newly detailed 2027 sailing calendar runs from March through November and includes 43 voyages across multiple regions. The program is anchored in the Great Lakes, where the company will operate 19 sailings visiting all five lakes, but it also extends significantly along the Atlantic-facing side of North America, including the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Canadian Maritimes, and portions of the United States East Coast.

Company founder and chairman John Waggoner said the 2027 lineup was shaped by feedback from past guests and travel advisors who increasingly seek destination-rich, small-ship itineraries that avoid the congestion and scale of mainstream ocean cruising. The brand’s sub-200 passenger ships enable access to smaller ports, historic river gateways, and compact harbors that remain off-limits to larger vessels, a differentiator the line is leveraging heavily as it expands.

Among the season’s headline features is a renewed emphasis on itineraries that connect inland and coastal waters in a single voyage. Several sailings begin in Great Lakes cities such as Chicago or Toronto and end in maritime hubs including Montréal, Québec City, Halifax, or Portland, creating route combinations that double as in-depth regional tours and convenient repositioning cruises.

For the 2027 season, Victory is also widening its geographic focus beyond the core Great Lakes and Seaway corridor. The company is set to return to Atlantic Coast routes from Jacksonville and Halifax, and it has confirmed a series of New England and Canada voyages that will follow the craggy shoreline and historic seaports of the northeastern United States before crossing into the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the lower St. Lawrence River.

New Itineraries Spotlight Halifax, Québec City and Montréal

The most notable change in 2027 is the addition of several new roundtrip itineraries that put Atlantic Canada and French-speaking Québec more firmly at the center of Victory’s deployment. The line is introducing Halifax roundtrip sailings that focus on maritime history, coastal communities and Nova Scotia’s cultural heritage, offering guests more time in and around the provincial capital, rather than treating it solely as a point of turnaround.

Québec City will anchor another set of new roundtrip programs in 2027. These sailings are designed as an immersive French-Canadian experience, visiting primarily French-speaking ports and incorporating scenic cruising through the dramatic Saguenay Fjord. The fjord segment allows guests to witness steep rock walls, forested slopes and potential wildlife sightings while remaining within a relatively sheltered waterway, a draw for travelers who want big scenery without open-ocean conditions.

Montréal, long a key throughput port in the Great Lakes and Seaway network, will take on an expanded role as both a gateway and a primary destination. New Montréal roundtrip voyages in 2027 will combine urban exploration with lake cruising, linking the cosmopolitan city to stretches of the St. Lawrence Seaway and select Great Lakes ports. The concept is to offer a compact itinerary that still delivers a sense of journey, with Montréal’s architecture, arts scene and culinary profile complementing smaller communities upriver.

These additions build on Victory’s existing trans-regional approach, where itineraries often bridge inland waterways with Atlantic-adjacent areas. By making Halifax, Québec City and Montréal both embarkation points and central storytelling elements, the line is betting that guests will respond to deeper, more thematically coherent routes rather than simple point-to-point positioning cruises.

Great Lakes Core Strengthened With 19 All-Five-Lakes Sailings

Despite the broadening of its Atlantic footprint, Victory’s 2027 program underscores that the Great Lakes remain its strategic heartland. The line plans 19 voyages in 2027 that visit all five Great Lakes, often branded as “All Five Great Lakes” or “Five Great Lakes plus St. Lawrence Seaway” cruises. These itineraries will crisscross Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario, while threading through locks and channels that have turned the region into a maritime superhighway.

The 2027 schedule published by the line includes a dense run of 10- to 12-night Great Lakes and Seaway departures between late April and mid-September. Many of these are one-way sailings between Toronto and Chicago, while others operate in the reverse direction or extend to Montréal or Québec City. By repeating these routes through the high season, Victory is able to standardize operations, maintain consistent access to prized berths, and meet demand from travelers who often plan this style of cruise far in advance.

In addition to the core cross-lake itineraries, the line will continue to operate Great Lakes voyages that spotlight specific sub-regions. Chicago roundtrip sailings will emphasize Lake Superior and Thunder Bay, while other routes will focus on iconic Great Lakes destinations such as Mackinac Island, Sault Ste. Marie and key Ontario ports. The emphasis remains on combining natural scenery, engineering landmarks such as the Soo Locks, and small-port cultural encounters.

