Cleanest Cruise Ships & Cruise Strains

Key Information Factors:

• The Facilities for Illness Management (CDC) conducts annual well being and hygiene inspections of passenger cruise ships and assigns a 100-point sanitation rating; scores of 85 or decrease are thought-about failing.
• We analyzed the information for every ship, cruise line, and cruise guardian firm to seek out that:
  • 13% of all vessels inspected in 2025 obtained an ideal sanitation rating and ranked because the 21 cleanest cruise ships, whereas just one ship obtained a failing rating. 
  • The highest 3 cleanest cruise strains of 2025 have been: Viking Expedition Operations, Viking Ocean Cruises II Ltd, & Crystal Cruises LTD, all scoring a mean of 99. 
  • The cruise firms working the cleanest ships in 2025 have been: Viking, Virgin, & Norwegian. 
• The info reveals that impartial manufacturers have a tendency to attain larger than massive conglomerates, and, surprisingly, the age of the ship doesn’t seem to affect a cruise line’s potential to realize an ideal rating. 
• Cruise ships are hotbeds for norovirus and different gastrointestinal sicknesses, of which the CDC reported 23 onboard outbreaks in 2025, a 28% improve over 2024. 
• The info reveals no correlation between the variety of onboard viral outbreaks and sanitation scores, proving that viral sickness can simply unfold on the cleanest of ships.
• Necessary CDC staffing cuts issued by the Trump Administration are anticipated to place pressure on the VSP program within the coming 12 months. This additional highlights the necessity for vacationers to think about the well being dangers related to cruises and to guard themselves with cruise medical coverage. 

CDC Cruise Ship Sanitation & Inspection Scores Defined

The CDC conducts annual sanitation and hygiene inspections on passenger cruise ships as a part of its Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP). Ships are topic to 2 inspections per 12 months. 

Hygiene and sanitation scores are delivered on a 100-point scale, the place scores of 86 and above are thought-about passing, and scores beneath 86 are deemed a failing rating.

Underneath the VSP, the CDC inspects ships and delivers their hygiene score based mostly on cleanliness and compliance with public well being requirements within the following 8 areas:

1. Galleys and Eating Rooms
2. Medical Facilities 
3. Potable Water Programs
4. Heating and Air flow Programs
5. Onboard Pest Administration
6. Swimming Swimming pools and Worldpools
7. Housekeeping
8. Childcare and Exercise Facilities

Though not all the world’s cruise ships are inspected, the VSP’s jurisdiction permits it to examine ships that: 

• Carry 13 passengers or extra
• Have worldwide itineraries with stops at U.S. ports. 

The VSP additionally displays onboard outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses, opinions ship design plans, and trains cruise workers for compliance with public well being requirements.

Cleanest Cruise Ships – Ranked

In 2025, 21 ships scored an ideal rating of 100 to rank because the cleanest cruise ships passing by American waters. These account for roughly 13% of all ships inspected in 2025.

Notably, Royal Caribbean and Viking had the very best variety of ships on the record, at 5 ships and 4 ships, respectively. 

Beneath is a listing of the 21 cleanest cruise ships in 2025, ranked by inspection date, beginning with the latest.

Maybe some of the stunning developments noticed amongst these top-scoring ships is that age doesn’t seem like a consider cleanliness and sanitation. 

For instance, Royal Caribbean’s Journey of the Seas (debuted in 2001) is a 24-year-old ship that sits alongside the Utopia of the Seas (debuted in 2024), with each receiving the highest rating of 100.

Time and time once more, we noticed this development repeated, and over 1 / 4 of the profitable ships are a minimum of ten years outdated. 

Cleanest Cruise Strains – Ranked

Understanding which vessels are among the many cleanest ships on the ocean is a good begin, however we needed to make clear which cruise strains had the cleanest fleets. 

To do that, we took all the scores from 2025 and grouped them by cruise line to seek out the typical sanitation rating per model. 

Viking Ocean, Viking Expedition, and Crystal Cruises tied for the highest spot because the cleanest cruise strains, every receiving a mean rating of 99 out of 100 for his or her fleets.  

