If you have traveled with Windstar Cruises, you’ll already know that its crew is the secret sauce that makes a cruise extra special. In fact, crew and staff are so important that Windstar has carved out a new job for an executive whose entire role is to prioritize the crew’s welfare and engagement. Among her other responsibilities, Teresa Haughey publishes a fabulous Instagram account offering an inside glimpse into what life is like for crew members onboard Windstar’s ships. Just before she was heading out to board Star Legend (she aims to sail on every ship in the fleet at least twice a year) in the Adriatic, she sat down to chat with us.
Your title is crew welfare and engagement manager. What does that mean, exactly?
I work alongside our human resources team in Miami and Seattle to find meaningful ways to enhance life onboard for our crew. This includes improving work conditions, creating social and wellness programs, and fostering engagement. My focus is on connecting with the crew to understand what changes would make a difference to them to support a positive onboard experience that balances their work and their lives.
While I’m onboard, it’s to touch base with the crew. If we’re going to make improvements, we need to make sure it’s something they want and that it will work.
How do you train for a position that has just been created?
My career has evolved in unexpected ways!
I began my life at sea in 1991 as a receptionist, without ever having seen a cruise ship before. I found myself in Miami, staring up at one of Carnival’s massive ships — it was both intimidating and exciting. That first month was a whirlwind of adapting to ship life and working with people from so many diverse cultures. I was originally from a small town in the Lake District in Northern England, where I spent time in the mountains, camping and connecting with nature — an entirely different world from life at sea.
After my first 12-month contract, I knew I had found my calling. I loved traveling, learning about different cultures, exploring new countries, and embracing the cruise lifestyle. As I transitioned through various roles — destinations, crew purser, chief purser, and eventually hotel director — I gained insights into the areas I was truly passionate about.
After a brief two-year break working in a land-based job in Bermuda, I felt the pull of the sea again and returned to my home (at sea), this time with Seabourn, where I worked for 13 years. In the role of chief purser/hotel director, I could make impactful decisions that positively affected guests and crew. It was incredibly rewarding to be in a position where I could help shape people’s experiences. I eventually transitioned to Seattle to work in operations, and my journey continues to grow from there. I joined Windstar in 2017 and began this role in 2022.
How did you evolve into your current role?
After years in various positions, I felt I had reached a point where I wanted to contribute in a new way. This role allows me to impact the lives of crew members, and I work with a company that truly values its people. In the past two years, we’ve made remarkable progress, and I’m excited about the projects we’re working on to further improve the crew experience.
I had taken a step back from the industry a few years ago, then as hotel general manager. I managed a project to help investors build a small hotel in Norfolk, England, which we did. Guenter Steinbrunner, Windstar’s corporate hotel general manager, asked me if I would like to fill the role of Hotel General Manager for a short time, which I was very excited to do. This continued into my present role in crew welfare and engagement, which was a new role and one the company really wanted to invest in.
Biggest highlights over the years?
A major career milestone for me was becoming Seabourn’s first female hotel director. It was a huge achievement and a defining moment not just for myself but also for other women in the company, as it helped break down barriers and set a new standard. This experience taught me the importance of representation and the positive ripple effect it can have across an organization. The pride I felt in that role continues to inspire me to champion and mentor women at sea, helping them achieve their own milestones and redefine what’s possible.
Why does this matter? As women start seeing other women make it to the top of their profession, they know it’s possible. At Windstar, for instance, we have Capt. Belinda (Bennett), two female staff captains, a pair of hotel general managers. Food and beverage, once a male bastion, has a good balance now, and we’re seeing more female managers coming through.
How did your upbringing impact your career choice?
I grew up in a lively Irish Catholic family with seven siblings, which meant there was never a dull moment. I enjoyed the constant energy, and this helped me adapt well to ship life, where you’re always surrounded by people. You work, play and live with the same group, so you form bonds quickly. While it can be challenging for some, I found the transition easy and the connections I’ve made along the way have been invaluable.
When you are spending time onboard, what are typical ways you engage with crew?
I do one-on-ones, we connect through meals, lunch and dinner, I go out for coffee, social events on board such as karaoke competition, celebration of Indonesian Independence Day, This year we’re creating a new holiday showcase for the crew to focus on their own culture, sharing experiences from their own holidays.
When I go onboard this week (note: Teresa traveled with Star Legend in late November 2024), we’ll be making videos of “a day in the life,” where we take every position onboard, and tell their stories, in three-minute videos, of their work-life balance.
Because we’re introducing two new ships in the next two years, we need to step up recruitment. So we want to share with potential new crewmembers what it’s like on our ships, what it’s like to play each particular role, what existing crew enjoy about their work and play.
While I’m onboard, it’s also to touch base with the crew, to share with our human resources team how we can improve their lives onboard. If we’re going to make improvements — we need to make sure it’s something they want and that it will work.
We also factor in monthly wellness: looking at different topics with our medical and leadership teams, and focus in on different aspects of life onboard — fitness classes, mental health, hygiene, goal-setting and financial strategies.
How do you manage to have personal time onboard? What are the best simple experiences?
One of the perks of this job is the opportunity to explore the world. I try to visit the ports where we dock and often head out with crew members to capture videos and photos of them enjoying the local sights — it’s always a great time! Even something as simple as grabbing a Starbucks with the team is fulfilling; it’s these small moments that make the experience special.
What memories and anecdotes have come from your experiences working with the crew?
Windstar’s crew is incredibly talented, and I’m always blown away by their performances at our crew shows, where they volunteer to entertain the guests. The enthusiasm they put into these shows is a testament to their passion, and each performance is humbling to watch. At Windstar, we pride ourselves on being “180 degrees from ordinary,” which means going above and beyond to make a lasting positive impact — a standard our crew embraces wholeheartedly.
I’m often asked by guests how the crew show works. Members of our team volunteer — because we have such talented crew, there are always too many, so producers balance the show for each and every cruise. They want to make sure we offer different kinds of performances and also make sure that all members who want to perform get that opportunity. From a crew perspective, they audition with the entertainment manager, have one rehearsal and then perform.
The show is an hour. And what we all love to see, both guests and staff, is how proud they are to showcase their talents, offering to passengers a different side of themselves, an entertaining side, and it breaks down the barrier with the guests. I get teary every time I go onboard — and I’ve seen somewhere between 50 and 60 different crew shows!
We put on other kinds of special events that show different perspectives of our crew. For instance, when Windstar was in the Philippines and Indonesia, we invited the families onboard to see their workplace. We put on a big buffet, they got to meet managers and colleagues, they toured the ship. For our guests who stayed onboard on those days, it was incredible. They all wanted to meet their families.
What’s your favorite itinerary, and within that, your top ports of call?
This is always a hard question because there are so many beautiful places! But, as a beach lover, I would say French Polynesia is my favorite. The pristine blue waters and soft, white sands are unparalleled. Swimming alongside sharks and stingrays is unforgettable, and the local culture is rich and well-preserved, with the people deeply proud of their heritage.
How are you and Windstar’s crew connecting on social media?
Social media has become an essential tool for connecting our teams and sharing our journeys. It allows our crew to see what other ships are doing and helps us tell our story to a wider audience. I want everyone to experience the magic of life at sea, and social media gives us the perfect platform to showcase that. There’s no safer or more exciting way to travel the world than with a dedicated crew by your side.
Check us out on Instagram (Teresa@seawithWindstar); Facebook’s coming soon.
