Cruise travelers often select their staterooms very carefully, considering not only the type of room but also its location and layout so they can make the most of the space during their cruise vacation.
A number of guests aboard Norwegian Encore‘s December 3, 2024 sailing, however, have now been notified that their carefully selected staterooms are no longer available, and they have been moved to different accommodations.
“Some of the staterooms on board Norwegian Encore will be undergoing routine maintenance during your cruise,” the email notification explained. “It has come to our attention that you are currently reserved in one of these cabins, however, we are pleased to share that we have relocated your reservation to a stateroom in the same BA category.”
Norwegian Cruise Line’s BA stateroom category describes balcony cabins that may range from 214-367 square feet, with floor-to-ceiling glass doors and private balconies ranging from 38-108 square feet.
A total of eight staterooms are impacted by this change, all of which are now relocated to Deck 13. The new stateroom locations are all on the aft starboard side of the ship, though there is no confirmation of where the originally booked staterooms may have been.
Impacted travelers are also receiving $100 of non-refundable onboard credit per stateroom for the inconvenience. That credit can be used anywhere onboard, including for specialty dining, photos, souvenirs, spa treatments, or shore tours.
Why the Relocation?
The nature of the “routine maintenance” prompting this stateroom relocation has not been disclosed, but could be connected to upgrades for the 169,116-gross-ton, Breakaway Plus class vessel.
Norwegian Cruise Line announced in August that the ship would be extensively upgraded during a dry dock from November 18 to December 2, 2024. At that time, numerous enhancements will be put in place, including a new Spice H2O adults-only outdoor area, expansion of specialty dining options, and more.
The stateroom changes may also be related to plans to create new suites within The Haven, the cruise line’s exclusive ship-within-a-ship design that features keycard access and luxurious amenities.
A total of 24 new balcony staterooms and two club balcony staterooms are planned for Norwegian Encore by repurposing part of the ship’s expansive Observation Lounge.
While it may be that the guests’ originally booked staterooms are not, in fact, undergoing any conversion, they may be too close to construction areas to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable cruise experience, hence the relocation.
It is also possible that the now-unavailable staterooms may be used to house contractors during all or part of the ship’s voyage, therefore making the cabins out of service for passengers.
Read Also: What Are the Best Rooms on a Cruise Ship?
The impacted cruise is the first sailing following Norwegian Encore‘s dry dock conversion, a 12-night, one-way transatlantic crossing from Southampton to Miami, calling on Vigo, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal as well as a stop in the Azores before arriving in Florida on December 15.
From Miami, the newly revitalized Norwegian Encore will offer 7-night Caribbean itineraries through March 2025, before relocating to Seattle for the Alaska sailing season.
Norwegian Encore can welcome roughly 4,000 travelers, though that number will increase somewhat after the stateroom conversions during her upcoming dry dock. The vessel debuted in 2019 and this will be her first renovation since she began welcoming guests.