She practiced law in Spain for six years. Now she's stopping 144,000 gross tons of steel without brakes for a living.

Disney Cruise Line has promoted Maria Gotor to captain of the Disney Wish, making her the first woman to command a ship for the brand in its 28-year history.

The cruise line celebrated the milestone by sitting Captain Maria down for a Q&A for its Disney Experiences site to walk through how a ferry ride across the Strait of Gibraltar led her to make her office the navigational bridge of a Disney cruise ship.

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Captain Maria changed careers to follow her dreams to sea

Growing up in Spain, Gotor learned about career options like doctor, lawyer, and architect, so she studied to become a lawyer and spent six years building a law career.

Then, on a ferry crossing to meet friends, she was invited into the wheelhouse, where she asked the captain what it actually took to do that job. Until that moment, she says, she'd never given the maritime industry any thought.

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That conversation sent her back to school for a master's degree in nautical engineering and maritime navigation, all while she kept working. From there, she piloted the same ferry that started it all, then moved into ocean navigation on cruise ships in 2009, working her way up from junior officer to staff captain, the vessel's second in command.

She joined Disney Cruise Line in 2024, something she says she'd wanted to do for years. Two years later, she's got her own stripes and ship.

What Captain Maria loves about Disney Cruise Line

Captain Maria says the energy on a Disney cruise ship is different from anything else she's experienced in her career.

"The joy on board is real, and today I am the happiest I have ever been," she said. "I feel it from the guests, from the crew, even standing on the open deck. It's unlike anything else in this industry."

As someone who felt that joy myself while standing on the open deck of the Disney Fantasy last spring, I can understand why captaining a Disney cruise ship was Captain Maria's dream job.

Related: Is making Disney cruises a tradition worth it? Families weigh in

Although it's a joy-filled job, it's a demanding one. Guiding a cruise ship takes constant focus and precision, especially when it's time to bring the ship into port (with no brakes). But it's a challenge Captain Maria loves.

She also says that representing her home country of Spain in the role carries extra meaning for her personally.

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Captain Maria was part of a barrier-breaking team at Celebrity Cruises

If Captain Maria's story sounds familiar, it should. She came to Disney Cruise Line after rising to the rank of staff captain at Celebrity Cruises, a line that made it a priority to grow the number of women on its ships' bridge teams from 3% to nearly 25% through its #BRIDGEthegap initiative.

In 2015, Captain Kate McCue became the first American woman to captain a large cruise ship when she took command of Celebrity Summit. After nearly a decade at the helm of Celebrity ships — where she championed women mariners and built a massive social media following  — Captain Kate joined Four Seasons Yachts in 2025.

Related: Get to know your cruise ship crew members

Across the industry, women still hold a small slice of senior roles on the bridge, which is exactly why Captain Maria's promotion is a big deal — especially for moms of little girls with big dreams who love to cruise like me.

For some families, it will even be a reason to book the Disney Wish for their next sailing over another ship, just so their daughters can hear a woman say, "This is your captain speaking," from the bridge.

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Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.

This story was originally published by TravelHost on Jul 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the Come Cruise With Me section. Add TravelHost as a Preferred Source by clicking here.