The info reveals that the highest 10 cleanest cruise strains have been: 

1. Viking Ocean Cruises II Ltd.
2. Viking Expedition Operations
3. Crystal Cruises LTD
4. Oceania Cruises
5. P&O Cruises
6. Japan Grace
7. Virgin Voyages
8. Norwegian Cruise Strains
9. Superstar Cruises
10. Royal Caribbean Worldwide

Viking stood out for the truth that two of its manufacturers hit the highest spots: Viking Ocean and Viking Expedition. 

Notably, cruise strains with bigger fleets are inclined to rank barely decrease than these with smaller fleets; nonetheless, Viking was the key exception. 

Right here is the complete record of every cruise line’s common sanitation score based mostly on mixed scores from its fleet of vessels: 

Just like how ships are owned by a cruise line, many cruise strains are owned and operated by bigger guardian corporations or cruise conglomerates. 

Learn on to see how we reviewed the information and grouped vessels by their guardian firm or cruise conglomerate to view the typical rank for big organizations.

Cleanest Cruise Ships by Company

To get a greater understanding of how cleanliness and hygiene requirements differ from firm to firm, we reviewed the 2025 sanitation information and grouped the assorted cruise strains by their guardian firm or cruise conglomerate to get a mean rating for every guardian firm. 

The info reveals that the impartial manufacturers are typically cleaner than massive conglomerates. 

Cruise ships from Viking and Virgin, each impartial manufacturers, obtained the very best common sanitation scores amongst massive cruise conglomerates. This was adopted by the same development with Disney, whose ships ranked 4th for the very best common sanitation scores when in comparison with different cruise guardian corporations that owned and operated a number of manufacturers.

Comparatively, Carnival and Royal Caribbean, as guardian corporations, obtained the bottom common sanitation scores when factoring within the ships from all the different cruise strains they function as conglomerates. 

For reference, here’s a have a look at who owns which cruise strains and the typical rating they obtained as a bunch.

Be aware: Viking River, Costa, and Aida weren’t a part of the 2025 information report*

It’s vital to notice that every one of those manufacturers rating very extremely and obtain wonderful sanitation scores of 94 and better. 

2025 Failed Cruise Ship Inspections

In 2025, just one ship failed inspection. The Villa Vie Odyssey obtained a failing rating of 81 out of 100. 

Apparently, the Villa Vie Odyssey is assessed as a luxurious round-the-world perpetual cruise ship with passengers paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to stay on the ship full-time for a three-year voyage.

This ship failed inspection on a number of fronts, however essentially the most notable failures got here from its potable consuming water programs, which had inadequate ranges of chlorine, round 100 unapproved plumbing valves, and a direct connection to greywater programs, which elevated the chance of contaminating the consuming water on board. 

The inspectors additionally cited galley cleanliness, meals security dangers, pest points (fruit flies), lacking hand cleaning soap in restrooms, and unsafe pool drainage programs that risked trapping swimmers. 

This isn’t the primary disaster to plague the vessel. It turned well-known in 2024 for getting stranded in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as a result of rudder and gearbox points, leaving passengers dwelling in inns for 9 months whereas the ship obtained repairs. 

Cruise Ships that Practically Failed Inspection in 2025

Though just one ship failed inspections in 2025, three others got here shut by, solely receiving the bottom passing rating of 86 out of 100. 

The Three Cruise Ships that Practically Failed Inspection in 2025 have been:

1. The Victory I 
2. The Carnival Pleasure
3. The Stad Amsterdam

Though the record of 21 cleanest cruise ships confirmed that older ships can nonetheless obtain the highest rating, it’s price noting that all the ships on the record of close to failures are round 25 years outdated. 

The desk beneath reveals the ships that obtained the bottom passing rating of 86, ranked by the latest inspection date.

Understanding Historic Information on Failed Inspections

Although solely one ship failed in 2025, inspection outcomes from the previous decade present a huge enchancment in compliance with the CDC’s public well being requirements. 

As seen within the desk beneath, 2017 will be thought-about the low level for cruise hygiene and well being requirements. That 12 months, 14 vessels failed the sanitation inspections, which prompted the CDC to clamp down on coaching and security measures. 

