Top 10 cleanest cruise lines ranked after surprise CDC sanitation inspections

The cleanest cruise ships have been revealed in a new study — and some of the findings may surprise cruise lovers.The study, which compiled data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) annual health and hygiene inspections, ranked a number of popular cruise lines as the most sanitary.“The data shows that independent brands tend to score higher than large conglomerates, and, surprisingly, the age of the ship doesn’t appear to influence a cruise line’s ability to achieve a perfect score,” according to the study by Florida-based Squaremouth Travel Insurance.Cruise ships were graded on a 100-point scale.To pass inspection, ships must score 86 or above. The Viking Ocean Cruises II Ltd., Viking Expedition Operations and Crystal Cruises were tied as the cleanest cruise lines, according to the study.

Each cruise line scored a 99 out of 100.“The federal government’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), established in 1975 to work with the cruise industry to protect travelers’ health, is critical for the health and safety of passengers, staff and the locations that cruise ships visit,” Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, an infection prevention expert and epidemiologist, told Fox News Digital.Oceania Cruises, P&O Cruises, Japan Grace, Virgin Voyages, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International completed the top 10 cleanest cruise line list.Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas ship, which premiered in 2001, ranked high in the CDC’s list — proving that age is not necessarily linked to cleanliness.All the ships in the top 10 scored higher than 97.12.“Ships participating in the VSP can expect two unannounced inspections every year, with a focus on medical facilities, potable water systems, swimming pools and whirlpool baths, galleys and dining rooms, child activity centers, cabins, ventilation systems and common areas,” Macgregor-Skinner said.Viking, Virgin and Norwegian w...