These Were the 27 Cleanest Cruise Ships This Year, According to the CDC The CDC performed over 100 inspections in 2024, and 27 ships received perfect marks.
Key Takeaways
- The CDC randomly inspects and scores cruise ships to prevent the spread of stomach viruses.
- 27 cruise ships received a perfect score in 2024.
- Norovirus can spread quickly on packed vessels.
This article originally appeared on Business Insider.
Not all cruise ships are created — or operated — equally.
In 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 13 bacterial and viral outbreaks (mostly norovirus) on ships. However, not every floating resort is damned to become a floating petri dish.
Quite the opposite — in 2024, the public health agency awarded perfect sanitation scores to 27 vessels.
Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas had two outbreaks in 2024, one from norovirus and the other from salmonella. Sergi Reboredo/VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images via BI
Norovirus, also known as the stomach flu, is the most common virus to afflict cruises. Crowded ships provide an ideal setting for the highly contagious bug to spread fast, often through contaminated water, food, surfaces, and people.
Just as quickly, it can ruin your vacation — the four predominant symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain.
To help mitigate these incidents, the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program regularly inspects cruise liners and scores them from zero to 100.
MSC Meraviglia is one of 27 cruise ships to have received a perfect score from the CDC in 2024. Florent Serfari/Reuters via BI
The reviews — which include checking heavily trafficked areas like pools and children's activity centers — are random and unannounced.
Vermin and improperly stored food are big no-nos. In addition to the obvious, inspectors also look behind the scenes for more nuanced details, such as the dishwasher's water temperature and the frequency at which the pool's hair and lint strainer is disinfected.
The CDC has performed 151 inspections in 2024, including repeat inspections on 23 ships. The majority scored above 95, and 27 (listed below) have received perfect marks:
- Celebrity Apex — Celebrity Cruises (inspected November 10)
- Seven Seas Grandeur — Regent Seven Seas Cruises (inspected October 23)
- Norwegian Jade — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected October 21)
- Carnival Magic — Carnival Cruise Line (inspected October 13)
- Star Pride — Windstar Cruises (inspected September 29)
- Jewel of the Seas — Royal Caribbean International (inspected September 28)
- Serenade of the Seas — Royal Caribbean International (inspected September 10)
- Carnival Spirit — Carnival Cruise Line (inspected September 3)
- Zuiderdam — Holland America Line (inspected August 24)
- Viking Orion — Viking Ocean Cruises (inspected August 18)
- Seabourn Odyssey — Seabourn Cruise Line (inspected August 16)
- Norwegian Jewel — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected July 24)
- Oceania Regatta — Oceania Cruises (inspected July 24)
- Radiance of the Seas — Royal Caribbean International (inspected July 21)
- MSC Meraviglia — MSC Cruises (inspected July 9)
- Norwegian Bliss — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected June 22)
- MSC Seashore — MSC Cruises (inspected May 26)
- Norwegian Sky — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected May 23)
- Brilliance of the Seas — Royal Caribbean International (inspected May 16)
- Viking Polaris — Viking (inspected April 2)
- Celebrity Equinox — Celebrity Cruises (inspected February 25)
- Norwegian Breakaway — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected September 22)
- Norwegian Escape — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected January 27)
- Explora I — MSC Cruises (inspected January 25)
- Disney Fantasy — Disney Cruise Line (inspected January 24)
- Celebrity Ascent — Celebrity Cruises (inspected January 7)
- Norwegian Gem — Norwegian Cruise Line (inspected January 2)
In 2023, 24 vessels racked a perfect score.
