Captain Kate Resigns from Position at Four Seasons Yachts

Captain Kate Resigns from Position at Four Seasons Yachts

Captain Kate McCue is leaving Four Seasons Yachts to begin a new chapter in her career, according to a recent video update.

McCue said that her life has taken an unexpected turn, with her father undergoing major back surgery and the sudden loss of her mother.

“That was when I realized that I spent the majority of the last year away from home because I was working,” she explained.

“After 30 years at sea, delivering two new vessels, launching a new brand with a prototype vessel and sailing as captain for the last 11 years, I don’t think I have to prove anything to anyone,” McCue continued.

“I’ve made my parents proud, and I’ve made myself proud, so I made the decision to resign,” she added.

Captain Kate said this next chapter would prioritize family time while also giving her more freedom to pursue other things she loves.

McCue noted that she wants to take her father cruising and plans to board different types of vessels.

“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who was on this journey and all the opportunities I’ve had,” she continued, noting that her captain’s license remains active.

“Sailing again is absolutely not off the table, but for now, many new adventures lie ahead, and this time, they’ll be surprises to me too.”

Before joining Four Seasons in 2025, Captain Kate spent 22 years serving onboard Royal Caribbean Group ships.

In 2015, she became the first American female to take the helm of a cruise ship, as captain of the Celebrity Summit.

More recently, McCue took part in the construction and launch of the Four Seasons I, which was built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Ancona, Italy.

The 180-passenger luxury vessel entered service earlier this year, beginning a maiden season in the Mediterranean.

MSC Splendida Restarts Cruising and Welcomes Back Guests

The MSC Splendida has become the latest MSC Cruises ship to restart summer sailings with her seven-night itinerary to the Eastern Mediterranean from the northern Italian port of Trieste.

Calls are to Ancona, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Bari, Italy; the Greek island of Corfu and Kotor in Montenegro or Split in Croatia before the vessel returns to Trieste with embarkation available in each of the Italian ports, according to an MSC press release. 

Four daily transfer shuttles for MSC Cruises guests will run from Venice’s Marco Polo airport and one from the city centre to the cruise terminal in Trieste offering a convenient service for embarking guests who have flown to Italy from Europe. Prices per person are Euros €25 one way and Euros €50 return, according to the company.

The MSC Splendida represents the company’s fifth ship to resume cruise holidays this summer. The MSC Grandiosa and MSC Seaside are sailing in the West Mediterranean, the MSC Orchestra is operating in the East Mediterranean and the MSC Virtuosa is cruising in the UK for British guests only.

The MSC Magnifica will resume sailings on June 20 from Italy for voyages in the East Mediterranean, the MSC Seaview will restart on July 3 from Kiel in Germany for sailings in the Baltic Sea to Sweden and Estonia followed by MSC Seashore making her maiden sailing from the end of July in the West Mediterranean.

Fincantieri Delivers New Viking Venus

Fincantieri has delivered the new Viking Venus to Viking ahead of the ship’s debut in the UK in May.

The 930-guest ship was delivered on Thursday in Ancona. 

It’s the seventh in a series of up to 16 930-guest ships being built for the Torstein Hagen-led cruise company. 

The Viking Star was delivered in 2015 and was quickly followed by the Viking Sea, Sky, Sun, Orion and Jupiter, with another nine ships set to follow, plus two 378-guest expedition ships from Fincantieri-owned VARD.