Princess Cruises Cracks Down on VPN Misuse by Crew

A Princess cruise ship at sunset
Cruise Industry
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Updated Published

Princess Cruises has issued a final directive to crew members aboard the Sun Princess regarding the unauthorized use of VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) to bypass onboard internet restrictions. An internal memo from the cruise line’s IT department identified 28 crew members suspected of using VPNs to access networks deemed restricted, an action the company equates with theft.

The notice, marked as “IMPORTANT,” instructs all crew to immediately disconnect from the CrewCompass SSID—an internal network—and remove it from their personal devices. CrewNet remains the only approved internet service for crew, available via a paid access system.

Princess Cruises warns that any further attempts to use VPNs to gain access to corporate or restricted networks will be considered a violation of the Company Code of Conduct, potentially resulting in disciplinary measures, including termination.

VPNs enable users to mask their online activity and location, which has allowed some crew members to:

  • Access Restricted Networks: By disguising devices as authorized ones, crew can gain entry to CrewCompass or corporate networks.
  • Avoid Internet Charges: Crew members bypass the paywall of CrewNet by tapping into internal networks meant for company operations.
  • Circumvent Network Firewalls: Although cruise lines block certain websites, streaming services, and other high-bandwidth activities, VPNs can potentially overcome these limitations.

Crew members may be turning to VPNs to access blocked websites and obtain free internet access due to strict content controls on cruise ships. The cruise line regards the unauthorized use of VPNs as a significant financial and security threat, emphasizing that such actions are tantamount to theft and disrupt ship operations.

The IT team is actively monitoring network usage and tracking down suspicious devices. Crew members have been given one final chance to disconnect from unauthorized networks before disciplinary actions are initiated.

This is not the first incident of its kind; in 2017, hundreds of Carnival Cruise Line crew members were dismissed for using an app that provided free onboard internet access.