Celebrity Cruises has announced the first-ever sailing with an entirely female bridge and officer team, including three British female crew members.

The sailing will take place on International Women’s Day this 8 March 2020 on board Celebrity Edge.

The first American female cruise ship captain, Kate McCue, will be at the helm, accompanied by 26 other women including British first officer Rachel Arnold, British cruise director Sue Denning and British guest relations officer Jule Sherrington, as well as Celebrity’s president and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.

She said: “We are all passionate about closing the gender gap. Over the last few years, we have worked hard to diversify the crew on board and bring more women than ever into our industry.

“None of this could have been possible without the leadership and shared vision of the extraordinary men and women I work with every day, led by Patrik Dahlgren and Brian Abel – who take this challenge to heart and have made it possible.

“We are fortunate to have many incredible, experienced and beyond-qualified women who have worked tirelessly to achieve these positions. And we also celebrate the many men who continue to support them and help champion having more women crew onboard.”

Guests can experience the all-female bridge onboard the seven-night Eastern Caribbean sailing, departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on the 8 March 2020. Prices are from £999 per person based on two people sharing an Oceanview stateroom.

As part of this one-of-a-kind sailing, Celebrity is curating a unique program, including evening gallery exhibitions and art auctions featuring female artists, celebrating the female form; collaborating on an exclusive design with jewellery designer Reout Kallati; hosting special events, such as a cinema series featuring iconic and impactful female directors, leads and inspirational narratives; and other dedicated onboard programming, including Women of the World-themed trivia challenges, female officers vs. guests pool volleyball tournament, and a Q&A panel with the ship’s female leadership team.

Additional specialty programming is still to be announced.

To learn more about the special International Women’s Day 2020 sailing and meet the leading ladies coming together on board, visit celebrity.com.