🕒 Created

National Geographic Sea Lion Barely Passes CDC Health Inspection with a Minimum Score of 86

The National Geographic Sea Lion, a 62-guest expedition ship, received a score of 86 during a recent unannounced health inspection by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vessel Sanitation Program. This score represents the minimum passing threshold, as the CDC considers any score of 85 or below to be unsatisfactory. The inspection revealed 42 deficiencies, including rusted utensils in the kitchen, improper food storage practices, and discrepancies in acute gastroenteritis (AGE) reporting. Specifically, inspectors noted that approximately 50 containers of dairy products were discarded due to high refrigerator temperatures, and frozen fish was stored on open metal stairs, potentially exposing it to debris. For the third consecutive time, the National Geographic Sea Lion has achieved this minimum passing score, following similar results in 2016 and 2017. While the ship is officially considered satisfactory, the high number of cited violations highlights the need for corrective actions. The cruise line is required to submit a corrective action report to the CDC to address these sanitation and hygiene issues.

Sources