Disney Just Promoted Maria Gotor to Captain — And It’s a Big First for the Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line has promoted Maria Gotor to captain in a milestone moment for the brand.

Gotor, who joined Disney less than two years ago, is set to take command of Disney Wish. Her promotion marks the first time a woman has reached the captain’s role at Disney Cruise Line.

Split image showing a smiling cruise officer pointing to her new captain’s stripes beside a photo of Disney Wish sailing on a clear day.

She shared the news on Instagram with a photo showing her new captain’s stripes and the caption: “And Just like this…. We have a new Captain in the room”

From Spain to the Bridge of Disney Wish

Born in Spain, Gotor first worked at sea moving vessels through the Strait of Gibraltar before she made the jump into cruising.

She joined Celebrity Cruises in 2009 and built most of her cruise career there, climbing through the senior officer roles over the next decade and a half. By 2018, she had reached staff captain and later served on ships including Celebrity Edge.

After leaving Celebrity, she joined Disney Cruise Line as staff captain in September 2024.

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A post shared by Maria Gotor (@capt.maria)

Now, in June 2026, she’s taken the next big step in a career that has already stretched beyond 15 years at sea.

Cruise Fans Already Knew Her Name

Gotor isn’t just respected on the bridge. She’s also built a following among cruise fans through her social media posts, where she shares behind-the-scenes moments and snapshots of life at sea.

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A post shared by Maria Gotor (@capt.maria)

She has close to 3,000 followers on Facebook and more than 10,000 on Instagram, and the news of her promotion quickly brought in hundreds of congratulatory messages.

One of the familiar names congratulating her was Captain Wesley Dunlop, formerly of P&O Cruises, who joined Disney in late 2024 and later became captain of Disney Fantasy.

Gotor later thanked people for the response with another heartfelt message, writing:

“Thank you all so very much!!!!. Being onboard it’s a bit more difficult for me to reply to all of you, but you all made my day, and I need to read one by one all these comments!!. Love you all!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️”

A Bigger Moment for Disney Cruise Line

This is bigger than one promotion.

Female captains are still far less common than they should be, but the cruise industry has been changing. In recent years, several major lines, including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Virgin Voyages, have put more women into top bridge roles.

Disney had not previously announced a woman in command of one of its ships, which is why this promotion stands out so much.

The timing is notable too. Disney Cruise Line is in the middle of a major growth phase, moving far beyond the four-ship lineup it once had, with several more vessels due over the next few years.

As that fleet gets bigger, Gotor becomes part of a growing group of women helping lead the next chapter of the cruise industry from the bridge.