Since then, VSP inspection failures have averaged round one vessel failure per 12 months, with 2021 and 2022 seeing no failures in any respect. 

The desk beneath reveals the variety of cruise ships that failed the CDC’s sanitation inspections every year over the previous 12 years.

Cruise Ship Inspection Failures within the Previous 5 Years

Here’s a record of all of the cruise ships that obtained a submitting sanitation rating over the previous 5 years. 

Gastrointestinal Outbreaks on Cruises in 2025

It’s not unusual for cruise ships to have massive outbreaks of sicknesses resembling COVID-19 or norovirus. The CDC notes that shut quarters with lots of of individuals can result in fast transmission of viral sicknesses by person-to-person contact.

Aside from the routine well being and hygiene inspections, the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program tracks outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses on board. 

Greater than 3% of a vessel’s onboard inhabitants have to be contaminated by the sickness for it to seem throughout the CDC’s stories. 

In 2025, the CDC reported 23 gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships, which was a 28% improve in reported instances versus the earlier 12 months.

The most typical sickness reported is Norovirus, which was chargeable for 17 of the 23 reported outbreaks in 2025, or roughly 74% or instances. 

Beneath is the complete record of gastrointestinal sickness outbreaks on cruise ships in 2025 as reported by the CDC:

Though this information reveals how frequent gastrointestinal sickness outbreaks are on cruise ships, it’s vital to notice that an outbreak doesn’t essentially imply a ship is unclean. That is evidenced by there being 23 outbreaks, regardless of just one failing sanitation rating in 2025.

A number of of the ships in query had repeat outbreaks; nonetheless, when cross-referencing the reported sicknesses with the ship’s hygiene rating, we are able to see that every one of those ships rating wonderful scores for well being and hygiene. 

The desk beneath reveals a listing of ships that had repeated onboard outbreaks in 2025 and their wonderful sanitation scores. 

Why Does This Information Matter?

This information reiterates the significance of vacationers contemplating their well being and security when planning a cruise. 

Though sanitation and hygiene requirements have improved on cruises since their low level in 2017, cruise ships carry collectively folks from numerous components of the world to stay in shut proximity, which raises the dangers of publicity to sicknesses unfold by human contact. 

Extra elements like enclosed HVAC programs working in high-humidity environments, mass onboard consuming water programs, and meals security practices increase the dangers of viral outbreaks. For instance, COVID-19 ran rampant on cruise ships throughout the pandemic. 

Defending Your Well being on Cruise Holidays

Current adjustments by the Trump Administration have cut CDC staff working on the Vessel Sanitation Program, which may impression the well being and security of future cruises. 

Given this information and the frequency of gastrointestinal viral outbreaks on board cruises, as evidenced by this report, it is very important think about having correct journey safety. Cruise travel insurance may also help you shield your well being in the event you get sick whereas away, but additionally shield your funds in case you are pressured to change or cancel your journey as a result of an outbreak. 

These days, norovirus is likely one of the commonest points vacationers face when taking a cruise. If the cruise earlier than you is contaminated by norovirus, you probably gained’t be capable to cancel your journey and nonetheless obtain a refund until you’ve gotten the right journey insurance coverage in place. Cruisers ought to think about choosing Cancel For Any Reason insurance, which might will let you cancel your journey in case you are involved about catching a virus and nonetheless obtain a refund. 

Medical amenities on cruise ships are geared up as clinics to offer triage and pressing care, however extra critical circumstances might require remedy at a better-equipped facility on shore. Travel Medical coverage can reimburse you for medical payments and in addition pay for a Medical Evacuation to shore ought to your situation warrant it. 

Given the information on this report, it’s additionally vital to think about the sanitation rating of the ship it’s possible you’ll board. 

If you’re involved concerning the well being and hygiene of your cruise ship’s infirmary, your journey insurance coverage’s 24-hour support team can even help in serving to you entry high quality medical amenities on shore. 

FAQs: Cleanest Cruise Strains

How clear is Royal Caribbean Cruise Line?

