What the CDC’s Cuts to Cruise Ship Health Inspections Mean for Your Next Trip
- Mui R
- Apr 18
- 3 min read
The cruise industry has been through a lot lately—COVID-19, stricter environmental rules, and now, a big change in how cruise ship cleanliness is checked. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has cut staff from its Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), which means fewer surprise health inspections on cruise ships.
What Is the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP)?
The VSP helps keep cruise ships clean and safe by checking for things like dirty kitchens, sick passengers, and poor hygiene. It’s been around for years and is known for making sure cruise ships follow strict health rules, especially when it comes to preventing things like norovirus.
Why This Matters Now
Because of the layoffs, there are fewer people to do health inspections. That could mean less frequent checks and slower responses when there’s an illness outbreak on board. In fact, early 2025 has already seen some major outbreaks of stomach illnesses on cruises. With fewer VSP staff, handling these situations may get harder.
People might start to worry: Are cruise ships still safe? Will companies take shortcuts if no one’s watching? These are real concerns, especially for those who’ve had bad experiences in the past.
How Cruise Lines Are Responding
To keep passengers safe and confident, cruise lines are likely to boost their own health and safety programs. This might include:
Better cleaning systems
More health staff onboard
Clearer communication about safety measures
Cruise companies will want to avoid bad press and unhappy guests, so they’ll likely work hard to keep standards high. But without outside checks, it’s up to them to hold themselves accountable.
What This Means for You
If you’re planning a cruise, do a little homework:
Check recent health scores (they’re usually public)
Look up how the cruise line handled past outbreaks
Read reviews from other travelers about cleanliness
Staying informed will help you choose a cruise that takes health seriously.
Embarkation and Debarkation Concerns
While the cuts to the VSP don’t directly affect boarding or leaving a ship, they can still have an impact. For example, health screenings often happen when passengers first board. With less CDC involvement, it’s up to the cruise lines to make sure these are thorough and effective. If there’s an illness on board, disembarkation could be delayed as the crew works to manage the situation without as much outside help. In short, the start and end of your cruise could feel different if a ship is dealing with health challenges.
Looking Ahead
The CDC says it’s updating the VSP to focus on more than just ship cleanliness, like overall public and environmental health. But with fewer staff and resources, it’s unclear how strong these efforts will be.
Cruise lines will have to take more responsibility for keeping passengers safe. How well they do that will shape the future of cruising.
Bottom Line
The CDC’s changes to cruise ship inspections are a big deal. While cruise lines may step up, the lack of regular outside inspections could mean more risk for travelers. If you’re heading out to sea, make sure you pick a cruise that’s serious about health and hygiene.
So far in 2025, here is the list.
2025 Outbreaks | |||
Cruise Line | Cruise Ship | Sailing Dates | Causative Agent |
Seabourn Cruise Line | Seabourn Encore | Norovirus | |
Cunard Line | Queen Mary 2 | Norovirus | |
Holland America Line | Rotterdam | Norovirus | |
Princess Cruises | Coral Princess | Norovirus | |
Holland America Line | Eurodam | Norovirus | |
Holland America Line | Rotterdam | Norovirus | |
Royal Caribbean International | Radiance of the Seas | Norovirus | |
Princess Cruises | Coral Princess | Norovirus | |
Viking Ocean Cruises II Ltd. | Viking Mars | Norovirus | |
Holland America Line | Volendam | Norovirus | |
Silversea Cruises | Silver Ray | E. coli | |
Sea Cloud Cruises | Sea Cloud Spirit | Ciguatera (presumed) |
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