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. McCue said to The Washington Post, It took me 19 years to earn that title.". How I SEA it! The ship will make stops in Bordeaux,Lisbon, Seville, Malaga Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona. Kate McCue is the captain of Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Edge. Members; 436 August 20, 2020; Knoxville, TN #6 Share; Posted September 6, 2022. McCue is a trailblazer and pioneer in the cruise industry - breaking the gender barrier and proving that women can take leadership roles in the same way that men can. This brought her one step closer to her dream, as she was now fully qualified to take command of a vessel. "Whether it's people that you have on board, the places that you are in, or even the weather, everything changes. Thanks for coming to SEA us on Beyond, Daniel! Capt. She had an entry-level position as third mate and mainly sailed around the Caribbean. Stay up to date with what you want to know. She continued to break down the grammar even further, explaining that youre is a contraction, used to say you are as in "you are sexist whereas your refers to something possessive, it belongs to you, like your ignorance.. This article originally appeared on recommend.com, Incentives at Sea: A Look Ahead With Holland America. 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 . She told her father that she wanted to be a cruise director when she grew up. The cruise line has publicly acknowledged that McCue provided an opportunity to make significant changes to gender equality at the company. McCue said it took her 19 years from the time she started working on ships to become a captain in 2015. Kate McCue, the first American woman to captain a megaship . Captain Dimitrios is a master at using the elements to safely maneuver, but every ship & port has it's limits. Nikola Petrovic. "The three things I always travel with are Bug, my Louboutins, and a mermaid tail," McCue said. She accepted the highly-coveted role of commanding officer for Celebrity Summit in September 2015. 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. It took me 19 years to earn that title.. McCue went to Cal Maritime, encouraged and inspired by her father, who had also once applied there but didn't met the age requirements after a stint in the Peace Corps. Captain Kate has transcended what it means to be a captain as a voice and example of inclusivity, diversity, and change, said Lutoff-Perlo, in a press statement. 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. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. Kate transcends simply being a captain; she is a living example of change, diversity, and inclusivity. Captain Karin Stahre-Janson, from Sweden, became the first female cruise ship captain in the world in 2007, also manning a Celebrity Cruises ship. "This is a day that I've been waiting for since we made the first cut of steel on our beautiful Celebrity Beyond. She is currently employed by Celebrity Cruises and is the captain of the Celebrity Beyond. 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. McCue accomplished her dream of becoming the first female commanding officer of a mega-ship. This is a day that Ive been waiting for since we made the first cut of steel on our beautifulCelebrity Beyond. 590K Followers, 3,532 Posts - Official Instagram of @CelebrityCruises Captain, modern mermaid, red sole rockin' Mum to wanderluster @bugnaked "If you can Sea it, you can Be it" Captain Kate McCue (@captainkatemccue) on Instagram Courtesy Celebrity Cruises . As always, thank you for your continued support and for letting me share this Beyond amazing career! Speaking to CNN at the height of the crisis, some crew members said they felt abandoned by the cruise lines, . Captain Dimitrios is a master at using the elements to safely maneuver, but every ship & port has it's limits. Captain Kate McCue Is a trailblazer in the maritime industry, and is the first American female to take the helm of a mega cruise ship, but she is so much more! McCue did not allow her gender to limit her thinking. She told her father that she wanted to be a cruise director when she grew up. Aaron Saunders. "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 has transcended what it means to be a captain as a voice and example of inclusivity, diversity, and change," Lutoff-Perlo said. 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. Captain Kate has transcended what it means to be a captain as a voice and example of inclusivity, diversity, and change, said Lutoff-Perlo. While the job is demanding, according to McCue, it has its perks. In 2004, McCue was promoted to the first officer for the same cruise line, a groundbreaking accomplishment for a woman. McCue has also become something of an online celebrity. By clicking Sign Up, you also agree to marketing emails from both Insider and Morning Brew; and you accept Insiders. 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 McCue also has a notable companion onboard, her elf-ear Sphynx cat named Bug Naked. Captain Kate is giving her followers a glimpse into the life of a cruise ship captain. "I would prefer five months on to two weeks off. 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.". McCue is the first American woman (and fifth woman overall) to command a mega cruise ship. She was now second in command. She helped transport bananas between Ecuador and Los Angeles. In 2015, Celebrity Cruises (which is owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD) asked Kate to apply for a captains position. The Celebrity Edge, she came out with 30% of the bridge team being female," she said, adding that she hopes other companies will soon follow suit. In 2015, Kate McCue made history when she became captain of the Celebrity Edge at the age of 37 years . Captain Kate McCue became the first American female captain of a mega cruise ship when she took the helm of Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Summit in 2015. Captain McCue commanded the ship and the 26 other women to create an all-female bridge and officer leadership team. For more information on all Celebrity Beyond inaugural 2022-2023 season sailings, visit https://www.celebritycruises.com/cruise-ships/celebrity-beyond. