FUNCHAL and PRINCESS DANAE in Lisbon

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No trip to Lisbon is complete without a visit to see "FUNCHAL" and "PRINCESS DANAE", the ships are undergoing refits before resuming cruising service with their new owner/operator PORTUSCALE CRUISES, a newly formed Portuguese Company. This time the visit was rather special because local Maritime Historian and Photographer Luis Miguel Correia, a long time friend was available to join me. Before heading to see the laid-up ships we spent a few hours photographing the brand new EUROPA 2 on her maiden voyage, late in the evening we proceeded  for the laid-up ships, there was inevitably a special focus on FUNCHAL, one of our favourites, a ship that has been part of our lives for 50 years, listening to Luis Miguel Correia talk about FUNCHAL is the same that listening to David Attenborough talk about our Planet, no other Historian or Enthusiast knows the vessel like him, LMC knows every rivet of the ship, it is quite absorbing to listen to his lectures, we really don't want the moment to end. It is quite a challenge to the new company to make it work, the ships are over 50 years old, the current economical situation does not help, we wish this new adventure a successful and profitable career, the task is huge, PORTUSCALE's fleet is completed by the former ARION and ATHENA which will be renamed respectively PORTO and AZORES, the PRINCESS DANAE will be known as LISBOA. Photos taken 25.5.2013
Location: 2715-311 Lisbon, Portugal

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