Royal Caribbean Worldwide ranks because the sixth cleanest cruise line based mostly on 2025 information from the CDC. Royal Caribbean’s fleet obtained a mean sanitation score of 97.12 out of 100. That stated, Royal Caribbean additionally had 5 of its vessels on the record of the cleanest cruise ships, all of which obtained an ideal rating. 

How clear is Carnival Cruise Line?

Carnival Cruise Strains ranked because the eleventh cleanest cruise line in 2025, and obtained a mean sanitation rating of 95.38 based mostly on information from the CDC. Carnival had 1 ship on the record of 2025’s cleanest cruises. The Carnival Luminosa obtained an ideal rating of 100 for assembly the CDC’s well being and hygiene requirements. 

How clear is Princess Cruise Line?

In line with CDC inspection information, Princess Cruises is kind of clear and obtained a mean sanitation score of 94.43 in 2025. Versus different cruise strains, it ranked decrease on the record because the thirteenth cleanest cruise line in 2025.

How clear is Superstar Cruise Line?

Superstar Cruises ranks as one of many cleanest cruise strains in 2025 based mostly on information from the CDC. It obtained a mean sanitation rating of 97.13, rating it because the fifth cleanest cruise line. Superstar tied for fifth with Norwegian Cruise Strains. 

How clear is Norwegian Cruise Line?

As a cruise line, Norwegian obtained a mean sanitation rating of 97.13 for its fleet of vessels in 2025. Versus different cruise strains, Norwegian ranks close to the highest because the fifth cleanest cruise line, based mostly on information from the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program. Norwegian Cruise Strains tied for fifth with Superstar Cruises. 

How clear is MSC Cruise Line?

MSC cruise strains function very clear ships. As in comparison with different cruise strains, it ranks across the center by way of cleanliness. In 2025, MSC obtained a mean sanitation rating of 96.83 out of 100 for its fleet. 

How clear is Viking Cruise Line?

Viking Ocean and Viking Expeditions tied for first place with Crystal Cruises because the cleanest cruise line in 2025. Each of Viking’s fleets scored a mean of 99 out of 100 for sanitation, well being, and hygiene based mostly on information from the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program.

How clear is Virgin Cruise Line?

Virgin Voyages is likely one of the cleanest cruise strains round. In 2025, its vessels obtained a mean sanitation score of 97.67 out of 100. Virgin Voyages ranked 4th for the cleanest cruise strains in 2025. 

Cleanest Cruises Methodology

Beneath is an in depth have a look at the methodology used for the information and evaluation behind our research of the cleanest cruises.

Information Assortment

This report is predicated on information from the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, which supplies sanitation stories on cruise ships passing by U.S. ports. Our evaluation targeted on yearly sanitation inspection stories from 2014 to 2025 for ships carrying 13 or extra passengers passing by ports in the USA. Ships are topic to 2 inspections per 12 months, however not all ships are inspected and included within the stories. 

Information from the CDC’s VSP stories have been cross-referenced with information from the VSP’s viral outbreak stories displaying gastrointestinal sicknesses that affected a minimum of 3% of passengers on board.

Information Evaluation

Our staff manually analyzed, filtered, grouped, and correlated the CDC information to identify underlying developments highlighted in our report, together with:

• Common Sanitation Rating by Fleet: We manually aggregated vessel sanitation scores and grouped vessels by their respective cruise line to realize a mean sanitation rating for every cruise line. 
• Common Sanitation Rating by Cruise Conglomerate: To find out how impartial cruise strains’ sanitation scores in comparison with massive conglomerates, we researched and recognized the guardian firm of every cruise line to calculate a mean sanitation rating throughout all subsidiaries.
• Correlation of Sanitation Rating with Vessel Age: We in contrast the age of the vessels (based mostly on their 12 months of debut) to their sanitation score to find out if age impacted the ship’s potential to attain extremely.
• Correlation of Viral Outbreaks with Sanitation Rating: We cross-referenced ships with 2025 viral outbreaks versus their sanitation rating to find out if dirtier ships noticed extra outbreaks. 

Sources