The Norwegian Encore cabins to avoid are mainly the deck 15 rooms beneath the deck 16 pools and Garden Café (including the new forward balconies added in 2024), deck 5 cabins under the dining and comedy club deck, deck 9 rooms over the Waterfront’s bars, and guarantee categories that let the ship choose your room. The safest all-around choice is a midship balcony on decks 10 to 13.
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Norwegian Encore entered service in 2019 as the last and most refined of the four Breakaway Plus ships, carrying 3,958 guests at double occupancy. A dry dock from November 18 to December 2, 2024, added 26 new balcony cabins, turned the laser tag arena into an adults-only Spice H2O and enlarged the Haven’s top suites. Her schedule shapes the right cabin as well. She spends summer on 7-night Alaska round trips from Seattle that leave every Sunday and include Glacier Bay. Then she spends winter on 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles. Here is how to choose well on both.
Norwegian Encore cabins to avoid at a glance
| Location | Why it can be a problem | Who should skip it |
|---|---|---|
| Deck 15 midship and forward | Under the deck 16 pools, Kids’ Aqua Park, Waves and Surf bars and the forward Garden Café; the new forward balconies sit near the Observation Lounge bar | Light sleepers, late risers |
| Deck 5 | Below Taste, Savor, Teppanyaki, Mixx Bar and Social Comedy & Night Club; shares the deck with the kids’ and teen clubs | Adults who go to bed early |
| Deck 9 and deck 8 cabins | Over or beside the Waterfront’s restaurants and late-opening bars | Anyone who wants quiet nights |
| Guarantee categories (IX, OX, BX, MX) | Your cabin is assigned up to a day before sailing, on almost any deck | Travelers who care about location |
| Forward rooms and forward-facing Haven penthouses | Most pitching in a swell, especially on open Pacific stretches | Seasickness-prone guests |
| Next to lifts, stairs and crew doors | Constant footsteps and service carts | Light sleepers |
Venues can move during dry docks, so check Norwegian’s current deck plan before you pick a specific room. For fleet-wide rules, see our guide to Norwegian Cruise Line cabins to avoid.
Noisy Norwegian Encore rooms to avoid
Deck 15 and the new forward balconies
The top regular cabin deck sits right under Encore’s busiest outdoor space. On deck 16, the pools, Kids’ Aqua Park and the Waves and Surf bars fill the middle of the ship, while the Garden Café buffet takes the forward end. Loungers get set out early and the buffet runs from breakfast on, so deck 15 midship and forward can hear it. The aft end of deck 15 is a better bet, since the Mandara Spa sits above it.
The 2024 refit added 24 balcony cabins and two Club Balcony cabins by taking over part of the Observation Lounge at the front of deck 15. Deck plan specialists list balconies 15108 to 15114 among the new rooms. They have great forward-quarter views for Glacier Bay, but they sit below the buffet end of deck 16 and share the deck with a lounge bar. If you book one, do it knowing the trade-off.
Deck 5 under the main dining deck
Deck 6 above holds the Taste and Savor dining rooms, Teppanyaki, the Mixx Bar and Social Comedy & Night Club. Deck 5 itself has Splash Academy, Guppies, the video arcade and Entourage for teens. Families with young kids may like being close to the clubs. Couples and solo travelers usually won’t. Encore’s solo inside and solo oceanview rooms are on deck 5, so solo guests on a budget should weigh this against the Studios.
Decks 8 and 9 around the Waterfront
The Waterfront wraps around deck 8 with indoor and outdoor seating. The District Brew House and Food Republic are near the front, and Onda by Scarpetta, The Cavern Club, Sugarcane Mojito Bar and Maltings Whiskey Bar are along the middle. At the back, Cagney’s Steakhouse now also takes the former Los Lobos space. Cabins on deck 8 share the deck with this strip, and deck 9 rooms sit above it, so evening music and crowds can travel. Deck 10 is the easy fix.
The Encore Speedway and top-deck noise
Encore’s two-level go-kart track runs across the back of the top decks. It is nearly 200 ft longer and wider than the tracks on the earlier sister ships, and some sections stick out over the sides of the ship. The karts are electric but play engine sounds, so the area is never silent while it’s open. The good news is that there are no regular cabins directly underneath. Below the track are the Aqua Racer slide, the new Spice H2O on deck 18 aft and the spa area. Spice H2O is adults-only, with hot tubs, day beds and a bar, so expect some evening buzz at the stern. If you are considering one of the highest aft-facing balconies or aft Haven penthouses, ask how close it is to the track and Spice H2O.
Lifts, stairs and service doors
The midship lifts carry heavy traffic to the pool deck. Rooms beside them, or next to blank, unmarked spaces on the deck plan, can hear footsteps, carts and doors late at night.
