Captain Kate McCue Resigns From Four Seasons Yachts After Launching Its First Ship
Captain Kate McCue has resigned from Four Seasons Yachts and is stepping away from working at sea for now. She announced the decision on August 5, about a year and a half after joining the luxury cruise brand as the inaugural captain of Four Seasons I.
McCue joined Four Seasons Yachts in March 2025, shortly after leaving Celebrity Cruises, where she had spent much of her career. She went on to help launch Four Seasons I, the brand’s first yacht, which began sailing with guests earlier this year.
In a video shared on Instagram, McCue explained that the past few months had changed her priorities. She had planned to spend time helping care for her father following major back surgery, but her mother unexpectedly passed away in June. The loss made her reflect on how much of the previous year she had spent away from home because of work.
After 30 years working at sea and 11 years as a captain, McCue said she felt ready for a change. Her plans now include spending more time with her family and helping her father check items off his bucket list, which includes cruising.
That means Captain Kate may still be spotted aboard cruise ships, but for a while, it could be as a passenger instead of the person on the bridge. She said she and her father plan to experience different types of cruises together.
McCue is also not calling this retirement. She plans to keep her captain’s license active and has left the possibility of returning to sailing open.
Her resignation marks another major career change after she left Celebrity Cruises in 2025 to join Four Seasons Yachts. During her time with Celebrity, McCue made history in 2015 as the first American woman to captain a large cruise ship.
Photo Credit: Four Seasons Yachts
Kathy Ava
Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and main writer of Tasty Itinerary. With over 20 years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she's become a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty itineraries. She's always on the hunt for delicious, fun travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She firmly believes that life is short and we must make the most of it, so always say yes to dessert.