Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. Captain Kate also led the Celebrity fleet - and the industry - back into operation when, on June 26, 2021, Celebrity Edge became the first cruise ship to sail with guests from a U.S. port in . The Edge Seriescollectionalso includes Celebrity Apexand Celebrity Edge. She moved toCelebrity Equinoxbefore being appointed to helm the Celebrity Edge in September 2019. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. She helped transport bananas between Ecuador and Los Angeles. October 14, 2021. Cruise Critic had the opportunity earlier this year to chat with Captain Kate about her career at sea, and what that restart was like. Updated version!This was originally published on March 5th, 2020. It's not all hard work, though, as McCue said she gets to go out and explore the ports along the cruise's stops. The ship's first sailing will be a 10-night Western European voyage sailing to Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands. Subscribe for insight on a Captain's career, her ship, crew . "We're hoping that something like this International Women's Day we put that message out there and people start to get on board and other companies will start to catch up, because right now we have over twice the representation actually I think three times the representation of any company in the cruise industry," she said. Captain Kate McCue is the first American female captain of a large cruise ship. Kate McCue - who became the first American woman to captain a megaship at the age of 38 and accessorises her uniform with black platform patent Christian Louboutins - may be pretty, but she . She has nearly 3.5 million followers across her social media channels, offering viewers a look at what it means to be a captain and what goes on behind the scenes for seafarers. , There's usually something on sale & if not for you, it might make a good souvenir/gift for someone back home, Combining climate controlled exercise & an appreciation for the art and creativity on board. Captain Kate McCue, the first American female cruise ship captain, will take the helm of Celebrity Beyond , debuting in spring 2022. McCue has known about her next career move since April but keptquiet about the news. And people wonder why I choose to vacation where I work! More sharing options. "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. I stayed in a 182-square-foot room on the world's largest cruise ship, where no space was left unused. She has more TikTok followers than Alex Rodriguez, Kesha and Rebel Wilson but Kate McCue is not a sports star or an entertainer. When Celebrity Cruises Captain Kate McCue became the first American woman to captain a mega cruise ship in 2015, it didn't take her long to bring her hairless Sphinx aboard. And I will be in France for that which we're really looking forward to because that's when, of course, you know,we we can test all the bells and whistles.". @onespaworld, Snack it to me! When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Maria Romanenko. Sailing on a ship with Captain Kate McCue is on my cruise goals list! The dynamic and decorated captain will usher in a new era for the new-luxury . Captain Kate also led the Celebrity fleet and the industry back into operation when, on June 26, 2021, Celebrity Edge became the first cruise ship to sail with guests from a U.S. port in more than a year due to the global coronavirus pandemic. Her leadership style mimics the imagination and design of the ships she leads. Her dad supported her decision but encouraged her to think bigger: Instead of just planning activities for passengers, why not run the whole ship? 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! The thoughtfulness and imagination she put into this ship is only matched by her forward thinking to move the industry beyond what it is now and see what it should be.". This article originally appeared on recommend.com, Incentives at Sea: A Look Ahead With Holland America. 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She documents her adventures on Instagram, where she's racked up over 91,000 followers. She was now second in command. There are no limitations but those we place upon ourselves. His advice to her was that she could do anything she wanted, including captaining the ship. It's truly great to meet someone you follow and admire and realize they are even nicer in person.#cruiseship. She's even gone as far as to hop on TikTok to explain why the Celebrity Beyond was skipping a port of call due to safety reasons. By Andrea Sachs. Later, she went on to be the master of Celebrity Edge, and has since . "We've got this really neat kind of around-the-world honeymoon thing going on, which is really cool because it makes the most out of the time we have, and we're having some really epic adventures," she said. Kate transcends simply being a captain; she is a living example of change, diversity, and inclusivity. 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.". She was born on 6 January 1978 in San Francisco, USA. The cruise line has publicly acknowledged that McCue provided an opportunity to make significant changes to gender equality at the company. 