FORT LAUDERDALE — American Queen Steamboat Company, now in its 10th year, has rebranded as American Queen Voyages, a new overarching brand name that merges the company with sister line Victory Cruise Lines.
Offering a varied portfolio of North American itineraries, American Queen Voyages is comprised of American Queen Voyages River, American Queen Voyages Lakes & Ocean (formerly Victory Cruise Lines), and American Queen Voyages Expedition, which includes new Alaska and Central America expeditions beginning 2022.
Embracing the new tagline ‘Discovery Runs Deep,’ American Queen Voyages invites travellers to venture off the beaten path in some of North America’s most historic destinations.
“Through a decade of transformation, American Queen Voyages has surged from the great American rivers to include lakes, ocean and expedition experiences,” said Shawn Bierdz, president, American Queen Voyages. “Today, we are American Queen Voyages and embrace this simple but important expression – Discovery Runs Deep. As we move into this new chapter and introduce our version of encounter travel, we uphold the originating vision of our company’s founder and chairman, John Waggoner and his unwavering belief in the renaissance of U.S. river cruising and close-to-home adventures.”
Here’s an overview of the various lines under the new brand:
American Queen Voyages River
American Queen Voyages River is led by namesake U.S.-flagged American Queen, the largest riverboat in the world, stretching longer than a football field and towering six decks in height. The boat offers convenient departures from America’s river port cities, including Memphis, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Louisville, Pittsburg, St. Louis and Minneapolis. In April 2014, American Queen Steamboat Company began serving the Pacific Northwest with the American Empress, and added the American Duchess to the Mississippi River in August 2017. The newest and fourth boat to join the fleet is the American Countess, which made its debut in March 2021 and sails the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers.
American Queen Voyages Lakes & Ocean
American Queen Voyages Lakes & Ocean encompasses Victory Cruise Lines’ voyages to Canada, the Great Lakes, New England and Eastern Seaboard and Mexico and the Yucatán Peninsula, sailing on identical 202-passenger ships. Victory I will be renamed Ocean Voyager, while Victory II will be known as Ocean Navigator. Itineraries sail throughout coastal North America to historic ports like Mackinac Island and cities like Charleston and Savannah.
American Queen Voyages Expedition
American Queen Voyages Expedition marks the brand’s entry into expedition cruising. Comprised of newly build 186-passenger vessels, the expeditions line will operate all-inclusive cruises to Alaska on the Ocean Victory in 2022 and the Ocean Discoverer in 2023. The brand new, 186-guest Ocean Victory will traverse 12- and 13-day journeys through the less-travelled regions of Alaska’s Inside Passage.
At the same time the company announced the rebrand, it also confirmed that it will be opening a brand new headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The new 23,000 square-foot office location will serve as the center of the cruise line’s marketing, sales and vessel operations with over 100 jobs.
“South Florida is the heart of the cruise industry, and Fort Lauderdale is undeniably the epicenter of that region,” added Bierdz. “Having a presence in Fort Lauderdale allows us to tap into a talented workforce across the tri-county area, as well as offer an attractive home base for those looking to relocate here.”
