Carnival Cruise Line's Fantasy cruise ship failed an inspection by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control in July, earning poor marks for filmy pool water, brown water coming from shower hoses in medical areas, dirty tableware mixed with clean, and bagels and bread with flies on them.
The July inspection is the worst in the cruise liner's history, with Fantasy getting a 77 out of 100, below the 85 score needed to pass muster with the CDC and lower than the ship's previous low of 78 in 1990.
Two other Carnival ships passed inspection last month under the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program, with the ship Inspiration scoring a 97 and Imagination at 94. The CDC is an agency within the United States Public Health Service, or USPH.
"The results for Fantasy are not reflective of our robust standards and dedicated commitment to our guests' health and safety. We have already taken corrective action, added additional staff and asked USPH for a re-inspection as soon as possible, with every expectation that we will exceed USPH standards," a company spokesperson stated in an email.
Cruise ships are subject to two unannounced inspections a year, with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Majesty of the Seas also failing an inspection last month, scoring 82.
"We are in support of the Vessel Sanitation Program. Our shipboard teams are focused on providing high health standards for our guests and are always aiming for a score of 100%," emailed a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean.
In June, Carnival Corp., the world's largest cruise line, agreed to pay a $20 million federal penalty because its ships continued to pollute oceans despite a prior criminal conviction meant to stop the conduct.
