The cruise ship Carnival Breeze narrowly passed a surprise UPSH inspection carried out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, receiving the lowest possible passing score.
The unannounced inspection took place on May 14, 2026, while the ship was in Galveston, Texas. Inspectors gave Carnival Breeze final score of 86. Under CDC rules, any score of 85 or lower is considered a failed inspection.
During the inspection, officials documented 36 deficiencies ranging from food safety concerns to sanitation and storage problems in crew and passenger areas.
One finding involved two crew members who experienced symptoms of acute gastroenteritis but continued working until the end of their shifts. According to the inspection report, both crew members were listed in the ship’s log and later reported to the medical center after finishing shift.
Inspectors also identified several food safety violations in different dining and galley areas onboard. In one case, crew members failed to properly label and monitor potentially hazardous food that was being kept under time control in the crew galley and buffet areas. The inspection report noted that some foods remained available for service longer than the ship’s own food safety plan allowed.
Milk served at a crew beverage station was still available after its required discard time had passed. Inspectors also observed improper food storage practices inside a walk-in cooler, where raw chicken, raw steak, ready-to-eat pepperoni, and raw shrimp were stacked in the wrong order, creating a potential cross-contamination risk. The storage arrangement was corrected during the inspection.
Additional findings included a crew member storing a personal water bottle inside a waiter station, wet potable water containers being stored improperly, and a can of butane being kept above clean knives in a galley storage area.
Inspectors also reported that a fly landed on food being served to passengers, but the item was not removed until inspectors intervened.
Among the smaller violations were a martini glass with food residue still present after sanitation and a chipped wine glass that inspectors said could not be properly cleaned because of the damage.
Despite the low score, Carnival Breeze still passed the inspection. The ship has a strong inspection history overall, including five perfect 100 scores over the years. Earlier this year, the vessel received a perfect score during another CDC inspection conducted on January 17, 2026. Its only failed inspection before this latest report happened in 2017.
