What is a good CDC cruise ship sanitation score?

A score of 86 or higher is a passing score under the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program. Well-run ships typically score in the mid-to-high 90s, and perfect 100s are not unusual. Scores below 86 indicate significant sanitation deficiencies.

What does the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) inspect?

CDC inspectors evaluate food preparation and storage, water systems, pool and hot tub maintenance, hygiene practices, pest management, and crew health procedures. Inspections are unannounced and apply to ships carrying 13 or more passengers with international itineraries that call on U.S. ports.

What does a failing CDC sanitation score mean for my cruise?

A failing score (85 or below) means inspectors found significant sanitation deficiencies at the time of inspection. It's a red flag worth researching before booking — look at the pattern of scores over time, not just the most recent result.

How do I check my cruise ship's CDC sanitation score?

The CDC publishes every inspection result in its Vessel Sanitation Program Inspection Query Tool at cdc.gov. Search by ship name and you'll see the latest score and inspection date. CruiseAware also shows CDC scores directly on each ship's page.

How often are cruise ships inspected by the CDC?

Ships are inspected on an unannounced basis, typically twice per year. Because inspections are snapshots in time, a score that is more than a year old may not reflect current operations on the ship.

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Cruise Ship Sanitation Scores Explained: What the CDC's VSP Numbers Really Mean

July 10, 2026 6 min read

Before you book your next cruise, there's one number worth checking that most travelers have never heard of: your ship's CDC sanitation score. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention inspects nearly every cruise ship that calls on U.S. ports — and the results are public.

What is the Vessel Sanitation Program?

The CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) conducts unannounced inspections of cruise ships with international itineraries that carry 13 or more passengers and call on U.S. ports. Inspectors evaluate everything from food preparation and water systems to pool maintenance, hygiene practices, and pest management.

Each inspection produces a score from 0 to 100. A score of 86 or higher is passing. A score of 85 or below is failing — it means inspectors found significant sanitation deficiencies.

What's a good score?

Many well-run ships score in the mid-to-high 90s, and perfect 100s are not unusual. But a high score isn't a guarantee — it's a snapshot of one unannounced inspection. What matters is the pattern: a ship that consistently scores 95+ is being run carefully. A ship that has failed recently, or bounces between passing and failing, deserves a closer look.

How to check your ship

The CDC publishes every inspection in its Inspection Query Tool. You can search by ship name and see the latest score and inspection date. Our See Your Ship's VSP Score page walks you through it step by step.

Search by ship name — cruise lines often have similarly named vessels, so double-check
Look at the inspection date; scores more than a year old may not reflect current operations
A failing score (85 or below) is a red flag worth researching before booking

The bottom line

Checking a sanitation score takes one minute and is completely free. It's one of the easiest things you can do to stack the odds of a healthy cruise in your favor — along with washing your hands often and reviewing health conditions at your ports of call before you sail.