Andy Stuart, NCL’s president and chief executive, revealed the vessel’s name at Meyer-Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany yesterday (January 31) where construction on the ship began with a traditional steel-cutting ceremony.

Encore will be the fourth a final addition to NCL’s Breakaway Plus-class alongside Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Bliss - set to debut in April.

Reservations for the ship, due for delivery on October 31 next year and capable of accommodating 4,000 guests, will open in March.

Announcing the vessel’s name and inaugural season to media at Meyer-Werft, Stuart said Encore would be making “a brief stop” in the UK before heading to its homeport of Miami from where it will sail weekly seven-day Caribbean cruises each Sunday.

Stuart said: “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.

“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.”