Holland America Line’s Eurodam set a cruise industry record with its 11th consecutive perfect 100 health score during a recent unannounced inspection at Port Everglades.
Eurodam’s unannounced USPH inspection was held Jan. 14, 2017, during a turnaround at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., at the start of a seven-day Caribbean cruise. The perfect score follows on the heels of sister ship ms Koningsdam achieving a perfect score on its first USPH inspection in December 2016.
In 2016 six additional Holland America Line ships previously earned perfect scores, including Eurodam, Koningsdam, ms Maasdam, ms Veendam, ms Noordam and ms Westerdam. The year previously seven ships received 10 perfect scores: Eurodam, Noordam, Veendam, ms Zuiderdam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Ryndam and ms Statendam.
CDC inspections are part of the Vessel Sanitation Program, which was introduced in the early 1970s and is required for all passenger ships that call at a U.S. port. The inspections are unannounced and are carried out by officials from the United States Public Health Service twice a year for every cruise ship. Health Canada’s Cruise Ship Inspection Program harmonizes with the United States’ CDC Vessel Sanitation Program, and inspections are conducted once a year when cruise ships visit Canadian ports.
The score, on a scale from one to 100, is assigned on the basis of a checklist involving dozens of areas of assessment encompassing hygiene and sanitation of food (from storage to preparation), overall galley cleanliness, water, shipboard personnel and the ship as a whole.
Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line, gave the following statement about the surprise health inspection: “Holland America Line strives to be the best, and to earn an amazing 11 consecutive perfect public health inspection scores shows that it’s part of our company culture and our staff is working hard to make it happen. Congratulations to the entire Eurodam team and everyone involved who work diligently every day to maintain the highest standards of operation.”
