Jess Peterson back at Windstar in destination/itinerary planning

Jess Peterson returned to Windstar Cruises as director of destination experience & itinerary planning.

He'll oversee the development of global itineraries that offer cultural engagement, culinary exploration and adventure, collaborating with the Windstar team on revenue analytics. He'll also work to further expand pre- and post-cruise packages.

Peterson was with Windstar from 2016 - 2019 as director of revenue and itinerary planning and led the expansion into four new operating regions: Japan, Alaska, Canada/New England and Australia/New Zealand. Most recently, he has been consulting for the line.

Hurtigruten and HAL experience

Previously, he spent nearly four years with Hurtigruten Group working in itinerary and product planning roles, culminating as VP customer experience and new product development. He began his cruise career at Holland America Line/Seabourn as a senior analyst of fleet deployment & itinerary planning.

'It's great to be back at Windstar, and I'm excited to help develop new and unique experiences for our guests with Windstar’s talented team,' Peterson said. 'The addition of two new ships is very energizing.'

Asia enthusiast

He just returned from a three-week research trip to Asia 'where we’re developing some amazing itineraries ... We’ll include popular ports and cities, but also surprising, lesser-known destinations.' Peterson said one of his personal favorites from the trip was Hanoi, Vietnam, 'which has a beautiful historic quarter with great energy, people and food. We’re planning pre-/post- packages in places like Hanoi so our guests can truly experience the culture and local life.'

Related:WestSea Viana floats out Windstar Cruises' Star Seeker

New ship Star Seeker's Alaska and Japan itineraries for 2026 are currently available to book. The line said Japan is proving especially popular. 2027 Japan cruise dates will be open to book next month: Dec. 10, and Windstar plans to open sales for the rest of Star Seeker's Asia deployment in February.