The Port of Funchal welcomed a trio of cruise ships on Friday, November 8, including the Explora II on its maiden call, alongside the Costa Pacifica and MSC Poesia.

The triple call brought over 8,000 visitors, the port said in a statement. 

The Explora II, making its inaugural visit, is currently sailing a 17-night transatlantic voyage from Barcelona to Miami. The ship stopped in Funchal as its second port of call. The ship is set to return to Funchal periodically over the winter season, culminating in a repositioning journey to Europe on March 25.

The Costa Pacifica, currently on a trans-Atlantic voyage that began on November 2 in Savona, stopped in Barcelona and Tangier before reaching Funchal and will continue to Tenerife, Cape Verde, and several Brazilian ports, including Recife, Maceió, Salvador da Baía, Rio de Janeiro, and Santos. The ship will be stationed in Brazil for the coming months.

The MSC Poesia completed a partial turnaround in Funchal, with 320 passengers disembarking and 308 embarking. Arriving from the Canary Islands with 2,477 guests onboard, the ship made an eight-hour stop in Madeira before departing for southern Spain. The Poesia is on a five-night cruise, with planned stops in Malaga, Marseille and Genoa, where it will arrive on November 13.