New Funchal hotel

THE ship which formerly sailed as MV Funchal is set to become a hotel ship in London, after being sold at auction for €3.9 million by the administrators of the now defunct Portuscale cruises.

Funchal was set to visit Australia a few years ago ( CW 04 Sep 2014) but her maiden Down Under season, which had included proposed visits to Geelong and Newcastle, was cancelled when Portuscale was placed under administration.

The 524-passenger ship, built in 1961, has been sold to UK hotel operator Signature Living, which plans to relocate Funchal from Lisbon to Central London where it will be converted into a hotel.