- CDC Random Inspections Reveal 19 Cruise Ships with Perfect Scores in 2024.
- Norovirus Outbreaks on the Decline, but Cruise Ships Remain at Risk.
- 19 Cruise Ships Earn 100 in CDC Sanitation Inspections.
The CDC is aggressively working towards cruise ships being maintained at sanitary standards that prevent the spread of highly contagious illnesses, such as norovirus. In the process, the CDC conducts random inspections throughout the year on cruise liners and assesses their cleanliness and compliance with health guidelines, reports Yahoo News.
19 Cruise Ships Score Perfect in 2024 Inspections
So far this year, CDC officials have inspected more than 119 cruise ships, and 19 of them received a perfect score of 100. The health inspections are unannounced, targeting areas such as kitchens and children’s activity centres, with the inspectors casting a critical eye on common spaces for sanitary conditions. Most vessels averaged above 95, and the following 19 captured the top spot:
- Carnival Spirit — Carnival Cruise Line (inspected September 3)
- Viking Orion — Viking Ocean Cruises (inspected August 18)
- Seabourn Odyssey — Seabourn Cruise Line (inspected August 16)
- Norwegian Jewel — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected July 24)
- Oceania Regatta — Oceania Cruises (inspected July 24)
- Radiance of the Seas — Royal Caribbean International (inspected July 21)
- MSC Meraviglia — MSC Cruises (inspected July 9)
- Norwegian Bliss — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected June 22)
- MSC Seashore — MSC Cruises (inspected May 26)
- Norwegian Sky — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected May 23)
- Brilliance of the Seas — Royal Caribbean International (inspected May 16)
- Viking Polaris — Viking (inspected April 2)
- Celebrity Equinox — Celebrity Cruises (inspected February 25)
- Norwegian Breakaway — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected February 25)
- Norwegian Escape — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected January 27)
- Explora I — MSC Cruises (inspected January 25)
- Disney Fantasy — Disney Cruise Line (inspected January 24)
- Celebrity Ascent — Celebrity Cruises (inspected January 7)
- Norwegian Gem — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected January 2)
Norovirus: A Persistent Threat on Cruise Ships
For decades, cruise ships have been seen as floating Petri dishes, vectors of viral and even bacterial infections, like norovirus, the so-called stomach flu. The CDC has recorded 10 outbreaks of bacterial and viral illnesses on cruise vessels – half of them on ships operated by Royal Caribbean Group and its subsidiary, Celebrity Cruises-through this date in 2024.
Outbreaks are less than the 14 recorded last year, but norovirus is still on top of the list; easily spread by contaminated food, water surfaces, and person-to-person contact, it is an ideal environment for rapid transmission in cruise ships.
CDC Inspections
The CDC’s inspection isn’t just checking for clean surfaces. In addition to those grossly evident problems, such as rats and improperly stored food, the inspectors check the huge operations practices which include the cleaning of swimming pool filters and the temperature of dishwashing machines. These detailed inspections ensure hygiene standards where passengers will be kept healthy and free from diseases.
Less Perfect Scores Than in 2023
While 19 ships have recorded perfect 100s to date in 2024, the trend is a declining level from last year. So far this year, 29 ships achieved perfect scores by October 2023, and the total increased to 34 by the end of that year. The intensity of scrutiny that the CDC continues to keep over the cruise lines undoubtedly supports the fact that they maintain top-class cleanliness and health protocols that rule out outbreaks.
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Source: Yahoo News
