When you’re choosing a cruise, the beautiful destinations, incredible dining, entertainment and activities may get most of the attention. But there is something happening behind the scenes that matters just as much: health and sanitation standards onboard.
And several cruise ships have something worth celebrating in 2026, a perfect score of 100 during their CDC Vessel Sanitation Program inspection!
What Is a CDC Cruise Ship Inspection?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention operates the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), which helps prevent and control the introduction, transmission and spread of gastrointestinal illnesses on cruise ships.
Ships within the program are generally subject to twice-yearly, unannounced inspections while operating in U.S. jurisdiction.
These inspections go far beyond simply looking to see whether a ship appears clean. Inspectors evaluate areas and procedures including:
- Food storage, preparation and service
- Potable water systems
- Swimming pools, whirlpools and other recreational water facilities
- Housekeeping and sanitation practices
- Medical facilities and illness surveillance
- Children’s activity centers
- Pest management
- Ventilation and other environmental health systems
Ships receive a score on a 100-point scale. According to the CDC, 86 or higher is considered satisfactory.
That makes earning a 100 quite an accomplishment!
Congratulations to the Perfect-Score Ships
Among the ships receiving a perfect 100 CDC Vessel Sanitation Program inspection score in 2026 are:
Disney Cruise Line
- Disney Dream — May 2, 2026
- Disney Destiny — June 6, 2026
Carnival Cruise Line
- Carnival Sunrise — February 12, 2026
Princess Cruises
- Regal Princess — May 12, 2026
Viking
- Viking Polaris — May 21, 2026
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
- Seven Seas Explorer — May 22, 2026
Congratulations to the officers, crew members and shoreside teams whose hard work goes into maintaining these standards!
What Does a Score of 100 Really Mean?
It’s important to put the score into perspective.
A CDC inspection score represents the ship’s performance at the time of that particular inspection. A score of 100 does not mean that inspectors necessarily found absolutely nothing to address.
In fact, CDC inspection reports can contain observations or deficiencies even when a vessel receives a final numerical score of 100. Some issues may not result in point deductions, and others may be corrected during the inspection.
So rather than interpreting a 100 as a guarantee that a ship is “perfect,” think of it as what it is: the highest possible numerical score on that CDC Vessel Sanitation Program inspection.
And that’s still worthy of some applause!
You Can Check Your Cruise Ship’s Score
Here’s something many cruisers don’t realize: CDC cruise ship inspection records are public.
The CDC maintains a searchable database where travelers can look up participating cruise ships and see inspection dates, scores, detailed inspection reports and, when applicable, corrective-action statements.
That means you don’t have to rely on social media posts or someone else’s interpretation of a ship’s cleanliness record. You can go straight to the source and see the CDC’s information for yourself.
Does a CDC Score Tell You Which Cruise Ship Is Best?
Not necessarily, and that’s where choosing the right cruise gets a little more interesting.
A sanitation inspection score is one useful piece of information, but choosing the right cruise also means considering the ship itself, itinerary, dining, entertainment, cabin choices, children’s programming, accessibility needs, budget and, most importantly, what matters to you on vacation.
The “best” cruise ship isn’t always the newest, biggest or most expensive one.
It’s the one that fits you.
At Happily Ever After Travel, our Storywriters help guests sort through all of those choices so they can find the cruise line, ship and itinerary that make sense for the vacation they envision.
We Plan the Magic. You Make the Memories.
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Choosing a cruise is about much more than picking a ship. Our Storywriters can help you compare cruise lines, ships, itineraries, staterooms and what’s included to find the vacation that fits your family, expectations and budget.