Carnival Venezia: Sanitation Record & Health Report

Carnival Venezia is what happens when Carnival decides to get a little fancy. Originally built for Costa Cruises under the name Costa Venezia, this ship sailed into the Carnival fleet in 2023 with Italian-inspired decor, a New York homeport, and the kind of energy that says "I'm a little different from my cousins, but I'm still absolutely going to upsell you on a drinks package." At 135,225 gross tons across 16 decks and room for over 4,000 of your closest strangers, she's no boutique experience — but she does bring a distinctly European flair to the otherwise very American chaos of a Carnival sailing.

On the cleanliness front, Venezia is doing just fine, thank you very much. Her sole CDC inspection in January 2026 netted a 98 — two points above the fleet average — which is an impressive debut considering she only has one inspection to her name. Is that enough data to crown her a sanitation queen? Not quite. One inspection is basically a first impression, and first impressions can be deceiving. Still, 98 is 98, and compared to Vista-class ships that have had more time to accumulate inspection drama, Venezia is off to a genuinely strong start. No outbreaks on record either, which in this industry is absolutely worth a round of applause.

Who it's for: New York-area cruisers who want a Carnival vacation without the schlep to Florida, anyone who thinks Italian-themed ship design sounds more interesting than the standard megaship blueprint, and first-timers who want a lively, high-energy experience with a cleanliness record that so far gives zero cause for concern. Who should skip it: Passengers who need years of inspection history before they trust a ship (fair, honestly), anyone who wants a quiet, intimate sailing experience (4,000 passengers will cure you of that real fast), and anyone who has strong feelings about ships that used to belong to a different cruise line — the identity transition is mostly seamless, but the Italian soul and Carnival DNA don't always speak the same language.