Hines started her career in cruise with Royal Caribbean International as a Senior Training Executive, later becoming Royal's EMEA Head of Sales Administration before joining Hurtigruten as the line's sales lead in its EMEA region in July 2023.

She will report into Windstar Managing Director – Global Commercial, Helen Beck, with a sales operations and enablement remit that includes improving sales processes, tools and systems, and ensuring Windstar's teams and partners around the world are equipped to efficiently and effectively sell the line.

Windstar said Hines had a strong commercial background with experience in cruise and travel sales, and "a proven track record" working with trade partners and driving growth by combining strategic thinking with practical, hands-on delivery.

Her newly created role has been designed, said Windstar, to bring greater structure and consistency to its global sales operations, freeing up its commercial teams "to spend more time supporting travel advisors".

"Carla is joining the team at exactly the right time as we grow our global footprint and I’m excited for the contributions that her experience and knowledge bring us," said Beck. "If we can make sales feel easier and faster for our teams and our partners, that’s a big win."

Hines added: "Sales operations should make life easier, not more complicated. The opportunity here is to build things that people genuinely want to use, and that help our teams and partners sell with confidence without adding unnecessary layers."

Windstar welcomed its newest Star-class all-suite yacht, Star Seeker, to its fleet in December, with Star Explorer poised to debut this coming December. With a naming ceremony scheduled in London next June, Windstar said the new additions would create additional capacity and itinerary opportunities for UK agents.

The arrival of Star Seeker and Star Explorer will also sailing ship Wind Star to join Star Breeze in Tahiti from March 2027.