Only one ship failed its CDC health inspection in 2026

Cruise ship cleanliness is a big deal for anyone booking a trip at sea. Good news: the numbers from 2026 show most ships are passing their health checks with flying colors.

Most Ships Pass With Ease

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention inspects cruise ships throughout the year. So far in 2026, the agency has completed 153 inspections. Only one ship failed.

That ship was the Norwegian Cruise Line‘s Norwegian Dawn. It scored an 84 during a March inspection. Ships need a score of at least 86 to pass.

What Went Wrong Aboard Norwegian Dawn

Inspectors found several sanitation problems on the ship. A coffee urn had a long strand of hair inside it, right on a food-contact surface. A fly was found resting on bread during a crew lunch service.

An ice machine also failed inspection. It had more than a day’s worth of black and pink debris built up inside it.

The cruise line responded quickly. It filed a follow-up report listing the fixes it made. Crews rewashed the coffee urns. They also threw out the tray of bread where the fly had landed.

Norwegian shared a statement with USA TODAY about the situation. “The health and safety of our guests and crew is our top priority,” the company said. “As such, we strive to operate at the very highest public health and sanitation standards.”

The cruise line also pointed to its track record. It said its ships scored 93 or higher throughout 2025. Norwegian added that it took “immediate action” after the March report and continues reviewing onboard protocols.

How CDC Inspections Work

Ships that fall under the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program get inspected twice a year while docked at U.S. ports. There’s one exception. If a ship spends an extended time sailing outside the country, it may skip a round of inspections. It gets checked again once it returns to the U.S.

Inspectors look at many parts of the ship during each visit. They check the galleys, the drinking water systems, and pest control procedures. A single low score doesn’t mean a ship stays dirty forever, either. Scores change from visit to visit, based on conditions found that day.

Why This Matters for Your Next Cruise

A high pass rate is a good sign for travelers. It means the vast majority of ships sailing today meet strict federal cleanliness standards. Still, it’s smart to check a ship’s latest inspection score before you sail. The CDC publishes all its reports online, so you can look up any ship in just a few minutes.

Knowing how these inspections work can also ease your mind. A low score usually means a specific, fixable issue. It doesn’t always mean the whole ship is unsafe.