Vessel Sanitation Training

Cruise ship supervisors: Learn about our training seminars on public health practices.

What type of training does VSP offer?

VSP seminars address public health practices that are important for protection of cruise ship passengers and crew.

We offer a 2.5-day training course to teach cruise ship supervisors the public health practices specified in the current VSP Operations Manual. Only cruise ship management staff from cruise lines that are part of VSP can sign up for seminars. Class sizes are limited to maximize opportunities for seminar participation. Seminars are led by the VSP Epidemiologists and Environmental Health Officers who conduct the twice-yearly unannounced inspections.

White woman in a beige uniform pointing to a white board and speaking to an audience.

What do cruise ship supervisors learn during the course?

Attendees will learn about public health practices specified in the current VSP Operations Manual. During the course, attendees can ask specific questions about our requirements and how they relate to their work. Students structure each session with their questions about the public health principles in the operations manual. The seminar format also allows for more-informal information exchanges outside of class time.

Topics covered during the seminar are grouped in three categories:

Combined Operations

  • Overview of VSP
  • Surveillance, passenger/employee health, and outbreak investigations
  • Equipment and facilities
  • Environmental health
  • Housekeeping and infection control
  • Integrated pest management

Hotel Operations

  • Foodborne hazards and illness
  • Food safety
  • Potable water—food and beverage
  • Recreational water facilities—food and beverage
  • Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)

Technical Operations

  • Waterborne illnesses
  • Water chemistry
  • Potable water
  • Recreational water facilities
  • Cross-connection control
  • Food protection and HACCP—technical