About a month ago, Captain Kate McCue announced via her Instagram that due to recent big life changes she would be leaving Celebrity Cruises. She said, “I’ve spent the last 22 years on 11 ships in the Royal Caribbean Group, from 2nd Officer to Captain. I have seen some of the most beautiful places, met inspiring and wonderful people, and had opportunities to live my 12 year-old dream out loud!”
Captain Kate has held many positions throughout her career. She has sailed with Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Group where she became the first female captain of a mega ship in 2015 allowing her to play a significant role in bringing women to ship bridges across the Celebrity Cruises’ fleet. Since 2022, she has served as Captain of Celebrity Beyond.
She shared a video that offered “a small glimpse” of memories and moments throughout her career, and ended with “Are my sailing days over? Absolutely not! I’ve got too much salt in my veins to leave the sea behind. So consider this…the start of the Captain’s Log: New Seasons.”
It has now been revealed Captain Kate’s “New Seasons” will begin in early 2026 aboard Four Seasons Yachts’ first ultra-luxury ship, Four Seasons I. Four Seasons Yachts is a brand new ultra-luxury cruise line that will launch in January 2026. Unlike the mega ships Captain Kate is used to sailing, Four Seasons’ Yachts’ initial ship will have just 95 suites.
Captain Kate again took to Instagram to make her announcement and said, “I’m thrilled to join an amazing team, introducing a new category of luxury and excellence to our guests at sea. A new build vessel is one thing. A start-up with an incredible prototype vessel is a whole new opportunity to grow with an iconic brand like Four Seasons! It’s yacht like anything you’ve seen before!”
In 2022, Four Season and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri entered into an agreement for three identical superyachts. Four Seasons I is currently under construction and will begin sailing in January 2026, and Four Season II will be delivered in November 2026.
Four Seasons I maiden voyages are mostly 7-night sailings that will visit130 ports and destinations throughout more than 30 countries in the Caribbean. She will sail an inaugural European season beginning March 2026 where she will visit some of the most popular ports in the Mediterranean.