PHOTOGRAPHS BY GERRY BARKER
all their names: HOMES (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior). SMALL-SHIP SAILING Built in the early 2000s, Victory I and her sister ship Victory II can accommodate around 200 passengers on five decks. Onboard you’ll find the Coastal Dining Room, The Compass Lounge and The Tavern bar, a fitness center, a small spa and salon, The Grill restaurant, and the Sun Deck topside for relaxing and sightseeing. The staterooms are on the smaller side, but adequate for most of your needs, with large picture windows, a desk, closet, and bath with a shower. The rooms on deck four feature two chairs for sitting out on the veranda that runs the length of the ship. As mentioned, one of the key benefits of small-ship cruising is the level of personal attention the Victory I staff of 80 can provide. From the stateroom attendants to the dining room servers, they take care of your every need, sometimes before you know you need it. After the first day, they called us by name and had our favorite wine at the ready. Speaking of which, your fare includes drinks and beverages, meals, accommodations, basic shore excursions, onboard entertainment, Wi-Fi, pre-hotel stay and ground transfers. Premium alcohol and gratuities are additional. As with any cruise, food is a major consideration, and the food on Victory I is exceptional. The kitchen staff, led by Executive Chef Ross from the Philippines, scored high on both variety and presentation, with some of the best seafood dishes we’ve had on a ship. The accent is on regional flavors and another nice touch: Dishes on the menu are displayed as you enter the Coastal Dining Room. There is nightly entertainment in the Compass Lounge, led by Cruise Director Nichole, and during the day, you have a chance to learn the legends and lore of the Great Lakes from their onboard LakeLorian, who lectured daily. There are a variety of excursions available at each port stop, ranked by included, premium, and interactive. Included excursions are just that: complimentary. Victory motor coaches follow the ship’s route and are waiting to transport passengers when the ship docks.
CRUISING THE GREAT LAKES An interesting aspect of Great Lakes travel is traversing the various locks that connect each lake. One of the largest and most important are the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, which connects Lake Huron with Lake Superior. Unfortunately, conditions were such that we didn’t get to go through them, so Lake Superior was the only lake we didn’t visit. At the end of the cruise we docked at Navy Pier, a Chicago landmark since 1916. Victory is the only cruise line permitted to dock there. Here’s a rundown of the places you’ll see on the Victory TorontoChicago Great Lakes cruise: • Port Colborne, Ontario: This is the first stop after leaving Toronto. Located on Lake Erie, this city of nearly 20,000 residents borders the Welland Canal, which enables ship traffic between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, bypassing Niagara Falls. As we explored the town, several large tankers passed Victory I on their way to the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Atlantic Ocean. A favorite stop was The Pie Guys, a coffee shop and bakery famous for its lemon tarts. In the afternoon, we boarded motor coaches for the trip to see the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Spring trees were in full bloom as we took in magnificent views of Horseshoe Falls from Table Rock, including a rainbow formed in the
misty spray. Nearby is the Niagara Falls Power Station and Museum, spotlighting the achievements of Nikola Tesla and featuring a new attraction: The Tunnel. Guests descend 180 feet in a glass-walled elevator, then walk 2,200 feet to an observation platform on the Niagara River, where you can truly feel the power of Horseshoe Falls. The Tunnel, formerly used to transport water from the power station to the river, was blasted and hammered out of solid rock from 1901 to 1904. • Cleveland, Ohio: Since it was our first port stop since leaving Canada, we were required to clear U.S. Customs here, and as we did, local television crews were there to do interviews. The startup of Victory’s Great Lakes cruises and how they impact the local economy is big news. We are docked beside Huntington Bank Field, where the Cleveland Browns play football, and a number of cultural attractions along the Lake Erie waterfront, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. As a former rock music writer, it’s always been on my list to visit, and a Victory excursion gave me the opportunity. It really is a mecca for music lovers, with six floors of memorabilia, exhibits, and interactive features, including a chance to strum a Stratocaster and pretend to be Jimmy Page.
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