Recent cuts announced by the CDC included potential impacts to a critical health program for the cruise industry. The cuts hit the Vessel Sanitation Program by reducing the number of support staff. Ripples from the changes could impact the cruise lines at every port in the U.S.
What is the Vessel Sanitation Program?
The Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) “helps the cruise industry prevent and control public health issues,” according to the CDC website. Critically, this program gathers information about outbreaks of diseases, like norovirus, on cruise ships and reports it in a public database. This is how we know about illnesses on cruise ships.
As part of the program, cruise ships are also graded on their inspections done through this program. Again, these are all posted publicly.
It is fair to say that these programs are the equivalent of the health department for your local restaurants, but they look at cruise ships. However, VSP is voluntary, and it is funded by the cruise industry. Whenever you take a cruise, part of your fare goes to support this program.
Unclear Impacts of CDC Cuts
At this time, exactly how the cuts will impact the VSP is unknown. In a USA Today article, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the industry’s leading trade organization said, “…public reports have noted that the program is administered and staffed primarily by commissioned US Public Health officers, so we expect programmatic activities to continue in some capacity.”
Those commissioned officers were not included in the cuts by the CDC, but Erik Svendsen, the Director of the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice at the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health, was. VSP is part of that division. However, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy has said that some programs and personnel were mistakenly cut and would be reinstated.
It remains to be seen if any staff that were cut from VSP will be rehired.
These changes come at a moment when there are a growing number of outbreaks. In 2024, the CDC recorded 18 outbreaks on cruise ships, which was up from 14 in 2023. As of April 18, 2025, there have been 13 outbreaks and comparing this to last year, there had been only 6 by the same date.
Industry Growth
This increase in cases correlates to massive growth the cruise industry is experiencing. Which isn’t to say causation, but it does mean that more people are cruising, and more ships are sailing. There are lots of people taking their first cruises because of the comparative value the lines offer over land vacations. With so many people cruising, outbreaks are more likely, simply because of probability.
Each outbreak, though, demands attention from the cruise line and agents at the VSP. This is not only in reporting the outbreak, but agents also advise and may oversee the sanitation efforts to stop the spread. With, potentially, fewer staff and more cruises, the strain on the program may increase.
What can you do?
The easiest way to protect yourself from illness is to wash your hands. Far and away, norovirus is the most common disease reported in these outbreaks. Hand sanitizers have no effect or barely affect the virus, so don’t look to them for help. The best way to protect yourself is to wash your hands thoroughly before eating and after touching any public utensil – like you might at a buffet with serving tongs.
Hand sanitizers can still help with other diseases, like colds and the flu, so don’t write them off entirely. You just also need to wash your hands.
Just in case you need any further motivation to prevent the spread of norovirus, the most common way of contracting the disease is from ingesting tiny particles of fecal matter.
That means, this disease is spread by getting poop in your mouth.
Often, that poop is transferred by food, water, and common area surfaces – like a stair handrail or elevator button.
So, once again, wash your hands.
