Inger Klein Thorhauge

Inger Klein Thorhauge's father worked in the Faroe Island's fishing fleet as an engineer.[1] Her first sea going position was at the age of 16 when she worked as a stewardess on cargo ships during her school holidays. Thorhauge soon sought to pursue working on ships as a career, but not in the role she had already experienced.[2] After undertaking training in Copenhagen for DFDS Seaways,[1] she had the intention that she would work in the industry for several years before starting a family.[2]

After obtaining her Master's Licence in 1994,[1] she became interested in working in the cruise industry, joining Cunard Lines as a deck officer in 1997. Over the next 13 years, she worked her way up through the ranks.[2][3] In 2010, she was named as the Captain of Cunard Lines' MS Queen Victoria. This was the first time a woman had been made captain of a Cunard Lines vessel.[2] She was subsequently made Captain of the MS Queen Elizabeth in 2011.[3][4] When not at sea, Thorhauge lives in Svendborg in Southern Denmark.[1]