Victory Cruise Lines invites travelers to explore North America’s most remarkable waterways aboard intimate ships designed for destination-focused discovery. Sailing the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, Canadian Maritimes, and East Coast, our all-inclusive experience features a pre-cruise hotel stay, included shore excursions in every port, unlimited beverages, regionally inspired cuisine, and engaging onboard enrichment. Combined with personalized service and access to ports larger ships cannot reach, every voyage offers a deeper connection to the history, culture, and natural beauty of each destination.
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Is Victory Cruise Lines legit?
Victory Cruise Lines (www.victorycruiselines.com) has a 4.6 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 101 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Travel & Vacation and its reputation is excellent. 89% of reviews are 4 stars or higher and 1% are 1 star; The business has not yet replied to negative reviews; Reviews mostly discuss Product, Quality. Last updated 2026-09-05.
What reviewers say
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Reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers frequently praise the exceptional staff and delicious food, noting that the friendly crew provides attentive and truly personalized service throughout the journey. People also enjoy the well-organized excursions, entertaining musical performances, and comfortable accommodations that make the trip memorable.
Though some customers noted issues with the ship's facilities, mentioning that cabins and bathrooms were quite small and cramped. Others also experienced disturbing noise levels from engines or water pipes in their rooms, which affected their rest. A few travelers additionally felt that outdoor seating areas were somewhat limited during the voyage.
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Had I known in advance that the freezing cold temperature on board was of such, I would never have booked this trip.
It's silly for guests having to wear sweaters and jackets in the dining room.
Enforce what you preach, no shorts at dinner time.
Take an example from the Holland America Line (Volendam).
Whenever the captain spoke, we rolled our eyes, no one had a clue what he was saying due to his heavy accent.
Thank goodness there was no emergency.
A special shout-out to the wait staff members, Mark and Jeff. They were second to none in their service, foresight and kindness.
In addition, my cabin master name; "FA...."?, he, as well was meticulous in his care and cleanliness, and friendly demeanor.
Lique
We were part of the Gate 1 tour and it seemed that there was a gap in interaction and communication between Victory and Gate 1. Manuel, Samuel and Jerry (sp?) in the bar were excellent--they provided excellent service, always smiled and were friendly and helpful.
Well, the staff was excellent: Manuel took wonderful care of our cabin, Samuel served our food with a smile and great patience and Jerry(not sure of spelling) kept our glasses fill with what we wanted. They knew our names in short order. The rest of the crew were kind, smiling and helpful. Too many to recognize. All of the officers and department heads were approachable and happy. They worked hard! The tours were great. Debbie was our driver most of the time and she was excellent. All of the guides obviously loved their cities and enjoyed telling us about them. Will filled in the gaps with his talks. My wife has some obvious mobility issues and I was surprised that no effort was made to direct us to wheel chair options that were available on some sites. We were part of a Gate 1 Tour and it was clear to us that there were some communication gaps. The info that Gate 1 supplied us didn't clarify included vs. paid options. Or even what the tours cost. We were under the impression that tours were booked by everyone when we got on the ship not ahead of time. The app system of communicating was flawed because the internet was not working at various times. The first couple of days the times of itinerary vs. bookings didn't match. Nothing beats a piece of paper with your individual schedule listed. Yes, more work, more paper, but reliable. Maddie did a great job of sorting it all out for us. You all did make us feel welcome. And we loved those smiles and helpful crew members. Aug 12 through Aug 21, 2026.
Best cruise ever! I loved that so many onshore experiences were included for no extra fees. I liked the size of the ship. Food was great and beautifully plated. Staff helpful. I especially commend Marie in dining room.
The food was excellent and the service everywhere on board the ship was outstanding. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed Will the Lakelorian's presentations. My only suggestion for improvement would be to add some detail to the port descriptions which Maddie gave each day at 6:15 p.m.
The overall experience was fantastic!
An interesting experience in August of 2026Everything was new to me and the…
Everything was new to me and the excursions offered were helpful and interesting. Food was good and plentiful and the servers gracious and kind to old people!
Wonderful staff, excellent food and great overall experience. The service across the ship was outstanding. they made you feel like a person and not a number as the big ships do.
