Seabourn Encore
Seabourn Encore is a luxury cruise ship operated by Seabourn Cruise Line and the lead vessel of a class developed for the line.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Seabourn Encore is a luxury cruise ship built by the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for Seabourn Cruise Line. It is the first vessel in a ship class that expanded on the company's Odyssey-class design, with approximately 26 percent more overall size and about 34 percent more passenger capacity than Seabourn's three Odyssey-class ships when measured at double occupancy. The ship was delivered on November 30, 2016 and entered commercial service in January 2017. The vessel was developed during a period when Seabourn was enlarging its fleet while preserving its positioning as a small-ship luxury cruise operator. Seabourn signed a letter of intent for the ship's construction in October 2013 and announced the name Seabourn Encore in January 2015. Fincantieri began cutting the first steel plate in April 2015. The finished ship measures 210 metres in length, has a beam of 28 metres, and can cruise at approximately 18.6 knots. Its design includes an additional deck and larger public areas compared with the Odyssey-class ships. Hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany was appointed to shape the ship's indoor and outdoor guest spaces. The design approach was intended to provide a more spacious luxury-cruise environment while retaining the intimate scale associated with Seabourn. Fincantieri also highlighted hydrodynamic optimization intended to reduce fuel consumption relative to less optimized designs, although no specific efficiency figure is established in the available reference material. Seabourn Encore undertook two pre-inaugural cruises from December 2016 before its formal naming ceremony in Singapore on January 7, 2017. It then began its official maiden voyage, a 10-day itinerary to Bali, Indonesia. The maiden voyage reportedly sold out within two days, after which the ship continued toward Australia. Its itinerary history reflects Seabourn's international operating model, combining destination-focused cruising with luxury onboard accommodation and services. In February 2017, the ship was involved in a port incident after a mooring line broke during heavy winds, causing it to collide with the concrete carrier Milburn Carrier II. New Zealand's Transport Accident Investigation Commission investigated the event and issued findings in April 2019. The investigation emphasized the importance of port companies understanding the safe working loads of mooring equipment and maintaining high-quality weather monitoring. The incident is a recorded operational safety event rather than evidence of a broader brand scandal. Seabourn Encore is the sister ship of Seabourn Ovation. Together, the two ships represent a larger-generation Seabourn platform positioned between traditional small luxury vessels and larger mainstream cruise ships. The ship's identity is therefore tied less to consumer packaged goods than to Seabourn's branded hospitality experience: high-end cruising, curated destinations, expanded public spaces, and a relatively intimate passenger scale.
History
Seabourn Encore was conceived as the first ship of a new, larger Seabourn class. In October 2013, Seabourn signed a letter of intent with Fincantieri for the vessel's construction. The project represented an expansion beyond the dimensions of Seabourn's three Odyssey-class ships, with the new ship planned to be approximately 26 percent larger and capable of carrying about 34 percent more passengers at double occupancy. Seabourn announced the ship's name in January 2015. Construction formally progressed with a steel plate-cutting ceremony in April of that year at Fincantieri's Italian facilities. The completed vessel was 210 metres long, 28 metres wide, and designed for a cruising speed of approximately 18.6 knots. It incorporated an additional deck and enlarged public areas compared with the Odyssey class. Adam D. Tihany was selected to design the interior and exterior guest environments, bringing a hospitality-focused approach to the ship's accommodation, dining, and shared spaces. Fincantieri stated that hydrodynamic optimization would significantly reduce fuel consumption, although the available reference does not provide a quantified saving. Fincantieri delivered Seabourn Encore on November 30, 2016. The ship conducted two pre-inaugural cruises in December before its naming ceremony in Singapore on January 7, 2017. Its official maiden voyage was a 10-day cruise to Bali, Indonesia. The maiden voyage sold out in two days, and the ship subsequently continued to Australia. Its early itinerary established the vessel within Seabourn's international, destination-oriented luxury-cruise network. The ship experienced a notable operational incident in February 2017. During heavy winds, one of its moorings snapped and Seabourn Encore collided with the concrete carrier Milburn Carrier II. The New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission examined the event and published its report in April 2019. The investigation called attention to port operators' need to understand the safe working loads of mooring systems and to maintain strong monitoring of weather conditions. The available material does not characterize the event as a criminal matter, corporate scandal, or passenger-safety crisis. Seabourn Encore is the sister ship of Seabourn Ovation. As the lead vessel of this class, it broadened Seabourn's capacity while retaining a smaller-scale luxury-cruise identity compared with large mass-market cruise ships. Its significance in Seabourn's fleet history lies in combining expanded public areas and passenger capacity with the line's established premium hospitality model.
- 2019
Transport investigation published
[1]New Zealand's Transport Accident Investigation Commission reported on the collision and issued recommendations regarding mooring loads and weather monitoring.
- 2017
Singapore naming ceremony and maiden voyage
[1]Seabourn Encore was named in Singapore on January 7 and began its official 10-day maiden cruise to Bali.
- 2017
Mooring-related collision
[1]The ship collided with Milburn Carrier II after a mooring line broke during heavy winds.
- 2016
Delivered to Seabourn
[1]Fincantieri delivered Seabourn Encore on November 30.
- 2016
Pre-inaugural cruises
[1]The ship operated two pre-inaugural cruises in December before its formal naming.
- 2015
Ship name announced
[1]Seabourn announced the name Seabourn Encore in January.
- 2015
Steel cutting begins
[1]The first steel plate for the ship was cut in April.
- 2013
Construction project initiated
[1]Seabourn signed a letter of intent for construction of the future Seabourn Encore with Fincantieri in October.
Products and positioning
A large-format luxury cruise ship designed to offer more space and capacity than Seabourn's Odyssey-class vessels while retaining the line's intimate, premium hospitality positioning.
Luxury cruise service · 2017
Seabourn Encore cruise voyages
The ship's primary offering is branded luxury cruising under Seabourn Cruise Line. Voyages combine accommodation, dining, onboard leisure, and destination visits in an expanded ship design that remains smaller in scale than mainstream cruise vessels. The vessel has operated international itineraries including Asia-Pacific and Australian routes.
Brand decisions
2015
Adopt the Seabourn Encore nameOtherBackground
The ship was being developed as the first unit of a new class for Seabourn.
Action taken
Seabourn publicly announced the name Seabourn Encore in January.
Aftermath
The name became associated with the lead ship of Seabourn's larger new-generation class.
2013
Develop a larger Seabourn ship classStrategyBackground
Seabourn's existing Odyssey-class ships provided the reference point for a new vessel with more space, larger public areas, and greater passenger capacity.
Action taken
The cruise line signed a letter of intent with Fincantieri for construction of the ship that became Seabourn Encore.
Aftermath
The project produced the first vessel in a new Seabourn class and was followed by the sister ship Seabourn Ovation.
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