ORIANA off Garajau, Madeira

ORIANA leaving the port of Funchal, seen from Garajau.

ORIANA seen at speed off Garajau, the most eastern point of Funchal's bay, on 21 February 2016, after the departure from Madeira's capital, the last port of call of a 50-day Caribbean and USA transatlantic cruise.

The greatest sight of this promontory is a 14 m. high Christ the King monument located on top, inaugurated on 30 October 1927. Like many other of these catholic statues that exist around the World (the most iconic being the one in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), the monument in Madeira is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, and with its open arms facing the sea, it is as if it's blessing the ones that arrive and depart port.

Front perspective of the Christ the King of Madeira. Image: Rui Gonçalves da Silva.

As ORIANA started her journey homebound to Southampton, this was almost like an obligatory passage, allowing for some privileged shots of her underway.

At distance, ORIANA bound to her homeport, with the inhabited Desertas Islands in the background.

Now after her voyage to the West, ORIANA has two scheduled itineraries to the Norwegian Fjords, primal destination at this time of the year to admire the famous northern lights. Today she arrived in the port of Stavanger, southern Norway.

Photographic Achievement: João Abreu