Funchal - at sea again

Tuesday 28^th October

Another day at sea in lovely calm waters – and still we rolled! Some of the highlights of this cruise were the unusual entertainments- a class of Portuguese folk dance for example or the waiters at dinner giving a concert of a bamboo instrument, which we all later tried! 

 

That evening we were all treated to a magnificent Midnight (well 11pm actually) Buffet, which had obviously taken days to prepare.

 

Funchal - at Funchal

Land!!! I don’t anyone was so glad to see the lights of Madeira as we got up that morning. Sadly the highlight of going to Madeira for me was to have seen the brand new Regal Princess there on her maiden voyage, but now we were there on a different day that was not possible. I was up to watch us berth in Funchal. It was a stunning sunrise and I got some lovely photos of the reflections on the ship.

There were no other ships in aside from a ferry which left as we arrived. After breakfast we waiting for the free shuttle take us into the main street just back from the sea front. We then set off wandering. We looked in a few shops and I bought a pretty fish pendant before it was time for a drink and custard tart!

After a rest we set off again, visiting the flower and fish markets and then walking along the waterfront to take photos of Funchal. She looked so tiny against the quayside against the “normal” cruise ships like Oriana. 

Walked out, we got the last but one shuttle back to Funchal in time for afternoon tea.  We were of course on deck for sailaway and to watch stores being loaded using one of the two cranes on the foredeck. The stores were on pallets which were hooked to the crane with webbing straps and lowered onto the deck. As we sailed they were using the crane to lift the stores and lower then into a hold through hatches on the foredeck.  We were very pleased to see stocks of Vinho Verde among them!

After dinner we went to the show which tonight was Lawrence Robinson, a tenor. There was also a tropical deck party in the Lido but we were too tired to stay up for that.

Funchal - Days 3-6

Thursday 23rd October – Sunday 26^th October

During the first four sea days, it was immediately apparent that MV Funchal rolled incessantly and severely, even when we reached Madeira and flat calm conditions. The only time we could relax was when she was tied up ashore. We soon found our way around although it was a bit confusing that we had to go down one flight of stairs from our cabin and then along and down again to the MDR.

I loved the 1960s style that was evident around the ship - particularly in the chairs in the Gama Lounge and the tapestries in the Lisboa restaurant. I don't know if these were original to the vessel, which was built in 1961.

The days passed with breakfast in the MDR – a buffet with separate areas for hot food, juice, breads, muffins and cereals, and fruit. There were quizzes in the morning followed by games such as beanbag bowls, bucketball and hoopla (called quoits). Outside was shuffleboard – played regardless of weather conditions! And later in the morning was a Wii game such as tennis or bowling.

 

We always ate lunch in the MDR as well. The Lido Buffet wasn’t opened until around Day 3 or 4 as it was open on one side to the elements, although hot drinks were available there most of the day. There was a craft lecturer making Kusadama flower wreathes and cards and two lecturers – one on photography and one on footballers!!  Sometimes there was a demonstration such as how to make cocktails. I managed to walk in on that one just as he was asking the question who sang the song The Rose (Bette Midler) and won the cocktail to drink!  Afternoon was served in the Lisboa Restaurant with rolls, sandwiches and cakes. They also had scones and jam and a strange bowl of pink goo that may have been supposed to be strawberry cream? As we were eating early (for us) at 7pm, we usually did the 5.30pm quiz and then go and shower etc before a cocktail in the Porto Lounge.  There was a very good pianist and singer Luisa Maio, who sang in the Portuguese Fado style. Then dinner and the show. The eastern European dance troupe was excellent and were often followed by a different show by the entertainment officers.

Taking the noon-day sighting.

One highlight was seeing a large whale not too far from the ship, as well as many dolphins.

On the evening of Saturday, when we back to the cabin to find our pillow chocolate, latest towel animal and the following day’s programme, we noticed it said not to forget to put your clocks back one hour that evening. That was the ONLY notification – no announcement, no card in cabin etc, and many people didn’t spot it in time so got up an hour early!

At dinner on Sunday evening 26^th October, as we were still heading for Tenerife, we heard an announcement over the ship’s tannoy. It was not loud and it was a while before everyone noticed and went quiet. The gist of it was that due to Funchal experiencing strong currents there was no way we were going to make it to the Canaries and the decision had been made to turn 90 degrees and head for Madeira after all, followed by Portimao in Portugal on the 29^th. Although we were pleased to be going to Madeira, Portimao was disappointing as we were there in August! This came as a complete surprise. A letter was waiting for us in our cabins that night with the re-revised itinerary and the offer of 40% refund on our cruise.

