Youcan check out the full length videos on his FB & Snap . The Harbor Pilot brings valuable knowledge onboard about the port (tides, currents, weather, traffic, hazards to navigation aids, etc). By Andrea Sachs. She pushes her cat in a baby stroller around the ship; the two share a cabin attached to the ships main control center. "I spent 19 years looking out the window as an officer of the watch.". This is a day that Ive been waiting for since we made the first cut of steel on our beautifulCelebrity Beyond. She obtained an entry-level position as the lines third mate while sailing predominantly throughout the Caribbean. Her job was to aid in transporting bananas from Ecuador to Los Angeles. 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. Their cabin is attached to the bridge, the main control center. 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. Learn how her father inspired her to think bigger, leading her to become the first American female captain of a major cruise ship. 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. She sailed around Asia, Alaska, Australia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean during her time as second officer. 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.. 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. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 0:44. Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. McCue did not allow her gender to limit her thinking. She was 12 years old, and, after the trip was finished, she told her father she wanted to be a cruise director when she grew up. Captain Kate McCue's Maritime Career. Captain Kate McCue: Salary, Age, Husband & Fun Facts "To say 'I'm honored' is an understatement," McCue, 43, who has been working in the industry for two decades,told USA TODAY. Today, Captain McCue is still the only American female captain of any mega ship. McCue was additionally the first commanding officer to set sail from a United States port after the pandemic closures. She remembers distinctly how her father supported her aspirations, but encouraged her to dream bigger. Aaron Saunders. 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. "The three things I always travel with are Bug, my Louboutins, and a mermaid tail," McCue said. "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. 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"She is pretty far along. Allie's been on nearly 30 cruises all over the world. According to McCue, "size matters," as mega cruise ships have a gross tonnage of 80,000 or more. 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. He suggested that she could do anything she wanted, even run the whole ship if that was her dream. Captain Kate McCue, the first American female cruise ship captain, will take the helm of Celebrity Beyond , debuting in spring 2022. Captain Kate McCue to Take Helm of Celebrity Beyond 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 helped transport bananas between Ecuador and Los Angeles. All Rights Reserved. She also makes sure that the Celebrity Edge and its passengers follow the laws in the places where the ship docks. Subscribe for insight on a Captain's career, her ship, crew . Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. Celebrity Edge Captain Kate McCue tells CNN Travel what it's like taking charge of an enormous floating city and navigating the unexpected, choppy waters of the pandemic. The dynamic and decorated captain will usher in a new era for the new-luxury . She constantly thinks about how she can go above and beyond.. She supervises 1,200 crew members and makes sure guests follow local laws while docked in a foreign port. In 2015, then-37-year-old McCue became the first female American captain of a megaship. Celebrity Cruises has praised Kate for being a trailblazer in the cruise industry. It's truly great to meet someone you follow and admire and realize they are even nicer in person.#cruiseship. 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. Kate McCue demonstrates that you can achieve anything that you can imagine. She chose the sailboat and spent 2 years at sea with her cat. 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. Maria Romanenko. Travel + Leisure is published by Meredith Corporation under license from Travel + Leisure Co. Captain Kate McCue was appointed master aboard Celebrity Cruises new cruise ship, Celebrity Beyond. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. The Edge Seriescollectionalso includes Celebrity Apexand Celebrity Edge. Originally from San Francisco, Captain McCue decided to pursue a life at sea at the tender age of 12, following a family cruise to The Bahamas. She graduated with a degree in business administration while also studying celestial navigation during summer breaks. This article originally appeared on recommend.com, Incentives at Sea: A Look Ahead With Holland America. Kate McCue is the captain of Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Edge. 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. In this day and age, Im shocked that someone still doesnt know the difference between youre and your," she started. 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. Additionally, Kate McCue has obtained online fame with over 3.5 million followers on her TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram channels. It's not all hard work, though, as McCue said she gets to go out and explore the ports along the cruise's stops. July 27, 2021 at 7:00 a.m. EDT. Captain Kate McCue to Take the Helm of Celebrity Cruises' Newest and Captain Kate McCue will take the helm of brand new - Travelweek Cailey Rizzo is a contributing writer for. Capt. In 2015, Celebrity Cruises (which is owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD) asked Kate to apply for a captains position. According to Comparably, a cruise ship captain's salary is around $93,328 per year, in a salary range from $48,485 to $180,308. Also Insta-famous, with more than 28,500 followers, Bug's account regularly offers glimpses into ship life. This feels SO bizarre to say but TheCaptainKate.com is officially live! While she works on the ship 24/7 for three months and then has three months off, McCue said she loves her job so much that she would happily take less time off. 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. Captain Karin Stahre-Janson, from Sweden, became the first female cruise ship captain in the world in 2007, also manning a Celebrity Cruises ship. She's a cruise ship captain. 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. In 2003, McCue was offered a job as a second officer for Royal Caribbean, which gave her the opportunity to travel the world. This brought her one step closer to her dream, as she was now fully qualified to take command of a vessel. Nikola Petrovic. It's a great place to be. This is not your Love Boat or Captain Stubing. Captain Kate then was appointed to Celebrity Equinox before taking command of Celebrity Edge in September 2019. I absolutely love cruising with my favorite ports of call being in the Caribbean. Like pilots, who put in hours of flight time, captains must put in days at sea. On March 8, 2020, McCue further cemented her place in the history books when she captained the history-making, barrier-breaking sailing onCelebrity Edgethat comprised a cruise ships first-ever all-female bridge and officer team. Her promotion placed her in the maritime history books. So that's kind of my message.". I'm forever grateful to Lisa for entrusting this labor of love to me to captain. To further her education, in 2009, McCue earned a Chief Mate and Masters Licence from the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies. Her dad supported her decision but encouraged her to think bigger: Instead of just planning activities for passengers, why not run the whole ship? How I SEA it! Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. So you're not ever going to have the same day twice, which is really cool.". The cruise line has publicly acknowledged that McCue provided an opportunity to make significant changes to gender equality at the company. She moved toCelebrity Equinoxbefore being appointed to helm the Celebrity Edge in September 2019. 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! Copyright 2021 - Prevue Meetings. It also helps that she brings her cat, Bug Naked, on every voyage. 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. Since that time Captain Kate has been a pioneer and trailblazer, breaking the gender barrier in 2015 when Lutoff-Perlo named her to be the first -- and still only -- American female to captain a major cruise ship - Celebrity Summit. 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. What it's like to be a cruise ship captain | CNN This is a day that Ive been waiting for since we made the first cut of steel on our beautiful Celebrity Beyond. Celebrity Edge was the first major line to resume sailing on June 26, 2021. Since taking on the mantle of captain, McCue has inspired others to shoot for the stars and encouraged people from all walks of life to follow their dreams. Captain Kate McCue, the first and only American woman to captain a major cruise ship, isembarking on a new leg of her career by captaining the Celebrity Beyondwhich is expected to launch in April 2022. The ship's first sailing will be a 10-night Western European voyage sailing to Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands. Captain Kate McCue is the first American female captain of a large cruise ship. 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. She had an entry-level position as third mate and mainly sailed around the Caribbean. She told her father that she wanted to be a cruise director when she grew up. 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.