Cruise operator Cunard has admitted that flagship Queen Mary 2 received an “uncharacteristically low” rating in a recent regular sanitation check by officials in New York.
In a statement issued after details of the inspection were made public, the line said it has addressed all the concerns raised and has changed some of its procedures to make sure the problems do not occur again.
Reports suggested cockroaches and flies were found near one of the £460 million ship’s restaurants. The American Centre for Disease Control and Prevention found 60 hygiene violations and gave the ship a score of 84 out of 100 for cleanliness – anything under 85 is considered a fail.
Inspectors also discovered filthy pool tiles, dirty ice machines, ¬ “heavily soiled” draught beer lines and human hair in an ice-maker. The word “filthy” was reportedly used five times to describe aspects of the ship’s cleanliness following the June 10 inspection.
Cunard said the “uncharacteristically low” score of 84 followed a voluntary Vessel Sanitation Programme (VSP) inspection in New York. “On most previous inspections she has scored over 95, on three occasions achieving the maximum of 100,” the company said.
“The poor assessment on June 10 resulted largely from one small area of the ship’s overall operation. All the issues raised in the report were immediately addressed and have now been corrected.
“Ship and shore management have now redefined certain roles and responsibilities to clarify accountability and the company’s already rigorous training schedule has been stepped up. The company is confident that failings of this nature will not occur again, and that the ship’s VSP scores in the future will return to the customary consistently high level.”