Windstar Cruises Names Helen Beck as Managing Director, Global Commercial Based in the United Kingdom
MIAMI, FL – May 12, 2025 – With an eye on expanding international business for its growing brand, Windstar Cruises announced today the appointment of Helen Beck to the new role of managing director, global commercial. Beck will be based in London.
Helen brings many years of experience in the travel industry with 26 years spent in the cruise industry. Most recently, Beck was head of global sales excellence for Explora Journeys. Previous to that role, she was vice president of international sales and marketing at Crystal Cruises. Other roles include regional director for Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity and Azamara; and international sales leisure manager at Millenium and Copthorne Hotels.
In her new role with Windstar, Helen will lead efforts to build commercial operations in the UK and expand the line’s presence in key markets in Europe, Australia and Latin America. She will define the global sales and distribution strategy and identify new partners to grow the base of sellers around the world looking to expand their small ship cruising sales. She will work to set up Windstar’s global entities, hire new team members, work with IT and marketing to launch new global websites and booking engines, and be responsible for the company’s growth outside of North America.
“Windstar is undergoing an exciting time of change with new technology, a rebrand and two new ships joining our fleet soon,” said Janet Bava, Windstar’s chief commercial officer. “Helen is coming on board to help leverage this growth further into International markets, and we are very happy to have someone with her skill set join us at this key point in time for the brand.”
The global commercial role is a new one for Windstar with more hires expected as Helen builds her team in the coming months. Augustus Lonsdale, Windstar’s current head of sales in the UK, will work with Helen and continue to oversee Windstar’s GSA relationships. Dianna Rom, Windstar’s vice president of sales in North America, will work alongside Helen on key relationships with consortia and national account partners as the company expands internationally.
"I am truly excited by the opportunity that this new role presents to build on the already solid foundations that Windstar Cruises has across the globe,” said Helen Beck.
While she resides in London, Helen enjoys skiing the Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland where she previously worked for eight winter seasons. If it’s a beach destination, she prefers Zanzibar for relaxing seaside. And for ice cream, it’s a scoop of salted caramel, ideally with chocolate alongside.
Windstar is expanding from a six ship fleet to eight soon. New developments for 2025 include the debut of Star Seeker, a 224-guest all-suite yacht, joining the fleet in December 2025. Star Seeker joins the line’s Star Class line of upscale yachts bringing the fleet to five Star Class plus three Wind Class sailing yachts, all carrying between 148 and 342 guests. In 2026, Star Seeker’s sister ship Star Explorer joins the fleet.
Windstar sails year-round in the Mediterranean, and new in 2026, a series of short taster cruises will homeport in London. In spring 2026, Star Pride will sail a three-night Belgium: A Sweet Getaway cruise and two departures of a four-night St Malo Getaway cruise. For Europeans looking for a sun-filled vacation not too far from home, Windstar will have one of its sailing yachts, 148-guest Wind Star, sailing 10-night cruises in the Canary Islands roundtrip Santa Cruz de Tenerife. On the horizon in 2027, a second yacht, Wind Star, joins Star Breeze in French Polynesia increasing capacity and offering a choice of a sailing or all-suite yacht in the tropical destination including the popular seven-day Dreams of Tahiti cruise.
To plan a small ship cruise with Windstar book online here, contact a travel advisor, reach out to Windstar Cruises by phone at 866-258-7245, or request a call by a Windstar vacation planner. Find more information on Windstar Cruises here.
PR images can be downloaded here.
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Contacts:
Sarah Scoltock, Director of Public Relations, Windstar Cruises /
sarah.scoltock@windstarcruises.com
Claire Skinner, Vice President, LDPR, windstar@ldpr.com
About Windstar Cruises:
For four decades, Windstar Cruises has been reimagining small-ship cruising with a distinctive blend of relaxed luxury and genuine connection to the world’s most captivating destinations. From its origins with motor sailing yachts tailored for upscale yet casual travel, Windstar has grown into a diverse fleet of three Star Class all-suite yachts and three Wind Class sailing yachts, offering voyages that are both intimate and inspiring. Two highly anticipated new yachts, Star Seeker and Star Explorer, set to debut in December 2025 and 2026, expand the fleet to eight yachts accommodating 150-350 guests. Windstar’s legendary Wind Class sailing yachts are also undergoing a meticulous two-phase redesign to be completed by 2027. Windstar yachts sail to more than 330 ports across Europe, the Caribbean, Costa Rica and the Panama Canal, Alaska, Canada and New England, Japan, the South Pacific, and Asia. Unlike most cruise lines, Windstar sails year-round in the Mediterranean and Tahiti, offering different destination experiences seasonally. Each Windstar voyage is designed to immerse guests in authentic cultural experiences, all while delivering the comfort, service, and style that define the Windstar difference.
Windstar Cruises is proud to be part of the Xanterra Travel Collection®, a distinguished group of global hospitality and travel companies with a legacy spanning over a hundred years. Xanterra operates iconic national parks, including Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Glacier, and Death Valley. The Xanterra Travel Collection® is owned by The Anschutz Corporation, the ultimate owner of the Broadmoor, Sea Island, and entertainment giant AEG, Anschutz Entertainment Group.