Holland America Line's ms Statendam and ms Westerdam achieved perfect scores of 100 on recent routine United States Public Health inspections conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The unannounced inspection for ms Statendam was held June 17, 2014 , during a call at Ketchikan, Alaska . Westerdam was inspected July 21 during a call at Juneau, Alaska . Both ships were in the middle of sailing seven-day Alaska cruises.
"Scoring a perfect 100 on a CDC inspection is a testament to the hard work, knowledge and dedication by both the shipboard staff and those involved in our corporate offices," said Stein Kruse , chief executive officer, Holland America Group. "A perfect score is something to be proud of, and we congratulate both ships on this achievement."During a U.S.P.H. inspection last year aboard ms Westerdam, the ship also earned a near-perfect score of 99 and it received a perfect 100 from the Public Health Agency of Canada , that country's equivalent to U.S.P.H. Last year ms Eurodam also achieved a 100 on its U.S.P.H. inspection.
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. 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.
Holland America Line's fleet of 15 ships offers more than 500 cruises to 415 ports in 98 countries, territories or dependencies. One- to 110-day itineraries visit all seven continents and highlights include Antarctica , South America , Australia / New Zealand and Asia voyages; four annual Grand Voyages; and popular sailings to ports in the Caribbean , Alaska , Mexico , Canada /New England, Europe and Panama Canal. The line currently has a new ship on order from Fincantieri shipyard for delivery in February 2016 .Fleetwide, the company features Signature of Excellence enhancements, a commitment totaling more than $500 million , that showcase the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine — a state-of-the-art onboard show kitchen where more than 60 celebrated guest chefs and culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations and classes — Explorations Cafe powered by The New York Times , Digital Workshop powered by Windows, teens-only activity areas and all new stateroom amenities highlighted by flat-panel TVs and plush Euro-top Mariner's Dream Beds. Holland America Line is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises and Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, World's Leading Cruise Lines inspires people to discover their best vacation experience. Together, we offer a variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.
Source: Worlds Leading Cruiselines
