American Independence (formerly Independence) Review

Costly Disappointment

Review for the USA Cruise on American Independence (formerly Independence)
User Avatar
seamominsb
10+ Cruises • Age 90s

Rating by category

Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service
Cabin

Additional details

Sail Date: Nov 2014

The interior of the Independence, which was put into service in 2010, looks like the 60s. I assume the interior was designed to look like Americana, but it just looks tired with soiled and worn upholstery, and tacky carpets and furnishings. Some meals were better than others (and a few were downright inedible), but for the most part the food was tasty and nicely presented. Service was somewhat inconsistent; the cruise line hires young and inexperienced people who, apparently, are given a crash course in how to deal with the passengers and are expected to serve meals and clean cabins; they complained about being overworked and underpaid and many expressed resentment with management.

Cabins are clean, spacious, and comfortable with plenty of drawer and closet space, and the daily service was pretty good. The cost of the 7-day cruise is way overpriced compared to similar cruises on other and nicer cruise lines. It appears that American Cruise Lines caters to seniors; the average age of passengers was 75, most were not active, and many were infirm or disabled. It's admirable that American Cruise Lines provides cruises for the elderly and infirm who may be unable to take other kinds of trips, but that should have been made clear to us before we booked and it was not.

The dining room has tables for 6 or 8 and only one table for 4; the hotel manager and cruise director were most accommodating and arranged private dinners and private tours for four of us traveling together because they understood that we did not want to sit at tables for 8 or participate in the group shore excursions for 30 to 40. The "fitness area" on the upper deck is a joke, with just 3 pieces of equipment that didn't work properly and several free weights that were rusty. For exercise, we walked 30 to 50 laps around the upper deck but then heard others complain about the "noisy" footsteps!

Cabin Review

Cabin Double

Cabin is large with plenty of storage space, a comfortable, well-stocked bathroom, and a nice balcony. Wasn't pleased with the mismatched chairs or the soiled and worn upholstery. Twin beds pushed together to make a king was quite comfortable.

5 Helpful Votes
previous reviewnext review

Find a cruise

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.