The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) flunked Silversea’s luxury cruise ship, the Silver Shadow, for unsanitary conditions.

The Silversea cruise ship received a failing score of only 82. The inspectors determined the ship had improper medical protocols for crew members with acute gastroenteritis. The inspectors found 40 unsanitary conditions such as improper temperatures for stored food, improper sneeze guards at the ship’s buffet stations, and unsanitary whirlpools.

Incredibly, Silversea refused to submit a corrective action report.

Two years ago, this cruise ship engaged in an intentional, calculated scheme to hide food and galley equipment in crew cabins.Crew members on the ship alerted our firm that they (galley workers) were being ordered by their supervisors to take trolleys of perishable foods (eggs, fish & cheese) to the crew quarters and hide the food from inspectors during bi-annual CDC inspections. We advised the “whistle-blower” crew members to notify the CDC. As a result of a surprise inspection, the CDC discovered that the cruise line hid “over 15 full trolleys” of food and food equipment, pans, dishware and utensils to “over 10 individual cabins”  in order to avoid scrutiny of vessel sanitation inspectors. It flunked Silversea with a score of 82.

We were interviewed by CNN regarding Silversea’s scam.

We found Silversea Cruises to have acted deliberately and unethically. It was obviously not committed to safe food practices, a conclusion which is reinforced by this latest series of violations.

Unfortunately, the CDC can’t enter significant sanctions against renegade cruise lines like this even when the cruise ships intentionally violate CDC sanitation protocols. Our government should impose meaningful monetary sanctions and shut cruise ships down when they threaten the health of passengers.

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