Cruise Ship - Centers for Disease Control - CDCIn a story widely reported in the national media, the Centers for Disease Control failed Royal Caribbean’s Monarch of the Seas after conducting a surprise vessel sanitation inspection last month. 

On November 18, 2011, CDC inspectors boarded the Monarch of the Seas, which is the cruise line’s oldest vessel, and found numerous public health risks and violations if the CDC’s sanitary standards.

The popular online cruise community, Cruise Critic, first reported on the nasty situation, followed by the USA Today cruise blog, CruiseLog.  

The CDC found a whopping 43 unsanitary conditions and "deficiencies" in the cruise ship’s procedures which were in violation of the CDC’s Vessel Safety Program (VSP) manual.  Included in the report were the following:

  • Dish-washing equipment in poor condition;
  • Improper cooling temperatures for stored provisions;
  • Improper cooking temperatures for cooked food;
  • Accumulations of food debris in wash and rinse areas;
  • "Clean" plates soiled with food residue;
  • Soiled plates stacked with clean plates;
  • Waiter stations, food preparation counters, slicers, and strainers soiled with dirt and food particles;
  • Live and dead fruit flies on food preperation surfaces throughout the galley; and 
  • Improper procedures for public toilets, shower-head disinfection, and disease outbreak and prevention.   

You can read the complete inspection report here

Cruise Ship Fruit FliesIt is rare for a cruise ship based in the U.S. to fail a CDC inspection.

For a cruise line which spent billions on its gigantic new Genesis class cruise ships the Oasis and the Allure of the Seas, it looks like its oldest cruise the Monarch is showing significant signs of neglect which risk sickening its passengers. 

Anyone who sailed recently on the Monarch care to leave a comment?  

Photo credit: amNY Photo Illustration