CEO and President of Celebrity Cruises stated, Captain Kate has transcended what it means to be captain as a voice and example of inclusivity, diversity and change. Captain Kate McCue to Take Helm of Celebrity Beyond After her graduation from the academy, McCue moved to Hawaii. Senior Editor, News and Features. Capt. McCue said she tries to fill her time off by taking on public-relations gigs, attending trainings, or finding other ways to represent her company. The dynamic and decorated captain will usher in a new era for the new-luxury . When Celebrity Cruises Captain Kate McCue became the first American woman to captain a mega cruise ship . Royal Caribbean promoted her to the chief officer (senior first officer) and subsequently, in 2011, to staff captain. Industry Q&A: Captain Kate McCue of Celebrity Cruises Discusses Life Doing the math, McCue said that when her husband joins her for a New Year's cruise, they'll have seen each other for 49 days in 2019. CRUISE NEWS, The Time I Met Captain Kate McCue. In a recent press release, Celebrity Cruises expressed that McCue has inspired people around the world, from all walks of life, to follow their dreams. Find FAQ's, ask questions, join the list for upcoming info & releases! If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below), so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue. The Celebrity Cruises captain finished the video by settling into her captains chair and reminding commenters where she could be found. On June 28, 2022, she posted a video walked viewers through all considerations that go into cancelling a port of a call, making this information more accessible than ever. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. Learn how her father inspired her to think bigger, leading her to become the first American female captain of a major cruise ship. His advice to her was that she could do anything she wanted, including captaining the ship. How I SEA it! Celebrity Cruises states that Captain Kate McCue inspired people globally to reach for their goals. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. What it's like to be a cruise ship captain - CNN She constantly thinks about how she can go above and beyond.. When I started documenting my life as a cruise ship Captain, I never, in a million years, expected the interest or following that has grown around this platform. Captain McCue commanded the ship and the 26 other women to create an all-female bridge and officer leadership team. I'm beyond excited to see her take our guests to locations that will open their eyes to the beauty of the world around them and experience travel on a new-luxury ship without comparison.". Her father supported the idea, but told young Kate she could be anything she wanted -- including the captain of the ship. To further her education, in 2009, McCue earned a Chief Mate and Masters Licence from the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies. By Andrea Sachs. As captain, shes in charge of navigation, operations, safety, passenger service and 1,220 crew members. Do I need a passport for an Alaskan cruise? On March 8, 2020, McCue further cemented her place in the history books when she captained the history-making, barrier-breaking sailing on Celebrity Edge that comprised a cruise ships first-ever all-female bridge and officer team. Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo has announced that Captain Kate McCue, the first American female cruise ship captain, will take the helm of the cruise line's new ship, the Celebrity Beyond. Captain Kate McCue's Maritime Career. This is not your Love Boat or Captain Stubing. I always say that if you see it, you can be it and I hope that Celebrity Beyond sails as an inspiration for all to see past convention in pursuit of any goal in life, said Captain Kate McCue. Captain Kate McCue (@captainkatemccue) on Instagram AbbyCruiser45. "Everything's better on the ship. McCue was additionally the first commanding officer to set sail from a United States port after the pandemic closures. McCue has also become a social media celebrity, amassing nearly 3.5 million followers across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube by humanizing the profile of captain and sharing behind the scenes looks at seafaring life. "I'm so excited to go back into my bubble," she said of getting back to work after three months off. Kate transcends simply being a captain; she is a living example of change, diversity, and inclusivity. McCue said she considers her coworkers family, and that partly comes down to the working environment. Meet Kate McCue, Celebrity Cruises captain and TikTok sensation - USA Today She said the the ship's Chief Officer Nikos "noticed a glimmer on the horizon" and discovered it was a group of people who appeared to be in distress. All Rights Reserved. She graduated with a degree in business administration while also studying celestial navigation during summer breaks. The Celebrity Edge ship has a unique passenger aboard, a hairless cat. As a former crew member for Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival Cruise Line I can continue my passion by sharing my experiences with readers. 1st Officer Sahira brings the sweet & savory snacks of Japan to try! The 1,073-foot-long vessel, which will be able to host 3,260 passengers in1,646 stateroomsis the third ship inthe Royal Caribbean Group subsidiary's Edge Series. Captain Kate then was appointed to Celebrity Equinox before taking command of Celebrity Edge in September 2019. In 2015, McCue, who was 37 years old, secured a place in the maritime history books as the first female American captain of a megaship. Im beyond excited to see her take our guests to locations that will open their eyes to the beauty of the world around them and experience travel on a new-luxury ship without comparison.. Her schedule is three months on, three months off. "Whether it's people that you have on board, the places that you are in, or even the weather, everything changes. Her leadership style mimics the imagination and design of the ships she leads. Allie's been on nearly 30 cruises all over the world. Celebrity Beyond will not only hold the title of the largest ship in the fleet, but the distinction as the brands most luxurious vessel. When in a new city, she's usually out to discover under-the-radar art, culture, and secondhand stores. More sharing options. July 27, 2021 at 7:00 a.m. EDT. But the sea trials are scheduled for January 20. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. This article was published more than1 year ago. In 2015, Kate McCue made history when she became captain of the Celebrity Edge at the age of 37 years . MIAMI Celebrity Cruises' President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo recently announced that Captain Kate McCue, the first American female cruise ship captain, will take the helm of Celebrity Beyond . This is a day that Ive been waiting for since we made the first cut of steel on our beautiful Celebrity Beyond. There are so many opportunities for everyone, whether you want to be on the bridge or you want to be in any of the other departments on our ships. