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Inspectors give Carnival Cruise Line one of its worst sanitation grades ever

Inspectors found flies on bread and bagels, shower hoses discharging brown water and dirty cups and bowls on clean dish racks.
Image: Carnival Fantasy
The Carnival FantasyBruce Smith / AP file

The Carnival Cruise Line ship “Fantasy” has earned one of the company’s worst sanitation inspection reports ever, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Inspectors with the agency who examined the 855-foot ship last month detailed dozens of problems, including a salad bar with “not less than 15 small flies” on bagels and bread, shower hoses in the medical center that discharged brown water and “soiled” cups and bowls on a galley storage rack meant for clean dishes.

The report also documented cases of intestinal infections among employees that were not properly handled.

"Fantasy" scored a failing 77 out of 100, the third worst grade in the agency’s archive of reports for the cruise line.

The dubious distinction of worst grade for the cruise line belongs to the Carnival “Legend,” which scored a 71 in 2006.

Other cruise lines did worse, with some ships earning marks in the 50s and 60s. In 1998, a Japanese ship scored a 36.

In a statement, Carnival said the results of the "Fantasy" inspection “are not reflective of our robust standards and dedicated commitment to our guests' health and safety.”

The statement added that the company had already taken corrective action and asked authorities to re-inspect the ship.

The company's “corrective action statement” had not yet been submitted to the CDC on Monday, however.

“Fantasy,” which is based at the port of Mobile, in Alabama, can carry more than 2,000 passengers and has more than 1,000 staterooms, according to the company.