The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) operates the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) to assist the cruise ship industry in preventing and controlling the introduction, transmission, and spread of gastrointestinal illnesses on commercial passenger vessels.
Here is a guide to understanding how inspection scores are calculated, what the passing threshold represents, and how public health records should be interpreted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a CDC VSP sanitation inspection score measure?
A VSP inspection score reflects compliance with the public health sanitation standards outlined in the CDC VSP Operations Manual. Inspections evaluate 44 specific areas including potable water supply, food preparation and storage temperatures, recreational water facilities (pools and whirlpool spas), child care center sanitation, and medical logbook surveillance. Scores are not a measure of overall guest experience, food quality, or maritime safety.
What is the passing score threshold for a cruise ship inspection?
Under CDC VSP standards, a score of 86 points or higher out of 100 points is classified as satisfactory (passing). A score of 85 points or lower is classified as not meeting satisfactory sanitation standards (failing). When a vessel scores 85 or lower, CDC VSP typically conducts a full re-inspection within 30 to 60 days.
Why does this website display total counts rather than per-voyage outbreak rates?
Official public health data published by CDC VSP includes precise voyage dates and case counts for gastrointestinal outbreaks that exceed the federal reporting threshold (3 percent or more of passengers or crew reporting symptoms). However, total annual voyage counts and total passenger manifest counts across non-outbreak voyages are not public government datasets. Fabricating a synthetic denominator to compute rates would introduce unverified assumptions. Therefore, this site reports exact published counts with zero extrapolated rates.
How often are cruise ships inspected by CDC VSP?
Vessels under VSP jurisdiction that carry 13 or more passengers and call at United States ports are subject to unannounced, comprehensive inspections twice per year when operating in United States waters. Additional inspections occur during initial vessel construction or if a vessel requires a follow-up re-inspection after a failing score.
What happens when an inspector identifies a deficiency?
Each cited deficiency receives a specific point deduction (typically 1 to 5 points) based on public health risk. Cruise lines are required to submit a written Corrective Action Statement explaining the specific corrective steps taken for every cited item. These statements are linked directly alongside inspection records on this site.