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. I'm honestly not sure what most of that means but my 50 minutes made me feel like I just had a fantastic nap, which is handy as we change the time zones almost daily on the way to Europe. The worlds first black woman cruise ship captain, Belinda Bennet, took the helm of a Windstar Cruises ship in 2016. AbbyCruiser45. Posted September 6, 2022. Captain Kate McCue: 'Why I couldn't abandon my cruise ship - even NOW WATCH: This is what it takes to be a cruise ship performer, Visit Insider's homepage for more stories, working, eating, and sleeping all in the same place, She documents her adventures on Instagram, staffed by an all-women bridge and officer team, I went deep into the bowels of the world's largest cruise ship to get a behind-the-scenes look at how it makes 30,000 meals a day, A performer on the world's largest cruise ship reveals how she got the gig, and what working at sea is really like, After years of traveling, I went on my very first cruise and found it was a totally different way of seeing the world. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. McCue has also gained notoriety online, as she has more than 3.5 million followers on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. McCue said to The Washington Post, It took me 19 years to earn that title.". I will so-fish-ti-kate you! 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. .css-18jw8gc{-webkit-appearance:none;-moz-appearance:none;-ms-appearance:none;appearance:none;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none;position:relative;white-space:nowrap;vertical-align:middle;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;line-height:1.2;border-radius:var(--chakra-radii-md);transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-normal);height:auto;min-width:var(--chakra-sizes-10);font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);background:none;border:0;color:black;display:inline;margin:0px;padding:0!important;font-family:var(--chakra-fonts-Roboto);font-weight:500;padding-top:0.625rem;padding-bottom:0.625rem;-webkit-padding-start:1rem;padding-inline-start:1rem;-webkit-padding-end:1rem;padding-inline-end:1rem;}.css-18jw8gc:focus-visible,.css-18jw8gc[data-focus-visible]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);}.css-18jw8gc:disabled,.css-18jw8gc[disabled],.css-18jw8gc[aria-disabled=true],.css-18jw8gc[data-disabled]{opacity:0.4;cursor:not-allowed;box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-none);}.css-18jw8gc:active,.css-18jw8gc[data-active]{border:var(--chakra-borders-none);background:none;}.css-18jw8gc:hover,.css-18jw8gc[data-hover]{border:var(--chakra-borders-none);background:none;}.css-18jw8gc:focus,.css-18jw8gc[data-focus]{border:var(--chakra-borders-none);outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-none);}Cookie Consent, Just Back From Hurtigruten's Finnmarken: The First Cruise Ship to Set Sail, Post-Covid, Celestyal Cruises Buys Costa Cruises Ship, The Majestic Line Set to be First Cruise Line to Restart Cruising in the UK, 13 Times This Cruise Cat Was Absolutely Purr-fect For Halloween, Ships Ahoy! "To say 'I'm honored' is an understatement," McCue, 43, who has been working in the industry for two decades,told USA TODAY. Captain Kate McCue, who has millions of followers on TikTok and hundreds of thousands more on Instagram, shared video of the rescue and its aftermath, thanking her crew for jumping into action and . This article originally appeared on recommend.com, Incentives at Sea: A Look Ahead With Holland America. First look:Celebrity Cruises luxury ship, Celebrity Beyond, will have private plunge pools, open spaces, Virgin Voyages' first ship:Scarlet Lady set sail in US after 18 month delay amid COVID-19. Captain Dimitrios is a master at using the elements to safely maneuver, but every ship & port has it's limits. McCue previously captainedCelebrity Cruises' Celebrity Edge, which was the first ship to sail with passengers in U.S. waters since the beginning of the pandemic,since 2019. By clicking Sign Up, you also agree to marketing emails from both Insider and Morning Brew; and you accept Insiders. Captain Kate headed the first-ever sailing with an entirely female bridge and officer team. McCue said she became interested in cruises after going on a voyage with her family. "We don't sit on the bridge" the ship's command center "for hours on end, because we've actually done that," McCue said. McCue was eventually promoted to first officer in 2004 for Royal Caribbean, which was a huge accomplishment for the female sailor. Kate McCue demonstrates that you can achieve anything that you can imagine. So you're not ever going to have the same day twice, which is really cool.". 2023 Celebrity Cruises, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Captain McCue played a major role in resuming services for Celebrity. Celebrity Cruises has praised Kate for being a trailblazer in her field. McCue did not allow her gender to limit her thinking. It's not all hard work, though, as McCue said she gets to go out and explore the ports along the cruise's stops. "You know, more ships are coming out. In 2015, when McCue was named the captain of a slightly smaller ship the 2,158-passenger Celebrity Summit she became the first American woman (and fifth woman overall) to command a mega cruise ship. "He's in Italy, I'm in the Caribbean, and I actually get to hear about his day, he gets to hear about my day, and it really works for us," she said. Btw, is one of the nicest folks I've had the pleasure to meet (besides Bob, obviously)! She's actually ahead of schedule right now, which is perfect. "We do three months on, three months off, and it's kind of like you retire every three months," she told Insider of her work schedule. For Captain Kate, the seed to be a captain was planted following a cruise the then-12-year-old McCue took with her family. Additionally, Kate McCue has obtained online fame with over 3.5 million followers on her TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram channels. Her job was to aid in transporting bananas from Ecuador to Los Angeles. Mega-ship Captain Kate McCue taught a quick grammar lesson on Tik-Tok for after a follower questioned her position simply because she's a woman. McCues following stems from providing people with glimpses of the life of a captain on a cruise ship. She's a cruise ship captain. Captain Kate McCue has helmed Celebrity Edge since 2019. Captain Kate McCue was appointed master aboard Celebrity Cruises new cruise ship, Celebrity Beyond.