American Independence
American Cruise Lines ship guide
Page updated
The ship as Independence, September 2011 · Photo: Tony Hisgett, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
About American Independence
American Independence is an American Cruise Lines cruise ship of the Independence class, in service since 2010. She carries 90 guests. She sails Canada and New England itineraries. We rate her 3.5 out of 5.
American Independence, built in 2010 by Chesapeake Shipbuilding, is the newest and longest of American Cruise Lines' three Independence-class ships at 226 feet, with room for 90 guests. It originally sailed as Independence. The ship has four decks, stabilizers, a main-deck restaurant with wide views, entertainment and reading lounges, a fitness center and a sun deck. Standard cabins start at more than 260 square feet, and second- and third-deck cabins have balconies. It sails East Coast itineraries, with Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River cruises in spring 2026 followed by the Maine coast.
Ship facts
- Guests
- 90
- Fewer guests than 93% of 600 ships
- Entered service
- 2010
- Length
- 69 m
- Shorter than 96% of 575 ships
- Decks
- 4
Ratings
- Cabins
- 4/5−0.5, fleet average 4.5
- Dining
- 4/5, fleet average 4.0
- Entertainment
- 3/5, fleet average 3.0
- Service
- 5/5, fleet average 5.0
- Pools & decks
- 2/5, fleet average 1.9
- Value
- 3/5, fleet average 3.0
Editorial scores, 1 to 5 per metric; the overall is their average, not an average of reader reviews. Ticks mark the American Cruise Lines fleet average across 24 rated ships in service.
Sister ships: Independence class
American Independence is one of 3 Independence class ships. American Star (2007) and American Spirit (2005) are in service.
| Ship | Year | Gross tons | Guests | Space | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Independence this ship | 2010 | 3.5/5 | |||
| American Star | 2007 | 3.5/5 | |||
| American Spirit | 2005 | 3.5/5 |
Deck plans & cabin locations
Published operator layout - reviewed October 2026 · Published edition. Confirm the edition for your departure with the cruise line.
Explore the deck plans
What’s above your ceiling matters as much as the view. Compare the decks around your cabin, then use the location notes to build your shortlist.
No exact sailing-date window is supplied on the source page. Confirm the final cabin category, refurbishment changes, accessibility and connecting doors for your departure. Cabin guidance describes published spatial relationships; it is not measured sound data or a guarantee of quiet.
All decks
Published operator layout - reviewed October 2026 · bow to the right
Cabin-number search becomes available as verified cabins are mapped. All published deck diagrams are available below.
On this deck: Sun Deck

On this deck: Fitness Center

On this deck: Midship Lounge · Chesapeake Lounge

On this deck: Restaurant

Cabins to avoid & quieter candidates
Deck 2 where cabin blocks overlap above and below
Compare the Deck 2 accommodation block first
Shortlist a room aligned with accommodation on the neighbouring decks, away from stairs, lifts, connecting doors and public entrances. Compare the exact footprint; public spaces interrupt some cabin blocks.
Why we flag this
The ship-specific plans show accommodation on Decks 2 and 3, with a smaller lower accommodation footprint. The lowest deck also contains public spaces, so only the overlapping cabin section fits this preference. Check the source plan.
Upper accommodation and neighbouring public decks
Check upper cabins around the sun-deck footprint
Compare upper rooms with the open deck, walking areas and any lounge, café or fitness spaces beside or above them. Ask about furniture movement and activity times where the footprints overlap; do not treat every upper room alike.
Why we flag this
The official page lists Deck 3: Fitness Center; Deck 4: Sun Deck. The diagrams show the actual room/public-space boundaries. Check the source plan.
Accommodation deck public-area transitions
Check rooms beside lounges and wellness spaces
Use the individual room map to check distance from lounge doors, cafés, fitness areas, laundry and busy stair/lift routes where shown. Ask about operating hours and passing traffic before booking.
Why we flag this
The operator labels these spaces alongside cabin categories: Deck 1: Restaurant; Deck 2: Midship Lounge, Chesapeake Lounge; Deck 3: Fitness Center. This identifies areas to investigate rather than confirmed disturbance or a warning about every nearby cabin. Check the source plan.
Lowest accommodation on Deck 1
Check the lowest cabins against dining and service routes
Inspect the room relative to the restaurant and public/service access on the same deck. A lower cabin can be convenient, but its corridor position still matters.
Why we flag this
The ship's Deck 1 map identifies Restaurant. The official page also lists accommodation on Deck 1. The flag is based on the published layout, not an engine-noise or sound-level claim. Check the source plan.
Location-based guidance, not measured noise or a guarantee of quiet. Flags identify areas to investigate, not every cabin on a deck. Check the exact room, connecting doors, accessibility and the plan for your sailing date. Official ship-specific interactive SVG deck artwork captured 21 October 2026. The download is a Cruise Frog compilation, not a separate operator-issued PDF brochure. Main Deck is indexed as Deck 1, matching the official artwork file identifier.. Reviewed 2026-10-21.
Photos