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. "I would prefer five months on to two weeks off. Btw, is one of the nicest folks I've had the pleasure to meet (besides Bob, obviously)! "There is no such thing as an average day, because the reality is that every day is different," she said. Copyright Cruise Blog Media LLC 2023. Celebrity Cruise captain Kate McCue explained how her crew was able to rescue a small boat of 19 migrants off the coast of Florida earlier this week in a video posted to social media. The endearing and charismatic 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. For more information on all Celebrity Beyond inaugural 2022-2023 season sailings, visit https://www.celebritycruises.com/cruise-ships/celebrity-beyond. After Hawaii, she applied to several cruise lines for almost nine months before obtaining employment with Disney Cruise Line. This promotion placed Kate as second in command for Royal Caribbean in 2011. Captain Kate McCue, the first and only American woman to captain a major cruise ship, is embarking on a new leg of her career by captaining the Celebrity Beyond which is expected to launch . It also helps that she brings her cat, Bug Naked, on every voyage. LGBT Meeting Professionals Association Thrives, Global Recognition Awards Winners Announced, Incentive Adventures With Scenic: Small Ship Luxury, Transcend Cruises: Purpose Built for Groups, Cruise State of The Industry: Rebounding and Ready for Incentives. www.travelweek.ca/news/captain-kate-mccue-will-take-the-helm-of-brand-new-celebrity-beyond-in-spring-2022/, Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_6) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/15.5 Safari/605.1.15. Captain Kate then was appointed to Celebrity Equinox before taking command of Celebrity Edge in September 2019. When in a new city, she's usually out to discover under-the-radar art, culture, and secondhand stores. It's a great place to be. "To be the 'take out' captain for a new vessel is an honor for any captain, and it is an absolute dream come true for me," McCue said in a statement. McCue is proud of her accomplishments as it took 19 years to obtain the title of Captain. She is also in charge of nearly 1,200 crew members onboard, along with ensuring passengers follow local laws when docked in foreign ports. Today, Captain McCue is still the only American female captain of any mega ship. Credit: 2021 Captain Kate McCue. McCue is the first American woman (and fifth woman overall) to command a mega cruise ship. By sheer determination and years of hard work, Kate finally achieved her life-long dream of becoming a ships captain, paving the way for others to follow in her footsteps. Changes Up Ahead: Promotion to Celebrity Cruises, Maritime Academy at California State University, Mechanical Issue Forces Disney Ship to Skip Port, Adjust Itinerary, First Cruise Ship Arrives for Busy Montreal Season, Another Overbooked Oasis-Class Royal Caribbean Ship. Free expert cruise tips and news from Cruise Hive! I will so-fish-ti-kate you! She supervises 1,200 crew members and makes sure guests follow local laws while docked in a foreign port. Celebrity Edge was the first major line to resume sailing on June 26, 2021. Im forever grateful to Lisa for entrusting this labor of love to me to captain. While the job is demanding, according to McCue, it has its perks. Her father supported the idea, but told young Kate she could be anything she wanted -- including the captain of the ship. "In January, I'll join full time in the yard until her completion," McCue said of the Beyond. She obtained an entry-level position as the lines third mate while sailing predominantly throughout the Caribbean. After her time in Hawaii, McCue applied to cruise lines for nearly 9 months before landing a position with Disney Cruise Line. A Weekly Round-Up Of Worldwide Cruise Ship News, Live From Celebrity Edge: A Cruise That Seems Normal Again; "I'm So Hopeful", Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of The Seas Cruise Ship Officially Christened, Celebrity Beyond Completes Sea Trials; Moves One Step Closer to Debut, Celebrity Cruises Partners with Annie Leibovitz, Renowned Photographers in Project That Recognizes Diversity in Travel, Live from Grandeur of the Seas: The Beloved Lady G Cruise Ship Still Reigns, Captain Kate McCue serves as the captain on Celebrity Edge (Photo: Celebrity Cruises). "It's a great time in our industry," she added. She began working as a deckhand aboard a catamaran. Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure, currently based in Brooklyn. In 2015, Kate McCue made history when she became captain of the Celebrity Edge at the age of 37 years . Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. There is a wide range of estimates on cruise ship captains' salaries, as . "We don't sit on the bridge" the ship's command center "for hours on end, because we've actually done that," McCue said. When Celebrity Cruises Captain Kate McCue became the first American woman to captain a mega cruise ship . For Captain Kate, the seed to be a captain was planted following a cruise the then-12-year-old McCue took with her family. According to McCue, "size matters," as mega cruise ships have a gross tonnage of 80,000 or more. The captain finally saw the ship on Saturday at a shipyard in France where it will live until sea trials begin in January. This is described as: "Vibroacoustic, electromagnetic and infrared technology uses healing sound resonance in tandem with full body vibrations, natural Earth frequencies and infrared for an unbelievable mind, body, and spirit experience that is only reached in deep meditation states. 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.. Captain Kate McCue has been the commanding officer onboard Celebrity Summit, Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Edge since her first captain role with the company in 2015. Her job was to aid in transporting bananas from Ecuador to Los Angeles. A family cruise taken at the age of 12 convinced McCue that she wanted to go to sea -- first envisioning herself as a cruise director. 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. Every element of Celebrity Beyonds look and feel has been carefully curated with newly imagined spaces and expanded versions of the brands popular signature spaces, including: Celebrity Beyonds maiden voyage will depart on April 27, 2022, from Southampton, England, for a 10-night Western Europe cruise visiting Bordeaux, France; Lisbon, Portugal; and Seville, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona, Spain. 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. 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 . It took me 19 years to earn that title.. Your IP address is listed in our blacklist and blocked from completing this request. Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. Find FAQ's, ask questions, join the list for upcoming info & releases! She has worked in many roles on ships in Asia, Australia, Alaska, the South Pacific, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Caribbean. I'm forever grateful to Lisa for entrusting this labor of love to me to captain. Captain Kate McCue was appointed master aboard Celebrity Cruises new cruise ship, Celebrity Beyond. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Prevue Meetings & Incentives informs and inspires planners by providing experiential travel coverage, professional development, and thought leadership through print and online content, and virtual and live events. 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. Explore our newest ship, Beyond, with her captain, Kate McCue, and see the ship getting ready for the inaugural sailing on Apr. .tiktok-1w1pypo-SpanLiked{margin-left:6px;}Favorites. When she became the commanding officer of Celebrity Summit in 2015, it was the first time that an American woman had been named captain of a "Mega" cruise ship. Captain Kate has transcended what it means to be a captain by being a rudder for the industry as a voice and example of inclusivity, diversity, and change,"Lutoff-Perlo said. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites. "I spent 19 years looking out the window as an officer of the watch.". In 2015, Kate accepted the role of commanding officer for the Celebrity Summit on September 13, 2015. McCue has also become something of an online celebrity. McCue has also gained notoriety online, as she has more than 3.5 million followers on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. https://www.celebritycruises.com/cruise-ships/celebrity-beyond, Transformational accommodations, from modern two-story villas with plunge pools to staterooms with infinite verandas, blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living, An expanded Rooftop Garden and stunning resort deck featuring cantilevered float pools, A stunning multi-level, multi-terraced Sunset Bar that defines the ships aft, A first-ever Daniel Boulud fine-dining restaurant at sea called, A redesigned Grand Plaza spanning three decks and creating an airiness never-before experienced on a cruise ship. 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 . 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. 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. The Harbor Pilot brings valuable knowledge onboard about the port (tides, currents, weather, traffic, hazards to navigation aids, etc). I absolutely love cruising with my favorite ports of call being in the Caribbean. It's sitting in traffic, going grocery shopping, cooking for yourself, making your own bed, all of those things.". So you're not ever going to have the same day twice, which is really cool.". But to her, it's not about quantity, but the quality of their time spent together. To further her education, McCue earned her Chief Mate and Masters License in 2009 from the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies. For the first sailing from a United States port in 15 months, she put on her uniform a navy blue jacket with 4 gold stripes on the sleeve and a nametag on the lapel that reads Captain., It only says Captain because when I had Captain Kate, people tended to call me Kate, McCue said.