Ex-Royal Caribbean Waiter Challenges Internet Misconduct Dismissal

A former waiter who served aboard Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas is contesting his dismissal after the cruise line accused him of unauthorized internet use that allegedly exceeded 4.3 GB over the course of a week.

According to the company’s Master’s Hearing Form an internal review of crew internet activity identified an account that reportedly used 4.359 GB of data during a single uninterrupted session lasting 687 minutes.

The hearing document states that the crew member denied installing or using a VPN or any other software designed to bypass the ship’s internet restrictions. As part of the investigation, the company examined his mobile phone with his permission and found two applications capable of VPN and internet-sharing functions. The form also notes that the crew member explained he had the same apps installed on an iPad kept at his home.

Royal Caribbean concluded that the incident breached its human resources policies and categorized the matter as gross misconduct. According to the Master’s decision recorded on the hearing form, the employee was dismissed from both the vessel and the company.

The former crew member rejects the company’s conclusions, arguing that the investigation produced no evidence showing he had stolen internet data or circumvented the ship’s network controls. He also claims the termination came just before he was due to complete 10 years of service with Royal Caribbean, leading him to believe he was dismissed to prevent him from qualifying for a long-service award.

In addition, the former waiter questioned the allegation itself, asking how a waiter could realistically “steal” more than 4.3 GB of data in a single week and what practical benefit that volume of internet usage would have provided to an individual crew member.