About Our Founders
Waterways Cruises & Events has been part of Seattle’s lake and Puget Sound scene since 1994. We started with one yacht and have grown into a fleet of four vessels, hosting over 60,000 guests a year for weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate events, celebrations, and public dining cruises.
Leading Waterways are co-founders Shirley Turnbow and Hilton Smith, whose diverse backgrounds and shared passions have become the heart of our brand.
CEO and co-founder Hilton Smith, brings a rich blend of real estate and finance expertise, a passion for boats and history, and an educational background from Princeton and Stanford to Waterways. His mantra, “If you make a mistake…make another decision” guides our mission towards excellence, ensuring Waterways remains a leader in creating memorable experiences on the water.
Before co-founding Waterways, Shirley Turnbow had a multifaceted career that spanned senior paralegal roles, real estate, and ventures in food and antique businesses. Her extensive expertise in law, real estate, and entrepreneurship is matched by a deep commitment to community service and mentorship. Shirley’s leadership at Waterways is defined by her belief in employee development, ensuring our team not only grows professionally but also thrives personally. Shirley says she is inspired every day by her family, her husband and co-founder Hilton Smith, and the Waterways team.
Hilton shares Shirley’s motivation to make a difference in the lives of others. He has dedicated his time and expertise to several boards and committees, with a particular focus on enhancing educational opportunities, environmental stewardship, and alleviating poverty.
Together, Shirley and Hilton have built much more than a business; they’ve created a community built around care and good work.
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.
