With the first quarter of 2025 behind us, we decided to take a look at all the cruise ship inspections conducted by the CDC this year. We analyzed all 48 inspection scores across 16 cruise lines and found an average score for each cruise line.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducts routine surprise inspections of cruise ships arriving at U.S. ports as part of its Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP).
These inspections look over a range of hygiene and sanitation practices. This article summarizes the results of these inspections conducted from January 1, 2025, to the current date, categorized by cruise line, highlighting average scores, perfect scores, and those ships that narrowly met the passing threshold of 86.
There have been recent reports that the CDC may stop inspecting cruise ships after an apparent lack of resources, but we will wait until there’s more information on that for confirmation.
Cruise Line Average CDC Scores in Q1:
Below is a breakdown of the inspection results by cruise line, ordered by average score (highest to lowest), including the number of inspections conducted and the average score for each line. This is only for inspections that took place in 2025.
Keep in mind that some cruise lines had multiple inspections while others with smaller fleets may have had only one or two, impacting the average scores.
Carnival and Royal Caribbean have had the most ship inspections by far this year.
| Cruise Line | # of Insp. | Avg. Score | # of 100s | 86-90 Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explora Journeys | 1 | 100 | 1 | 0 |
| Disney Cruise Line | 3 | 98.7 | 2 | 0 |
| Virgin Voyages | 3 | 98.7 | 1 | 0 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | 2 | 98.5 | 1 | 0 |
| Margaritaville at Sea | 2 | 98 | 0 | 0 |
| Holland America Line | 2 | 98 | 1 | 0 |
| MSC Cruises | 1 | 97 | 0 | 0 |
| Saga | 1 | 96 | 0 | 0 |
| Carnival Cruise Line | 9 | 95.6 | 3 | 0 |
| Silversea | 2 | 95.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Princess Cruises | 6 | 95.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Cunard Line | 2 | 95 | 0 | 0 |
| Royal Caribbean | 8 | 94.5 | 0 | 2 |
| Celebrity Cruises | 3 | 94 | 0 | 0 |
| Ritz-Carlton Yacht C. | 2 | 93.5 | 0 | 1 |
| Azamara Cruises | 1 | 91 | 0 | 1 |
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Explora Journeys
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Ships Inspected: 1
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Average Score: 100
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Score: Explora I (100)
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Notes: A single inspection earned a perfect 100, placing Explora Journeys at the top, though it’s a small sample size no doubt.
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Disney Cruise Line
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Ships Inspected: 3
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Average Score: 98.7
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Scores: Disney Dream (96), Disney Magic (100), Disney Treasure (100)
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Notes: Two perfect 100s and a lowest score of 96 secure a strong second place.
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Virgin Voyages
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Ships Inspected: 3
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Average Score: 98.7
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Scores: Resilient Lady (98), Scarlet Lady (98), Valiant Lady (100)
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Notes: Tied with Disney at 98.7, thanks to Valiant Lady’s perfect 100.
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Norwegian Cruise Line
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Ships Inspected: 2
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Average Score: 98.5
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Scores: Norwegian Escape (100), Norwegian Prima (97)
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Notes: Norwegian Escape’s perfect 100 helped get a near-top-tier average.
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Margaritaville at Sea
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Ships Inspected: 2
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Average Score: 98
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Scores: Margaritaville at Sea Islander (98), Margaritaville at Sea Paradise (98)
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Notes: Identical 98s
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Holland America Line
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Ships Inspected: 2
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Average Score: 98
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Scores: Nieuw Amsterdam (99), Zaandam (97)
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Notes: Nieuw Amsterdam’s 99 nearly hits perfection.
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MSC Cruises
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Ships Inspected: 1
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Average Score: 97
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Score: MSC Seashore (97)
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Notes: Just one ship inspection.
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Saga Cruises
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Ships Inspected: 1
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Average Score: 96
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Score: Spirit of Discovery (96)
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Notes: A respectable lone inspection.
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Carnival Cruise Line
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Ships Inspected: 9
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Average Score: 95.6
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Scores: Carnival Conquest (96), Carnival Elation (96), Carnival Firenze (92), Carnival Freedom (99), Carnival Glory (99), Carnival Horizon (93), Carnival Mardi Gras (95), Carnival Sunrise (99), Carnival Sunshine (91)
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Notes: Three ships at 99 highlight strong performance; no score below 91. While many recent reports said Carnival Sunshine received an 89 in its latest score, CDC’s website shows a 91 on March 8, 2025.
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Silversea
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Ships Inspected: 2
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Average Score: 95.5
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Scores: Silver Moon (95), Silver Shadow (96)
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Notes: Steady mid-90s results.
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Princess Cruises
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Ships Inspected: 6
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Average Score: 95.3
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Scores: Caribbean Princess (95), Coral Princess (94), Discovery Princess (96), Emerald Princess (94), Grand Princess (97), Sky Princess (96)
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Notes: Grand Princess (97) with the top score.
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Cunard Line
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Ships Inspected: 2
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Average Score: 95
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Scores: Queen Anne (94), Queen Victoria (96)
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Notes: A balanced showing.
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Royal Caribbean
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Ships Inspected: 8
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Average Score: 94.5
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Scores: Adventure of the Seas (94), Brilliance of the Seas (95), Liberty of the Seas (99), Oasis of the Seas (98), Serenade of the Seas (97), Symphony of the Seas (86), Utopia of the Seas (90), Wonder of the Seas (97)
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Notes: Liberty of the Seas (99) excels, but Symphony of the Seas (86) and Utopia of the Seas (90) pull the average down.
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Celebrity Cruises
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Ships Inspected: 3
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Average Score: 94
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Scores: Celebrity Equinox (92), Celebrity Reflection (98), Celebrity Summit (92)
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Notes: Celebrity Reflection’s 98 contrasts with two 92s.
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Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
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Ships Inspected: 2
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Average Score: 93.5
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Scores: Evrima (94), Ilma (93)
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Notes: Decent but not standout.
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Azamara Cruises
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Ships Inspected: 1
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Average Score: 91
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Score: Azamara Onward (91)
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Notes: The lowest average, though still safely passing.
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Perfect Scores: The Elite
Five ships achieved a perfect 100:
- Explora I (Explora Journeys) – February 9, 2025
- Disney Magic (Disney Cruise Lines) – March 2, 2025
- Disney Treasure (Disney Cruise Lines) – January 11, 2025
- Norwegian Escape (Norwegian Cruise Lines) – January 6, 2025
- Valiant Lady (Virgin Voyages) – February 28, 2025
Barely Passed: Ships on Thin Ice
Two ships scored fairly low while still passing the 85 threshold:
- Symphony of the Seas scored an 86 (February 9, 2025). This was just one point above a failing score.
- Utopia of the Seas scored a 90 (February 14, 2025)
Royal Caribbean got a lot of unwanted attention after Symphony of the Seas scored the lowest mark of any cruise ship in the first quarter of 2025. There were 44 violations, including unreported vomiting and diarrhea among young cruisers, poor lighting in galleys, plumbing leaks, broken handwashing stations, and improper food storage, while Utopia of the Seas scored a 90, underperforming relative to the cruise line’s standards.
The cruise line recently responded to this inspection report by issuing a detailed 8-page corrective report outlining the specific actions taken to address the issues identified during the Symphony of the Seas’ inspection.
