GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – You might have heard this discussion before.
Green Bay has been eyed up as a cruise stop destination for decades. Although the city has made it on the itinerary in the past, canceled stops have city leaders nervous about commitment.
As of Thursday, January 23rd, Victory Cruise Line lists Green Bay several times as a stop as part of its Great Lakes cruises.
So was the case in 2018, when a Great Lakes cruise ship scheduled to stop in Green Bay and Sturgeon Bay was canceled.
Victory Cruise Lines said at the time the cancellation was due to work being done to remodel the ship. That work wasn’t completed on time, leading to the cancellation.
Since then, Victory Cruise Lines has been acquired by American Queen Steamboat Company.
Founder and CEO John Waggoner had just one comment on the luxury cruise lines’ history with the city saying because American Queen Steamboat Company acquired Victory Cruise Lines in January of 2019, it “can only speak to its time since then.”
Waggoner went on to say the following in regards to arranged programming for tourists on-board come this May through August, when the stops in Green Bay are planned:
Victory Cruise Lines includes Hop-on-Hop-off tour options in each port of call. Green Bay’s included Hop-On-Hop-Off Tour showcases the history of the city and its status as the oldest settlement in Wisconsin with trips to the Neville Public Museum, National Railroad Museum and the Automobile Gallery. A premium shore excursion is also available, where cruisers can explore the history of the legendary Green Bay Packers. This premium Green Bay Packers Experience will provide a guided tour of Lambeau Field Stadium led by a Green Bay Packers alum, as well as the Green Bay Packers Heritage Trail and the franchise’s Hall of Fame.
When we asked Waggoner, “Why Green Bay?” he had this response:
With 2019 marking Victory Cruise Lines’ inaugural season under American Queen Steamboat Company, our goal was to embrace the unique culture, beauty and diversity of the Great Lakes region into our cruise itineraries. The Great Lakes present such a specific snapshot of Americana and we are excited to continue to evolve that picture with new ports of call for 2020, including Green Bay. From its legendary football culture to its varied history and multiple museums and attractions, Green Bay offers so much to explore. I believe there is no better way to experience the bounty of these areas than by cruise. We look forward to working closely with Victory Cruise Lines’ new and existing travel partners, like Green Bay, as we continue to expand our itineraries to offer more diverse cruising options particularly in the Great Lakes, a region that our customers have been requesting for years.
Victory Cruise Lines Great Lakes cruise will dock at the Leicht Memorial Park, where the Tall Ships festival takes place.
