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The 'National Geographic Explorer' and the mega-yacht 'Helios', are today's "guests" at the Port of Funchal, and are both on a repositioning trip to the Mediterranean.
The National Geographic Explorer belongs to the Lindblad Expeditions' fleet and is a ship that spends its winters in Antarctica and summers in the Arctic, alternating its trips between both poles throughout the year.
According to the entity that manages the ports of Madeira, APRAM, this cruise "began on March 9, in Ushuaia, Argentina, made stops in the Falklands, South Georgia, the islands of Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena, Ascension, islands of Santiago, Fogo and Ilhéus do Rombo, Ilhéu Grande in Cape Verde, La Palma and La Gomera Islands in the Canary Islands, now Madeira and again Canary Islands.
The ship was built in 1980, and has an ice-cutting hull and features suitable for expedition cruises in exotic and polar destinations, allowing accommodation for up to 148 passengers, distributed among its 81 cabins. At the moment, she is travelling with 85 passengers and 85 crew from La Gomera. She is on the island of Madeira for a prolonged stopover of 28 hours, leaving at 9am tomorrow for Las Palmas.
The mega yacht Helios docked at the south pier of the Port of Funchal for a refuelling stop and to rest its 15 crew. The ship will remain in the Pearl of the Atlantic for the next 140 hours, and will depart for Rotterdam only at dawn on April 16.
