The cruise community has been sharing concerns over the safety of cruises following layoffs as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prompting a response from the agency.
Despite growing concern across social media and within the cruise community, the CDC has confirmed that sanitation inspections and outbreak response efforts aboard cruise ships will not be impacted.
This is despite the significant layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) earlier this month.
Worries intensified after reports revealed that employees of the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) – the unit responsible for monitoring, tracking, and managing gastrointestinal illnesses on cruise ships – were laid off.
The timing was especially alarming as the Seabourn Encore docked in Miami on Wednesday, 10th April with 35 confirmed cases of norovirus among passengers and crew following a 3½-week voyage.
Cruise fans and frequent travellers quickly voiced their concerns online, worried that a reduction in CDC oversight could lead to more unchecked outbreaks on ships already battling record-high norovirus transmission.
However, a CDC spokesperson has since offered assurances that VSP operations will continue uninterrupted.
The work is being carried out by U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) commissioned officers, who were not affected by the recent staffing cuts.
Ongoing Norovirus Surge Fuels Alarm
Concerns about the layoffs were exacerbated by a recent surge in norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships, particularly those operating in and out of Florida, home to seven major cruise ports.
The CDC has already logged 12 cruise ship outbreaks in the first four months of 2025, with 10 linked to Florida.
According to Verily’s wastewater surveillance programme, several sites in South Florida and Central Florida – including areas near PortMiami and Port Canaveral – have shown persistently high levels of Norovirus GII since late 2024.
Despite the CDC’s assurances, reports suggest that only one epidemiologist remains assigned to the VSP’s outbreak investigation team, and that individual is still undergoing training.
This has left some industry observers wondering whether the same level of oversight and rapid outbreak response can be maintained with a reduced team – especially as high passenger volumes continue during the peak cruising season.
The CDC, however, reiterated that key VSP duties – including unannounced ship inspections, monitoring and reporting outbreaks, and providing sanitation guidance to cruise lines – are ongoing.
During the Seabourn Encore outbreak, for instance, the VSP remotely monitored the ship’s sanitation procedures and cleaning protocols.
What Is the Vessel Sanitation Program?
The Vessel Sanitation Program plays a vital role in keeping cruise ships safe and sanitary for passengers and crew. Responsibilities include:
- Conducting unannounced inspections of ships sailing in US waters
- Monitoring and assisting with gastrointestinal outbreaks
- Reviewing new and renovated ship plans
- Processing variances for onboard sanitation systems
Ships are rated on a 100-point scale during inspections, with a score of 86 or higher required to pass. Inspections are published online and often influence public perception of cruise cleanliness and safety.
Although staffing changes at the CDC and HHS have understandably raised alarm bells, the agency insists cruise sanitation inspections are not in jeopardy.
However, with norovirus transmission at elevated levels, passengers are encouraged to stay vigilant, practise good hygiene, and report any symptoms of illness while onboard.
For now, it appears the checks and safeguards that protect cruise health are still firmly in place – even if the team behind them has seen major restructuring.
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