The new Norwegian Aura will become the biggest ship in Norwegian Cruise Line’s history in 2027, the company announced in a press release.

According to the recent announcement, the newbuild will be ten percent larger than its predecessors, the Norwegian Aqua and the Norwegian Luna.

At 169,000 tons and with capacity for 3,840 guests at double occupancy, the Norwegian Aura will also surpass the Breakaway Plus vessels, which are currently the largest in the fleet.

Built between 2017 and 2019, the series includes the Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Escape, which are roughly165,000 tons and  4,200 Guests.

Considered a Prima Plus-class vessel, the Aura is currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy.

According to Norwegian, the ship will “set a new standard in size and scale for NCL’s fleet” with a project aimed at delivering “curated, family-focused experiences, complemented with reimagined guest favorites.”

Set to enter service in late May 2027, the vessel will offer a cruise in the Mediterranean before repositioning to PortMiami.

As part of its inaugural season, the ship will offer a series of seven-night cruises to the Caribbean departing from its South Florida homeport.

Of note, the Norwegian Aura will feature a greater space-per-guest ratio than the Breakaway Plus-class vessels.

While its overall size will be similar to the vessels in the series, the newbuild will carry a significantly smaller number of guests.

Cruise Industry News, Norwegian is set to take delivery of even larger ships starting in 2030 with the introduction of a new class.

Set to be built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the new 5,100-passenger vessels will boast 225,000 tons. The series will initially include four ships, with deliveries scheduled between 2030 and 2036.

In addition to the new class, Norwegian will also introduce a yet-to-be-named sister ship to the Norwegian Aura in 2028.