Victory Cruise Lines is adding a 4th expedition cruise ship to its fleet. The 200-passenger Ocean Discoverer is scheduled for delivery in September 2022 and will operate 12- to 13-day cruises in Alaska in 2023.
Victory Cruise Lines is operated by American Queen Steamboat Company, which is a Hornblower Families Company. The vessels are part of Sunstone Ships’ Infinity Class, specially designed for in-depth destination access along with exploration in a sustainable way.
The 4th ship will be identical to the fleetmate Ocean Victory (2021). The 8,500 GT vessels feature 93 suites, of which 68 with balconies, 9 with French balconies, and 16 with panoramic windows. The ships will have a crew of 100 members for a 2-to-1 guest-to-crew ratio. Venues include an open-deck dining area, 2 restaurants, observation and lecture lounges, library, piano bar, spa, gym, swimming pool with a hot tub and pool bar, and a fleet of kayaks and Zodiacs.
Signature elements include the patented X-bow design creating a smoother, more comfortable ride to lower vibration and noise levels and consequently seabed disturbance. The newbuilds will boast dynamic positioning (“virtual anchoring”) so they are able to automatically maintain their positions utilizing the propellers and thrusters. Ocean Discoverer's smaller size and low draw allow the vessel to dock in many smaller ports in Alaska not accessible to larger cruise ships.
Via a partnership with the Department of Marine Biology at California Polytechnic State University, the expedition ships will feature marine biologists, naturalists, and scientists on the expedition team.