Skip to content

American Spirit

Sails from Tacoma, Washington · Fly into SEA

Page updated

Add to your passport
American Spirit docked at Port Angeles, Washington, September 2024

American Spirit docked at Port Angeles, Washington, September 2024 · Photo: Gordon Leggett, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

About American Spirit

American Spirit is an American Cruise Lines cruise ship of the Independence class, in service since 2005. She carries 90 guests. She sails Pacific Coast itineraries. We rate her 3.5 out of 5.

American Spirit is a 90-guest coastal cruise ship built in 2005 by Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Maryland, the oldest of American Cruise Lines' three Independence-class ships. It is 220 feet long, with a conventional bow for coastal waters, stabilizers and four decks holding a main-deck restaurant with wide views, an entertainment lounge, a reading lounge, a fitness center and a sun deck with a shaded seating area. Standard cabins start at about 230 square feet, and those on the second and third decks have balconies. The ship is based in the Pacific Northwest, sailing Puget Sound and San Juan Islands round trips from Tacoma, Washington.

Ship facts

Guests
90
Fewer guests than 93% of 600 ships
Entered service
2005
Length
67 m
Shorter than 97% of 575 ships
Decks
4
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 Spirit is one of 3 Independence class ships. American Independence (2010) and American Star (2007) are in service.

ShipYearRating
American Spirit this ship20053.5/5
American Independence20103.5/5
American Star20073.5/5

Deck plans & cabin locations

Open dedicated deck-plan page

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.

Compare the Deck 2 accommodation block first · Check rooms beside lounges and wellness spaces · Check the lowest cabins against dining and service routes
Deck 4Deck plan

On this deck: Sun Deck

American Spirit, Deck 4: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 3Deck plan

On this deck: Fitness Center

American Spirit, Deck 3: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 2Deck plan

On this deck: Midship Lounge · Cascade Lounge

American Spirit, Deck 2: official cabin and venue layout
Deck 1Deck plan

On this deck: Restaurant

American Spirit, Deck 1: official cabin and venue layout
Use Zoom plan to enlarge a diagram.Full ship PDF

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, Cascade 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.

Read the full cabins-to-avoid guide

Photos

1 photo

Where she sails

Home port: Tacoma, Washington.

Flying in for your cruise?

Quick answers

Which cruise line operates American Spirit?

American Spirit is operated by American Cruise Lines and belongs to its Independence class.

What are American Spirit's sister ships?

American Spirit is one of 3 Independence class ships. American Independence (2010) and American Star (2007) are in service.

How big is American Spirit?

American Spirit measures 67 metres in length, with 4 decks.

How many passengers does American Spirit carry?

American Spirit carries 90 guests at double occupancy.

When did American Spirit enter service?

American Spirit entered service in 2005.

Where does American Spirit sail?

American Spirit sails Pacific Coast itineraries. Her home port is Tacoma, Washington.

Which airport should I fly into for American Spirit?

American Spirit sails from Tacoma, Washington. Fly into Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA), which has 11 airport lounges listed on Lounge Frog.

Where can I find the deck plans for American Spirit?

American Cruise Lines publishes the deck plans for American Spirit; this page links to Official interactive deck plans.

How is American Spirit rated?

Cruises Frog rates American Spirit 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 Spirit?

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 Spirit?

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 Spirit 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.

No reviews yet. Be the first.

Related news about American Spirit

Nothing about American Spirit yet. The latest cruise news:

  1. Only six cruise lines in our catalog have solo cabins on every ship

    American Cruise Lines leads with 24 ships. Lindblad, Marella, Ambassador, Aurora Expeditions and Fred. Olsen complete the short list.

    Cruise line ranking

  2. The most spacious cruise ships: we ranked by space per guest

    Gross tons per passenger separates yacht-like ships from megaships. Ponant's Le Commandant Charcot leads our catalog at 127.7.

    Ship ranking

  3. Virgin and JetBlue built a kids-free trip from the airport gate to Bimini

    Do Not Disturb pairs a dedicated adults-only JetBlue flight from New York with a four-night Brilliant Lady cruise from Miami. Sixty cabins go on sale October 21.

    Itineraries

  4. MSC's new Grand Hamptons Villa sleeps eight and has a secret door for kids

    The two-story villa on MSC World Atlantic spans more than 2,475 square feet, with a private cinema, kids' suite and Yacht Club perks. It debuts from Port Canaveral in November 2027.

    Ships