These are the 10 dirtiest cruise ships, according to the CDC — including an ultra-luxury vessel

To mitigate these outbreaks, the CDC randomly conducts sanitary inspections on cruises without prior notice to the vessel. The public health agency then scores the ship from zero to 100, with outcomes of 85 or lower considered inadequate.

The review includes checking common spaces like kitchens, hot tubs, and children’s activity centers.

Obvious issues, like vermin and improperly stored foods, will dock points. So will less apparent details, such as buffet handwashing stations with light sources less than 110 lux and the infrequency with which the swimming pool’s hair and lint strainer is disinfected.

A spokesperson for Hapag-Lloyd told BI that the score does not reflect the company’s standards. Following the inspection, the cruise line conducted an internal investigation and “intensive training sessions with external and internal trainers.”

It plans to submit its corrective report to the CDC on time (the Vessel Sanitation Program manual states companies must submit their “corrective-action statements” within two weeks of receiving the CDC’s final report).

A Crystal spokesperson told BI that most of Crystal Serenity’s violations were “operational items” that have since been addressed and corrected “through harmonization of procedures and additional training with our crew.”

Similarly, a spokesperson for MSC told BI it had implemented an “improvement plan” on MSC Magnifica according to the CDC inspector’s suggestions. Many of the changes were immediate and only needed “minor” efforts. The cruise line now believes that Magnifica’s score “is not a true reflection of the ship as it is today, and we would welcome any future inspection.”

MSC noted that many of its ships frequently achieve above 90, including the MSC Meraviglia and MSC Seashore, which both received perfect marks in 2024.

Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Lindblad Expeditions, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and Princess Cruises did not respond to a request for comment.