With an expanding fleet of small ships and cruising regions around the world, Windstar Cruises has announced the hiring of Jess Peterson as the cruise company's director of destination experience and itinerary planning.
With an impressive background in travel planning and a deep passion and understanding for creating unforgettable guest experiences, Peterson will oversee the development of global itineraries that reflect Windstar's "180 Degrees of the Ordinary" philosophy.
Peterson will collaborate closely with the Windstar team on a detailed revenue analysis while developing itineraries that offer guests unique opportunities for cultural engagement, culinary exploration, and extraordinary adventures. Peterson will also work with the team to expand Windstar's portfolio of pre- and post-cruise packages.
Jess Peterson previously worked at Windstar from 2016 to 2019 as director of revenue and itinerary planning, leading the company's expansion into four new operating regions: Japan, Alaska, Canada/New England, and Australia/New Zealand. Most recently, he served as an itinerary planning consultant. Peterson also spent four years at Hurtigruten Expeditions, where he held various itinerary and product planning roles, culminating in his position as vice president of customer experience and new product development.
"It's great to be back at Windstar, and I'm excited to help develop new and unique experiences for our guests with the talented Windstar team," Peterson shared.
Earlier this year, Windstar Cruises announced the expansion of its fleet with two new all-suite Star-class ships. The Star Seeker (December 2025) will be Windstar's first newly built Star-class ship, followed by the Star Explorer (December 2026). Star Seeker's Alaska and Japan itineraries for 2026 are now available for booking. Japan is proving especially popular, and the line says that 2027 Japan cruise dates will open for booking on December 10, 2024. Windstar Cruises plans to launch the remainder of Star Seeker's Asia deployment in February 2025.
“The addition of Jess will allow Windstar to increase its focus on developing new itineraries and pre/post-cruise experiences for our guests,” shared Windstar Cruises Chief Commercial Officer Janet Bava. “Windstar is known for its small-ship itineraries that immerse guests in the destination, and we are now investing even more in our product team’s ability to travel, research, and build local relationships so we can offer more of those intimate small-ship experiences that we know our guests appreciate.”
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