The cruise ship ‘Vasco da Gama’ is not expected to dock at the Port of Funchal, despite having been in the bay of Funchal since before 8:00 am this Friday. Apparently, the option to change crews on the high seas, instead of a stopover, is at the base of this ‘waiting’ that draws attention.
It should be noted that the ship, which is registered with MAR (Madeira International Ship Registry), is owned by the Portuguese company Mystic Invest and operated by the German Nicko Cruises, does not have a scheduled stop in the Port of Funchal, so this is really just a technical stop.
It comes from Las Palmas, Canary Islands, after visiting several islands in the neighboring archipelago and Cape Verde. Trips between Madeira, Azores and Lisbon should start soon, within two weeks.
The ‘Marella Explorer’ has been moored at the south pier of Porto do Funchal since yesterday, which is scheduled to leave today, at 9 pm. Two hours later, this evening, ‘Mein Schiff 3’ should enter.