Summary: Carnival technology disruption that began on 8 February 2026 affected Wi‑Fi, casino slot machines and the HUB App across parts of the fleet. Systems are now restored, refunds for daily Wi‑Fi charges are being issued, and the line says it will invest to strengthen future reliability.

Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed that the technology disruption impacting several ships earlier this week has been resolved. The outage, which began on Sunday, 8 February 2026, caused interruptions to passenger-facing services but did not affect ship navigation or safety systems.

What systems were affected

The outage disrupted amenities relied on by guests for connectivity and entertainment. Reported issues included loss of onboard internet access, inoperable casino slot machines and unavailability of the Carnival HUB App, which passengers use for check‑in, onboard communication and activity scheduling.

Operational impacts at ports

The IT problems slowed embarkation and disembarkation processes at multiple ports of call. Passengers experienced longer wait times during check‑in and some vessels were delayed, with a few unable to depart homeports until after midnight, reducing time ashore for travellers.

  • Outage start date: Sunday, 8 February 2026
  • Services affected: Wi‑Fi, casino slot machines, Carnival HUB App
  • Critical systems: Navigation and ship safety were not impacted
  • Operational effects: Slower embarkation/disembarkation; some late departures
Passengers waiting to embark on a Carnival ship while crew address onboard IT systems
Passengers faced longer wait times during embarkation while Carnival's shoreside and onboard IT teams worked to restore services

How Carnival responded

Carnival mobilised its shoreside and shipboard IT teams to diagnose and repair the fault. According to company updates, work continued around the clock and by mid‑week all affected systems were reported back online. The cruise line emphasised that safety and navigation were maintained throughout.

  • Shore and onboard IT teams worked continuously to restore services
  • All systems reported online by mid‑week
  • Carnival issued refunds for daily Wi‑Fi charges for affected days

Guest experience and compensation

Many passengers were inconvenienced by the loss of connectivity and the temporary unavailability of entertainment and gaming services. Carnival said it would refund daily internet fees for the periods when guests could not access onboard Wi‑Fi and maintained communication with travellers while repairs were underway.

Feedback from some guests highlighted patience and understanding during the outage, with Carnival noting that proactive customer care and transparency helped limit dissatisfaction while systems were being restored.

Why this matters to travellers and the industry

The incident underscores cruise lines’ growing dependence on digital systems for guest services and port operations. For travellers, it is a reminder that connectivity and app‑based services can fail, affecting boarding times and onboard convenience. For the industry, the outage highlights the need for resilient IT infrastructure and contingency plans to protect customer experience and operational schedules.

So what? If you're sailing with Carnival, expect improved communications and contingency measures as the line invests in system reliability. Keep printed or offline copies of boarding documents and plan for potential short delays at embarkation.