Norwegian Encore cruise guide: who the ship suits, where it sails and which cabin to book
A Norwegian Encore cruise suits families and groups who want a big, busy ship with a race track, water slides and no fixed dinner times. Encore is NCL's 2019 Breakaway Plus ship for about 3,960 guests. It sails 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles in winter and 7-night Alaska cruises from Seattle in summer 2027.
Book it if
- You want a 7-night Alaska cruise from Seattle in summer 2027 on a ship with plenty to do on sea days.
- You want a Mexican Riviera week from Los Angeles in winter 2026–27 or 2027–28.
- Your group has teens or adults who want go-karts, water slides and late-night bars.
Skip it if
- You want a small ship that can get close to glaciers and small ports in Alaska.
- You want a calm, uncrowded ship. Encore carries close to 4,000 guests at double occupancy.
- You want all specialty dining and drinks in the fare. Many venues carry a charge.
Pick your dates: Norwegian Encore cruises
The busiest months for Norwegian Encore in the coming year, from the sailings we track. Each button opens the cheapest sailing in those months on Cruisebound.
January–February 2027
9 sailings, from $389 per person
See the cheapest sailingMay–June 2027
9 sailings, from $1,029 per person
See the cheapest sailingJuly–August 2027
9 sailings, from $1,219 per person
See the cheapest sailing
Prices checked November 2026; fares change daily.
Norwegian Encore at a glance
- Line
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Class
- Breakaway Plus
- Entered service
- 2019 (refurbished 2024)
- Gross tonnage
- 169,116
- Guests
- About 3,958 (double occupancy)
- Crew
- About 1,735
- Decks
- 20
Part of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet. Sister ships: Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Bliss. Home ports: Los Angeles / Long Beach, Seattle.
Norwegian Encore is the fourth and last of NCL’s Breakaway Plus ships. Meyer Werft built it at Papenburg, Germany, and delivered it on October 30, 2019. Its first cruise was a crossing from Southampton to New York, and Kelly Clarkson christened it in Miami on November 21, 2019. Wikipedia gives 169,116 gross tons, a length of about 1,094 feet and 20 decks. NCL lists 3,958 guests at double occupancy and 1,735 crew.
That makes it one of NCL’s biggest ships, and a busy one: expect lines at the popular venues on sea days.
Who is a Norwegian Encore cruise for?
A Norwegian Encore cruise is for travelers who want a big ship with lots to do and no fixed dinner time. It suits families with older kids and teens, groups of friends, and first-time Alaska cruisers who want sea-day entertainment as well as scenery. It suits people who want a quiet, small-ship feel much less well.
Families with older kids. The race track, the aqua park and the Entourage teen club (ages 13 to 17) give teenagers plenty to do. Splash Academy covers ages 3 to 12. Our family cruise guide compares other family ships.
First-time Alaska cruisers. Seattle round trips mean no flight to Vancouver or Anchorage, and Encore’s forward Observation Lounge is a warm place to watch the coast. See our best cruise lines for Alaska.
Solo travelers. NCL lists Solo Staterooms on Encore, and CruiseMapper counts 82 of them. They avoid the usual single supplement. Our solo cruise guide covers the other ships that have them.
Who should look elsewhere: couples who want a calmer ship. A smaller line on our Alaska cruise guide may suit you better, or one of NCL’s mid-size ships.
What changed on Norwegian Encore in 2024?
Norwegian Encore was refitted from November 18 to December 2, 2024, at a shipyard in Brest, France, according to CruiseMapper. The work replaced the laser tag arena with Spice H2O, an adults-only pool area, enlarged Cagney’s Steakhouse and Teppanyaki, turned Ocean Blue into Palomar, added Spa Balcony cabins and created a Thermal Suite.
The Haven’s owner’s suites became three-bedroom Premier Owner’s Suites, which NCL’s ship page now lists. CruiseMapper also reports that some Observation Lounge space became 24 new balcony cabins, and that the Thermal Suite took over the Galaxy Pavilion’s space. NCL’s ship page still names the Galaxy Pavilion, so check the current activity list before you sail if the virtual reality arcade matters to you.
Standout features
- Encore Speedway: a two-level electric go-kart track at the top of the ship. CruiseMapper says it has 10 turns, two of them hanging out over the side, and is about 40% longer than the one on Norwegian Joy.
- Aqua park: CruiseMapper lists two Ocean Loop slides, one with a clear loop over the hull, plus two racing slides and drop slides.
- Observation Lounge: a large forward lounge with wide sea views, handy on cold Alaska days.
- The Waterfront: an outdoor promenade lined with bars and restaurants, where you can eat outside.
- Spice H2O and Vibe Beach Club: two adults-only outdoor areas.
- The Haven: NCL’s keycard-only suite area of 55 suites, with its own courtyard, pool and lounges.
Norwegian Encore cabins: which to pick and which to avoid
The best cabin on Norwegian Encore for most guests is a midship balcony on a deck with cabins above and below it. CruiseMapper counts 2,043 cabins, and more than half have balconies. On an Alaska cruise a balcony pays off more than usual, because you can watch the scenery without fighting for railing space.
Pick:
- A midship balcony on a cabin-only deck, for the least noise and motion.
- A Solo Studio if you’re sailing alone.
- A Haven suite if you want a quieter ship within the ship, with its own courtyard pool.
Avoid or think twice:
- Cabins directly under the Deck 16 pool deck, which can pick up deck noise early and late.
- Cabins at the far forward end if you get seasick. Forward cabins feel the most motion in open water.
- Cabins right above or below the bars and nightlife along The Waterfront and the atrium.
Layouts changed in the 2024 refit, so check NCL’s current deck plan before you pick a cabin number.
