Captain Kate McCue has announced her resignation from Four Seasons Yachts, saying that dramatic changes within her family have led her to reassess the amount of time she spends away from home.
One of the best-known captains in the cruise industry, McCue shared the decision directly with her followers in a personal video posted on Instagram.
She explained that she had returned home in April expecting to care for her father while he recovered from major back surgery. Her mother then died unexpectedly in June.
McCue said the loss made her realise that work had kept her away from home for most of the previous year.
‘I’ve made my parents proud’
Reflecting on three decades at sea, the delivery of two new vessels and 11 years serving as a captain, McCue said she no longer felt that she had anything to prove.
“I’ve made my parents proud. I’ve made myself proud,” she said, before confirming her decision to resign from Four Seasons Yachts and begin a new chapter.
That chapter will place greater emphasis on her family and give her more freedom to pursue the experiences which bring her joy. One of her plans is to help her father complete items on his bucket list — including taking cruises together.
In the caption accompanying her announcement, McCue wrote: “I’m not leaving the sea behind… I’m just changing the view.”
Return to the bridge remains possible
McCue has not formally closed the door on commanding another vessel. She confirmed that she intends to keep her captain’s licence active and said sailing again is “absolutely not off the table”.
For the immediate future, however, she expects to experience ships from the passenger’s side while spending more time with her father and exploring opportunities outside a full-time command.
She thanked those who had accompanied her throughout her career and invited her audience to remain with her as she discovers what comes next.
A pioneering cruise career
McCue became the first American woman to captain a major cruise ship when Celebrity Cruises appointed her to command Celebrity Summit in 2015.
She subsequently commanded Celebrity Equinox and Celebrity Edge, before becoming the first captain of Celebrity Beyond and helping to bring the new ship into service in 2022.
After more than two decades with Royal Caribbean Group brands, she left Celebrity Cruises in 2025 to become the inaugural captain of Four Seasons I — the first vessel created for the new Four Seasons Yachts operation.
Her departure therefore brings an early conclusion to another significant chapter: helping to deliver a prototype vessel and launch an entirely new luxury-yacht brand.
Cruising’s most visible captain
McCue’s influence extends well beyond the ships she has commanded. Through videos explaining bridge operations, ship manoeuvres, crew life and maritime traditions, she has made the work of a cruise captain accessible to a very large public audience.
Her Instagram following grew beyond one million accounts, making her one of the most recognisable seafarers in the world. That visibility has also made her an important example for women and girls considering careers in a maritime industry historically dominated by men.
Her announcement is therefore a resignation from her present role, rather than a definitive retirement from the sea. With her licence remaining active and future sailing left open, the next view from Captain Kate McCue’s remarkable career has yet to be decided.
Sources: Captain Kate McCue on Instagram; Travel Weekly, 6 August 2026; Four Seasons Yachts; Celebrity Cruises.