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. She supervises 1,200 crew members and makes sure guests follow local laws while docked in a foreign port. Captain McCue was also the first commanding officer to sail from a U.S. port following the pandemic shutdown, which left the cruise industry crippled for 15 months. Im forever grateful to Lisa for entrusting this labor of love to me to captain. This feels SO bizarre to say but TheCaptainKate.com is officially live! She fondly remembered her father supporting her decision but informing her to dream bigger. To be the take out captain for a new vessel is an honor for any captain and it is an absolute dreamcome true for me. He told his daughter that she could attain anything she desired, including being a ship captain, if thats what she wanted. "Cargo ships are fine, but I always wanted to be on cruise ships.". She told her father that she wanted to be a cruise director when she grew up. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. "This is a culmination of a career.". I absolutely love cruising with my favorite ports of call being in the Caribbean. She states that others tend to just call her Kate when she had Captain Kate on her name tag. ", In fact, when asked about her least favorite thing about working, eating, and sleeping all in the same place, she replied, "Having to leave my job and go on vacation.". According to McCue, a mega cruise ship has a gross tonnage of 80,000 or more; the Celebrity Edge's is almost 131,000. "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. 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. 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. She supervises 1,200 crew members and makes sure guests follow local laws while docked in a foreign port. To further her education, in 2009, McCue earned a Chief Mate and Masters Licence from the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies. 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. Her promotion placed her in the maritime history books. "In January, I'll join full time in the yard until her completion," McCue said of the Beyond. CRUISE HIVE LTD 2008-2023. Captain Kate then was appointed to Celebrity Equinox before taking command of Celebrity Edge in September 2019. In 2015, Kate McCue made history when she became captain of the Celebrity Edge at the age of 37 years old. Celebrity Cruises president and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said that McCue mirrors"the exceptional design and imagination" of the ship by constantly going the extra mile. She sailed around Asia, Alaska, Australia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean during her time as second officer. ", "I started at the bottom. "You know, more ships are coming out. Royal Caribbean promoted Kate to chief officer, which is considered a senior first officer, and later to staff captain. She will then offer a variety of Mediterranean journeys including nine-night Italian Riviera and France itineraries and 10-night Greek Isles itineraries through early October, when she then heads to the Caribbean. Your IP address is listed in our blacklist and blocked from completing this request. 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. "To say 'I'm honored' is an understatement," McCue, 43, who has been working in the industry for two decades,told USA TODAY. The Edge Seriescollectionalso includes Celebrity Apexand Celebrity Edge. McCue was offered a job in 2003 as a second officer for the Royal Caribbean line, providing her with the opportunity and experience to travel on a global scale and gain more experience in the cruise industry. She moved toCelebrity Equinoxbefore being appointed to helm the Celebrity Edge in September 2019. To pass the time, she rescued an osprey trapped in a stairwell, taught herself to use TikTok, practiced yoga, watched sharks swim around the sea floor and flushed the pipes in 167 staterooms on Deck 12, one of her favorite activities. Sailing on a ship with Captain Kate McCue is on my cruise goals list! She's actually ahead of schedule right now, which is perfect. When Celebrity Cruises Captain Kate McCue became the first American woman to captain a mega cruise ship . 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. Captain Kate McCue was appointed master aboard Celebrity Cruises new cruise ship, Celebrity Beyond. Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure, currently based in Brooklyn. It's an incredible environment, and it's an opportunity to travel the world and meet the best people. Explore our newest ship, Beyond, with her captain, Kate McCue, and see the ship getting ready for the inaugural sailing on Apr. (A megaship is an extremely large commercial vessel, such as the 1,004-foot-long Celebrity Edge.) 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.. 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). The ship's first sailing will be a 10-night Western European voyage sailing to Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands. The dynamic and decorated captain will usher in a new era for the new-luxury . McCues onboard companion is her Sphynx cat, Bug Naked. If you've ever sailed on a cruise ship, you could almost count on the fact that the captain. Credit: 2021 Captain Kate McCue. There she got a degree in business administration, as well as a license to sail "anything from a tugboat to a supertanker, and everything in between," she said. 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. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. According to a press release, the captain will "usher in a new era for the new-luxury brand . McCue has known about her next career move since April but keptquiet about the news. Celebrity Cruises has praised Kate for being a trailblazer in the cruise industry. She's on call 24/7 and takes a nap every afternoon in case something comes up late at night. Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. She also makes sure that the Celebrity Edge and its passengers follow the laws in the places where the ship docks. To further her education, McCue earned her Chief Mate and Masters License in 2009 from the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies. "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. Kate McCue and her cat Bug Naked, are voyaging the open seas together as best friends. Log in to follow creators, like videos, and view comments. McCue often posts to her hundreds of thousands of followers, showing them her daily life as a captain aboard a Celebrity Cruises ship. 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.