Funchal: Advanced Scuba Diving Afonso Cerqueira Wreck

The best part of this Madeira outing is the chance to explore a real 85-meter naval wreck that now serves as an artificial reef. You cruise from Funchal toward Cabo Girão, then leave the surface behind to inspect the ship’s engine room, cafeteria, and captain’s deck.

I like the mix of practical training and sightseeing. You get a proper wreck site rather than a simple reef swim, and the boat ride gives you open-ocean views and a welcome blast of sea air. The protected underwater area also gives you a good chance to see marine life around the hull.

The main catch is that the $64 price does not include rented scuba equipment or the €3 national park fee. One experienced customer also found the underwater time about 10 minutes shorter than hoped, so air consumption and your personal pace matter.

Key points before you book

• The Afonso Cerqueira is 85 meters long: You can swim beside the hull and enter selected areas, including the engine room and cafeteria.
• The wreck sits as deep as 30 meters: You need at least Open Water certification, six logged dives, and a dive within the last 12 months.
• The boat leaves from Azul Diving Center Madeira: Hotel pickup is not included, so you need to make your own way to the center.
• The base price covers the essentials: Boat transport, a 12 or 15-liter tank filled to 200 bars, weights, and insurance are included.
• Rental gear costs extra: You can arrange equipment directly at the shop, but budget for it before comparing the total price.
• The schedule is compact: The advertised duration is two hours, while the route information describes about 2.5 hours around Cabo Girão.

Why this wreck is worth your time

The Afonso Cerqueira is not just a sunken object placed on the seabed for a quick photo. It is an 85-meter ship with recognizable spaces inside, giving you several ways to explore the site.

Swimming along the hull lets you appreciate its size. From a distance, the ship reads as a large, fixed shape. As you move closer, doors, openings, decks, and machinery turn the wreck into a series of smaller scenes.

The engine room is the kind of feature that makes this outing more memorable than a standard coastal scuba session. You get a look at the working heart of the ship, with the structure itself becoming the attraction rather than a backdrop for fish.

The cafeteria and captain’s deck add variety. You are not simply circling one section of hull. You can inspect different parts of the vessel and think about how the ship once functioned above water.

Conditions always affect how much you can see and how far you can go. The supplied information confirms access to these areas, but it does not promise that every section will be open on every outing. Your instructor and current conditions determine the safest route.

From Azul Diving Center to Cabo Girão

Your meeting point is Azul Diving Center Madeira. There is no hotel pickup, so plan enough time to reach the center with your certification details and personal items ready.

The boat ride carries you away from Funchal’s coast toward the open sea. That short cruise is part of the pleasure, especially if you like the feeling of leaving the harbor behind and heading toward a site that cannot be reached from shore.

The route is associated with the Cabo Girão area, famous for its high coastal cliff. You may notice the scale of Madeira’s coast from the water, but the main purpose of this trip is the wreck rather than a sightseeing cruise.

The listed duration is two hours, while the route description gives 2.5 hours for the scuba portion. I would allow a little flexibility rather than scheduling another tight activity immediately afterward. Boat loading, safety checks, and returning equipment all take time, even on a short trip.

What the boat package includes

Your booking includes the boat ride to the site, a 12 or 15-liter air tank filled to 200 bars, a weight system, and insurance. That is a useful core package for certified divers who already own or have arranged their personal gear.

The choice of tank size may affect your time underwater, depending on your breathing rate and the center’s allocation. Ask the shop what tank is available for your booking and whether rental equipment can be reserved in advance.

Scuba equipment is not included. The center allows you to rent it directly at the shop, which keeps the booking flexible but makes the advertised price less than your final cost if you need a full kit.

You also pay a €3 national park fee. Food and drinks are not included, and there is no hotel transfer. Bring your certification and handle the simple extras before you set off.

A wreck route for certified Open Water divers

This is not a first-time tryout session. You must hold at least Open Water certification or an equivalent qualification, have a minimum of six logged dives, and have been underwater within the past 12 months.

That requirement makes sense for the site. A wreck involves structure, entrances, depth, and the need to manage your position carefully. Even when you remain outside the hull, a large ship can create more decisions than a simple open-water reef.

The maximum stated depth is 30 meters. Your actual depth and route depend on the plan for the day, your certification, your air supply, and the instructor’s judgment.

I would bring proof of certification and be ready to describe your recent experience. If your last scuba session was close to the 12-month limit, confirm your eligibility with the center before paying.

The English-speaking instructor can brief you on the wreck and the safety plan. The team has been praised for being helpful and considerate, with Oreo, Vladimir Ged, and Jack named among the staff receiving particular thanks. The available information does not identify each person’s exact role, so ask at the center who will lead your group.

Seeing the reef around the ship

The ship has become an artificial reef, and the protected area gives marine life a place to gather around its surfaces. You may find fish and other sea creatures along the hull, in openings, and around sections of the structure.

The attraction here is the contrast between hard human-made shapes and natural underwater activity. Rusting surfaces, railings, and compartments provide a different setting from a rocky reef.

Marine life is never a guaranteed checklist. Visibility, season, current, and your position around the wreck all influence what you notice. I would book this for the ship itself first, with the animals as an added reward.

