Seabourn are now one step closer to the launch of thier newest ship, Seabourn Encore, with the commemorative cutting of the first steel. Taking place at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy, the ceremony was presided over by Seabourn President Richard Meadows and Antonio Quintano, director of Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard.

“The cutting of steel for Seabourn Encore is an important milestone in the evolution of both our beautiful fleet and the ultra-luxury cruise segment overall,” said Meadows. “We’re looking forward to seeing the ship come together and are excited to continue to add to our fleet. With Adam D. Tihany’s innovative design vision and Fincantieri’s excellent craftsmanship, Seabourn Encore will be the most beautiful ultra-luxury ship ever built.”

“For us shipbuilders, this ceremony is always a special time, and today it is even more. Not only because it represents the tangible beginning of the cooperation with Seabourn, with whom we have a recent but already solid relationship, but also because it is the latest event in a long line shared with the Carnival group,” said Gabriele Cocco, Fincantieri’s senior executive vice president of merchant ships.

In a special nod to the departing original fleet, joining the ceremony were two crew members from Seabourn Legend, the last of the three original Seabourn ships currently on her final sailing under the Seabourn banner. Their presence signified the closing of a chapter in Seabourn history, while marking the start of a new era with the beginning of the construction of Seabourn Encore.