History
           
           
RETURN TO THE HOMEPAGE                                                                                                                                                                                           S/S FUNCHAL 1961

The Funchal was built in 1961 by the Elsinore Shipbuilding Company in Denmark and was the largest ship they had ever built. She is a most elegant and well proportioned Portuguese ship and is still in service today for Classic International Cruises. She is very popular still and is one of only a few ships to retain their original names to the present day.

Design and Construction:

She was launched on the 10th February 1961 and made her maiden arrival into her home port of Lisbon on the 19th October 1961. Although a passenger liner, she had three holds, two forward one aft. Although her design followed the style of the day, she was a modern, if not a sleek looking ship.

She accommodated 400 passengers in three classes. 80 First, 156 Tourist A, and 164 Tourist B. All her main public rooms are located on Promenade Deck. Her first class lounge is located forward, ahead of the reading and card rooms, which flank the main foyer, with the Smoke Room located just aft. Amidships on Promenade Deck, are eight first class cabins, which separate the first class from lounges from the tourist class A Main lounge and a Smoke Room which are just astern. On A Deck forward is the First Class Dinning Room, followed by the Galley and Tourist Class Dinning Room, which was partitioned with 160 seats each side. Tourist A passengers being located on the Port Side and B Starboard. Just aft again is the Main Lounge for Tourist B.

Both First Class and Tourist A had single, two and three berth cabins, with First Class having private facilities. Tourist A accommodations had shared facilities only. In addition First class had four double bedded suites as well as two single suites. Tourist Class B cabins ranged from two to six berths, all with shared facilities.

Insulana Line era:

She entered service for Empresa Insulana de Navegacao (Insulana Line) on the route from Lisbon to the Azores and Madeira. She gave sterling service on this route until the early 1970s when passenger numbers began to decline due to the competition from air travel.

As passenger numbers had dropped considerably by the early seventies, it was decided to enter the Funchal into the cruise market. In 1973 Funchal was given an extensive refit and became an attractive one class cruise ship.

Thankfully her pleasing exterior profile did not change much, as only her promenade deck was extended a little aft. She was painted all white with a blue ribbon added around her hull. A blue band was added to her yellow funnel.

During the refit, her steam turbines were replaced by Werkspoor Diesel Engines developing 2 x 5,000 bhp, which saw Funchal operate a cruising speed of 16 knots. Her tonnage was then listed as 9,563 GRT.

The Cruising Years:

In 1974 Funchal was transferred to CTM (Companhia Portuguesa de Transportes Maritimos), and she became a popular cruise ship. Since then, she has travelled the world. British holiday makers make up the majority of her clientele, although she has been to Australia, where she was well received. Currently since 1985, Funchal is owned by Arcalia Shipping, Panama, but is marketed under the Classic International Cruises banner.

She continues to be a popular and elegant cruise ship, so long may she continue to delight passengers for many years to come.








(c) Cruise Ship History Collection 2018 including www.thecunarders.co.uk                                                                                                                                       A Edward Elliott