Koningsdam Scores Second 100 in United States Public Health Inspection

Holland America Line’s ms Koningsdam earned its second perfect score of 100 on a routine United States Public Health (USPH) inspection conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — making it two out of two for the premium cruise ship.

Koningsdam’s unannounced USPH inspection was held March 12, 2017, during a turnaround in Fort Lauderdale at Port Everglades, Florida, at the start of a 10-day Caribbean cruise. The perfect score is the second for the ship that launched in April 2016 and that earned a 100 on its first U.S.P.H. inspection in December. This score of 100 follows on the heels of sister ships ms Oosterdam and ms Eurodam achieving perfect scores in March and January, respectively.

“Our streak of receiving perfect public health scores is the result of incredibly hard-working staff, dedication to operating at the highest standards and a commitment to providing the finest cruise vacations,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “Turn-around days are challenging with disembarking guests and preparing the ship for new guests just a few hours later. So adding an unannounced public health inspection and then scoring 100 is something to be highly commended. Congratulations to everyone on Koningsdam for this outstanding achievement.”

Along with Oosterdam and Eurodam in 2017, six Holland America Line ships previously earned perfect scores in 2016, including Koningsdam, ms Maasdam, ms Veendam, ms Noordam, and ms Westerdam. The year prior seven ships received 10 perfect scores: Eurodam, Noordam, Veendam, ms Zuiderdam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Ryndam, and ms Statendam.

CDC inspections are part of the Vessel Sanitation Program, which was introduced in the early 1970s and is required for all passenger ships that call at a U.S. port. The inspections are unannounced and are carried out by officials from the United States Public Health Service twice a year for every cruise ship. Health Canada's Cruise Ship Inspection Program harmonizes with the United States’ CDC Vessel Sanitation Program, and inspections are conducted once a year when cruise ships visit Canadian ports.

The score, on a scale from one to 100, is assigned on the basis of a checklist involving dozens of areas of assessment encompassing hygiene and sanitation of food (from storage to preparation), overall galley cleanliness, water, shipboard personnel and the ship as a whole.

For more information about Holland America Line, visit HollandAmerica.com.

Image Courtesy Holland America Line