Obstructed views and lifeboats on Norwegian Encore
Norwegian doesn’t list an obstructed-view category for Encore. As on her sisters, the lifeboats are carried low on the hull around the Waterfront, below the main balcony decks. That makes truly blocked views uncommon. The rooms to check are the lowest balconies on decks 8 and 9, which can look down onto the Waterfront’s canopy and outdoor seating.
Views matter most in Glacier Bay, where Encore spends a day of scenic cruising on her Seattle round trips. Aft-facing balconies on decks 9 to 15 and high midship balconies give you the widest panorama. If you are booking an inside, plan to watch from the Observation Lounge at the front of deck 15. It lost some space in the refit but still has a 180-degree view and a full bar. For timing your trip, see our guide to the best time to cruise Alaska.
Small cabins, studios and seasickness
- Studios: Encore has 82 Solo Studios on decks 10 to 12, each about 99 sq ft. They are compact and have no ocean view, but they include access to the Studio Lounge on deck 11. If you would rather have a view, the solo balconies on decks 11 and 12 are a step up.
- Insides: standard and family insides start at about 135 sq ft. That is fine for two, but tight for four with Alaska layers and luggage.
- Guarantee rooms: Norwegian lists guarantee insides and balconies across most cabin decks, so a cheap fare can put you right under the pool deck or above the Waterfront.
- Connecting rooms: useful for families, but the shared door carries sound. Ask for a non-connecting room if you don’t need it.
- Seasickness: stay midship on decks 9 to 11. In Alaska, the sea day after leaving Seattle is the most exposed stretch. Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles spend their sea days on open Pacific water, which can bring a long swell, so forward cabins are the ones to skip.
Best cabins on Norwegian Encore by budget
Balcony
Standard balconies start at about 213 sq ft, including the balcony, on decks 8 to 15. Midship on decks 10 to 13 is the sweet spot. Aft-facing balconies on decks 9 to 15 are excellent for Glacier Bay and for sail-away from Seattle or Los Angeles, though the lower ones are farther from the top-deck noise.
Club Balcony Suites
At about 249 sq ft and up, Club Balcony Suites on decks 8 to 15 add living space over a standard balcony. Pick one on decks 10 to 14 to stay clear of both the Waterfront and the pool deck.
The Haven
Encore’s Haven is centered forward on decks 17 and 18, around a private courtyard, restaurant and lounge. The refit made the Premier Owner’s Suites on deck 18 into three-bedroom suites, at about 1,459 sq ft. The Courtyard Penthouses and Family Villas sit around the courtyard on decks 17 and 18. Aft-facing penthouses are stacked on decks 9 to 15, and forward-facing penthouses on decks 9 to 13. The aft-facing ones are the pick for Alaska wake views, while the forward-facing ones are the most exposed to motion and wind. The adults-only Vibe Beach Club is on deck 19 forward, above the Haven area.
Best value overall
A midship balcony on deck 10 or 11 gives you quiet, stability and an easy walk to everything. Check current pricing in our 2027 cruise deals roundup before you lock in a category.
How Norwegian Encore compares with her sister
Encore and Norwegian Bliss are close cousins, with the same Waterfront, pool deck, Observation Lounge and forward Haven layout, and both gave up part of the Observation Lounge for new balconies in recent refits. The main differences are at the stern. Encore turned laser tag into Spice H2O on deck 18 aft and has the longer Speedway, while Bliss kept her Spice H2O on deck 17 and replaced laser tag with Horizon Park. Both ships spend summer sailing from Seattle, but Bliss sails on Saturdays and adds Sitka, Icy Strait Point and Dawes Glacier, while Encore sails on Sundays with Skagway and Glacier Bay. In winter, Bliss moves to New York while Encore stays on the West Coast. See our guide to Norwegian Bliss cabins to avoid for her details.
Comparing generations? Read our Norwegian Aqua cabins to avoid guide and our list of the newest NCL ships you can book right now. For general rules on any ship, see 13 cruise cabin locations to avoid at all costs.
FAQs
What is the best cabin on Norwegian Encore?
A midship balcony on decks 10 to 13 is the best mix of value, quiet and stability. For Alaska, an aft-facing balcony or Haven aft-facing penthouse gives you the best glacier views.
Which Norwegian Encore cabins are the noisiest?
Deck 15 rooms under the pool deck and Garden Café, deck 5 rooms below the dining and comedy club deck, and deck 9 rooms above the Waterfront’s bars are the most common noise complaints.
Are the new deck 15 balcony cabins on Encore worth booking?
They have good forward views, but they sit near the Observation Lounge bar and under the buffet end of deck 16. They suit early risers better than light sleepers.
Can you hear the go-kart track on Norwegian Encore?
Not from most cabins. No regular staterooms sit directly under the Speedway, though the highest aft rooms may notice it and the nearby Spice H2O area during busy hours.
Is Norwegian Encore good for Alaska?
Yes. Her Seattle round trips include a day of scenic cruising in Glacier Bay plus Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria. Book a balcony or plan to use the Observation Lounge on scenic days.
