I CRUISED ALL FIVE GREAT LAKES WITH VICTORY CRUISE LINES
Words and Photos by Judi Cohen (TravelingJudi)
The best cruise I took this summer didn’t sail the far away waters at all. It was a small-ship cruise across the freshwater seas of North America’s Great Lakes. Born and raised in Toronto, on the shores of Lake Ontario, I often did road trips with my family around the lakes. As an adult, I cruised on most of the small ships on the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River, and the Rideau Canal. I even cruised on Victory II in 2019 when it was under different ownership.
ON BIG BLEND RADIO: Travel writer and photographer Judi Cohen shares her experience cruising all five Great Lakes with Victory Cruise Lines. Watch here in the YouTube player or download the episode on Podbean.
Cruising with Victory Cruise Lines for ten days aboard Victory II from Chicago to Toronto on its inaugural sailing was part adventure, part history lesson, part nostalgia, and entirely unforgettable.
Victory II is small and nimble, measuring just under 300 feet in length with a capacity of 190 passengers. Designed for comfort rather than flash, she offers a relaxed atmosphere, with elegant wood interiors and comfy furnishings. It felt like a floating summer cottage, with welcome benefits that included outstanding food and service, and ever-changing views.
There’s no casino, Broadway-style shows, or waterslides like you might find on some of the larger ships. Instead, we found a traditional wood-paneled reception desk, a small tavern and lounge with brass accents, two dining rooms, and good old-fashioned maritime charm. Victory II was purpose-built for cruising the Great Lakes.
Voyage Highlights
The All Five Great Lakes Itinerary touched all the Great Lakes, with six ports of call, Mackinac Island, Escanaba, Cleveland, Detroit, Sault Ste. Marie, and Port Colborne, starting in Chicago and ending in Toronto. It was an enriching journey through big cities and small towns and included passage through engineering marvels such as the Soo Locks (between Lake Superior and Lake Huron) and the Welland Canal Locks connecting Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Victory Cruise Lines offered excursions in every port, included in the fare, as well as some exceptional immersive excursions at additional cost.
Chicago, Illinois
A pre-cruise hotel night was included in the fare, as was an architectural cruise on the Chicago River in the heart of downtown. We also had time to walk around Navy Pier following Victory II’s christening ceremony before sailing away.
Escanaba, Michigan – Upper Peninsula Charm
Victory II made its first port stop in the quaint town of Escanaba in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. On the bus ride to a small goat farm and then to a sugar bush for a demonstration of maple syrup production techniques, we learned the term “Yoopers”, a mark of Upper Peninsula pride, from our cheerful driver.
We also walked in Ludington Park located on the waterfront. While the museum was closed, we climbed up the fully restored Sand Point Lighthouse, constructed in 1867 to direct ships around the sand point and into the deep-water channel of Escanaba Harbor.
Stepping Back in Time on Picturesque Mackinac Island
One of the highlights of the itinerary was Mackinac Island, in the Straits of Mackinac between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Stepping ashore felt like the clocks had turned back. Motor vehicles were banned in 1898, and since that time bicycles and horse-drawn carriages have been the only modes of transportation.
It was cold and rainy when we arrived, but despite the weather we took the included Island Tour by horse-drawn carriage with a visit to historic Fort Mackinac.
We also booked the Victory premium excursion for a luncheon at the historic Grand Hotel. We adored the colorful Dorothy Draper-designed interiors and enjoyed sitting on the longest porch in the world, overlooking the water. While the island’s famed fudge shops beckoned, we resisted.
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan – The Soo Locks
Victory II approached the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, crossing briefly into Lake Superior before cruising back to Lake Huron. About 10,000 ships pass through the Soo Locks annually. Freighters and cruise ships have used these locks for over a century to move goods and people.
Detroit – Motor City and the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo
Victory offered a tour of The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation; however, we chose an immersive excursion from Detroit to the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio, including a tour of the James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, with breakfast in the Officers’ dining room.
I wish I had more time in the museum to read about all the Great Lakes shipwrecks, touch the old lighthouse prisms, and stand before the lifeboat from the ill-fated S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, an American Great Lakes freighter that sank in 1975 on Lake Superior. I was humming Gordon Lightfoot’s “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” in the museum.
On the Detroit River we cruised under the new Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting Canada and the USA. As a former member of the bridge board, this was a moment of great personal pride.
Cleveland Rocks
Our ship docked steps from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, an architecturally striking shrine to American music with Canadian and British rock legends featured too. We wandered all seven floors of exhibits, movie theaters, and thousands of artifacts.
We also took advantage of Victory’s premium excursion to the opulent Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, the former estate of F.A. Seiberling, the co-founder of the Goodyear Tire Company.
Port Colborne, Ontario and Niagara Falls
Docked in Port Colborne, Ontario, coaches whisked us off to Niagara Falls, where we donned pink raincoats for a wet and wonderful voyage on a small boat into the thundering Horseshoe Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Although I have been to Niagara Falls dozens of times, it never gets old.
The adventure didn’t end there. Victory II navigated multiple locks in the Welland Canal to enter Lake Ontario. Standing on deck as our ship slowly descended inside the lock chambers at sunset was a thrilling end to an unbeatable day.
Toronto – The Perfect Finale
By the time we disembarked at the Port of Toronto, my friend Sharon turned to me and said, “This wasn’t just a cruise. It was a fascinating journey, right in our own backyard, through the heart of Canada and the States. Everyone should do a Great Lakes cruise just like this.”
So, for a great adventure, look inland. The Great Lakes are waiting, and Victory II has it all – comfort, superb food, outstanding staff, live entertainment, and onboard enrichment – without the crowds.
Judi Cohen is a former senior executive in the Transportation and Engineering business and is now living her best life as a Travel Writer and Content Creator. Judi fell in love with cruising and adventure travel over 45 years ago on her honeymoon and remains passionate about small ship cruising and expedition travel in polar regions and off-beat luxury destinations. Her photos and travel stories can be found in numerous trade and consumer magazines and digital publications Read her blog and published travel stories on her website at https://www.TravelingJudi.com, and follow her travels on instagram at https://instagram.com/travelingjudi.
