Checking how cruise ships are built is one of the main ways CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) tackles public health risks on board. It reviews construction plans against its public health design standards — guidance it has shared since 1997.
Image from CDC's page on Vessel Sanitation Program construction activities
What ship owners can request
Owners and shipyards building or renovating cruise ships can ask for:
- plan and equipment reviews;
- onsite inspections at the shipyard during construction;
- final construction inspections of new or renovated ships before their first or next routine operational inspection.
How: send an official written request to the VSP Chief more than 45 days before the date wanted — earlier is better. Requests are granted as staff allow. At least one representative who can answer questions and make changes must attend each review or inspection.
What the reviews cover
Plan reviews analyze the design and suggest ways to reduce health risks, generally in five areas:
| Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Equipment and facilities | standards, parts, placement and hygiene requirements |
| Food areas | buffet lines, galleys, provision rooms, refrigerators, bars and dining rooms |
| Warewashing and waste | proper setup and handling |
| Pools and spas | drains, pumps, filters, safety and disinfection |
| Water systems | bunkering, storage, distribution, disinfection, and cross-connection and backflow prevention |
VSP does not test, certify, endorse or approve equipment or materials; it recognizes certification by independent testing laboratories, and manufacturers should not ask VSP to approve their products. Ship owners choose the design and equipment that suit them — but it must meet VSP's sanitary design and operational inspection standards.
What it costs
Plan reviews and consultations are free. Onsite construction and renovation inspections carry a fee based on ship size — double the operational inspection rate, because they take several days rather than one:
| Ship size (gross tonnage) | Inspection fee |
|---|---|
| Tier 1: under 30,000 GT | $16,146 |
| Tier 2: 30,001–110,000 GT | $32,292 |
| Tier 3: 110,001–180,000 GT | $64,584 |
| Tier 4: over 180,001 GT | $129,168 |
Gross tonnage as shown in Lloyd's Register of Shipping. The fee schedule is also published in the Federal Register.
Sources
Based on "Construction-related Activities," Vessel Sanitation Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.cdc.gov
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