Key Aspects:
- Villa Vie Odyssey scored 81 on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vessel Sanitation Program inspection on July 9, 2025.
After a tumultuous start in 2024, things were looking up for Villa Vie Odyssey, the residential cruise ship currently operating her first world voyage. That is, until inspectors from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention’s Vessel Sanitation Program stepped aboard.
The ship, owned by Villa Vie Residences, failed its first CDC inspection on July 9, 2025, with a score of 81. Any score of 85 or below means a cruise ship’s sanitation practices are not satisfactory. In the case of Villa Vie Odyssey, inspectors cited 44 violations.
Some were relatively minor, such as a buffet menu that did not include any asterisks next to foods that may be served raw or undercooked, to more serious conditions related to potable water and insufficient refrigeration of certain foods.
Purification of Potable Water Emerges as an Issue
Multiple violations concerning potable water were cited. Onboard records reviewed by inspectors indicated that chlorine levels were consistently below required levels on at least three days in early June and two days in late June.
Although water testing had been conducted and levels were found to be insufficient, no action was taken to correct the problems. Chlorine is used as a water purification treatment for potable water on cruise ships.
Water issues extended to the ship’s two swimming pools. Neither had safety signs or depth markers, and the ropes attached to safety rings were not long enough to reach across two-thirds of the pools’ width.
Pool drain covers had been painted over, and all hot tubs were out of order. Neither pool had hair and lint strainers.
Cleanliness, Food Prep Standards Cited With Violations
Several infractions targeted the ship’s storage and preparation of food. Among the most egregious:
In a pastry preparation area on Deck 1, two trays of cheesecake and one tray of caramel mousse were stored in a refrigerator that was found to be 57 degrees Fahrenheit, when they should have been kept at 41 degrees Fahrenheit.
At the Palms Cafe beverage station in the buffet, multiple containers of milk were labeled with set up and discard times that did not match the times shown on the time control panel.
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Inspectors found more than two dozen pieces of hot- and cold-holding equipment that were out of order, and a waffle iron with black debris on it that was stored with cleaned equipment.
In the Palm’s Cafe buffet area, a glass-washing machine was found to have utensils, cups, and other equipment loaded on a rack in such a way as to prevent all surfaces from being effectively washed, rinsed, and sanitized.
Dead fruit flies were found in a food pantry on Deck 5, and the deck-head above the buffet had exposed wiring and ducting.
The Ship Had Encountered Issues Before Launch
Villa Vie Odyssey is a 30-year-old ship that formerly sailed as Braemar, for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, and as Cunard Crown Dynasty, for Cunard, among other names and ownerships. Villa Vie Residences bought the ship in 2023, the same year it launched its residential brand.
The ship was inaugurated in Spain in October 2024 following several months of delay due to various mechanical issues that surfaced during her dry dock refit in summer 2024.
Travelers can buy a cabin outright or opt for seasonal ownership. The line also offers a Tour La Vie rental option as well as a Try Before You Buy alternative. The ship is scheduled to complete a world cruise every 3.5 years.
The CDC inspection was the first for the vessel. According to the cruise line’s planned route, the ship was scheduled to be in Juneau, Alaska, at the time of the July 9 inspection, but the site of the CDC visit was not confirmed.
All cruise ships that call at US ports are subject to unannounced inspections by the CDC. As of this posting, Villa Vie Odyssey has not yet submitted its Corrective Report to the inspectors.
