Despite the clouds, Celebrity Beyond managed to get the sun on arrival in Lisbon this morning. It cost billions of dollars, promoted as one of the most luxurious ships in the world and stands out for having more women than men on the bridge, starting with its captain, Kate McCue. She spends the day chartered on the Tagus before returning to her maiden voyage bound for Barcelona.
The latest in gender equality
In an industry where there are still few women as officers, McCue, 44, is a pioneer in her field. Work did not see, banana seafarer, several times the application to work on the bridge of a cruise ship, but in August 2015, she became the first (and only) American woman to be named captain of a large passenger ship. In, I went back to making history, when I debuted the command, still in the shipyard, of the Beyond.
In her role as captain, McCue has stood out for encouraging the entry and promotion of women in the career of naval officer. At Beyond, 70% of bridge officers are women, and in 2020, she led the first all-female team aboard a cruise ship.
In addition, it gained fame as an “accessible idol” for its solemnity of the anniversary of all the participants in the party to its post of celebration (in the Beyond, with 1,416 elements, the challenge will not be small). In her spare time, she enjoys swimming with a mermaid tail and sharing her daily life on the high seas with her 3 million followers on TikTok.
Its popularity is an asset in an industry still recovering from the interruption of the pandemic and in need of regaining the trust of travelers. On Beyond, as on most cruises, the requirement to present negative-19 and proof of maintenance to COVID-19 for all passengers and crew members.
What does the world’s most modern cruise ship look like from the inside? Check out our gallery.
The captain is not a single celebrity
Beyond is the latest and now the largest ship in the fleet of Celebrity Cruises, an upscale Royal Caribbean brand. known for the demand of its ships and “offer” of small luxuries on board (like drinks and wi-fi, for example, are included in all room rates).
The company’s branding is also achieved by names that the cruise line associates with its ships. In the case of Beyond, the decorator Nate Berkus (responsible for the design of one of the outdoor bars) and actress Gwyneth Paltrowpresented as a consultant in the area of well-being, who will guide a week of activities on one of the ship’s circuits along the Italian coast.
In terms of catering, Beyond boasts of providing 32 catering spaces, including 2 “exclusive” restaurants, 8 themed restaurants and as many food courts, as well as 14 cafes, bars and lounges. Of these, the most curious and the one in which it can become more difficult, is the “Magic Carpet”: a mobile platform that goes up and down one side of the ship at the height of the day.
The beyond will split between Europe and South America. In the European season, he will carry out different circuits in the Mediterranean, where he is currently heading. The rest of the year, sail in the warm waters of the Caribbean.