Victory Cruise Lines, a specialist in luxury cruises on the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes, has officially commenced the inaugural voyage of its new vessel, the M/V Victory II, from Montreal. For the occasion, the Port of Montreal hosted a cocktail reception on the terrace of its new cruise terminal, attended by members of the Montreal Cruise Committee and many guests from the business and tourism sectors. A commemorative plaque was given to Captain Georgios Theodorou.
“This is a fantastic day for us as we bring into service, here in Montreal, our second ship in the region. With this ship, we become the largest cruise operator on the Great Lakes,” said Bruce Nierenberg, Chairman of the Board and Founder of Victory Cruise Lines.
“We are very proud that Victory Cruise Lines chose Montreal for the inaugural voyage of the Victory II. We firmly believe that the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes will experience an unprecedented boom in river cruises, and Montreal is ideally located to offer passengers an unforgettable tourist experience,” said Sylvie Vachon, President and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority.
With its two ships, Victory Cruise Lines offers itineraries that let passengers discover the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence. “Our routes go from Thunder Bay to Halifax. The Port of Montreal is already a major component on our route between Montreal and Detroit, and is set to become a major partner in the development of our cruises to the Maritime,” said Mr. Nierenberg.
The Victory II will depart from Montreal on July 28 and reach Detroit on August 6.
About the Port of Montreal
Operated by the Montreal Port Authority (MPA), the Port of Montreal is the second largest port in Canada and a diversified transshipment centre that handles all types of goods: containerized and non-containerized cargo, liquid bulk and dry bulk. The only container port in Quebec, it is a destination port served by the largest shipping lines in the world. It is also an intermodal hub with a service offering that is unique in North America, featuring its own rail network directly dockside connected to Canada’s two national rail networks. The MPA also operates a Cruise Terminal and a Port Centre.
The MPA factors economic, social and environmental components into its corporate initiatives. This commitment is governed by a sustainable development policy whose guiding principles focus on involvement, cooperation and accountability. Port activity supports 16,000 jobs and generates $2.1 billion in economic benefits annually.