An amazing sailing experience. We came home smiling and had dozens of stories to share.
The crew was outstanding. The smiles on their faces spoke volumes about their desire to satisfy all of our requirements. The food on board was excellent in both quality and variety. The excursions were well planned and featured knowledgable tour guides. The size of the ship made for an intimate sailing experience with opportunities to meet and enjoy new friends. The cruise entertainment was spot on. Their repertoir had something for everyone.
The excellent service, the great food, and beautiful well maintained ship made our trip enjoyable. The shore excursions were well organized and enjoyable. I would have given you a five star review if it wasn't for the noisy room on the 4th deck. We exchanged rooms to another one the 4th deck, but it wasn't any better. I was told it was a vacuum inbalance when the water was used. Also, I think there should be more outside area with seats for passengers to enjoy. The middle of the 5th deck was open but no chairs. I would like to specifically mention our housekeeper, Julius and our waiter, Max for their friendly and excellent service.
The service and attention by all of the crew was what really makes your cruise and this crew did just that. From our cabin steward Arlie?;edward in the dining hall and Wilson and sac him in the wine/bar. I cannot forget the band who were entertaining and interactive when not on stage.
What a great ship for cruising the Great Lakes! Everything was wonderful from all the staff to the very good food to the comfortable cabin. No compaints!
overall, Cruise was great. Did not like hotel check out time of 12pm and had to sit in lobby for 3 hours - the buses were outside but supposedly the ship wouldn't take us before 3PM. I have taken many cruises that arrive in the early am - and are ready for pax by noon same day - at least in one of the common areas - not the rooms. 100 people waiting in the Lobby for 3 hours! Food was great - Maria is the BEST dining room server ever - everyone wanted her station. Preston the F&B manager was awesome - always visible and checking on everyone. Rey the bartender was amazing - Sarah was a GREAT bar server - very hard worker and efficient. Nancy and Jerrick served great wine service at dinners. The two front desk concierges were great. Food was fantastic.
On a shore excursion in Milwawkee - the Vic 2 and Vic 1 were in Milwaukee. Our included excursion had 3 sites. All 4 buses from both ships were at lighthouse together - then the Pabst house same time. Very crowded - it seems they could have spaced out who was at which site at different times. The Pabst house had FOUR buses all from Victory at the same time - long bathroom lines crowded so bad.
but again overall the cruise was fantastic
The crew was the highlight of the trip. Second, would be the food. I am not a gormet, but I tried some great things I had never had before. The piano player in the band was astounding. The one criticism I have is the sound system in the lounge needs to be upgraded. The speakers and mikes were not the best.
Really enjoyed the small ship experiece. The crew was attentive and friendly. Food was outstanding. The ship itself was beautiful and a pleasure to be on.
Some things for improvement:
Provide a list of Chicago attractions that are close to Navy Pier that passengers can visit on embarkation day such as the Big Bus Tour, Art Institute, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium. Also provide a list of restaurants for dinner on the day that passengers check into the hotel at Navy Pier such as Carson's Ribs, Purple Pig, NoMI, and Prime and Provision. All are short ride shares from the hotel lobby.
When we left Chicago it would have been great to have been outside to view the Chicago Skyline in the evening instead of listening a presentation in the Compass Lounge. People pay lots of money to get such an experience on the dinner cruises that depart Navy Pier. In general it would be nice if the departure times could be adjusted so that viewing the port as we are leaving could be considered valuable part of the experience instead of ignoring it and using that time for dinner. Especially when we passed through the Rock Cut passage when leaving the Soo Locks.
Escanaba was a bit of a let down. Maybe Traverse City would be better. All the trips to Niagara Falls should be in the morning. I went on the morning trip and there were almost no lines. The passengers who took the afternoon trips said that were huge crowds and long lines. The ship was delayed leaving Port Colborne because it had to wait for a bus load of passengers that was stuck in traffic.
All the staff was exceptional. The food was always very good with multiple choices. Having the dinner items on display was a good idea. I liked the cabin, but I heard others say they thought they were small, and showers too small. I liked the shower. The a.c. in public spaces was quite cool, sometimes almost cold, but probably better than too hot! I loved having the robe to stay cozy in my cabin. I wad a solo traveler and it was never uncomfortable.
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