The Independence of the Seas was built in 2008 and is among Royal Caribbean's 29 ships in it's fleet. The Independence of the Seas is included in the cruise line's Freedom Class. In the cruise ship stats below you'll find the Independence of the Seas vs all of the other Royal Caribbean ships.
How big is the Independence of the Seas? Below, you’ll find all of the relevant cruise ship stats, specs and dimensions for the Independence of the Seas. Included in these statistics are passenger capacity, length, year built, year renovated, cost to build, gross tonnage, engine info, number of rooms, deck counts and more!
Passenger Capacity refers to the total number of people that the Independence of the Seas can accommodate. Of course, there are also crew members on board. Below, find the total onboard capacity, including staff and cruise guests.
Independence of the Seas Passenger Capacity: The passenger capacity for the Independence of the Seas is 3,648 guests. The average capacity for the 29 active ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet is 3,708 passengers. The passenger capacity range for all Royal Caribbean ships has a minimum of 1,992 guests and a maximum of 7,600 passengers.
Independence of the Seas Crew Members: Staff on the Independence of the Seas include 1,360 members. That's a guest to staff ratio of 2.7 to 1. The average Royal Caribbean ship includes 1,400 employees and has a passenger to staff ratio of 2.6 to 1.
How long is the Independence of the Seas? From end to end, the Independence of the Seas length equals 1,112 feet (339 meters). Compare that to the average ship length of all 29 active vessels in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, measuring 1,068 feet (326 meters).
The smallest Royal Caribbean ship (in terms of length) measures 915 feet (279 meters) from end to end. The longest vessel spans 1,198 feet (365 meters). Our chart below shows the length of the Independence of the Seas vs all other active Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ships.
When was the Independence of the Seas Built? The Independence of the Seas was built in 2008 and joined the cruise line’s Freedom Class.
Royal Caribbean includes 29 active ships. The oldest in the fleet was built in 1996 while the newest ship was built in 2025. The average Royal Caribbean ship is 15 years old and the median build date for all active ships is 2007
When was the last Independence of the Seas Dry Dock? The Independence of the Seas experienced dry dock improvements in 2018.
Renovations include the following: In April 2018, the Independence of the Seas experienced dry dock improvements. Additions include the following: Splashaway Bay Aqua Park; Cyclone, Typhoon, and Boomerango water slides, Izumi Japanese sushi & teppanyaki restaurant; Escape Room; trampoline park; laster tag course; ice rink, FlowRider surf simulator; upgraded Royal Theater; Panoramic Ocean View stateroom upgrade; Fish and Ships poolside bar; Sugar Beach candy shop.
The Carnival Breeze has a total of 14 passenger decks. The lowest level available to guests is Deck 2. The highest passenger deck is Deck 15.
What does the Carnival Breeze offer in terms of things to do? The ship features 20 restaurants, 17 bars, 12 shows, 77 activities, and 7 other features for your enjoyment.
Click below to access deck plans for the Independence of the Seas. The resulting page will provide a floor plan and summary of all things to do offered on that level of the ship.
Independence of the Seas Info
You will find the Independence of the Seas Casino on Deck 4 of the ship.
You will find the Independence of the Seas buffet on Deck 11 of the ship.
In April 2018, the Independence of the Seas experienced dry dock improvements. Additions include the following: Splashaway Bay Aqua Park; Cyclone, Typhoon, and Boomerango water slides, Izumi Japanese sushi & teppanyaki restaurant; Escape Room; trampoline park; laster tag course; ice rink, FlowRider surf simulator; upgraded Royal Theater; Panoramic Ocean View stateroom upgrade; Fish and Ships poolside bar; Sugar Beach candy shop.
The ship belongs to the Royal Caribbean class of ships known as the Freedom class.
The ship features 20 restaurants, 17 bars, 77 activities, 12 shows and 7 other venues for your enjoyment. You can click on our ship deck plans or details pages for a full list of activities, sorted by feature type.
The Independence of the Seas has a total of 14 passenger decks. The lowest deck is Level 2. The upper most passenger deck is Level 15.
We're often asked how many passengers are on the Independence of the Seas. The ship's capacity is 3,648. When comparing the occupancy to the average Royal Caribbean passenger capacity, you'll find that the average ship in the fleet holds 3,880 guests. Feel free to look at our graph above to see where this ship falls in line with all other live Royal Caribbean ships.
The Independence of the Seas was built in 2008. Royal Caribbean includes 29 active ships. The oldest in the fleet was built in 1996 while the newest ship was built in 2025. The average Royal Caribbean ship is 15 years old and the median build date for all active ships is 2007
Each of Royal Caribbean's ships offers a unique layout with features and activities catered to all. Whether the Independence of the Seas is right for you will depend on your individual preferences. Do you prefer a larger or smaller ship with many or fewer guests? Are you hoping for many family activities or entertainment options for an older clientele. Our deck maps layout and activities list provide a helpful guide to what you'll find on board. Feel free to explore the see if this ship is suited towards your preferences.
From end to end, the Independence of the Seas length equals 1,112 feet (339 meters). Compare that to the average ship length of all 29 active vessels in Royal Caribbean fleet, measuring 1,077 feet (328 meters). Please see our size comparison chart above to see how this ship falls in line with all other active ships in the fleet.