Dining and activities
Included restaurants are the Savor and Taste main dining rooms, The Manhattan Room, The Local Bar and Grill, and the Garden Cafe buffet. Specialty restaurants carry a charge. They include Cagney’s Steakhouse, Teppanyaki, Onda by Scarpetta, Palomar, Le Bistro, Q Texas Smokehouse, Food Republic and the American Diner. Venues change at refits, so check the current list.
NCL’s ship page features The Choir of Man as one of the ship’s shows. Bars include the Sugarcane Mojito Bar on The Waterfront and the Maltings Whiskey Bar. For fares and what’s included, see our Norwegian Cruise Line guide, and for the line’s strengths and weak spots, our Norwegian review.
Where does Norwegian Encore sail in 2026–2027?
Norwegian Encore sails 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles from November 2026 to mid-April 2027. It then moves north and runs 7-night Alaska round trips from Seattle from late April to mid-October 2027. In late October 2027 it returns to Los Angeles for another Mexican Riviera winter, with a pair of Panama Canal trips in January 2028.
- November 2026 to April 2027, Los Angeles: weekly 7-night Mexican Riviera round trips. CruiseWeb’s listing shows Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta on these trips. See our cruises from Los Angeles guide.
- April 18, 2027: a 6-night one-way cruise from Los Angeles up the coast to Vancouver.
- April 25 to October 10, 2027, Seattle: weekly 7-night Alaska round trips. See our cruises from Seattle guide.
- October 18, 2027: a 6-night one-way cruise from Vancouver back to Los Angeles.
- Late October 2027 to early 2028, Los Angeles: 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises again, with a 15-night Panama Canal cruise to Miami in January 2028 and a 15-night return.
- From mid-April 2028, Seattle: another season of 7-night Alaska cruises is on sale.
| Departs | Line and ship | Nights | Itinerary | From | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 22, 2026 | Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore | 7 | 7 Night Mexican Riviera (from Los Angeles California) | $879 | Check price |
| Nov 29, 2026 | Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore | 7 | 7 Night Mexican Riviera (from Los Angeles California) | $379 | Check price |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore | 7 | 7 Night Mexican Riviera (from Los Angeles California) | $389 | Check price |
| Dec 13, 2026 | Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore | 7 | 7 Night Mexican Riviera (from Los Angeles California) | $399 | Check price |
| Dec 20, 2026 | Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore | 7 | 7 Night Mexican Riviera (from Los Angeles California) | $899 | Check price |
| Dec 27, 2026 | Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore | 7 | 7 Night Mexican Riviera (from Los Angeles California) | $1,029 | Check price |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore | 7 | 7 Night Mexican Riviera (from Los Angeles California) | $439 | Check price |
| Jan 10, 2027 | Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore | 7 | 7 Night Mexican Riviera (from Los Angeles California) | $419 | Check price |
| Jan 17, 2027 | Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore | 7 | 7 Night Mexican Riviera (from Los Angeles California) | $409 | Check price |
| Jan 24, 2027 | Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore | 7 | 7 Night Mexican Riviera (from Los Angeles California) | $409 | Check price |
| Jan 31, 2027 | Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore | 7 | 7 Night Mexican Riviera (from Los Angeles California) | $389 | Check price |
| Feb 7, 2027 | Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore | 7 | 7 Night Mexican Riviera (from Los Angeles California) | $439 | Check price |
Is a Norwegian Encore Alaska cruise a good choice?
A Norwegian Encore Alaska cruise is a good choice if you want a round trip from Seattle on a big ship with plenty to do on the sea days. It’s a weaker choice if scenery is your main goal and you’d rather be on a smaller ship. Its sisters Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy also sail from Seattle in 2027, so the three are close substitutes if your dates don’t fit.
Foreign-flagged ships sailing round trip from Seattle must call at a foreign port, usually Victoria, British Columbia, so bring the travel documents NCL asks for. Our Norwegian review compares NCL’s Alaska ships.
Sister ships
Norwegian Encore’s Breakaway Plus sisters are Norwegian Escape (2015), Norwegian Joy (2017) and Norwegian Bliss (2018). Joy and Bliss share Encore’s race track and Observation Lounge; Escape has no race track. For how NCL compares with its main rival, see Norwegian vs Royal Caribbean.
Norwegian Encore FAQ
How big is the Norwegian Encore cruise ship?
About 169,116 gross tons and roughly 1,094 feet long, with 20 decks. NCL lists 3,958 guests at double occupancy and 1,735 crew.
Where does Norwegian Encore sail from?
Los Angeles for Mexican Riviera cruises from November 2026 to April 2027 and again from late October 2027, and Seattle for Alaska cruises from late April to mid-October 2027.
Does Norwegian Encore have go-karts?
Yes. The Encore Speedway is a two-level electric go-kart track at the top of the ship, with room for up to 10 karts at a time.
Does Norwegian Encore still have laser tag?
No. CruiseMapper reports that the 2024 refit replaced the laser tag arena with Spice H2O, an adults-only pool area.
What cruise line is Norwegian Encore?
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), part of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. It was delivered in 2019 and is registered in Nassau, Bahamas.
Sources
- Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Encore ship page (guests, crew, year built, 2024 refurbishment, Encore Speedway, Spice H2O, Thermal Suite, The Haven, restaurants, Solo Staterooms)
- Wikipedia: Norwegian Encore (builder, delivery, maiden voyage, christening, tonnage, length, decks, Breakaway Plus sisters)
- CruiseMapper: Norwegian Encore review (race track, aqua park, Observation Lounge, kids' clubs, restaurants, cabin counts, 2024 drydock changes)
- CruiseWeb: Norwegian Encore 7-night Mexican Riviera round trip from Los Angeles (ports of call)
- CruiseBound: Norwegian Encore sailings (listings checked November 2026)