Cool: Kate McCue Will Be First Four Seasons Yachts Captain!

Four Seasons is getting into the cruising business, with the launch of Four Seasons Yachts. The first ship is expected to set sail within the next year, and it looks like it’s going to take luxury cruising to the next level, especially in terms of the amount of space dedicated to each guest.

We booked one of the first sailings, as we’re curious to check it out. I’ve been excited in anticipating the journey, but my enthusiasm just increased even more, following today’s announcement. First some background…

Captain Kate McCue is a cruise ship legend

Let me be 100% clear — I don’t usually follow the cruising world, and I haven’t been on a cruise since I was a kid. That being said, I’ve long known about Kate McCue, who is probably the most famous cruise ship captain in the world.

For years, she has been a captain at Celebrity Cruises, and even an ambassador for the company. What makes her memorable is how how much of her job she shares on social media, and also how much she interacts with guests. Captain Kate just comes across as such a genuine and kind person, and that’s what makes her so likable. I know there are plenty of people who book a specific cruise in hopes of having her as a captain, and meeting her.

I love anyone who is passionate about whatever they do, and Captain Kate’s enthusiasm is infectious, and it’s one of the reasons I’ve known about her. She’s also an inspiration for so many young women and girls, since the job of ship captain has historically been pretty male dominated. It’s nice to have a role model where you can say “hey, I can do that too.” She’s a bit of a trailblazer, as she also become the first female, American cruise ship captain in the world.

For those not familiar with Captain Kate, below is a Peter Greenberg segment from several years back, featuring her.

Several weeks back, I saw the news that Captain Kate was leaving Celebrity for a new adventure. I was curious what was next for her, and now we know…

Captain Kate McCue moves to Four Seasons Yachts

Four Seasons has today announced that Kate McCue will be the captain of Four Seasons I, Four Seasons Yachts’ first ship. On her Instagram account, she posted a video, plus the following message:

I’m thrilled to join an amazing team, introducing a new category of luxury and excellence to our guests at sea. A new build vessel is one thing. A start-up with an incredible prototype vessel is a whole new opportunity to grow with an iconic brand like Four Seasons! It’s yacht like anything you’ve seen before!

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A post shared by Captain Kate McCue (@captainkatemccue)

Here’s some background on Captain Kate, via Four Seasons’ press release on this announcement:

Kate McCue has never cared much for boundaries. As a teenager growing up in San Francisco, she was enamoured by life at sea—so much so that after a family trip to The Bahamas, she told everyone she’d become a cruise director. Her father’s response changed everything: “You can do anything you want, including drive the thing.” That spark lit the path for a maritime career that would see her break records, cultivate fresh voices on the bridge, and eventually helm Four Seasons I as its inaugural Captain.

A graduate of the California Maritime Academy, Captain Kate gained her sea legs in roles spanning from cadet to deck officer before rising through the ranks. She then stepped into maritime history in 2015 when she became the first American woman to command a mega-ton cruise ship. But it’s her gift for leadership and her zest for guest engagement that truly define her. “Connecting with people—the crew, the guests, even the local communities we visit—that’s my favourite part,” she often says.

Following nearly a decade with Celebrity Cruises—where she captained the award-winning Celebrity Beyond and championed female representation on ship bridges—she arrives at Four Seasons Yachts with a vision shaped by decades of experience. Now entrusted with Four Seasons I, she presides over a meticulously curated one-to-one guest-to-staff environment designed to deliver intimate, one-of-a-kind voyages through the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and beyond.

Captain Kate’s approach blends technical mastery with genuine warmth. Whether charting a smooth course into a secluded port or orchestrating impromptu moments of magic for travellers on board, she harnesses the same creativity that made her the “Most Followed Mariner on Social Media.” She views her online platforms as more than a personal stage—rather a way to offer a real-time glimpse of life at sea, guided by the belief, “If you can ‘sea’ it, you can be it.”

As she sets sail with Four Seasons I, Captain Kate’s mission remains simple: to foster a culture where excellence and optimism thrive on every deck. From greeting early risers on the bridge at sunrise to hosting evening conversations about the day’s discoveries, she brings an unwavering commitment to ensuring that, under her watch, yachting transforms into the sort of experience dreams are built upon.

Bottom line

Four Seasons Yachts is setting sail within the next year, and the first ship will be under the command of Captain Kate McCue, probably the world’s most famous and likable cruise ship captain. Congrats to Captain Kate, and what a win for Four Seasons Yachts!