MV Funchal

MV Funchal in Helsinki, June 2009
History
Portugal
Name	Funchal
Namesake	Funchal
Operator	Empresa Insulana de Navegação
Port of registry	Lisbon
Builder	Helsingør Skibsværft A/S
Yard number	353
Maiden voyage	4 November 1961
In service	1961
Out of service	1974
Refit	1972
Homeport	Lisbon
Portugal
Name	Funchal
Operator	CTM - Companhia Portuguesa de Transportes Marítimos
Port of registry	Lisbon
In service	1974
Out of service	1985
Refit	1972
Homeport	Lisbon
Portugal
Name	Funchal
Owner	G. Warwick Co. Inc
Operator	Classic International Cruises
Port of registry	1985–2001: Panama City, Panama 2001 onwards: Madeira, Portugal
In service	1985
Out of service	2011
Status	Transferred to Portuscale Cruises in 2013
Portugal
Name	Funchal
Operator	Portuscale Cruises
Port of registry	Madeira, Portugal
In service	2013
Out of service	2015
Refit	2013
Identification	Call sign: CSBM IMO number: 5124162 MMSI number: 255971000
Status	Laid-up
General characteristics
Type	Cruise liner
Tonnage	9,563 GRT
Length	152.6 m (501 ft)
Beam	19.05 m (62.5 ft)
Depth	6.18 m (20.3 ft)
Decks	6
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Capacity	524 passengers
Crew	155

MV Funchal is a Portuguese passenger and cruise liner. It is the last remaining ship and symbol of the once large fleet of Portuguese liners. Since the beginning of 2013, Funchal had been owned and operated by the Portuguese cruise company Portuscale Cruises.

Construction and configuration

Funchal under construction at Helsingor on February 5, 1961

The ship was built in 1961, under the guidance of the Portuguese naval engineer Rogério d'Oliveira. Funchal is an ocean liner with a classic profile and interiors.

The ship's features include stabilisation, air-conditioning, three lifts, a main show lounge (Ilha Verde), piano bar (Porto Bar), club room, library, card room, lido bar, shop, photo shop, medical centre, excursion office, and reception with exchange facilities.

Early service

Funchal served as a Portuguese presidential yacht. The ship was once owned by one of the wealthiest families in the Azores.

Service with Classic International Cruises

Funchal was the first vessel to join the Classic International Cruises fleet in 1984, and under that flag successfully served the British cruise market for over 20 years, carrying thousands of passengers.

Having undergone extensive work in 2010, to comply with SOLAS 2010, Funchal went back to a Lisbon Shipyard in February 2011 for a lengthy refit, which would include changes to its power plant as well as passenger and crew cabins and public lounges. The idea was to make the ship fit for service for at least another ten years. In November 2011, she completed 50 years of service, always under the same name. However, in 2012, work stopped towards April with only 20% of the required work completed. Following Classic International Cruises' liquidation, in December 2012, the ship faced the threat of being sold for scrap.

Service with Portuscale Cruises

In early 2013 a Portuguese entrepreneur Rui Alegre purchased Funchal—as well as Princess Danae, Arion and Athena—to serve the newly-formed Portuscale Cruises. During 2013, Funchal was extensively refurbished in Lisbon's Naval Rocha shipyards, being upgraded to a 4-star vessel, at a cost of about 10 million Euros. In the refurbishment, the ship's hull was re-painted black, its original colour.

On 1 August 2013, the refurbished Funchal was re-instated, in the presence of prime-minister Passos Coelho. In late August 2013, the ship left drydock in Lisbon, Portugal and, on 27 August 2013, arrived in Gothenburg, Sweden, to restart her cruising career.

On 28 August 2013, the refurbished Funchal was not released from the harbour in Gothenburg. The cruiseship was fully loaded with passengers but was not allowed to leave. According to some Swedish press accounts, many security issues were found. In a press release, the Portuscale Cruise CEO denied the existence of security issues, saying that the issues were related to the malfunctioning of two watertight doors and one sprinkler station, issues that had already been detected by the crew, who had informed the Swedish Port State Control authorities.

On 2 September 2013, with the issues resolved, and all inspections made and certifications granted, Funchal left Gothenburg harbour and restarted her cruise, heading to Scotland.

Signature Living

On 5 December 2018 Funchal was sold at auction in Lisbon for € 3.1 million. The buyers were named as Signature Living, a UK-based hotel group who intended to convert the ship to a party hotel to travel from Liverpool to the Mediterranean. However payment was not made and ship continued laid up in Lisbon where future was uncertain. According to industry sources, the classic 1961-built Funchal will soon be towed to Liverpool as new owners Signature Living have made the final payment on the vessel. “Their plans have changed again and they will not be locating her in Ibiza as previously reported,” said a source familiar with the situation. Thus, Signature Living plan to tow the ship to Liverpool, refurbish her, and then find a permanent spot for the vessel in the UK as a hotel vessel.

On 30 June 2020 Signature Living entered administration with the administrators arranging for the disposal of Funchal. She remains moored in Lisbon.

External links and further reading

• MarineTraffic: FUNCHAL - Current position of RV Funchal, recent port calls and live map view.
• MV Funchal ship profile - Portuscale Cruises profile for MV Funchal, showing deck plans and information about the public areas of the ship.
• ssMaritime: SS Funchal - Early history of SS Funchal.