Kate McCue
Captain, Four Seasons l
Captain, Four Seasons l
“When I first became a Captain, what I valued most was connecting with my guests and crew. Now, I am at the helm of a yacht designed to deliver such an intimate, customized experience - where I will have the opportunity to get to know each and every guest and make a real impact on their voyage - it’s truly a professional dream come true.”
Kate McCue serves as the inaugural Captain of Four Seasons I, the first ultra-luxury yacht from Four Seasons Yachts. Blending her extensive maritime expertise with an unwavering commitment to hospitality, she leads the vessel’s world-class crew in delivering an exceptional yachting experience.
As Captain, she oversees the safe navigation of Four Seasons I and the onboard experience for guests and crew—maintaining a 1:1 guest-to-staff ratio that ensures a truly personalized journey. A trailblazer in the industry, she embraces the excitement of charting new waters, bringing deep expertise to lead her team as the yacht sets sail on its inaugural voyages through the Caribbean and Mediterranean.
Captain Kate attended the California Maritime Academy where she held numerous positions in the maritime industry, beginning as a cadet and deck officer before rising through the ranks to her most recent role as Captain of the Celebrity Beyond. With nearly three decades of experience at sea, she has navigated some of the world’s most celebrated vessels and played a pivotal role in advancing diversity within the maritime industry.
A maritime industry pioneer, Captain Kate made history in 2015 as the first American female captain of a mega-ton cruise ship. Prior to joining Four Seasons Yachts, she spent nearly a decade with Celebrity Cruises, where she launched and helmed the award-winning Celebrity Beyond and directly impacted the increase in female representation on ship bridges from just 4% to more than 30% across the fleet.
Career Highlights
- In addition to Celebrity Beyond, Captain Kate has also sailed with Royal Caribbean International and Disney Cruise Line.
- She is a graduate of the California Maritime Academy.
Personal Insights
- Leveraging her social media presence to be an ambassador for life at sea, Captain Kate firmly believes: “If you can sea it, you can be it.” Her platforms offer an authentic look into her day-to-day life at sea, earning her the title of the “Most Followed Mariner on Social Media.”
- Her passion for the sea was sparked at age 12 after a family cruise to The Bahamas. The San Francisco native initially announced she wanted to become a cruise director but was inspired to dream bigger when her father encouraged her with a simple yet powerful message: “You can do anything you want, including drive the thing.”
