10 Popular Cruise Ships That Are Absolutely Filthy
Cruises sell the fantasy of carefree luxury, buffets, sunsets, fancy cocktails, and zero stress. But not every ship lives up to the illusion. These otherwise luxury cruise ships got into the limelight for all the wrong reasons, such as questionable food hygiene, unclean cabins, neglected pool decks, and lackluster maintenance.
Some of the cruise ships on our list have racked up surprisingly low health inspection scores from the CDC, while others have made waves due to bad reviews from real passengers. And just a heads-up: we’ve saved the filthiest cruise ship for last, so you’ll want to stick around until the end.
NCL Prima’s Cramped and Dirty Spaces
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Norwegian’s Prima is pretty compact, which should make things easier to clean, right? Wrong. Tight quarters and full bookings mean overflowing bins, sticky elevators, and messes that linger longer than they should. The ship’s modern design can’t hide what the mop missed.
Costa Smeralda’s Catastrophic Reviews
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Here’s a fun fact: Costa Smeralda holds the lowest user rating on Cruise Critic—just 2.2 stars. And no, that’s not out of 3. Grimy cabins, sparse housekeeping, and buffet areas that resemble food fights more than fine dining round out the guest experience. Pack your patience.
MSC Seascape’s Style Over Substance
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Though it appears modern on the outside, the MSC Seascape has cleanliness issues lurking beneath the sleek design. Guests have spotted questionable poolside cleanliness and food stations lacking basic hygiene supervision. For a ship marketed as new and upscale, the reviews say otherwise.
Carnival Sunrise’s Overcrowding Concerns
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Outdated decor and structural inefficiencies contribute to Carnival Sunrise’s dirty ship reputation. Crowded buffets, overwhelmed staff, and delayed housekeeping services lead to visibly dirty floors and bathrooms during peak travel times.
Costa Fortuna’s Lingering Maintenance Issues
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Costa Fortuna continues to disappoint. While the CDC hasn’t recently knocked on Costa Fortuna’s door, cruisers definitely have, and with complaints. Mildew smells, clogged restrooms, and sticky dining spaces make it feel more like a forgotten hostel than a floating hotel.
Crystal Serenity’s Slightly Tarnished Reputation
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Crystal used to mean class, but Serenity got a less-than-tranquil 89 in its February 2024 inspection. There were minor food area missteps and lapses in cleaning logs—not terrible, but enough to smudge the shine on its otherwise classy image.
Carnival Elation’s Routine Lapses
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With a name like Elation, you’d expect good vibes all around. But the cruise matched the 89 score in its March 2024 inspection, which tells a less cheery story. Long-standing complaints include funky odors in the halls, stained carpets, and less-than-crisp housekeeping. Who knew “vintage” came with this much lint?
Adventure of the Seas Hits a Hygiene Plateau
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Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas hit an 89 in January 2024, but reviews suggest it’s more relic than ride. The aging restrooms and pool decks need some serious TLC, and the “adventure” part might involve navigating dated fixtures and questionable surfaces.
Seabird’s Low Score for a Small Ship
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Lindblad’s Seabird is tiny—like, less-than-100-passengers tiny. But even that size couldn’t help keep things well-maintained or tidy. This July 2024 CDC score of 88 suggests even eco-adventures need better trash routines and food handling. Exploring nature in this cruise means dodging dirty dishes, too.
Carnival Miracle’s Repeated Complaints
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Having scored an 88 in its April 2024 inspection, the Carnival Miracle remains a repeat offender when it comes to cleanliness. Alongside inspection results, cruise reviews frequently mention overflowing trash bins, sticky surfaces, and slow response to maintenance issues in both cabins and shared areas.
MSC Magnifica’s Close Call
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MSC Magnifica nearly failed its CDC inspection with an 86. That February 2024 evaluation noted food safety and cleanliness issues in kitchen spaces. Though passengers sometimes overlook lapses in exchange for MSC’s low fares, sanitation should never be one of them.
EVRima’s Underwhelming Score
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Luxury branding didn’t help the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s EVRima, which scraped by with an 86 in February 2024. Despite its boutique size and premium price point, the unkempt cabins and underwhelming cleanliness raised questions about quality control on high-end vessels.
Carnival Breeze’s Hygiene Misses
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The Carnival Breeze also landed an 86 during a March 2024 inspection. The main issues revolved around dirty public restrooms, leftover debris in common areas, and delays in cabin turnover. As one of Carnival’s larger ships, the challenges of maintaining consistent cleanliness appear to be mounting.
Caribbean Princess Struggles with Sanitation
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Despite being part of a respected fleet, the Caribbean Princess disappointed with a borderline score of 86 in its March 2024 CDC inspection. That’s like getting a C- in food safety. With reports of sticky surfaces and suspect buffet stations, guests might want to pack more than just sunscreen—maybe some hand sanitizer, too.
Hanseatic Inspiration’s Alarming Score
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The Hanseatic Inspiration, operated by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, earned the dubious honor of scoring a 62 on its latest CDC sanitation inspection—a failing grade. The September 2024 inspection uncovered multiple cleanliness violations, far below industry standards.