Norwegian Cruise Line has marked the start of construction for its newest ship – Norwegian Encore.

The latest addition to Norwegian’s young, modern fleet, the ship will sail the Caribbean from Miami seasonally beginning in the autumn of 2019.

Encore will be the seventeenth ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet and the line’s fourth and final ship in the Breakaway Plus Class, the most successful Class in the brand’s history.

She follows Norwegian Bliss, which will launch in April this year.

At approximately 167,800 gross tons and accommodating 4,000 guests, Norwegian Encore will sail weekly seven-day Caribbean cruises each

“Norwegian Encore will be the ultimate Breakaway Plus Class vessel and we are thrilled to celebrate the start of construction for this incredible new ship,” said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer for Norwegian Cruise Line.

“Over 50 years ago the Norwegian brand began creating unforgettable vacation moments with the first inter-island cruise in the Caribbean from Miami.

“We continue building on our legacy of innovation with this brand-new state-of-the-art vessel perfect for exploring the natural beauty of some of the most remarkable islands in the world.”

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and Meyer Werft executives gathered at the laser centre in Papenburg, Germany, and cut the first plate of steel, marking the ceremonial start of construction of Norwegian Encore.

“We are excited to start production for Norwegian Encore and to create another floating destination for Norwegian Cruise Line,” said Stephan Schmees, executive board member, project management ships, Meyer Werft.

Encore is, however, currently the last vessel NCL plans to build a Meyer Weft, with construction of the new generation of ships, the Leonardo class, moving to Italy.

Norwegian Encore will feature amenities and interactive experiences that will excite and inspire, and more details on the ship’s design, accommodations, dining and onboard offerings will be shared in the coming months.

The ship will be available for reservations in March.

More Information

Take a look at a series of images from the ceremony here.

Norwegian Cruise Line is considered the World’s Leading Cruise Line by the World Travel Awards.