On 14 July 2014, NCL announced that it had reached an agreement with Meyer Werft for a €1.6 billion order of two new Breakaway Plus-class ships, scheduled for delivery in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Each ship was initially estimated to be approximately and have 4,200 passenger berths. In February 2017, it was announced that the ship scheduled for delivery in 2019 would be designed for the Chinese market, much like her sister ship, Norwegian Joy. However, in January 2018, it was later announced that the ship would instead be designed for the Western market like her other sister ship, Norwegian Bliss. Construction started with the ship's steel cutting on 31 January 2018, the day her name was also announced as Norwegian Encore. Her keel-laying ceremony was performed on 28 November 2018, accompanied by a performance from Kinky Boots. Norwegian Encore's float-out was on 17 August 2019 and the ship was towed from the building dock to receive her funnel cladding and further outfitting. The ship began her scheduled conveyance along the Ems towards the Eemshaven for her sea trials on 30 September 2019 and completed it on 1 October.
Delivery and christening
Norwegian Encore was delivered to NCL on 30 October 2019 in Bremerhaven. Andy Stuart, then-president and CEO of NCL, announced on The Kelly Clarkson Show on 10 September 2019 that Kelly Clarkson would be the godmother to NorwegianEncore. Clarkson performed at the christening ceremony and officially named the vessel on 21 November 2019 in Miami prior to the ship's debut in the Caribbean on 24 November.
Deployments and operational career
Inaugural season
For her inaugural season, Norwegian Encore held different preview events in Europe, with a preview cruise from Bremerhaven to Southampton, before her inaugural voyage, an 8-day transatlantic sailing between Southampton and New York. The ship held different preview events in New York and Miami upon her arrival in North America, prior to his christening and debut. Following her debut in Miami, her deployment covered the Eastern Caribbean through the rest of her inaugural season. In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, after the last passengers had disembarked following NCL's suspension of operations, it was reported that several crew members had become sick and one who had already disembarked was later diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Future deployments
Norwegian Encore is scheduled to homeport in New York in summer 2020 to sail to Bermuda, the Maritimes, and New England, before moving back to Miami in winter 2020 to cruise the Western Caribbean. In spring 2021, she will make her first full Panama Canal transit to be deployed to Seattle for her first summer Alaska season.
Design and specifications
Norwegian Encore has an overall length of, moulded beam and maximum draft. The ship has gross tonnage of and deadweight of. Norwegian Encore has 20 decks, 2,043 staterooms and capacity for 4,004 passengers at double occupancy. Norwegian Encore has five main engines with total output power of. The vessel has two MAN B&W 14V48/60CR, each with power of and three MAN B&W 12V48/60CR, each with power of. The propulsion system is two ABB Azipod XO units with total power of 40 MW, which allows service speed of 22.5 kts, while the maximum speed during trials exceeds 25.0 kts. The engines are equipped with scrubbers and a heat recovery system for improved energy efficiency.
