Happy International Women's Day!

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During our recent South America/Antarctica cruise, our friend Linda asked the head waiter Carlos, "Why aren't there more women above the assistant waiter level in here?"

Carlos pointed to a few who could be seen carrying tall stacks of heavy dinner plates under plastic shields to indicate there were women, saying something about how great they were and that he could use more like them.

Today, March 8, 2020, Celebrity Edge will sail under the command of the first American female cruise ship Captain,  Kate McCue.  She will be at the helm of the first cruise ship to ever embark with an all-female bridge and hotel officer team.

While I don't think women must or should always do a job formerly held by a man to find fulfillment, I think a strength of Western Civilization is that we encourage everyone regardless of sex, race or creed, to follow the career path they find meaningful or financially rewarding.

While on our recent cruise, we passed a sailing yacht aboard which the President of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid --- a tech savvy woman --- was commemorating the 200th Anniversary of Antarctica, which occurred on January 27, 1820, on a ship commanded by Fabian Bellinghausen that embarked from Estonia.  At the time was part of Imperial Russia.

That landmark discovery came in response to the first voyage of British Captain James Cook, who himself came very close to discovering that continent whose existence had been theorized by Aristotle.

While the discovery didn't occur until 1820, it was planned in the 1700's under the reign of Russia's Catherine the Great.

Catherine was a great military leader who expanded the reach and power of Russia, so perhaps it is appropriate that the first Women's Day started in Russia in 1917. 

It was adopted by the modern women's movement in the 1960's and named an international holiday by the United Nations in 1997.

So, if you're a woman, why not celebrate by booking a cruise with friends, family, or as an increasing number of brave women do, plan a solo trip.

And men, don't wait for a request.  Book a cruise for your favorite woman to commemorate this day.

Wes