In celebration of International Women’s Day, Celebrity Cruises has changed its “X” logo to “XX” for 24 hours on its social channels and is projecting the “XX” logo onto Celebrity Beyond, in honor of the female chromosome. Celebrating all those who identify as female, this symbolic display supports this year’s #BreakTheBias international theme.
Celebrating female empowerment, the cruise line is also happy to report that it has set an industry milestone on its way to gender parity—reaching 32 percent female bridge officers, an industry high.
Only 2 percent of the world’s mariners are female, but Celebrity continues to break down those barriers. In 2015, the company appointed Captain Kate McCue as the first—and still only—American female ship captain; on International Women’s Day 2020, the first all-female bridge and officer team departed on a history-making, barrier-breaking sailing; and in June 2021, Captain Kate led the Celebrity fleet—and the industry—back into operation when Celebrity Edge became the first cruise ship to sail with guests from a U.S. port in more than a year.
And when Captain Kate takes the helm of Celebrity Beyond this spring, she will be surrounded by a 9-person Bridge team that includes four female officers: Chief Officer Rachel Arnold (UK); Second Officer Dionysia Giapappa (Greece); Third Officer Gifty Adu Gyamfi (Ghana); and Third Officer Antonina Kolodziejczyk (Poland).
“Looking back at how far we’ve come in six years is quite extraordinary, and speaks volumes to the leadership and shared vision of the talented men and women I work with every day,” said Celebrity Cruises president and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, in a press release statement. “Now, we have incredible women from 19 countries and at all levels of maritime leadership to inspire girls in this awe-inspiring industry that opens up the world with the transformative power of travel. We are so proud to pioneer this path and keep at this work so everyone who dreams of a career on board a cruise ship—whether they identify as male or female—encounters a new standard across the seven seas.”
For more information on Celebrity Cruises’ work to #BridgeTheGap in the cruise industry, visit celebritycruises.com/about-us/celebrity-cares/international-womens-day.