Victory’s all-inclusive onboard concept, which bundles shore excursions, beverages, Wi-Fi and enrichment into the fare, is designed to complement the destination focus of these itineraries. Guests can expect daily port calls or scenic cruising segments across the Great Lakes, with lectures and local experts providing context on everything from Indigenous histories and shipwreck lore to modern maritime commerce and environmental change.

New Ports and Regional Depth Along the Atlantic Coast

The 2027 season also brings an expanded cast of ports along the Atlantic-facing side of Victory’s network. Eastport, Maine, a small coastal community near the Canadian border, will be added as a brand-new stop, giving guests a chance to experience a working waterfront and lesser-visited corner of New England. The choice reflects the line’s ongoing strategy of mixing well-known cities with smaller, character-rich harbors.

In Canada, Kingston, Ontario will join the roster of ports for 2027, occupying a strategic position at the meeting point of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. The city serves as a historical and geographic gateway between inland and seaway segments, and its addition allows itineraries to emphasize the transition from freshwater lake cruising to river and coastal environments in a single voyage.

Victory is also increasing its focus on French-Canadian and Maritime communities beyond the major urban centers. Expanded calls are scheduled for destinations such as Trois Rivières, Baie Comeau and Saguenay, along with a wider portfolio of ports across Atlantic Canada. This deeper regional coverage enables the company to market its Atlantic Coast and Canada cruises as cultural and linguistic journeys as much as scenic ones.

Further south, Atlantic Coast voyages will once again operate in and out of Jacksonville, linking the St. Johns River and nearby coastal stretches with the broader Victory network. While details of each individual departure vary, the common thread is a commitment to smaller-scale, experience-driven ports that align with the brand’s boutique positioning and the physical limitations of its compact ships.

Signature Grand Great Half Loop and Longer Journeys

Complementing the core 10- to 12-night itineraries, Victory Cruise Lines is once again scheduling its marquee Grand Great Half Loop voyage in 2027. This extended 35-night cruise will sail from Chicago to Jacksonville, linking the Great Lakes, inland rivers, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and segments of the Atlantic Coast in one continuous journey. The itinerary is targeted at experienced cruisers and long-haul travelers who want a comprehensive exploration of the region without multiple separate bookings.

The Grand Great Half Loop effectively stitches together elements of Victory’s shorter sailings, including calls at Midwestern Great Lakes cities, Canadian St. Lawrence ports, Atlantic Canadian communities, and southeastern U.S. coastal areas. Guests can expect an intensive schedule of port visits, layered enrichment programming and a wide variety of landscapes, from towering cliffs and freshwater shorelines to tidal estuaries and subtropical waterways.

Longer itineraries of this kind are especially attractive to international travelers who may have only one opportunity to explore the Great Lakes and Atlantic Coast in depth. By combining several distinct cruising regions into a single voyage, Victory can also differentiate itself from competitors who operate only in one segment, such as purely Great Lakes or purely New England and Canada cruise specialists.

The presence of a flagship itinerary like the Grand Great Half Loop also provides a marketing anchor for the broader 2027 program. Travel advisors can promote the grand voyage to their most seasoned clients, while also using its route map to explain how the shorter sailings fit together over the course of the March to November season.

Refurbished Ships and All-Inclusive Positioning

The expanded 2027 schedule comes on the heels of Victory’s relaunch under the leadership of John Waggoner, who acquired the two vessels that previously sailed as Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator after the shutdown of American Queen Voyages. The ships, reintroduced as Victory I and Victory II, have undergone refurbishments targeting both guest comfort and technical reliability as they return to heavy deployment across the Great Lakes and coastal routes.

Each vessel carries around 190 passengers, a size that enables Victory to maintain an intimate onboard atmosphere and access the locks, canals and smaller ports that define its itineraries. Public spaces have been refreshed with updated décor, and the line has highlighted enhancements to mechanical systems, including a new engine and control system on one of the ships, to support the longer operational window planned for 2027.

Victory positions its product as an upscale, largely all-inclusive experience. Fares typically include a pre-cruise hotel night, ground transfers to the ship, most shore excursions, house wines and beers, specialty coffees, Wi-Fi and onboard enrichment programs. Regionally driven cuisine, live entertainment and educational lectures by resident experts are central components of the onboard offering, aligning with the destination-forward nature of the itineraries.

As the line grows its 2027 footprint, maintaining that inclusive positioning and personalized service level will be critical to retaining loyal guests and attracting newcomers who might be considering their first small-ship cruise in North America. The company is emphasizing that even as the route map expands, the scale and style of the onboard product will remain consistent with its heritage as a boutique Great Lakes specialist.

