In mid-June, Windstar President Chris Prelog obtained the 2024 Excellence in Management Award. Offered by TravelAge West, a publication that serves the journey advisor neighborhood, Prelog’s award acknowledged his excellent management, perception and innovation, and likewise his success at impacting each his personal organizations and of the journey business total.
Anybody who is aware of Chris will probably be delighted and, properly, not terribly shocked, that his inventive, caring and visionary management has earned him this award. And but on our half, we thought it may be enjoyable to share some insights into his background and character, and the way he’s advanced from a visionary’s perspective.
A few key factors: Chris is closing in on nearly 30 years within the hospitality and cruise business. He grew up in Austria, close to town of Graz. And this would possibly shock you: his clearly profitable cruise profession was nearly derailed on his first project. He prevailed, nevertheless, and we’re blissful to share a few of his tales through this Q&A. (Have questions for Chris? Please submit them in our feedback part, beneath, and we’ll get you solutions).
You grew up in Austria. What was your childhood like?
Austria is properly revered world wide for its custom and reverence for hospitality. My dad owned a variety of companies. He ran grocery shops, ice cream outlets, meals and beverage stands at commerce reveals. So I’ve grown up in service-oriented environment. Later, my dad and my mom inspired me to go to the Tourism Institute in Dangerous Gleichenberg. It’s a prestigious hospitality administration college in Austria, and plenty of senior executives have visited that college or been educated there. I attended its 5-year program, its most in depth, and realized every part about hospitality in this system. The main target was not simply service and cooking but additionally the entire administrative half and monetary facet, the advertising and gross sales facet…every part you must know concerning the enterprise of hospitality. It’s a boarding college so I used to be there each day, 24/7, and as an alternative of getting the same old summer season trip — two months off – I really needed to apply to lodges and eating places and work for 2 months.
As soon as the summer season job ended, I returned to high school, the place this system was at all times intense.
Necessary to notice: It’s additionally a non-public college, not a government-funded program. I’d say it’s up there in repute with Lausanne, the most effective hospitality administration faculties in Europe.
The place did you begin your profession in hospitality?
By means of observe runs throughout my 5-year program, I ended up at a small, privately-owned resort in Seefeld in Tirol, an Austrian village that has twice hosted the Winter Olympics. I preferred it as a result of once I had break day, I may ski. I used to be there yearly for my observe runs (which Individuals would possibly name “internships”) and after I graduated, I labored on the resort full time. It operated a number of eating places on the town, from a steakhouse, to Italian, to Tyrolean meals, so it was a really various work atmosphere. It additionally operated a restaurant in a constructing with an enormous swimming pool. It was an awesome atmosphere for studying the ropes.
After a few years, I wished to do one thing else and see what it was wish to work in Vienna, which to Austrians is “the massive metropolis.” I utilized to a number of lodges, however Hilton was on the prime of my listing as a result of it was the largest and had an awesome repute. I had already carried out plenty of service and administrative work. Now I wished to study every part there may be to learn about reception and entrance workplace, and entrance of home work.
What made you determine to commerce in a resort profession for all times aboard cruise ships?
After three years at Hilton, like all younger males in Austria, I had to enter navy service for 9 months. Once I got here again I used to be prepared for change. Pals from college and from Seefeld had talked about cruising and the way it was an thrilling business if you happen to wished to see the world and I discovered that intriguing. In late 1997, I related with individuals from Seabourn and had a variety of interviews, together with one with Peter Tobler (now director of resort operations at Windstar), at Seabourn Cruises. I landed my first cruise job on Seabourn Legend, as head waiter.
A tough starting
Once I boarded the Legend, my world turned the wrong way up. I may really feel the ship shifting whereas it was moored to the pier! My knees bought wobbly and being on a ship simply didn’t really feel proper. It may possibly occur if you be a part of the cruise business; you don’t know what you’ve signed up for. You get thrown into every part so shortly. It’s very busy and you must study many disciplines. On prime of that, the ship strikes. I bought seasick and didn’t really feel that nice.
I had flown to Sydney, Australia, to fulfill the ship. Once I bought off the aircraft in Australia after a particularly lengthy flight, the individuals on the Legend had been very nice, however I had jet lag and was extraordinarily drained. I bought treatment from the physician that made me much more drained. Then, I used to be demoted from head waiter to waiter. The system aboard a ship in comparison with common restaurant operations could be very completely different, and my English wasn’t that good. There was additionally a little bit of a cultural hole – we don’t eat English muffins in Austria and I’d by no means seen one earlier than. So right here I used to be sprucing cutlery and studying the “cruise business commerce” from the very baseline. It wasn’t simple however now I’m massively grateful that I used to be capable of get this expertise.
