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Inspections

Periodic Operational Sanitation Inspections

Why are periodic operational sanitation inspections conducted?

CDC inspectors conduct operational sanitation inspections to determine how well ships are operating and maintaining sanitation standards in accordance with the VSP 2011 Operations Manual [PDF - 2.9 MB]. Inspectors provide public health guidance to cruise ship staff when standards are out of compliance and at the end of the inspection, write a report describing inspection findings and recommendations. Inspections are conducted while a ship is in a U.S. port.

What do CDC inspectors examine during a periodic sanitation inspection?

Depending on the size of the ship, one to four inspectors will examine a ship to determine if it complies with the public health standards found in the VSP 2011 Operations Manual [PDF - 2.9 MB]. The major areas that CDC inspects include the following parts of the ship:

medical facilities: for gastrointestinal illness surveillance documentation and medical logs;
potable water systems: for source to storage, distribution, protection and any cross-connection, and the disinfection process;
swimming pools and whirlpool spas: for filtration, disinfection, general maintenance, and safety;
galleys and dining rooms: for food protection during sourcing, provisioning, storage, preparation, and service. Employee health and personal hygiene are evaluated as well as facility equipment maintenance and dishwashing;
child activity centers: for properly equipped diaper changing stations, toilets, and handwashing stations; facility disinfection; infection control for ill children;
hotel accommodations: for routine cleaning sequences and infection control procedures during outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness, including the use of appropriate disinfectants and outbreak policies;
ventilation systems: for maintenance and cleaning of air handling systems; and
common areas of the ship: for integrated pest management strategies, general cleanliness, and maintenance.

At the conclusion of each inspection, CDC inspectors meet with ship management to discuss inspection violations and provide them with a draft report. Within 2 weeks of the inspection, CDC sends a final copy of the inspection report to the corresponding cruise line.

How frequently are ships inspected?

Cruise ships under VSP’s jurisdiction are subject to two inspections each year. If a ship sails outside of the United States for an extended period of time, it may not be inspected twice a year but will be inspected again when it returns to the United States.

Do ships know when the inspection will occur?

The twice-yearly inspections are unannounced.

How are cruise ships scored?

Cruise ships are scored on a 100-point scale. Inspection criteria, defined in the VSP 2011 Operations Manual [PDF - 2.9 MB], are assigned a point value (the major areas are listed above); when the criteria are violated, inspection points are deducted from the score. Points are deducted from that score based on significance. An 85 or below is considered a failing score. All scores are posted on the VSP Web site.

Are ships required to correct violations from the inspection?

Yes. Some of the violations are corrected during the inspection while others may take longer to correct. Although ships are responsible for correcting all violations, some critical violations must be corrected immediately. Each ship must submit a Corrective Action Statement that states how the violations were corrected.

What happens if a ship fails an inspection?

Ships that fail inspections are re-inspected within a reasonable time period of the failure. If a ship fails an inspection because of an imminent public health risk, VSP may recommend that the ship not sail. Imminent public health risks include the following violations:

inability to properly chlorinate potable water;
inability to keep food within safe temperatures;
inadequate facilities for cleaning and sanitizing equipment;
an infectious disease outbreak where continuing normal operations may subject newly arriving passengers to disease.

Where can I find inspection scores and reports?

Inspection reports and scores as well as corrective action statements are available on the VSP Web site.

How much do inspections cost?

Cruise ship owners pay a fee based on the ship’s size for operational inspections and reinspections.

Fee Schedule, October 1, 2011-September 30, 2012

Vessel Size	GRT¹	Fee (in U.S. dollars)
Extra Small	< 3,000	1,300
Small	3,001—15,000	2,600
Medium	15,001—30,000	5,200
Large	30,001—60,000	7,800
Extra Large	60,001—120,000	10,400
Mega	>120,001	15,600

¹Gross register tonnage in cubic feet, as shown in Lloyd's Register of Shipping.

The fee schedule is also posted in the Federal Register.

Consultation for Construction and Renovation Inspections

When do construction and renovation inspections occur?

At the request of the cruise industry, CDC provides consultation during the construction and renovation of cruise ships. We conduct plan reviews to analyze the ship’s design to eliminate environmental health risks and to incorporate modifications that create healthy environments. CDC involvement may include:

reviewing construction/renovation plans;
performing shipyard inspections; and
performing final construction inspections.

What’s involved in a construction/renovation inspection?

Construction inspections are based on the VSP 2011 Construction Guidelines [PDF - 2.9 MB]. General areas that CDC inspects include the following:

equipment and facilities: for standards, parts, and placements and hygiene requirements; food areas: for buffet lines, galleys, provision rooms, refrigerators, bar areas, and dining rooms;
warewashing and waste management: for proper setup and handling;
swimming pools and whirlpool spas: for drains, pumps, filters, safety, and disinfection; and
water systems: for bunkering, storage, distribution, disinfection, and cross-connections/backflow prevention.

After an inspection, we may recommend that the ship include more handwashing stations, change the location of these stations, or install backflow prevention devices on hairwashing stations connected to the potable water line in the ship’s spa.

At the conclusion of each review or inspection, the cruise line and/or construction company is provided with a report that indicates recommended changes to the ship’s design.

How much do construction/renovation inspections cost?

Cruise ship owners pay a fee based on the ship’s size for onsite construction and renovation inspections. (VSP does not charge a fee for plan reviews or consultations related to renovations or new cruise ships.)

Fee Schedule, October 1, 2011-September 30, 2012