Market Context and Outlook for North American Small-Ship Cruising

Victory’s 2027 announcement comes at a time of heightened interest in North American cruising, particularly in regions perceived as closer to home and more accessible than long-haul international trips. Great Lakes and coastal Canada itineraries have seen growing demand from both U.S. and Canadian travelers, as well as from European guests seeking cooler-weather alternatives to traditional Caribbean or Mediterranean cruises.

The re-emergence of Victory Cruise Lines adds competition and capacity to a niche market that also includes operators focused on the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence, as well as larger ocean lines that schedule limited New England and Canada seasons. Victory’s strategy rests on differentiating through ship size, itinerary design and a strong emphasis on cultural and natural immersion rather than on-board spectacle.

With bookings already available across multiple future seasons, the 2027 program serves as an indicator of how the line sees demand evolving. The emphasis on all five Great Lakes, coupled with deeper Atlantic Canada and Québec coverage, suggests confidence that travelers will continue to seek multi-region, learning-focused voyages within North America for years to come.

Industry observers will be watching how quickly these sailings fill, especially the longer and more complex itineraries. If early booking patterns for 2025 and 2026 carry through, the 2027 season could help cement Victory’s role as a leading specialist in Great Lakes and Atlantic Coast cruising at a time when travelers are increasingly looking for distinctive, domestically accessible cruise experiences.

FAQ

Q1. When does Victory Cruise Lines’ 2027 season operate?
The 2027 season is scheduled to run from March through November, offering sailings in spring, summer and fall across the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, Canadian Maritimes and select Atlantic Coast routes.

Q2. Which regions are included in the new 2027 itineraries?
The 2027 program covers all five Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway, Atlantic Canada including Nova Scotia and Québec, the Canadian Maritimes, New England, and segments of the United States Atlantic Coast, including itineraries from ports such as Jacksonville and Halifax.

Q3. What are the key new itineraries introduced for 2027?
New roundtrip itineraries from Halifax, Québec City and Montréal are being added, along with expanded voyages that combine Great Lakes cruising with the St. Lawrence Seaway and Atlantic Canada, giving guests more options for regionally focused or multi-region journeys.

Q4. Are there any new ports of call in 2027?
Yes. Eastport, Maine and Kingston, Ontario are among the new ports joining the lineup, alongside expanded calls at French-Canadian destinations such as Trois Rivières, Baie Comeau and Saguenay and a broader selection of Atlantic Canadian communities.

Q5. How many Great Lakes sailings will visit all five lakes?
Victory Cruise Lines plans 19 itineraries in 2027 that visit all five Great Lakes, many operating as 10- to 12-night voyages between major hubs such as Chicago, Toronto, Montréal and Québec City.

Q6. What is the Grand Great Half Loop itinerary?
The Grand Great Half Loop is a 35-night flagship voyage sailing from Chicago to Jacksonville, combining Great Lakes cruising with inland waterways, the St. Lawrence Seaway, Atlantic Canada and portions of the U.S. East Coast in a single, extended journey.

Q7. What are Victory I and Victory II like as ships?
Victory I and Victory II are intimate, sub-200 passenger vessels that have been refurbished with updated décor and technical upgrades. Their small size allows them to navigate locks, canals and compact ports while offering an upscale onboard experience with multiple dining venues, lounges and enrichment spaces.

Q8. Is the Victory experience all-inclusive?
Victory positions its cruises as largely all-inclusive. Fares typically include a pre-cruise hotel night, transfers, most shore excursions, house wines and beers, specialty coffees, Wi-Fi and onboard enrichment, reducing the need for additional spending during the voyage.

Q9. Who is the target traveler for the 2027 season?
The 2027 season is aimed at guests who value small-ship cruising, in-depth regional exploration and cultural immersion. This includes experienced cruisers seeking new itineraries, North American travelers who prefer closer-to-home voyages, and international guests interested in the Great Lakes and Atlantic Canada.

Q10. How can travelers choose between the various 2027 itineraries?
Travelers can start by deciding whether they want a Great Lakes–focused voyage, an Atlantic Canada and New England itinerary, or a longer multi-region journey. From there, departure cities, trip length, and specific interests such as French-Canadian culture, maritime history or natural scenery can help narrow down the options within the 2027 schedule.