Cruise Ship Fails Health Inspection with Worst Score of the Year

Scoring an 81 in Chemistry class in high school might be a passing grade, but in the world of CDC cruise ship inspections, it’s low enough to fail in inspection.

For the residents of the Odyssey, the promise was simple: a three-and-a-half-year journey around the world on a ship they could call home. But a recent failed health inspection by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the latest in a series of setbacks for the vessel and its operator, Villa Vie Residences.

This story is more than just a bad score; it’s a look at the challenges of converting an older ship into a full-time home for 900+ residents.

The Failed Inspection and its Findings

On July 9, 2025, the Odyssey was inspected by the CDC and received a score of 81, the lowest inspection score of the year so far.

A passing grade is 86 and a few ships this year barely scrapped by. The inspection report revealed numerous issues, with the most serious concerns centered on the ship’s potable water system.

Read more: 15 cruise ships that scored a perfect 100 this year so far

The report indicated that during water bunkering operations, chlorine levels in the drinking water were consistently below the required minimum and that no corrective action was taken. A major safety hazard was also identified: a drain line from the water purification system was hard-piped to a gray water tank, creating a risk of cross-contamination.

Other issues were found throughout the ship, including:

• Food Safety and Equipment: Inspectors found a greasy waffle iron stored with clean items, along with several refrigerators and other food-holding units that were out of service.  One note stated that some food was held at unsafe temperatures (like cream at 56°F).
• General Maintenance: Problems with poor deck conditions, dusty overhead areas, and standing water were noted. Even the swimming pools were cited for not having proper safety signs and depth markers.
• Pest Control: The presence of fruit flies in a pantry pointed to a pest control problem.

The Ship’s Troubled Past

The Odyssey is not a new ship, and it hasn’t been smooth sailing for a while. It’s a 30-year-old vessel that has sailed under different names and owners, most recently as the MS Braemar. Villa Vie Residences purchased it in late 2023 with the goal of converting it into a residential cruise ship.

This conversion process, however, had its bumps along the way.

The ship’s maiden voyage, which was supposed to start in May 2024, was delayed multiple times due to technical issues, including problems with the rudder stocks.

The company’s founder, Mikael Petterson, has openly discussed the difficulties of reactivating a 30-year-old ship that had been sitting around for several years.

So, What’s Next?

The Odyssey is now out of U.S. waters, so a re-inspection won’t happen until it returns to a U.S. port.

However, the company is required to fix all the problems found in the report. Petterson has pointed out that many of the issues are a result of the ship’s age and design, as it wasn’t built to today’s U.S. public health standards.

He has also noted that the ship has passed other health inspections since leaving Europe. The company states it is taking the feedback seriously and is confident a future inspection will result in a passing score.