Funchal - Day 2

Wednesday 22 October

We headed down for breakfast in the hotel and were relieved to spot Funchal in the distance heading for her berth! As the wind had dropped and rain ceased for the present, after breakfast we went for a walk along the waterfront of Liverpool. We first went to see the ship and take a few photos of her.

 

She did indeed look very small but has lovely lines – like a miniature QE2 in my mind. We then headed up towards the Museum of Liverpool, Beatles Experience and finally the Maritime Museum where we just had time for a quick look around before heading back to the hotel for a coffee and to find out what was happening.

 

There was no news however regarding the promised revised itinerary until we were boarding the coaches to take us to the ship around midday. We had accepted the loss of two ports but had hoped for longer calls at Tenerife and Lanzarote as they were quite short – half a day in one case, and afternoon and evening in the other, and even possibly an extra new port nearer to the others. It was not to be however and when we got our letters the itinerary remained the same as we had been told in Bristol.  This meant we faced four straight sea days down the Irish Sea and Bay of Biscay before arriving in Tenerife.

The coaches dropped us off at the terminal where we quickly checked in and walked across the road, down a covered walkway to a pontoon against which the ship was berthed; then up a rather rickety stepped gangway and onto the ship. Once inside a steward took both our cabin cases and led us up two flights of spiral stairs to Navigator Deck and our cabin 102. This was a six-level upgrade from our original booked cabin on the lowest Estoril Deck. Maybe not such a good idea I thought in view of the weather but on later seeing the stairs down to our original deck, I think I may have felt very claustrophobic down there.

 

There were two single beds at right angles to each other (so my feet were in Caryll’s face!) and a third upper berth folded up against the wall. There was a separate fridge, dresser with four very small drawers, a small single wardrobe with interior drawer at the bottom and another double version of the same, with a safe in one side. That was all the storage there was. The, obviously refitted, bathroom had a wall-hung basin and toilet, both of which gave a little as you put any weight on them – rather alarming in the case of the loo!!! It was effectively a wet room with the shower in one corner with a slightly recessed floor level and a curtain. The biggest problem with the bathroom was the total lack of storage anywhere- not a shelf or cupboard to be found, meaning we had to live out of our spongebags the whole cruise.

 

The other problem we discovered later was a shortage of grab-rails – just one small one in the shower, which meant a couple or more days when we dare not even risk showering in the rough seas. There was a small elongated porthole with one-way glass out onto the upper promenade deck, plenty of continental style sockets and excellent reading lights on flexible stalks.  The position was great – straight out of our door and onto the prom deck and right next to the port bridge wing.

Our cases soon arrived and we unpacked and set off to explore the ship from top to bottom with our cameras as is our norm for a new vessel, until it was time for muster drill at 5pm. We had to wear our life jackets and sit through the usual routine and three different-sounding alarms, before being led out to our boat station and counted.

Finally at 6.30pm - we set sail at last as a stunning sunset bathed Liverpool in a golden glow. 

We were on table no 11 for 8, second sitting (8pm). It appeared we had to keep to our table for lunch as well as dinner. However due to the low number of passengers, this was soon changed to a single 7pm sitting. The problem was that for our new 7pm table allocation we had to queue to see the Maitre d’ and make our requests – this time we were allocated table no 28. A nice group of people but with whom we had little in common. When we mentioned this in passing to the Social Hostess, she found us a new table the following day – No.6. – but because we didn’t have a card for this table, we asked where it was at lunchtime but were directed to table 5! This caused the maitre d’ to nearly have a heart attack as we were messing up his detailed numbered table plans. Clearly this was an issue between CMV staff doing something without reference to the Portuscale crew.  It was all finally sorted and we stayed at table 6 for dinner (lunches became open seating|) with a couple from South Africa and a lady on her own from Bristol.

After dinner we went to the Welcome show – there was a very good team of dancers plus the three CMV entertainment officers and CD who sang as well.

Funchal adventure - part 1

Well I called it an adventure on Funchal but little did I know how right I would be!!

