Giovanni Canu
Vice President, Technical Operations
“I once thought I might be a Navy officer… or maybe a lawyer. Safe to say the sea won.”
With more than 35 years of maritime experience, Giovanni (Gio) Canu has seen just about everything at sea and engineered most of it, too. As Vice President of Technical Operations at Windstar Cruises, Gio brings deep expertise in fleet decarbonization, dry dock execution, energy efficiency, and alternative fuels. He’s helped modernize cruise fleets across the globe, including senior roles at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and Carnival Cruise Line, always pushing for smarter, more sustainable ways to sail.
Born in Genoa, Italy, Gio still remembers the pride of sailing into his hometown for the first time as a young cadet—an early career moment that sealed his lifelong love of ships. These days, he's based shoreside, leading technical operations with a steady hand, a sharp mind, and the occasional grumble if you show up late to a meeting.
Known for his sincerity, loyalty, and a dry sense of humor, Gio loves working across disciplines and solving the puzzle that is cruise ship complexity. (Spoiler: they’re not just floating hotels.) What surprised him most about Windstar? The culture: casual, collaborative, and grounded in real respect for expertise.
Off the clock, Gio can be found cheering on his kids at hockey, soccer, and figure skating, sneaking in ski trips to Colorado, or cooking his legendary tiramisu. Just don’t ask him to stand in line at a store while the clerk chats on the phone.
A memorable travel moment: Sailing into Genoa as a 22-year-old cadet. My first time approaching home by sea. That feeling? I’ll never forget it. Also: bartering used oil for fresh fish in Brazil. Best dinner I’ve ever had.