You have to admire the moxie of someone who has a cruise booked but is already planning to call out of work while in the middle of the sailing.
After all, as avid cruise fans here at Cruise Fever, we firmly believe that you can’t let a little thing like work get in the way of a cruise. But this individual might be in for a rude awakening.
The future Carnival passenger recently posted a plan online: skip a workday or two while sailing late next month. The first-time cruiser figured a quick text or call from the ship’s Wi-Fi would do the trick.
Because honestly, who hasn’t dreamed of dodging the office from a deck chair with a sea view? But here’s the catch—this particular cruise line won’t make that phone call or text as simple as this person thinks.
Carnival’s Wi-Fi Calling Block
“I will be going on my first Carnival cruise late next month and wanted to see if I’d be able to send an SMS text or make a call on the ship’s Wi-Fi in order to call out of my job. Also, which one of the Wi-Fi packages should I choose to be able to do that?” the Reddit user posted on a Carnival cruise subreddit.
Unlike some other cruise lines that let passengers use Wi-Fi calling to phone or text as if they’re on land, Carnival blocks this feature across all its internet packages. Social, Value, Premium—doesn’t matter which one you pick, your phone’s native calling and SMS won’t work over the ship’s Wi-Fi.
It’s a deliberate policy, tucked into the fine print and grumbled about by veteran cruisers online.
For this user, that means not casually phoning in sick from their stateroom, or whatever the plan was to get out of work.
This isn’t a new complaint. Last November, Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald responded to an independent contractor sailing on Carnival Firenze who needed Wi-Fi calling for work.
The guest noted that Virgin Voyages and Royal Caribbean allow it but feared that not being able to use his phone for calls and text messages could hurt his business.
Heald explained, “I recently spoke to a senior colleague about this in the IT department. I can only tell you that it is not compatible at the moment with our current system that we are using for the satellite service.” He added, “There are no plans at the moment to allow Wi-Fi calling.”
Heald suggested the Premium Internet package, which supports apps like Zoom or Teams.
For the Reddit user, that’s the best shot: grab the Premium plan—around $21 a day—and use apps like WhatsApp, Google Voice, or iMessage to message or call.
The problem with this plan, though, is that the boss might not know this person is on a cruise and might get a little suspicious if calls aren’t being answered or they are asking to use WhatsApp instead of just calling in.
The Broader Trend: Mixing Work and Leisure at SeaWe don’t know the entire situation here, but one thing is clear. More people are working while at sea, or in this case trying to get out of it. But still, the excuse of not being able to stay connected because you’re on a cruise is an archaic concept.
I tend to think this isn’t always a positive thing, as it’s healthy to unplug from work and other obligations at home. But if you can work just as effectively on a cruise as at home, why wouldn’t you give it a shot to escape the doldrums of normalcy for a while?
But for Carnival ships, Wi-Fi calling is a no-go.
Alternative Connections and Potential Costs
Of course, there’s Wireless Maritime Services (WMS) as an option, Carnival’s onboard cellular network. It’s available once the ship sails about 12 nautical miles from shore, letting you call or text directly—no Wi-Fi needed.
But it’s steep: expect around $0.50 per text and $2 to $6 per minute, depending on your carrier. Check rates beforehand and use it sparingly, or that call-out could cost more than the cruise.
While Carnival Cruise Line doesn’t allow Wi-Fi calling, major carriers like Verizon and AT&T offer cruise-specific day passes that let you use your phone’s cellular service while at sea, potentially providing an alternative for staying connected or making that call to ‘call out of work’.
Verizon’s Cruise Daily Pass costs $20 per line per day and includes unlimited data (with 0.5GB at high speed, then unlimited at 3G speeds), unlimited calls to the US, and unlimited texts.
AT&T’s Cruise Day Pass, starting April 16, 2025, will cost $20 per device for a 24-hour period for usage at sea, allowing you to use your domestic plan’s data, talk, and text on participating cruise ships.
So, you’ve got to hand it to this future Carnival cruiser. They’re not letting a little thing like, you know, being on a cruise, interfere with their commitment to… well, not being at work. We admire that level of dedication to cruising!
