Busiest August for ten years
The Port of Funchal receives today, Friday, the luxury cruise ship ‘Nautica’, the first of eight calls scheduled for this month of August in the Ports of Madeira, the August with the most calls in the last 10 years.
In 2015 alone, Funchal registered seven stopovers. Moreover, in 2012, there were three, 2013 four, 2014 five, 2016 six and in 2017, 2018 and 2019 only three visitors. In 2020 and 2021, due to the pandemic, there were no stopovers in August (as in other months of those years, as the recovery in the ports of Madeira took place, practically, only from October 2021).
This August, to the seven stopovers planned for Funchal, there will be another one from a cruise ship on the island of Porto Santo – which happens for the first time in the last 10 years – which will total eight stopovers this month, in the ports of Madeira.
In addition to the ‘Nautica’, the ships ‘Deutschland’, 09 in Porto Santo and 10 in Funchal, the ‘Queen Elizabeth’ and the ‘MSC Virtuosa’ on the 18th, the ‘Enchanted Princess’ on the 22nd, are expected this month. the ‘Ventura at 24 and the ‘Seven Seas Navigator’ at 29.
The month of August, together with June and July, are the three months of low season for the Ports of Madeira, as well as for those in the Canary Islands, partners in the “Cruise in the Atlantic Island” brand, created by the Port Authorities of the two regions, in 1994.
The “Nautica” comes from Lisbon, with 612 passengers and 403 crew. It makes a 10-hour stopover in Funchal and leaves Madeira at 5:00 pm, bound for La Palma.
With a tonnage of 30,277 tons, the “Nautica”, one of Oceania Cruises’ seven small and luxurious ships, started service in 2000, was refurbished in 2022 and has a capacity for 656 passengers, according to the company’s website. It is 181 metres in length and flies the flag of the Marshall Islands.
The Diario later confirmed the Nautica’s arrival at 8:00 this morning. It is moored at the Pontinha breakwater until it leaves for La Palma.
The newspaper, differing from the report above, says that the vessel, at its maximum capacity, can carry up to 824 passengers, served by 386 crew members.
It recently returned (April 1) from a refurbishment after a stop due to Covid-19, as did three other “sister” ships (‘Insignia’, ‘Regatta’ and ‘Sirena’).
The vessel’s next stop will be on November 8, in a program which will also include two other ships (‘Riviera’, which calls Funchal on April 1, 2023, and ‘Marina’ calling at Funchal on September 12, 2023, among other dates) from Oceania Cruises.
COVID-19 in Madeira: updates can be found in an earlier post
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