Cruise Ship Fails Health Inspection with Worst Score of the Year

Scoring an 81 in Chemistry class in highschool may be a passing grade, however on the earth of CDC cruise ship inspections, it’s low sufficient to earn a failing grade.

For the residents of the Odyssey, the promise was easy: a three-and-a-half-year journey world wide on a ship they might name residence. However a latest failed well being inspection by the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) is the newest in a sequence of setbacks for the vessel and its operator, Villa Vie Residences.

This story is greater than only a dangerous rating; it’s a take a look at the challenges of changing an older ship right into a full-time residence for 900+ residents.

The Failed Inspection and its Findings

On July 9, 2025, the Odyssey was inspected by the CDC and obtained a rating of 81, the bottom inspection rating of the 12 months up to now.

A passing grade is 86 and some ships this 12 months barely scrapped by. The inspection report revealed quite a few points, with probably the most critical considerations centered on the ship’s potable water system.

Learn extra: 15 cruise ships that scored an ideal 100 this 12 months up to now

The report indicated that in water bunkering operations, chlorine ranges within the ingesting water have been constantly under the required minimal and that no corrective motion was taken. A significant security hazard was additionally recognized: a drain line from the water purification system was hard-piped to a grey water tank, making a danger of cross-contamination.

Different points have been discovered all through the ship, together with:

Meals Security and Gear: Inspectors discovered a greasy waffle iron saved with clear gadgets, together with a number of fridges and different food-holding models that have been out of service.  One word said that some meals was held at unsafe temperatures (like cream at 56°F).
Common Upkeep: Issues with poor deck circumstances, dusty overhead areas, and standing water have been famous. Even the swimming swimming pools have been cited for not having correct security indicators and depth markers.
Pest Management: The presence of fruit flies in a pantry pointed to a pest management drawback.

The Ship’s Troubled Previous

The Odyssey isn’t a brand new ship, and it hasn’t been easy crusing for some time. It’s a 30-year-old vessel that has sailed underneath completely different names and homeowners, most not too long ago because the MS Braemar. Villa Vie Residences bought it in late 2023 with the aim of changing it right into a residential cruise ship.

This conversion course of, nevertheless, had its bumps alongside the way in which.

The ship’s maiden voyage, which was supposed to start out in Might 2024, was delayed a number of instances as a consequence of technical points, together with issues with the rudder shares.

The corporate’s founder, Mikael Petterson, has overtly mentioned the difficulties of reactivating a 30-year-old ship that had been sitting round for a number of years.

So, What’s Subsequent?

The Odyssey is now out of U.S. waters, so a re-inspection gained’t occur till it returns to a U.S. port.

Nevertheless, the corporate is required to repair all the issues discovered within the report. Petterson has identified that most of the points are a results of the ship’s age and design, because it wasn’t constructed to right this moment’s U.S. public well being requirements.

He has additionally famous that the ship has handed different well being inspections since leaving Europe. The corporate states it’s taking the suggestions severely and is assured a future inspection will lead to a passing rating.