A cruise ship failed a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) health inspection for the first time in 2026. The CDC gave the Norwegian Dawn an unsatisfactory score of 84 on March 29, 2026, documenting extensive health violations on the ship.

The violations include flies in buffet areas, mold in ice machines, refrigeration failures, and water from unknown sources dripping in food preparation areas. Some violations pulled directly from the report are as follows:

  • Two fruit flies were present at the buffet line during lunch service. One fly was resting on bread.
  • Greater than a day’s accumulation of pooled water with a mold-like growth soiled the bottom of the soda cabinet where soda syrups and carbonation equipment were stored.
  • Liquid dripped from the deckhead and pooled on and around the utility sink faucet and handles. The source of liquid was unknown.
  • The ambient air temperature (of the dairy storage) measured 47°F by the inspector and 46°F by the thermometer affixed to the evaporator’s drip pan. Five 5-gallon bags of fat-free milk and half and half were stored in this area with internal temperatures above 41°F (the CDC recommends food be stored at or below 41°F). Large boxes of these dairy products were stored in this room side-by-side in a manner that restricted air flow. 

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) submitted a corrective report to the CDC on April 24. The report outlines the steps the ship’s crew took to address each health violation which included extensive cleaning, training staff on health protocols, repairing faulty equipment, and discarding affected food.

The unannounced CDC inspection came while the Norwegian Dawn was in Tampa, Florida. The CDC inspects cruise ships that sail into American ports twice annually as part of its Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP). VSP employees evaluate eight areas on a ship during their inspections, which include the ship’s medical center, drinking water, kitchens and dining rooms, swimming pools, housekeeping, pest management, child activity centers, and HVAC systems.

Ships are scored on a scale of 100, with a score of 85 or lower considered failing.

Failed health inspections have become more of a rarity in recent years, with the last failure coming in July 2025, when the Villa Vie Odyssey received a score of 81. Compare that to 2017, when 13 ships failed their health inspections.