Windstar Cruises’ Helen Beck shares the line’s strategy for growth ahead of Star Explorer launch
As Windstar Cruises gears up to launch a second ship in the space of a year, managing director for global commercial Helen Beck, who joined the company last May, reveals insights into how sales are tracking, the line’s three to five-night Quick Getaway itineraries and how the trade aligns with the brand’s growth.
Q. Tell us about your background prior to joining Windstar Cruises last May, and what drew you to this new role.
I’ve been in the travel industry my whole career – I’m one of those people who comes under the ‘veteran’ title. I’ve been working in the cruise sector since about 2000, and I think it’s the most dynamic, vibrant segment of the whole industry. I’ve always worked in international sales within cruising because I speak French, German, Spanish and Italian, and I enjoy working out what makes different markets tick and figuring out how to optimise each one. I’ve fallen in love with Windstar since starting my new role – it’s a very relaxed and unpretentious line, so I’m excited to spread the word about it across markets where we don’t have a particularly big footprint, including the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Q. How were sales for Windstar in 2025?
We had a great year – we’ve seen double-digit growth in our sales, which is really encouraging. Our global commercial team is very small, so thankfully my arrival has allowed other staff members to work more closely with key UK accounts, which has driven those sales. Interestingly, we’ve been seeing more same year bookings, although forward bookings for 2026 and 2027 are also very encouraging. Tahiti in particular has long standing appeal for UK clients and, from March 2027, we’re dedicating one of our Wind Class yachts solely to that destination. We launched a series of 10-night Canary Islands itineraries in 2025, but we need some more communication to drive sales, so marketing those will be a focus for 2026.
Q. You launched your newest vessel, Star Seeker, in December and sister ship Star Explorer is due at the end of 2026. What will they bring to Windstar’s offering?
The two new ships have given a fresh injection of passion across the entire company. Very excitingly, Star Explorer will have her christening ceremony right by HMS Belfast in the heart of London, so it will be lovely to see her against the backdrop of the capital in May 2027 following her first sailing this December. Star Seeker’s debut is allowing us back into Alaska over the summer, which is perfectly suited to our small-ship size. She’ll be heading to Japan and southeast Asia in the autumn, then doing a great Bangkok to Hanoi itinerary, where – thanks to her size – guests will be able to sail right down the river into the Thai capital, before she heads back to Alaska. Star Explorer will be staying in Europe all year round, starting in the Mediterranean in the winter. We’ll need to implement a communication and awareness strategy around having a year-round European vessel, but I’m really pleased we’re making that commitment, because there are so many beautiful destinations to be explored regardless of the season.
Q. How much of a focus are your Quick Getaways, including those departing from London?
We’re really excited to be offering these three to five-night itineraries in 2026 and 2027 because they give people who may not have experienced Windstar a taste of what makes the line so special. They’re scattered across Europe, including a three-night sailing from Rome to Portofino or – my personal favourite – from Barcelona to the south coast of France. Star Pride is offering itineraries from London, starting by passing through Tower Bridge – which is a cool experience in itself – to destinations including Bruges and Antwerp in Belgium and Mont-Saint Michel in France. Our small ships mean guests can experience the destinations in completely different ways by stopping off at less-explored ports. These shorter itineraries can be a great entry-way into larger bookings, so they’re a valuable segment of our collection.
Q. How important is the UK trade in your growth strategy?
The trade is the foundation of how we’re planning to expand Windstar in the UK as we enter 2026. We don’t really do a lot of direct-to-consumer marketing – almost everything is trade focused. We work closely with about 20 UK agencies currently, and I’m looking forward to broadening and deepening that network. We’re blessed to have a vibrant industry with lots of different cruise lines for varying tastes, and agents are best placed to select the right brand for each client. We never take our foot off the pedal with agent education, so this year they can expect more webinars, training programmes and one-on-one communication. The trade really is fundamental to everything we do.
Q. What is one of the biggest trends you’ve noticed in luxury cruising in recent years?
One of the most interesting recent developments is the arrival of luxury hotel brands in the cruise space – think The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Four Seasons Yachts and Aman at Sea. I’m excited by it because these fabulous brands are bringing their loyal database of clients onto the sea, which extends opportunities to other high-end cruise brands that travellers might want to dip their toes into. It’s bringing fresh eyes into the world of cruise.
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