Cruise Control
A Day in the Life of Captain Kate McCue
A day in the life of Captain Kate McCue, Celebrity Cruises’ first American female captain.
W HEN KATE MCC U E , 37, took command of Celebrity Summit last September, she became the first U.S. woman to become captain of a mega-ton cruise ship.
6 - 7:30 a.m. –› Captain McCue’s typical sea day begins with a workout routine of yoga, body- combat exercises, and a walk of up to an hour around the outer deck. On port days with an 8 a.m. arrival, she wakes up at 5 a.m. to fit in this routine before heading up to the bridge.
McCue was always active. She was an age-group swimmer while growing up in Augusta, Georgia; captain of her high-school swim team; and lone woman on the California Maritime Academy water polo team ( just eight women were in her graduating class of 60). Even now, she participates in one active excursion on each cruise — whether it’s snorkeling or ziplining —“because I don’t recommend anything to guests that I haven’t tried myself.”
7:30 a.m. –› McCue consults with officers on the bridge regarding navigation, ship traffic, and weather issues. If it’s a port day, she stays to oversee docking, when at least six officers are at her side reporting to her. Then she has some fun during guest announcements by always slipping in a made-up “Confucius” quote. On the day we spoke to her it was: “Girl who sets high goal will reach the summit.” McCue rose through the maritime ranks as smoothly and steadily as the passage of the 965foot ship — which accommodates up to 2,158 guests and 952 crewmembers — that she now commands. She first stood watch on ships for two months at the end of each year at the Academy. After graduating, she worked her way up on Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International cruise ships from third mate (watch assistant on the bridge) to first mate (head safety officer) to staff captain (the number-two in command, responsible for the health, safety, and security of all guests) on Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas. 10 a. m. – 6 p. m. –› On port days, with most guests on shore, McCue meets with bridge officers and ship executives, conducts crew drills, and keeps up with emails. On sea days, most of her time is spent with guests — attending loyalty- program events and onboard weddings, for example, and chatting with them in the restaurants and elsewhere on the ship. “I try to meet as many people as I can,” she says. When she does, she’s always in uniform. “My favorite part of the day is not having to figure out what to wear!”
“My parents took me on a Thanksgiving cruise to the Bahamas when I was 12 — my only cruise while growing up — and when I got off the ship I told my dad, ‘I want to work on a ship — I want to be cruise director and plan all the fun events.’ He said, ‘ You can do anything
McCue rose through the maritime ranks as smoothly and steadily as the passage of the 965foot ship that she now commands.
you want. You can even drive the thing.’ That’s when the seed was planted. I tell that story on the first night of each cruise, and for the rest of the cruise, guests come up and say, ‘ We tell our daughters the same thing’ or ‘ That’s what we tell our granddaughters.’” 6 – 11 p.m. –› On most evenings, McCue walks around the ship with senior officers and chats some more with guests, sometimes dining with them or attending a show or cocktail party. McCue says it’s been smooth sailing as a woman on a career path dominated by men. At 22, she set a goal of becoming a cruise-ship captain by the time she was 40, and beat it by three years. “I’ve put in the time just like the guys, and every captain I’ve had (all men) has pushed me to upgrade my licenses and move up.” Inspired by the industry-first promotion to captain of Sweden’s Karin Stahre-Janson (who took command of Monarch of the Seas in 2007), McCue set her sights on becoming the first U.S.-born captain. “I’ve been pretty blown away by the fanfare over it,” she says.
11 p. m. – 6 a. m. –› Time to sleep (unless a bridge officer calls her upstairs), perhaps to dream of where she’ll lose her marbles.
“Ever since my best friend’s uncle passed away, I’ve taken up his family’s tradition of leaving some of his marble collection in special places where I travel. I’ve left marbles on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, on a trip with my husband, and one in a wall on a Venice canal. I take photos of them and send them to my best friend’s father and post them on Instagram (@ captainkatemccue). I call it my ‘ marble mission.’” McCue will now be leaving marbles in special places in northeastern Canada, New England, the southern Caribbean, and Bermuda, where her itineraries as captain currently take her. And she’ll keep doing it until she loses all her marbles.