Hornblower’s American Queen Voyages renames two ships

Written by Nick Blenkey
Coastal cruise ship

Ocean Voyager, one of two Victory Cruise Lines vessels renamed following Hornblower’s creation of American Queen Voyages brand.

The Hornblower Group’s American Queen Voyages is to rename its sister passenger ships Victory I and Victory II as Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator when they re-enter service in early 2022.

The two ships were acquired in 2019 from Sunstone Ships Inc. The 5,000-ton, 202-passenger ships are both identical and were delivered by the Atlantic Marine shipyard in Jacksonville, Fla., in 2001 and 2002, respectively, as the Cape May Light and Cape Cod Light.

The sister ships specialize in lakes and ocean experiences by American Queen Voyages, a new brand created by Hornblower that combines the former American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines.

Ocean Voyager begins its 2022 season January 4, with Mexico and Yucatán Peninsula itineraries and Ocean Navigator will debut in Savannah April 10, sailing up the eastern seaboard towards the Great Lakes for the summer season.

The two passenger vessels are currently in Port Royal, S.C., undergoing minor renovations preparing for the upcoming season.

Ship Specs

“The transformation of our small-coastal vessels to Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator was a natural next step as we introduce our American Queen Voyages Lakes & Ocean experiences,” says Shawn Bierdz, COO of American Queen Voyages. “Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator will deliver encounter travel with innovative itineraries and enrichment programming showcasing the best of North America’s unique waterways.”

The identical 202-guest ships each measure 286 feet long and feature 101 suites and staterooms across five passenger decks, two dining venues and two lounges.

The ships were purpose built to navigate the canals and locks of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. Itinerary offerings include departures from Chicago’s Navy Pier to downtown Toronto over 11-days, touching all five Great Lakes along with sailings between Detroit and Montreal.

The vessels’ size also allows flexibility to explore regions including the southeast United States and Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

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