# Kate McCue

Kate McCue (born January 6, 1978) is an American cruise ship captain. Her most recent employment was with Celebrity Cruises from 2015 to 2025 and was the captain of the Celebrity Beyond from 2021 to 2025.
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. Prior to her time at Celebrity, she had worked as an officer for both Disney Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean.

## Early life

McCue moved around with her family during her childhood due to her father's employment as an engineer. Originally from San Francisco, she spent time in Evans, Georgia, where she attended Lakeside High School, and was resident for a period in Michigan. After travelling with her family on a cruise ship to the Bahamas when she was 12, she sought to become a cruise director. Her family then moved back to San Francisco.

## Maritime career

She began attending the California State University Maritime Academy, then California Maritime Academy, in 1996. McCue graduated with a Bachelor's degree in business administration in 1999, and also studied celestial navigation during sailing trips in the summer breaks. While undertaking her degree, she undertook an internship for Chiquita Brands International working on one of their cargo ships, transporting bananas from Ecuador to Long Beach, California. After graduation, she moved to Maui in the Hawaiian Islands where she stayed with her cousins for six months, working as a general deck hand on a catamaran undertaking tourist cruises to the Molokini crater. McCue then became a logistics manager to Maersk Sealand in Los Angeles but wanted to return to sea.
After applying to cruise lines for nine months, she gained a job with Disney Cruise Line in an entry-level position as a third mate. In 2003, she became a second officer for Royal Caribbean. While her role on Disney saw her travel around the Caribbean, her new posting saw her travel all over the world. After a year, she was promoted to first officer. She attended the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) in Baltimore in 2009 where she earned her Chief Mate and Master's Licence to enable her to take command of a vessel. When she returned to Royal Caribbean, she was promoted first to chief officer (the senior first officer) and then to staff captain (the second in command) in 2011.
The president of Celebrity Cruises, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, contacted McCue in 2015 and asked her to apply for a role of captain with them. Celebrity Cruises is owned by the Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD. McCue duly applied and was appointed as the commanding officer of Celebrity Summit on September 13, 2015, making her the first American woman to command a modern "mega ship". Lutoff-Perlo later said that "Kate was the first opportunity to make significant change at Celebrity related to gender equality." In 2018, she left the Summit to become the commanding officer on Celebrity Equinox and subsequently moved to the Celebrity Edge in 2019. On October 14, 2021 Celebrity Cruises announced that McCue will take the helm of Celebrity Beyond, their newest ship debuting spring 2022.
McCue follows in the footsteps of other female cruise ship captains, including Swedish captain Karin Stahre-Janson who was placed in command of a Royal Caribbean vessel in 2007. Other women such as Inger Klein Thorhauge for Cunard Line (2010), Sarah Breton for P&O Cruises (2010), Lis Lauritzen for Royal Caribbean, and Margrith Ettlin for Silversea Cruises (2013) each preceded McCue.
Her sphynx cat, Bug Naked, sailed with her aboard and had attracted media attention. Bug Naked passed away on December 26, 2024 after routine dental work.
On February 24, 2025 McCue announced that she is saying goodbye to Celebrity Cruises. Captain Kate shared the news on her Instagram, "Today, I say farewell to Celebrity," she begins, "I've spent the last 22 years on 11 ships in the Royal Caribbean Group, from 2nd Officer to Captain. I have seen some of the most beautiful places, met inspiring and wonderful people, and had opportunities to live my 12-year-old dream out loud!" Celebrity Cruises' social media team shared a heartfelt comment on Captain Kate's post: "The journey we have shared together has been absolutely amazing. You brought passion and heart to everything you did, inspiring so many along the way, and leaving a lasting mark on our industry. We wish you fair winds and following seas, always." Per Captain Kate's Instagram post, she isn't ready for life on land. "You might be wondering why I am leaving," she continues, "Simply put, life has an incredible way of reminding us what's important and changing up priorities. I've recently had some big life changes, and this just happens to be one of those." "Are my sailing days over? Absolutely not. I've got too much salt in my veins to leave the sea behind." Though she doesn't disclose what her next steps are, she could be transitioning to a new company. Her deep love for the ocean suggests that, while her time with Celebrity Cruises has come to an end, her journey at sea is far from over.