About Us

About our founders

Waterways Cruises & Events has been part of Seattle’s lake and Puget Sound scene since 1994. We started with one yacht in April 1994 and have grown into a fleet of four vessels for weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate events, celebrations, and public dining cruises.

Co-founders Shirley Turnbow and Hilton Smith lead Waterways. Hilton Smith is CEO.

Our Story: Over 30 Years on the Water

Seattle has always been a city defined by water, and Waterways Cruises has been part of that story since 1994. It started with a shared love of boating. In April of that year, Shirley Turnbow and Hilton Smith bought a single yacht with a simple idea: pair Seattle’s waterways with good food and real hospitality. At first, it was small private charters and intimate gatherings on the water — but it didn’t stay small for long. As Seattle’s tourism grew and neighborhoods like South Lake Union transformed during the tech boom, Waterways grew with the city, adding vessels built for dining and events and expanding into weddings, corporate parties, and public cruises. What sets us apart is our focus on Seattle’s lakes rather than the open water of Puget Sound. Our cruises run through Lake Union and Lake Washington, past the floating homes made famous in film and TV, under the Montlake Cut, and along the shoreline near Gas Works Park — a different view of the city than most people get. Food has always been central to what we do, with menus built around seasonal, locally sourced Pacific Northwest flavors, from casual lunches to full evening dinners under the sunset. Despite decades of growth, we’ve stayed a family-owned business, with staff who tend to stick around for years — something guests notice and that’s helped us hold onto our identity as the city around us keeps changing. Over three decades, our boats have hosted countless weddings, celebrations, and reunions. Our story is really just a smaller piece of Seattle’s own: a boating venture that grew up alongside a changing city while staying close to its maritime roots.

Our Team

Our small office team brings together different backgrounds and skills, all with a shared interest in quality and creating a memorable experience for our guests. Our onboard crew handles the day-to-day of making each trip run smoothly — anticipating what guests need, offering personal touches, and keeping things warm and welcoming from start to finish. Behind the scenes, our kitchen crew is turning out fresh, delicious dishes in a working galley, without missing a beat. Everyone here is focused on the same thing: making sure your time on the water is one you remember.

Careers

Do you want to work where every day is exciting, challenging, and rewarding; where you can make someone’s day just a little more special? Do you want to work in a fun environment on the water, for owners and managers who genuinely care about you? If you do, and want to be part of a great team of hospitality professionals who value respect, cooperation, and hard work, then Waterways is the place for you.

Affiliations

Waterways Cruises is a proud partner with a number of respected organizations in the tourism, travel, and marine communities. Our partners are dedicated to supporting tourism, travel, hospitality, economic development and maritime activities in the Pacific Northwest. Waterways is also proud to be a participant in the Passenger Vessel Association’s GREEN WATERS program, a voluntary environmental stewardship initiative exclusively for PVA members, focused on following and promoting green business practices in the maritime community.