Viking and Crystal brands lead cruise sanitation study
Squaremouth Travel Insurance reviewed CDC Vessel Sanitation Program scores for cruise lines and corporations.
Viking Ocean Cruises II Ltd., Viking Expedition Operations and Crystal Cruises tied for first place in a Squaremouth Travel Insurance study, each earning an average fleet sanitation score of 99 out of 100. The study analyzed inspection results collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through its Vessel Sanitation Program.
The inspections assess health and hygiene measures, including food safety practices, water systems and cleanliness in public spaces. Ships receive scores out of 100, and a result of 85 or below is considered unsatisfactory. The study’s other highest-ranked cruise lines were Oceania Cruises, P&O Cruises, Japan Grace, Virgin Voyages, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International.
In the study’s cruise-corporation rankings, Viking placed first with an average score of 98.75. Virgin followed with 97.67, and Norwegian ranked third at 97.39. Disney Cruise Line placed fourth with an average of 97, while Royal Caribbean averaged 96.74 and Carnival averaged 94.82. The study also highlighted Villa Vie Odyssey as a ship that failed a CDC inspection after scoring below 85.