Celebrity flights celebrate International Women’s Day with a major event

Less than 2 percent of sailors in the cruise industry are women, but Celebrity Cruises is determined to change that. In fact, 32 percent of bridge officers are now female.

Lisa Lotoff Pirlo, CEO of Celebrity Cruises, shared, “When I took over Celebrity Cruises in 2014, I was surprised by the amount of communication I received because I was our company’s first president and CEO. Having recently held senior leadership positions in operations, I have become well aware of the imbalance Gender. I was often the only woman in the room.”

“I was directly faced with a dire need in the cruise industry: it lacks women in leadership positions, on and off the ship. I decided right then and there that while I was the first, I didn’t want to be the last. With the platform, the influence and the voice that comes with being chief As CEO of a cruise brand, I took on the challenge of balancing gender representation by starting in my own backyard.”

The company has made great strides in the past few years. In her first year as CEO, Lisa appointed Captain Kate McCoy as the first American ship captain. Then, back on International Women’s Day in 2020, Celebrity Edge celebrated by sailing with its first all-women officer and bridge team.

Now, as a symbol of its commitment to the advancement of women and equality, Celebrity Cruises is changing its global slogan “X” to “XX” on its social media channels in honor of the female chromosome on International Women’s Day. They include everyone who identifies as female, making this an all-encompassing symbolic offer in support of the #BreakTheBias theme for International Women’s Day.

The “XX” logo was also displayed on Celebrity Beyond, the company’s next luxury liner that will first take the cruisers out to sea in April 2022. When that happens, Captain Kate McCue will be at the helm. She is still the only American ship captain, and will be the first female captain to start a mega cruise ship.

Captain McCoy will be surrounded by a powerful nine-man Bridge team at Celebrity Beyond. Officer Rachel Arnold, Second Officer Dionysia Gyabapa, Third Officer Antonina Kolodzikic and Third Officer Jefti Ado Gyamvi will be among the female officers on board.

“Bridge female officers from 19 different countries have joined us and each one has an individual story of hard work and perseverance. I have been inspired by their desire to look beyond the horizon to achieve more and be satisfied with nothing less than their dreams,” Lotov-Pirlo noted.

“We’ve had many meaningful individual moments on this journey and now we’re rising to a high standard third Our bridge officers are huge. Not only are we passionate about improving acting, but we create an environment in which women thrive and thrive. A place where their personal and professional aspirations can be fulfilled. A place where they actively encourage other women to join them because they are so welcome and supported.”