Carnival Breeze: Sanitation Record & Health Report
ShipTea Verdict
Let's talk about the Carnival Breeze, a 2012 Dream-class ship that's been through the refurb machine (2022) and is currently doing the Galveston grind with 50 sailings on the books. The headline number here is a Latest CDC Score of 86 — which, yes, is technically passing, but only in the way that a coin flip landing on "not tails" is technically a win. Against the fleet-wide latest average of 96.7 and median of 98, an 86 doesn't just miss the curve, it's sitting alone in the parking lot while the curve throws a party inside. The ship's own history makes this sting more: a 98 back in January 2026, a 91 in May 2025, and now this. That's not noise, that's a trend, and the data calls it exactly what it looks like — declining.
To be fair, the Breeze isn't some floating health code violation. The all-time average sits at a respectable 91.7, the highest score on record is that January 98, and the Food Safety Grade is "Spotless Galley" with a perfect 100.0 — so whatever's happening on the general sanitation side, the kitchen crew is apparently not the problem. But three inspections is a thin file to hang a verdict on, and a ship trending downward off its own high-water mark deserves side-eye rather than a shrug, even when it clears the bar. We don't have outbreak data available for the Breeze right now — the CDC's outbreak records are currently unreachable — so we're not going to pretend this ship is squeaky clean on that front; we simply don't know, and neither should you assume.
Who it's for: Galveston-based cruisers who want a mid-size Dream-class ship with real history and don't mind that its most recent report card came home a little bruised — one inspection is not a pattern, and the Spotless Galley rating suggests the food safety fundamentals are solid. Who should skip it: anyone who treats CDC scores as a hard cutoff and wants to see numbers trending up, not down — with the Breeze sitting 10+ points under the fleet average on its latest outing, the cautious move is to wait for the next inspection before booking with total confidence.
Carnival Breeze at a Glance
Carnival Breeze is a Dream-class ship in the Carnival fleet, built in 2012 and refurbished in 2022. It carries 3,690 passengers and measures 130,000 gross tons. Carnival Breeze has 48 sailings on the schedule through July 2027, all departing from Galveston, most often on 5-night voyages (trips run 4 to 7 nights). The next departure is November 2, 2026 from Galveston.
We have 3 CDC inspections on record for Carnival Breeze. The most recent results ran 91 (May 2025), 98 (Jan 2026), 86 (May 2026), down 5 points across that span.
Dream-Class Sister Ships
Carnival Breeze has 4 sister ships in the Dream class. Here is how their latest CDC scores compare.
| Ship | Line | Latest CDC score | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disney Dream | Disney | 100 | May 2, 2026 |
| Disney Fantasy | Disney | 100 | Jun 24, 2026 |
| Carnival Dream | Carnival | 98 | Jul 5, 2026 |
| Carnival Magic | Carnival | 96 | Jun 7, 2026 |
Stories That Mention Carnival Breeze
- Carnival Breeze Autumn 2026: Is the Caribbean Right for You? Oct 15, 2026
- Can You Bring Alcohol on a Cruise? (Every Line’s Policy, Updated 2026) Feb 20, 2026
- CDC Cruise Ship Inspection Scores: Look Up Any Ship’s Health Rating (2026) Feb 18, 2026
- Carnival’s IT System Crashed on 11 Ships at Once — Here’s What Went Wrong (Feb 2026) Feb 10, 2026
More Carnival Stories
Score History
Inspection History
Outbreak Timeline
No outbreaks on record for the Carnival Breeze.
Outbreak history for this ship is not currently available from the CDC.
Safety score last updated: Feb 20, 2026
How Does This Compare?
USCG Deficiency Records
No USCG deficiencies on record.
Marine Casualties & Investigations
No marine casualties or investigations on record.
Crime Rate Context
Carnival Crime Rate
Based on DOT CVSSA quarterly crime reports, Carnival has a crime rate roughly in line with the industry average. This score applies to all ships in the fleet. Crime Score: 85/100.
Environmental Rating: C
Room to Improve
Score Breakdown
Friends of the Earth Report Card
USCG Environmental Compliance
✓ Clean environmental compliance record — no MARPOL deficiencies on file.
Spotless Galley
Food Safety Sub-Score based on 3 inspections with item-level data.
Food Inspection Breakdown
Item-level deductions from the most recent inspection with detailed data.
| Item | Category | Type | Deducted | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #11 | Employee Health & Illness Management | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #12 | Employee Cleanliness & Handwashing | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #13 | Food Safety Management & Knowledge | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #14 | Employee Appearance | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #15 | Food Sources & Receiving | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #16 | Food Temperature & Time Control | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #17 | Food Protection & Prep Practices | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #18 | Cross-Contamination Prevention | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #19 | Food Storage & Handling | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #20 | Food Display & Service | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #24 | Food-Contact Surface Cleaning | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #25 | Wiping Cloths Cleanliness | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #26 | Equipment Sanitization | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| Total Food Deductions | -0 | 50 | ||
How Is This Calculated?
The Food Safety Sub-Score extracts deductions from 13 food-specific CDC VSP inspection items (items 11-20 and 24-26) covering employee hygiene, temperature control, cross-contamination, food storage, and equipment sanitation. The maximum possible food deduction is 50 points. Score = 100 × (1 - food deductions / 50).
Crew Treatment: Fair Passage
This score reflects how Carnival treats its crew — based on employee reviews, flag state quality, safety compliance, and editorial assessment. All ships in the Carnival fleet share this line-level rating.
Glassdoor Employee Rating
★★★★☆ 3.9Based on 718 employee reviews
Score Breakdown
Flag State Quality
Carnival Breeze is registered under a Paris MOU Grey List flag state — average performance on port state inspections. Flag State Score: 50/100
Upcoming Sailings
| Voyage | Departs | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 5 nights, round-trip from Galveston, USA | Nov 2 | 5N |
| 5 nights, round-trip from Galveston, USA | Nov 7 | 5N |
| 4 nights, round-trip from Galveston, USA | Nov 12 | 4N |
| 5 nights, round-trip from Galveston, USA | Nov 16 | 5N |
| 5 nights, round-trip from Galveston, USA | Nov 21 | 5N |
Sailing on Carnival Breeze?
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Should You Book?
Good For You If...
- You want a ship with a passing CDC score (86/100)
Proceed With Caution If...
- Scores have been trending downward recently
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Frequently Asked Questions
The latest CDC sanitation score for the Carnival Breeze is 86/100 as of May 14, 2026.
No, the Carnival Breeze has never failed a CDC inspection. All recorded scores have been 86 or above.
No, the Carnival Breeze has no recorded gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on file with the CDC.
Based on CDC inspection data and our editorial review, the Carnival Breeze has a ShipTea rating of "🟢 Smooth Sailing". Check the full profile for detailed inspection history.
Based on CDC VSP inspection item-level data, the Carnival Breeze has a food safety score of 100/100 ("Spotless Galley"). This sub-score focuses on 13 food-specific inspection items covering temperature control, cross-contamination, and sanitation.
The Carnival Breeze was last inspected by the CDC on May 14, 2026.