Princess Cruises is rolling out free WhatsApp access for crew on select ships, with free texting service available on six ships and set to roll out further over time.

The service is available on the Caribbean, Crown, Regal, Royal, Ruby and Sky Princess ships, and the company said it is working to expand this to all MedallionNet-equipped ships this year.

“As part of our commitment, we are proud to announce that beginning February 14, we will provide our Princess team member’s FREE, unlimited access to WhatsApp. Caribbean, Crown, Regal, Royal, Ruby, and Sky Princess will be the first ships to enjoy this free service and we are working hard to expand this crew benefit to all ships with MedalionNet throughout the year,” read a statement sent to crew aboard a number of Princess ships. 

“We are proud and excited to share this with all of you and want to thank you for all your hard work and fulfilling our shared purpose. We know real-time contact with your family and friends is very important, and are delighted that CrewNet continues to deliver better connectivity than ever before through our MedalionNet technology.”

Other lines that have introduced free WhatsApp for crew include Disney, Holland America and Azamara.