The first of two Seabourn Cruise Line’s ultra-luxury cruise ships, ordered from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, was launched today at Marghera shipyard in Venice.

The cruise vessel, named Seabourn Encore, is expected to join the company’s fleet by the end of 2016.

Featuring a length of 210 metres and a width of 28 metres, the 41,000-gross-ton cruise ship is designed to carry just 600 guests, based on double occupancy.

Fincantieri held the keel laying ceremony for the cruise ship in September 2015, while the steel cutting that marked the construction start of the new ship was held in April.

Seabourn Encore, being built according to Seabourn’s standards and technical solutions, is the latest vessel under Seabourn’s fleet modernization program which started in 2009.

According to the shipbuilder fuel consumption is expected to be reduced as the ship’s hydrodynamics will be optimized.

Seabourn Encore’s sister ship, Seabourn Ovation, is scheduled to join the company’s fleet in 2018.