Nonetheless, I used to be not blissful. I referred to as my father from Tasmania and stated, “This isn’t going properly. I don’t assume I’m going to final.” My father instructed me, “Properly, suck it up. You signed up, you’re going to do it.” That was the push I wanted. You want slightly time to get used to cruising, however you’re becoming a member of a household and also you develop friendships.
We had been heading to Bora Bora and I assumed, “Okay, I’m going to attend till we arrive there, after which I’ll determine. Bora Bora was completely lovely and I made a decision to complete the contract and never return. However two months later, when it was time to go house I used to be so built-in into the operation onboard that when I used to be on trip I assumed, “Oh my gosh, when can I am going again?” Each time you permit you possibly can’t wait to return.
It took a short while to ascertain myself, however finally I made headway and have become head waiter and maître d’resort, a number of the most tough jobs on the ship. You’re younger and nonetheless studying and everybody wants one thing from you, whether or not it’s administration, the crew, or the company. It takes some time to get a deal with on that and do it properly. I believe that’s what drew me to cruising as properly, since you work with individuals who have completely different nationalities, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and so forth, and everybody works in concord on the ship. That’s a fairly cool factor, after which if you wish to see the world and find out about different cultures, you do.
I used to be the resort supervisor when life threw me a curveball. My daughter was born in Austria. It’s exhausting when you may have a child and have to go away for 4 months. I didn’t need to go away my household at house, however I didn’t need to go away my household at sea, both. I returned to the ship and the senior administration of Seabourn shocked me and requested if I wished to maneuver to the top workplace in Miami.
4 months later my household and I arrived in Miami, which was a turning level. It was then I made a decision that cruising and I had been going to get severe. I used to be going to broaden my horizon and study, study, study.
In 2013 Windstar purchased 3 Seabourn ships from Carnival Company, its dad or mum firm, together with the Legend. What was that like?
I’ve been lucky to be surrounded my complete profession by wonderful mentors and individuals who’ve had my finest pursuits at coronary heart. That was particularly vital in Miami, as a result of if you swap to working shoreside with a cruise line, every part modifications. You’re in a distinct atmosphere. However I actually preferred it and was quickly promoted to director of resort operations. The corporate moved to Seattle in 2011, the place I used to be promoted to Vice President of Lodge Operations and Buying. I additionally labored for Holland America to assist drive efficiencies and effectiveness.
When Seaborn offered my three favourite ships, I used to be disillusioned. You at all times bear in mind your first ship. I instructed my president on the time I used to be going to go to Genoa and watch the Legend within the handover protocol and go cry in a nook someplace. That was the primary interplay I had with Windstar workers who had been all hopped up and blissful to take the ship “away from me”. It was a big reminiscence. John Delaney, the then-president of Windstar and I began speaking – we had labored collectively at Seabourn – and he requested if I knew anybody who may run the fleet.
I noticed a chance at Windstar, which makes small ship cruising particular, and I appeared ahead to increasing my horizons as a result of operating a fleet could be very completely different from operating a resort operation. Inside operations key departments you oversee are security, atmosphere, compliance, marine, technical operations and well being. I had some expertise in nearly all these areas, however beginning at Windstar as vp of fleet operations gave me an excellent better understanding of what makes a profitable cruise as I bought extra concerned. I actually loved that. Shifting to the chief working officer function gave me much more expertise within the Technical Operations space.
Moreover getting on-the-job expertise, you pursued training How did you handle to do all of this?
Sure, even whereas working within the cruise business I studied at collegiate establishments. I bought a level in Lodge Administration and Accounting from the College of Miami, and certificates from Harvard’s Kennedy Faculty, Cornell College, and the Increased Tourism Institute in Austria.
Silke, my wonderful spouse, makes this life simple. She’s by no means stated she’d quite I didn’t do one thing associated to my function. She is aware of this isn’t a standard job; I journey quite a bit and she or he runs issues at house so I can concentrate on my job. The actual fact is I’m completely positive that with out Silke’s help I might not be on this place in the present day.
Have you ever ever thought of recreating your unique cruise line function of being a waiter? Would you ever shock the crew and company on considered one of your ships?
I completely will give it some thought! I most likely would screw up greater than I’d do properly. I imply, I like good espresso, and I did some barista coaching within the Yacht Membership a number of years in the past, which was quite a bit more durable than you’d assume. And it may be that I’ve forgotten greater than I ever realized about being a waiter (and our workforce has actually advanced and surpassed that period). Working a complete dinner service? Makes me nervous, however I sort of like the concept. It could possibly be a cool shock to the workforce and company.