Victory Cruise Lines will debut its first expedition vessel, the new Ocean Victory, in 2022. Created for intimate access with an X-Bow design, the vessel will sail 12- and 13-day journeys through the less-traveled regions of Alaska’s Inside Passage led by a seasoned expedition team.
Cruisers will explore the region with expedition leaders on kayaks and Zodiacs, view wildlife from sliding observation platforms, witness marine research by California Polytech University students in real-time and have engaging discussions with First Nation leaders. The focus of the expedition program on the186-guest vessel will be to explore Alaska up close.
Among the highlights on its inaugural Alaskan itinerary will be a visit to the Anan Creek Bear and Wildlife Observatory. Guests will have the opportunity to travel by jet boat from Wrangel through the Eastern Passage to the Anan trailhead. Anan Creek provides the perfect landscape for an observatory, as it is one of the largest salmon runs in Southeast Alaska. This makes it a prime location for the local bear population to feed, as well as bald eagles and harbor seals. At the Anan Bear and Wildlife Observatory, guests will experience up-close views of these majestic creatures.
Guests will also visit the historic Five Finger Whale Lighthouse located at the confluence of Stephen’s Passage and Frederick Sound in Southeast Alaska. The island on which it sits, and the surrounding waters, are a home to nesting seabirds, foraging songbirds, bald eagles, sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters, harbor porpoise, transient killer whales and large numbers of humpback whales.
Also on the itinerary will be a visit to Kake Tlingit Village, where guests will experience traditional culture of Kake, meet Tlingit residents and participate in their long-standing traditions. Just a short walk from the dock is the community hall, where a carving or weaving demonstration will take place. Then, guests can step out onto the dancefloor where local dancers will perform traditional songs and dances before gazing at the world’s largest one-tree totem.
In Petersburg, the Ocean Victory will dock right beside Alaska’s largest home-based halibut-fishing fleet, which calls this shallow, protected harbor home. These abundant waters and endless supply of ice from nearby LeConte Glacier led Norwegian fisherman Peter Buschmann to build the region’s first cannery and invite his fishing countrymen to join him. Hence the town’s name and its strong Norwegian culture. With large cruise ships unable to access Petersburg, Ocean Victory’s smaller size allows guests the unique opportunity to call on this authentic Alaskan village.
During the cruise, guests will be challenged to keep track of the vast number of waterfalls encountered along Baranof Island’s eastern coast, the little known “waterfall coast.” Ocean Victory’s many observation areas invite guests to enjoy this scenic landscape from on board or right at water level by kayak or Zodiac. This almost hidden shoreline is also prime for wildlife discovery from seals and deer to tidepools ready to reveal secret worlds and treasures.
Ports of call on the Ocean Victory's inaugural itinerary will include a pre-cruise hotel stay in Vancouver, B.C.; Canadian Inside Passage; Fiordland (Kynoch Inlet); Ketchikan/Metlakatla; Misty Fjords National Monument; Wrangell/Stikine River Wilderness; Waterfall Coast/Baranof Wilderness; Petersburg/Le Conte Glacier; Tracy Arm/Endicott Glacier; Kake/Frederick Sound/Five Finger; and Sitka, Alaska. Sailings are available from May to September 2022.
Fares start at $3,699 per guest, plus port fees, taxes and gratuities with FREEDOM savings available on select bookings through August 31, 2021 and can be accessed with the offer code: FREEDOM.
For more information on Victory Cruise Lines’ 2022 itineraries, sailing dates and to book a reservation, contact your travel professional or call 888-907-2636 or visit www.victorycruiselines.com.
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