American Queen Steamboat Co. acquires Victory Cruise Lines

American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC) has  agreed to acquire Victory Cruise Lines and its two identical cruise ships Victory I and Victory II from owner SunStone Ships.

Victory Cruise Lines will be established as a sister brand to AQSC, which currently operates   river boat American Queen and the 166-guest boutique paddlewheeler American Duchess on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, as well as river boat American Empress in the Pacific Northwest. The line will also welcome the new American Countess, currently under construction in Louisiana, in 2020.

“We are pleased to purchase  Victory I and Victory II which will fuel the continued success and growth of AQSC,” said John Waggoner, the company’s chairman and CEO. “We look forward to working closely with Victory Cruise Lines’ new and existing travel partners. These vessels enable us to provide guests with more diverse cruising options particularly in the Great Lakes, a region that our customers have been requesting for years.”

Both Victory I and Victory II currently sail in the Great Lakes and New England. In 2019, Victory Cruise Lines had planned to start itineraries from Miami, Florida to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula on Victory II, as well as Cuba circumnavigations from Miami on Victory I. AQSC has not yet confirmed whether these deployments will go ahead.  

“Victory Cruise Lines has established itself as the leading cruise line on the Great Lakes, and our bookings for 2019 are already 35% ahead of our actuals of 2018,” said Hans Lagerweij, president and CEO at Victory Cruise Lines. “AQSC’s established and strong product and brand is well-suited to take the Victory vessels and Victory Cruise Lines brand forward, creating one of the largest North American Great Lakes and US river cruising companies in the country.”