Cruise ship enthusiasts should be wary when booking their next vacation, as 2026’s sanitation inspection results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show several ships with low scores. According to the CDC, a passing score is 86 or higher on its 100-point sanitation scale, while scores of 85 or lower indicate unsatisfactory conditions.
In a recent report by Fox News, it was revealed that seven cruise ships recorded the lowest scores during 2026 inspections. The Norwegian Dawn was the most concerning, with a failing score of 84 from a March inspection. Following this, Norwegian Cruise Line took steps to address the issues and submitted a corrective action report to the CDC.
Three other ships, including the Carnival Breeze, Kydon, and National Geographic Sea Lion, barely passed with scores of 86. Interestingly, the Carnival Breeze had previously achieved a perfect score of 100 earlier in the year but then dropped to its unsatisfactory score, illustrating how inspection conditions can vary significantly over time.
It’s important to note that a low sanitation score doesn’t inherently mean a cruise is unsafe; rather, it reflects the ship’s compliance with CDC health standards at the time of the inspection. Other ships, such as Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas and Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Destiny, have consistently received perfect scores, indicating they met the CDC’s health and sanitation criteria.
For those planning to embark on cruises, especially from ports like Galveston, reviewing a ship’s latest inspection score can be a critical part of vacation planning.
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