Meet Adrienne Baerny, the latest addition to the Waterways’ Sales and Marketing team! Adrienne joined our company recently, bringing a wealth of experience in event management for corporate groups and her superb knowledge of the tour and travel industry.

Adrienne graduated from Seattle Pacific University with a Bachelors Degree in Communication and spent the last 16 years working in sales and marketing, specializing in tourism and event management.  She worked as a Group Sales Manager at Clipper Vacations, managing events for customers and reaching out to travel agents and tour operators to familiarize them with the Clipper products. As a co-owner of Tour Operator Company, Adrienne also is experienced in promoting land tours in the US and Canada.  

Born in Nicosia, Cyprus and living all over the world until she was 16,  Adrienne grew up traveling and spending a lot of time on boats. Tourism and cruises are a natural match for her interests, combining her love of event planning and boating. She is excited to once again work with Kathryn Waldeck, our Senior Account Manager for Private Groups and Dining Cruises, who was her teammate at Clipper.

Outside of work, Adrienne is an avid runner – you will find her at a gym every morning, training for marathons or working out. She is excited about finishing her first Half Marathon, Seattle’s Rock and Roll in June and is looking forward to more running adventures.

We were married on July 17, 1999. Jason and I were high school sweethearts and met when we were 17 year old seniors. When it was time to plan for our wedding we didn’t want the traditional Italian wedding that all Jason’s family was used to. We wanted something a little different and memorable. My mom came up with the idea of having our wedding on a boat and Waterways Cruises was the first company I called.

I loved how all the details were taken care and I loved how Waterways had referrals for everything from the flowers to the cake. We actually used their referral for our wedding cake and it was the best cake we have ever had, hands down! Unfortunately the owner of the bakery moved to San Francisco or we would be ordering a new cake every anniversary!

I remember there was a “wedding planner” assigned to each bride and I loved that. Mine really helped to make sure all the t’s were crossed and i’s were dotted. Sometimes I watch wedding reality shows and I am shocked at how stressful the whole process seems. Our experience may be in the minority, but I didn’t think our wedding planning or the actual event was stressful in the least. It was truly “smooth sailing”. We had about 75 close friends and family with us and it was a little misty that afternoon. It didn’t matter though. The scenery was amazing and I felt like each guest received a special gift by sailing with us that afternoon. I have been to lots of weddings and receptions where we end up in the basement or a church hall. What is so special about that? I loved that our guests had an “experience” as opposed to just being a spectator at a wedding.

We cruised with Waterways 3 times since our wedding and each time it brings us back to that special day. Attention to detail is always there, from the host who greets us onto the boat to the delicious food. Waterways Cruises has set the bar high and I would recommend it to all my friends and family.

The Dog may be man’s best friend, but when it comes to the Waterways’ team – we prefer making friends with animals that cruise the waters just like us. Ducks, a particular pair of ducks to be exact, came into our lives 2 years ago and slowly became a familiar presence at our HomePort.

At first sight they were just a regular duck couple, a beautiful male mallard and a shy female with a missing feather on her chest. In the spring of 2009, the couple was often seen hanging around the Lakeside Event Center patio and peeking into the kitchen. Amused by their boldness, our Chef and the kitchen staff started feeding them occasional food scraps. Before long, a routine developed and the ducks would come to the kitchen door quacking for attention. And then… they disappeared.

The following spring the couple returned and resumed their visits to the kitchen. They built a nest and soon the duck family increased in size with the new baby ducklings quickly joining their parents at the kitchen door. The food scraps were no longer deemed to be a sufficient food source for the young family, and concerned for their health and well-being, our Chef bought a special duck food to ensure adequate nutrition for growing ducks. Feeding the ducks became an honorable responsibility for everyone in the kitchen. Partially a community effort, partially a meditative break after a long day at work, the duck feeding routine is both calming and inspiring to the creative cooking minds of our Chef and his staff.

With great anticipation, we welcomed the arrival of the Waterways’ ducks again this year! After we moved to our new HomePort, not far away from the old location, the couple followed us and did not hesitate to feel right at home with visits to the new kitchen. Lately, Mama duck has not been seen much – we suspect that very soon we will see a new team of ducklings joining the Waterways’ family!

How long have you worked at Waterways?

I had my one year anniversary working for Waterways just recently.  I marked it aboard the Emerald Star with a dinner cruise that was highlighted by a champagne toast and Chef Udo’s delicious new menu.  This year has been “eventful” to say the least, after booking and planning trips aboard our yachts for over 50,000 passengers.

What would you say is the best thing about planning weddings or private events? 

My favorite thing about planning weddings and other special events is watching our client’s vision unfold from their initial visit to the time they say “I do,” or “SURPISE,” or “Happy 50^th, sweetheart.”  While our clients focus on their guest list, I calculate the logistics of fitting their dream event into our beautiful spaces.  From how to maximize square footage to where the Bride can hide from her welcoming groom, I make dreams a reality.

Any great stories you can share from one of your planned events? 

One of my first events was a wedding on the Fourth of July last year.  Getting married on Independence Day?  It was a perfect night, topped off with the honor of driving the groom’s parents to their hotel, as taxis were hard to come by that night.  It was awesome!

What did you do prior to Waterways? 

I have worked in the travel industry for the last 7 years.  Most recently I completed my 5^th year planning events, excursions, and vacations for Victoria Clipper in venues up and down our beautiful coastline and in Canada. 

What else should we know about Kathryn? 

I was born in Brazil to German, Swiss German, French, Spanish, Portuguese speaking parents.  I am a graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in Photojournalism. I do freelance newspaper projects on occasion, but mostly I’m hooked by the event planning and travel industry.