American Queen Steamboat Company, Victory Cruise Rebrand as American Queen Voyages

Effective immediately, American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruises have merged under one brand, American Queen Voyages. The two Victory Cruises ships will be renamed as part of the rebrand.

The company also debuted a new tagline, “Discovery runs deep.” 

“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 of American Queen Voyages. “Today, we are American Queen Voyages and embrace this simple but important expression – Discovery Runs Deep.”

The rebrand makes it easier for travel advisors to communicate the value of the company, Kari Tarnowski, senior vice president of marketing and sales for American Queen Voyages, told Travel Market Report. “What we had seen before was that travel advisors might spend a lot of time on one brand, and not talk about the other brand or talk about it as an afterthought.”

With American Queen Voyages, advisors can more easily convey the breadth of offerings and destinations that the company offers, she added.

American Queen Voyages comprises three distinct product offerings: American Queen Voyages River, American Queen Voyages Lakes & Ocean, and American Queen Voyages Expedition, which includes the line’s new Alaska and Central America expedition sailings starting in 2022. All offer the same all-inclusive experience American Queen Steamboat Company has long been known for.

“To see America, you have to look beyond the roads, and American Queen Voyages embraces this notion with compelling travel encounters,” said Tarnowski. “We celebrate 10 incredible years in business as American Queen Steamboat Company and embrace its legacy as we enter this new phase.”

American Queen Voyages River
Led by the line’s namesake boat, American Queen, the cruise line’s river fleet also includes American Duchess, both on the Mississippi River, American Empress sailing the Pacific Northwest, and American Countess, which debuted this past March, which sails the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers.

American Queen Voyages Lakes & Ocean
Formerly Victory Cruise Lines, Lakes & Ocean comprises Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator (previously Victory I and Victory II). The ships sail to Canada, the Great Lakes, New England and the Eastern Seabourn, and Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula.

American Queen Voyages Expedition
Launching in summer 2022 with the newly-built 186-passenger Ocean Victory, American Queen Voyages Expedition branch will operate in Alaska on 12- and 13-day journeys. It will be joined in 2023 by the Ocean Discoverer. The ship will feature kayaks and Zodiacs, expedition leaders, and sliding observation platforms.

New Loyalty Program
With the rebrand, the company will also roll out a reimagined loyalty program, that will apply to cruises taken on any of the company’s riverboats or ocean ships.

The company may also add new levels, Tarnowski told TMR. “We think that there’s an opportunity to add some additional levels, on the lower end and on the higher end.”

Travel Advisor Road Show
American Queen Voyager is bringing the new brand to the travel advisor community during a multi-city roadshow starting October 4. The company will hold events in New York, Boston, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, and San Diego. Advisors will be invited to board an American Queen Voyager ship and can find out about the new branding and current promotions.