The ship as Independence, September 2011Photo: Tony Hisgett, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Where she sails
Quick answers
Which cruise line operates American Independence?
American Independence is operated by American Cruise Lines and belongs to its Independence class.
What are American Independence's sister ships?
American Independence is one of 3 Independence class ships. American Star (2007) and American Spirit (2005) are in service.
How big is American Independence?
American Independence measures 69 metres in length, with 4 decks.
How many passengers does American Independence carry?
American Independence carries 90 guests at double occupancy.
When did American Independence enter service?
American Independence entered service in 2010.
Where does American Independence sail?
American Independence sails Canada and New England itineraries.
Where can I find the deck plans for American Independence?
American Cruise Lines publishes the deck plans for American Independence; this page links to Official interactive deck plans.
How is American Independence rated?
Cruises Frog rates American Independence 3.5 out of 5 overall, the average of 6 editorial scores. She scores best on service (5/5) and lowest on pools & decks (2/5).
Which cabins are good choices on American Independence?
For the “Published operator layout - reviewed October 2026” plan, start with these quieter-location candidates: Deck 2 where cabin blocks overlap above and below: Shortlist a room aligned with accommodation on the neighbouring decks, away from stairs, lifts, connecting doors and public entrances. Compare the exact footprint; public spaces interrupt some cabin blocks. Compare the exact cabin with the decks above and below, nearby lifts and connecting doors. These are layout-based suggestions, not a guarantee of quiet.
Which cabins should I avoid or check carefully on American Independence?
For the “Published operator layout - reviewed October 2026” plan, review these flagged locations before booking: Upper accommodation and neighbouring public decks: Compare upper rooms with the open deck, walking areas and any lounge, café or fitness spaces beside or above them. Ask about furniture movement and activity times where the footprints overlap; do not treat every upper room alike. Accommodation deck public-area transitions: Use the individual room map to check distance from lounge doors, cafés, fitness areas, laundry and busy stair/lift routes where shown. Ask about operating hours and passing traffic before booking. Lowest accommodation on Deck 1: Inspect the room relative to the restaurant and public/service access on the same deck. A lower cabin can be convenient, but its corridor position still matters. These flags are not measured noise reports or a warning about every room on a deck. Read the sourced cabin advice for the evidence and any explicit operator warnings.
How can I check whether a cabin is under a pool, nightclub or theatre?
Find the cabin on the selected plan, then compare the same fore-and-aft position on the deck above and below. Check the full venue footprint, including outdoor seating, stages, service areas and entrances. Nearby activity can be a reason to investigate, but does not by itself prove a cabin is noisy. Use the cabin advice and its sources to distinguish layout cautions from operator warnings.
Where can I find American Independence deck plans?
Use this guide’s deck selector to compare the decks around your cabin and open available diagrams in the zoom viewer. The full ship PDF and source links are listed for each plan edition.
Which deck-plan edition applies to my sailing?
Select your sailing date before comparing cabin locations. Editions can change after a refit. These answers use “Published operator layout - reviewed October 2026”, reviewed 2026-10-21. No exact sailing-date window is supplied on the source page. Confirm the final cabin category, refurbishment changes, accessibility and connecting doors for your departure. Cabin guidance describes published spatial relationships; it is not measured sound data or a guarantee of quiet.
Traveller reviews
What people who've been say. One review each; you can update yours.
Related news about American Independence
Nothing about American Independence yet. The latest cruise news:
- We aged every ship at 10 big cruise lines. Holland America and Carnival have the oldest fleets
Cruise Frog's ship data shows how old each big line's fleet really is. Virgin's ships average about three years. Holland America's average 18.
Cruise lines
- Seabourn is going back to Egypt after more than five years, with a night in Alexandria for the pyramids
Seabourn's 2029 summer program has 166 sailings. It returns to Egypt, adds a new Gulf of Bothnia trip and brings Seabourn Encore back to Alaska.
Itineraries
- Carnival's new FunPacks run $25 to $99 a day, and drink and Wi-Fi prices go dynamic Dec. 1
Carnival bundled drinks, Wi-Fi, dining and shore trips into four FunPacks, on sale until Oct. 30. From Dec. 1, drink and Wi-Fi prices change by sailing.
Cruise lines
- Queen Mary 2's 500th crossing will leave from Liverpool, a first for Cunard since 2015
Cunard opened 93 voyages for October 2028 to May 2029. The headline act is Queen Mary 2's 500th Transatlantic Crossing, with a rare Liverpool departure.
Itineraries