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International Cruises

MS Funchal

Your Rating:
Reviewed by:Donna Spark
# previous cruises: 3
Date of Trip: May 17, 2006
Itinerary: Baltic/Black Sea/Russia

The Funchal is a small ship but what it lacks is size it makes up for in style. I really enjoyed my time aboard this ship with its friendly crew.

The ship has two main bars in the Gamma lounge and Porto bar (only place inside vessel that smoking is permitted). Both these bars have facilities for live music. There is also a bar in the Ile verde lounge were the main show was hosted and was open during the show. There was also a pool side bar. Some of the seats inside the vessel particularly in the gamma lounge could be a bit uncomfortable if you had to sit on them for any length of time. The pool was small but was actually slightly larger than I had expected but it was to cold for me although some did try it. There was a small casino area which was quiet most of time and a small games room just off with one arm bandit type machines. There was a library with seating area and this was well stocked with books and games. There was a small shop selling a selection of souvenirs, toiletries and duty free items. There was also a photo shop which was little expensive in my opinion. There was also a hairdresser and masseur I did not use this but of the people who I spoke to who did they all said she was very good and game them tips on looking after your hair and so on.

There was also a small lounge just off the reception just next to the shore excursions office and this was a good place if you wanted some piece and quiet.

The ship was decorated nicely in my opinion but there was no place that I particularly liked because of the furnishings or decor although I liked the Gamma lounge due to the live act who performed here.

Reception and bureau de change this is the only thing I have that is critical of this ship but this is only a small problem and could be solved through sending certain members of the classic international staff on customer relations training. Firstly the purser staff kept telling passengers that they could not get euros from them despite admitting that they had them but they would not exchange them and kept telling the passengers to come back tomorrow this was brought to Julie the cruise directors attention when a passenger was trying to change sterling to euros at a shop in stockholm but they couldn't do this for him. Julie told the man they would do this on the ship when he explained that he had been refused 5 times on the ship she had a word with the purser staff and within about 2 mins it was sorted and suddenly you could get euros on the ship. My second problem was with the reception staff we were told at the disembarkation meeting that we could leave all our valuables in the safety deposit box until we were ready disembark in the morning however when we went to reception to get something out of it at 2 o'clock the day before departing the ship it was more or less demanded that we empty our box right there and then. She basically told either take it now or you will have to come back at 11 tonight and there will be a queue but that it must be emptied that night. She told this to several passengers me not wanting to cause a scene closed my box and just took what was in it out. However some passengers refused and you could tell that she was not pleased one bit by this because the more passengers who still have boxes the more work for her in the morning.

The food was excellent. There were two restaurants one large and one small which meant that evening dinner was served in one sitting. Breakfast was buffet either in the resteraunt were you had several hot options available as well as bread rolls, bread and toast and selections of fruit and cold meats and cheeses. you could also request certain items to be maid fresh by placing an order with the waiter. This included poached eggs, fried eggs and porridge(this is only available in restaurant). There was also a selection of teas, coffees and fruit juice. You could also have the option of having a buffet breakfast up on the navigators deck. The breakfast was similar to the one in the restaurant. Hot items included bacon scrambled egg, sausages, hash brown etc.

Lunch again could be taken as a buffet up at the navigators deck (weather permitting) were there was a wide selection of cold meats and cheeses, bread rolls, a large salad selection, salad accomplishments i.e cold slaw and potato salad etc. The hot selections were a pasta dish, chips, vegetable option and two different main courses and sausages. Desserts were a selection of cakes, jelly, fruit. Dinner in the restaurant was open sitting but was served to you by a table waiter. It was four or five courses although you didn't have to take all the courses. There was a selection of appetizers which always included a pasta dish and usually a fish dish and one other choice. The was then a choice of two different soups. there was usually three choice of a main course. Dessert was usually a selection of three again or you could have fresh fruit. Cheese and crackers were also available and tea and coffee was served at end of meal with water being available throughout the meal. There was also a separate vegetarian menu

The main meal when not in port was served in the two restaurants at your designated table. We were sitting at a table for six with four other passengers. Our waiter Daniel worked very hard as did all the restaurant staff and Galley staff. The main meal was five and sometimes six courses. with appetizers consisting of three options, starter which was a choice of two soups, main course was a choice of four courses or you could have the pasta appetizer as your main course or you could have one of the vegetable main course which there was usually two of. Dessert was three choice. you could also have fresh fruit and cheese and crackers. Water was served throughout your meal and tea and coffee was served at the end of the meal. there was also late night snacks through out the ship the waiters came around with these. This was usually things like Pizza, sandwiches, cakes.

On three nights there were buffets the first one was a Scandinavian buffet with sausage, sandwiches, cold, meat, cheese and cakes, the second was similar, the third was a Grand Gala buffet and this was truly excellent with its vegetable carvings and ice sculptures, beautifully decorated foods. There were two formal nights and a captains cocktail party. I would rate the food 5 out of 5

Our cabin was an inside cabin at the lowest part of the ship. I was a bit concerned about this as I had never had an inside cabin before and also because it was close to the engine. I needn't of worried the cabin was actually a lot bigger than i had expected and was bigger than some of the higher grade cabins that I seen inside. The shower room was small but adequate enough for even a tall person to get into. There was a double wardrobe drawers a dressing table and a mirror although this was not a full length one. There was piped music into the room but no tv (who cares you just sleep in the cabin). The cabin Steward was excellent he came twice a day once in the morning to make up the beds and tidy the rooms and again at night to turn down the beds. The towels were changed twice a day and the bedding was changed daily.

Some people said they could not sleep for the noises on the ship but I never noticed any noise.

5 out of 5 for the cabin

The cruise staff were from travelscope who chartered this boat from classic international for this trip and I cannot rate travelscope highly enough this was my third cruise travelling with them and I have always found them very helpful and professional.

While on board we attended all the evening shows and cannot rate them highly enough. I think the main reason for this was that the show was not the same thing every night with different costumes which sometimes happens. Instead there were the band the singer and the dancers as usual but there were guest cabaret acts consisting of a two singers, a singing duet and a magician. As well as the assistant cruise director who did a show he was a very talented singer and comedian and one of the cruise staff did an adult type show and she was very good. She was also a talented singer and comedian.

There was also quizzes in the gama lounge if you did not like the show and Amethyst a talented duo who played at intervals through out the evening as did the Pianist in the porto bar.

I would give the evening shows and cruise staff 5 out of 5

While at sea during the day there were various activities going on such as quizzes, Amethyst and the Pianist, dancing classes, and various how to activities such as napkin folding, vegetable carving etc. There was also deck sports such as deck quoits, exercise classes etc. Also there were game competitions in the library. The casino was open at times advertised in daily programme. There was also a small gym that was well equipped. there was also the duty free shop. Gamma lounge also showed a film in the afternoon. ports of call were stockholm, copenhagen, tallinn, st petersburg, Helsinki I cannot fault any of these ports call in fact I cant rate them highly enough there was a guest port lecturer Elspeth Buchannan and she really new her staff and was very informative about all the ports of call. We did three shore excursion and they were all very good and I felt value for money and everyone who did shore excursion seemed to really enjoy these. There were no children's facilities and I would not recommend this boat for those with children although I believe that during the holidays they do run a children's programme but I would still think parents would struggle to find things to entertain young children.

It is mostly British people who cruise on her although there was a couple of people on board from Australia. It tends to be people 50+ who cruise on her with many people in there late 80's in saying that though I'm in my twenties and i had a ball.