Lisbon,February 12, 2015:The portuguese classic cruise shipFUNCHAL had her cruiseprogram for the year2015canceled today by the owning companyPearlCruises.
In a statementto the "Shipsand the Sea Blog"the dedicated ownerof the ship, Mr. RuiAlegre, said that "the company failed tomeetthe conditions for ensuringthe operation ofcruises for the 2015 season.We will now putthe ship in"layup", keeping her ingood care,and look for along-termoperator tocharterthe ship.We hope to findthischarterersoonfor theFUNCHAL to returnto the seasagain..."
TheFUNCHAL has been berthed at Rocha do Conde de Óbidos cruise terminal in Lisbon since the 2ndJanuary, when she actually returned from the New Yearcruiseto Madeira andPorto Santo.In54 yearsofdiverse andillustrioushistory, the FUNCHAL hasalways been a very specialship,callingevery one's attentionwith her elegantand charmingpresence, and touchingthousands of passengersand hundreds ofcrew memberswitha "soul"hard to findin otherexistingpassenger ships.
In a statementto the "Shipsand the Sea Blog"the dedicated ownerof the ship, Mr. RuiAlegre, said that "the company failed tomeetthe conditions for ensuringthe operation ofcruises for the 2015 season.We will now putthe ship in"layup", keeping her ingood care,and look for along-termoperator tocharterthe ship.We hope to findthischarterersoonfor theFUNCHAL to returnto the seasagain..."
TheFUNCHAL has been berthed at Rocha do Conde de Óbidos cruise terminal in Lisbon since the 2ndJanuary, when she actually returned from the New Yearcruiseto Madeira andPorto Santo.In54 yearsofdiverse andillustrioushistory, the FUNCHAL hasalways been a very specialship,callingevery one's attentionwith her elegantand charmingpresence, and touchingthousands of passengersand hundreds ofcrew memberswitha "soul"hard to findin otherexistingpassenger ships.
Over the yearstheFUNCHAL has turned herself into a unique ship,a legend that could well be classed as a piece of worldmaritime heritage, preservingtraditions andqualitiesimpossible toappreciate and feel without experiencing our belovedFUNCHAL.
Let's wish 12 February 2015isjust anotherdayin the long historyof thelast of thetraditional Portugueseliners,and that a charterer will be found quickly allowing theFUNCHAL to resume her illustrious career withdignityand success. LUÍS MIGUEL CORREIA
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