Captain Kate McCue made history in 2015 when she became the first American female captain of a mega cruise ship, Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Summit.
In April 2020, Captain McCue will return to the helm and command Celebrity Beyond, a $1.2 billion ship that can hold 3,405 guests and 1,350 crewmembers.
However, numbers are small compared to her 3 million followers on Instagram, TikTok and Youtube.
Known as "Captain Kate" to cruise guests, followers and colleagues, the San Francisco mariner has been a hit on social media, providing a behind-the-scenes look into the life of a captain.
McCue also uses her various platforms to advocate for gender equality, diversity and inclusion, particularly within the cruise ship industry.
On average, women make up 2 per cent of mariners around the globe. However, since 2015, when McCue was appointed to Master at Celebrity Cruises, the company's female crew increased from 3 to 27 per cent.
McCue and her crew living out the Captain's favourite catchphrase: "if you can SEA it, you can BE it".
Her Instagram account often surprises and delights viewers, filming on-board celebrations, playful pranks, cruise updates and her cat Bug Naked, whose personal Instagram account has over 55800 followers.
If cruise ship captain, industry trailblazer and social media influencer weren't enough, McCue is also a mermaid. A hobby developed after watching The Little Mermaid, McCue takes her costume tail on every voyage, with the ability to dive 40 feet deep.
