3 Cruise Ships Earn Perfect Cleanliness Scores from the CDC

If you’ve sailed on MSC Seashore, Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas, or Norwegian Sky in the past month, you’ve been on one of the cleanest ships in the industry.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently awarded the three vessels perfect scores of 100% as part of its Vessel Sanitation Program. Similarly, Holland America’s Koningsdam and Carnival Liberty earned top marks of 98%, while Sapphire Princess and Disney Wish were rated 95%. 

The CDC’s US Public Health Vessel Sanitation Program regularly conducts surprise inspections on cruise ships, awarding scores between 0 and 100. A score below 85 is considered failing.

A perfect score requires top marks in all 44 areas, including food handling, onboard personnel, water quality, galley cleanliness, and the overall ship. These unannounced visits last anywhere from 8 to 10 hours. The exact time depends on the vessel size and the number of inspectors involved.

CDC inspections are mandatory for all passenger ships that call on US ports. They are performed twice a year.

Passing CDC Inspections Isn’t Easy

Passing these inspections is no easy feat. Last May, Margaritaville at Sea Paradise and MSC Seaside failed routine inspections. Paradise received a score of 83%, just two percentage points shy of the passing mark. The agency’s detailed report cited 65 issues, including overcrowded recreational water facilities, non-functioning kitchen appliances, and improper storage practices.

Meanwhile, MSC Seaside had a much lower 67% rating. Areas of concern involved food preparation and storage, item storage, crew manifests, and more. 

Did your Cruise Ship Pass CDC Standards?

If you have an upcoming cruise, you may wonder how it fared based on the CDC’s hygiene standards. You can check out your vessel’s ratings by looking for them on the agency’s website using the Advanced Cruise Ship Inspection Search. Find your ship in the drop-down menu, and the site will display your cruise ship’s scores.