The site also gives you a useful chance to practise controlled movement around a fixed object. You can work on buoyancy, fin control, and awareness of your surroundings while keeping the wreck in view.

That practice has value beyond this one trip. Good buoyancy protects the reef and the wreck, helps you avoid bumping into the structure, and lets you examine the site without stirring up sediment.

Entering the engine room and cafeteria

Entering the wreck is the most technical part of the outing. The engine room and cafeteria provide the strongest sense of place, but enclosed or semi-enclosed areas require careful attention to your instructor’s rules.

You should never treat a wreck interior like a casual swim-through. Stay with the group, follow the planned route, and keep your air supply and exit direction in mind. The supplied details confirm these areas are part of the exploration, but they do not specify the extent of penetration or which compartments are open.

The cafeteria may be easier to picture because it connects the ship to everyday life. The engine room, by contrast, gives you a sense of the machinery that kept the vessel working. Together, they make the outing feel more like an exploration of a former ship than a sightseeing pass beside a submerged object.

The captain’s deck completes the route with a more open view of the wreck. From there, you can appreciate the ship’s scale and see how the separate parts fit together.

How much underwater time should you expect?

The trip is advertised at two hours, with the Cabo Girão route described as 2.5 hours. That total includes the boat movement and the practical parts of the outing, not several uninterrupted hours underwater.

Your actual bottom time depends on air use, depth, safety procedures, and how the group moves through the wreck. A customer with substantial scuba experience felt the session ended around 10 minutes earlier than expected and wished for more air.

That is useful advice, not necessarily a sign of poor planning. A 12 or 15-liter tank filled to 200 bars still gives different results for every diver. At greater depth, air is consumed faster than at the surface, and exploring a wreck can involve more movement than a calm reef route.

If maximizing bottom time matters to you, ask about the planned profile, available tank size, and how the center manages the group. Do not skip safety limits simply to stay underwater longer.

Is $64 a fair price?

At $64 per person, the outing offers a reasonable starting price for a boat trip to a substantial wreck. The included tank, weights, insurance, and boat transfer cover several costs that certified divers would otherwise need to arrange separately.

The true total depends on your equipment. A diver with a personal mask, fins, exposure suit, buoyancy system, regulator, and other required gear pays far less in extras than someone renting a complete setup.

The €3 park fee is small, but it belongs in your budget. Food, drinks, and transport to Azul Diving Center add further costs if you need them.

I think the value is strongest for certified divers who specifically want a Madeira wreck site. If you are only looking for a cheap introduction to scuba, this is the wrong product because certification and recent experience are required.

The price also reflects access to a site that cannot be reached from shore. You are paying for the boat, the guide, the tank, and the chance to enter a large ship in a protected underwater zone.

Who will enjoy this most?

This outing suits an Open Water diver who wants to add a wreck to a logbook without committing to a full-day expedition. It also works well for a diver who has been practising recently and feels comfortable managing equipment at depth.

You will get the most from it if you enjoy structure, history through physical objects, and careful exploration. The Afonso Cerqueira offers more visual variety than a plain open-water swim.

It may not suit a newly certified diver with only the minimum experience, especially if you have not been underwater recently. The minimum requirements allow you to book, but they do not replace personal confidence.

It is also not suitable for anyone without certification. Alcohol and drugs are not allowed, which is exactly what you would expect before a scuba activity involving depth and a boat.

Practical preparation for the morning

Bring your diving certification. Wear or pack whatever personal equipment you already own, then arrange rental items at the shop if needed.

Leave room in your schedule after the outing. The stated duration varies between two and 2.5 hours, and the return to Azul Diving Center is part of the route.

Do not count on a meal or drink during the activity. Food and beverages are not included, so handle those needs before or after the boat trip.

The provider offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure and allows you to reserve now and pay later. That is useful when Madeira weather or your wider holiday plan is still shifting, but you should still check the available start time before booking.

Should you book the Afonso Cerqueira wreck?

Book it if you are a recently active certified diver who wants a real wreck, a short boat outing, and the chance to inspect an engine room, cafeteria, and captain’s deck. The helpful staff, strong 4.9 rating from 22 recorded ratings, and praised guiding make the center an appealing choice.

Before paying, confirm the equipment rental cost and ask how much underwater time the planned tank and route usually allow. If you are hoping for a long session, the compact schedule and one report of a dive ending about 10 minutes early deserve attention.

For the right diver, this is a focused Madeira activity with a clear purpose: reach a large artificial reef, practise sound scuba skills, and see a ship from the inside. It is not a casual tourist boat ride, and that is precisely why it offers good value to someone ready for a proper wreck outing.

FAQ

Where does the Afonso Cerqueira wreck trip start?

It starts at Azul Diving Center Madeira. Hotel pickup is not included.

How deep can the wreck be?

The wreck can be reached at a maximum depth of 30 meters.

What certification do I need?

You need at least Open Water certification or an equivalent qualification, a minimum of six logged dives, and a scuba session within the last 12 months.

Is scuba equipment included?

No. You can rent the equipment directly from the shop, but rental costs are separate.

What is included in the price?

The price includes the boat ride to the site, a 12 or 15-liter air tank filled to 200 bars, a weight system, and insurance.

Is the national park fee included?

No. The national park fee is €3.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.