This Cruise Ship Flunked Its CDC Inspection

One cruise ship “flunked” its CDC inspection this year, and five others just barely passed with scores right on the satisfactory cutoff.

That’s based on an analysis of data from CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, originally flagged by maritime newsletter gCaptain.

The Hanseatic Inspiration — owned by the large shipping company Hapag-Lloyd — scored a 62, which is well below the 86 needed to be deemed “satisfactory” by the agency.

Some of the violations noted in the report included unsafe practices in food preparation areas; concerns about the wash/rinse/sanitize process; the whirlpool not being shock cleaned every 24 hours; and a lack of disinfection for the swimming pool’s hair and lint strainer during a 2-week period.

The report also stated that a “beer tap was soiled with more than a day’s accumulation of thick brown residue” and three waffle irons “were soiled with sticky residue, which was peeling off the food-contact and nonfood-contact surfaces.”

For the five ships that scored on the cusp, an 86 is “not terrible … and could indicate notable deficiencies in the health plan, crew training, or other factors besides germs and dirt,” the article stated. “Conversely, there could be inconsistent sanitation practices, lapses in cleaning procedures, or failures in adhering to proper hygiene standards among the crew.”

“Check the CDC website for reports for individual ships before you make judgments,” the article noted.

CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program has existed since the 1990s, and vessels are subject to two unannounced inspections per year. They usually take 6 to 8 hours, and they cover a lot of ground, including kitchens, pools, and children’s play areas.

Among the 119 ships inspected this year, the majority passed with flying colors, scoring above 95, gCaptain reported. There were even 19 ships that have earned a perfect score of 100 this year.

However, even a perfect score can’t completely prevent an outbreak. So far this year, the CDC has logged 10 outbreaks — and two of those occurred on Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas, which was one of the 19 vessels that earned a 100. Its April outbreak involved norovirus, and its September outbreak involved Salmonella.

“It’s a stark reminder that even with stringent measures, the microscopic world doesn’t easily yield,” the article stated.

Here are the cruise ships with the lowest scores thus far in 2024:

Hanseatic Inspiration: 62

Caribbean Princess: 86

Carnival Breeze: 86

Evrima: 86

Kydon: 86

MSC Magnifica: 86

Carnival Miracle: 88

National Geographic Sea Bird: 88

Adventure of the Seas: 89

Aurora: 89

Carnival Elation: 89

Crystal Serenity: 89

Le Boreal: 89