Princess Cruises has issued a final warning to crew members aboard the Sun Princess about the unauthorized use of VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) to bypass onboard internet restrictions. According to an internal notice circulated by the cruise line, the company’s IT team has identified 28 crew members suspected of using VPNs to access restricted networks, which the company said is a theft.
Final Warning Issued to Crew
The notice, labeled as “IMPORTANT”, instructs crew members to immediately disconnect from the CrewCompass SSID—an internal network—and remove it from their personal devices. The only authorized internet service for crew remains CrewNet, which is a paid access network.
Princess Cruises warns that continued misuse of VPNs to access corporate or restricted networks will be treated as a breach of the Company Code of Conduct and could result in disciplinary action, including termination.
How Crew Members Are Allegedly Manipulating Internet Access
VPNs allow users to mask their internet activity and location, making it possible for some crew members to:
• Access Restricted Networks – VPNs can disguise devices as authorized ones, enabling access to CrewCompass or corporate networks.
• Avoid Paying for Internet – Crew members can bypass CrewNet’s paywall by using internal networks intended for company operations.
• Evade Network Firewalls – Cruise lines often block some sites, streaming, and other high-bandwidth services, but VPNs potentially allows to sidestep these restrictions.
Why Crew Members Use VPNs
The primary reasons for crew members using VPNs could be accessing blocked websites and gaining free internet access. Cruise ships often impose strict content restrictions, preventing access to some websites or industry categories.
The cruise line views unauthorized VPN usage as a financial and security risk. The notice emphasizes that using VPNs to manipulate internet access is considered theft and impacts ship operations.
The IT team is actively monitoring network activity and tracking down suspicious devices. Crew members have been given one last opportunity to disconnect before disciplinary actions are enforced.
Not the First Incident of Its Kind
This is not the first time cruise lines have cracked down on crew members for unauthorized internet access. In 2017, hundreds of Carnival Cruise Line crew members were fired for using an app that provided free access to the onboard internet.