Monday 20th October 2014

As we were sailing from Avonmouth (Bristol) , my friend had to come to me for a change. She arrived on the 4pm train from Southampton and I collected her up after work. We picked up some fish & chips and had a relaxed evening - initially. Checking where Funchal was on www.marinetraffic.com, we suddenly noticed her destination was listed as Liverpool! Errr – what happened to Avonmouth?? Starting to panic now as it was 7.30pm, I phoned Cruise & Maritime Voyages to ask what was happening and was told we had to turn up at Avonmouth as planned but that we would be taken by coach to Liverpool. The reason was that severe winds (tail end of Hurricane Gonzalo) were preventing the ship from reaching Bristol in time but she was listed to dock at Liverpool at 9pm the Tuesday evening. Ok - well I hate long coach journeys but if that was what we had to do ....

Tuesday 21 October 2014

We duly boarded our booked car to go to Bristol and were met by a representative from CMV who asked us all to wait for a bit in the terminal café until there was a full coach load. At around noon we boarded our coach only to be given a letter saying we would be put up in a hotel that evening , and hopefully board Funchal the next day – Wednesday. The letter went on to say that the lost day would mean dropping La Coruna and Madeira from the cruise! At this news, many people got up and walked off the coach saying that if they weren’t going to Madeira they didn’t want to continue to travel. Those wishing to go home were offered a full refund but if we travelled to Liverpool before cancelling we would have to make our own way home. After some discussion we decided to carry on and have an adventure – little did we know then quite what an adventure it would be become!

It was a three-hour journey to Liverpool with a short break at Sandbach services to buy a sandwich. The coach was comfortable and I had room to stretch my legs – my biggest fear of a long coach trip is squashed knees!  Fortunately for us – although not for them - there was a couple on the coach who had travelled down from Liverpool the previous day and were able to direct the driver to the cruise berth as some roads had been closed due to the high winds causing damage to buildings. Once at the cruise terminal someone from CMV came on board and asked us all what kind of accommodation we required – double, twin, single etc. – before we were taken just across the road – the one that was closed! - to the Atlantic Tower Thistle Hotel and allotted a room on the ninth-floor. It was a nice twin room with a view of the Liver Building from our window. At least we thought it was a good view until we heard a sound like thunder and saw a panel ripped off the block behind us and literally fly across the road and land on a roof! Somewhat alarming!!  Still we were in Liverpool – we later discovered many passengers had been put up for the night in Chester, not that I had been to either city before.

View from room

Hotel and building behind with missing panels ripped off by winds

 

Dinner was obviously hastily prepared for the CMV influx – a choice of chicken, chicken or chicken, after which we retired to bed and hopefully good news in the morning.

Packing again

The time has come to start packing again for our adventure on MV Funchal. I have to admit to being a bit excited and at the same time apprehensive as she is the smallest ship I will have sailed on at 10,000grt. On the up side, she is a proper liner with a deep 7m draught and a fine bow (in looks she reminds me of a miniature QE2); on the minus side - it looks like we will be sailing into the tail end of a hurricane!

I will of course be reporting on both the ship and the cruise in due course.

Meanwhile I have been busy selecting some of my cruise ship photographs for a new calendar to be published by the German company Calvendo. It will be available on Amazon very shortly.

Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1325027405

Here is a preview of a few of the images in the calendar.

And the next cruise...

is only just over two weeks away now! 

My friend and I booked on the classic liner MV Funchal. Built in 1961, she originally operated line voyages between Portugal and the Azores. For a period she became the Portuguese Presidential yacht but was completely refitted a year or so ago for Portuscale Cruises. They also own Azores, another classic ship which is being chartered to Cruise & Maritime Voyages next year, so, when it was decided for CMV's Discovery to go back to her owners All Leisure Group before her charter was up, I suppose it was natural to look to Portuscale for a fill-in ship to take over Discovery's last two cruises. I have sailed on Discovery last year so this was a bonus.

http://sharonp-shipsinmylife.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/discovering-discovery-april-2013.html

Funchal will be sailing from my local port of Avonmouth, although we have to fly home from Lisbon. Look out for my blog of the cruise when I get home.

And from a tiny ship of 10,000 grt to a monster! We have recently booked a three night cruise on Anthem of the Seas! This will be my first time on RCI but we are not treating it as a cruise - more an experience. I am curious to see the widespread use of modern technology on the ship - virtual balconies for example - a floor to ceiling screen in inside cabins giving a live life-size view of the sea outside the ship. Robot bartenders - to name just a few.

And finally - I have got round to uploading a small selection of my photos from the Adonia cruise to Iberia and Morocco here.
https://plus.google.com/photos/114801993219771801790/albums/6065997580997398465?banner=pwa