This Costa ship, which offers Caribbean cruises, scored 100 out of 100 in an inspection by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States (US CDC)
The Costa Luminosa, a member of the Costa Cruises fleet, received the highest possible score (100) in a recent inspection conducted by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in the United States. The inspection took place on December 20th during the ship's port call in Miami, the Costa Luminosa's home port for the 2014/15 winter season.
CDC inspections are part of the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), which was introduced in the early 1970s and is mandatory for all ships calling at U.S. ports. These are unannounced inspections conducted twice a year by U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) officials. The score, on a scale of 1 to 100, is assigned based on a list of criteria encompassing 48 areas of evaluation, including food hygiene and handling (from storage to preparation), water, onboard personnel, and the ship as a whole.
This is the 12th time the Costa Cruises fleet has received the highest possible score from CDC inspectors. The first ship to achieve a perfect 100 was the Costa Atlantica in 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012; while the Costa Mediterranea earned the highest score in 2004, 2005, and 2006. The Costa Deliziosa received the "perfect score" during an inspection on February 2, 2012, in Honolulu, one of the ports of call on its 100-day World Cruise. The Costa Luminosa also received this distinction in December 2013.
The Costa Luminosa (92,600 gross tons and 1,130 cabins), built by Fincantieri at the Marghera shipyards (Venice) and launched in 2009, is the ship of light. Prestigious works of art—288 originals and more than 4,700 reproductions—were specially designed for the ship, beginning with Fernando Botero's sculpture "Donna Sdraiata 2004" (Reclining Woman 2004), which dominates the central atrium. Fun and entertainment are guaranteed on board with a 4D cinema, the latest generation of golf simulators, and a Grand Prix racing simulator. For passengers seeking relaxation, the ship features the exclusive 3,500-square-meter "Samsara Spa" wellness center. In the 2014/15 winter season, the Costa Luminosa will offer fantastic 10-day Caribbean cruises from Miami, visiting Cozumel (Mexico), Roatán (Honduras), Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios (Jamaica), Grand Turk and Nassau (Bahamas).
