Sponsored By

Club Med 2 restart set for July 10, sailing from NiceClub Med 2 restart set for July 10, sailing from Nice

Laid up since May 2020 at La Seyne sur Mer, near Toulon, Club Med’s five-masted schooner is to offer new routes across 17 cruises in the Mediterranean, Ionian, Thyrrenian and Atlantic, before making a trans-Atlantic crossing in November.

Michèle Valandina, French correspondent

June 14, 2021

2 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

‘We are happy to start delivering great vacations to our guests again,’ said Thierry Orsoni, Club Med spokesman. ‘Thanks to its shallow draught, our ship will chart this summer, among others, exciting and exclusive French itineraries, calling at their most iconic places.’

Three new French coast itineraries 

With Nice as the vessel's turnaround port, three new weekly itineraries along the French coast will alternate until late August. For the ‘Occitania Shores’ programme, Club Med 2 will head to Cannes, Bandol, Collioure, Sète, Marseille and Saint Tropez, while the ‘Corsica Grand Tour’ calls at Bastia, Porto Vecchio, Bonifacio, Ajaccio, Calvi and L’Ile Rousse. 

‘Riviera Treasures’ includes Cannes, Antibes, Saint Tropez, Bandol, Marseille and Sanary-sur -Mer.

11-day sailings focussing on Greece, followed by shorter cruises and fresh itineraries

An 11-day cruise from Athens to Nice on September 6 will favour calls in Greece, including Cythère, Katakolon and Corfu. Italian highlights comprise Gallipoli, Taormina, Lipari/Stromboli, Sorrento, Ponza and Civitavecchia. The vessel will also call Bastia, Corsica. 

Until early October, Club Med 2 will chart a range of shorter four- to six-day cruises, combining Sardinia, Corsica and Italy, before heading to Barcelona and the Spanish coast with a golf-themed cruise. 

A transatlantic crossing is planned for the ship on November 7; two new and longer itineraries lead to Dakar, Cape Verde Islands and Gambia.   

Enhanced on-board experience

‘The standstill our ship underwent because of the pandemic gave us the time and opportunity to improve even more our on-board services and provide a unique voyage,’ Orsoni continued. As a result, Club Med 2 has partnered with the prestigious Ferrandi School Paris for Culinary Arts to offer a more refined gastronomy experience to its passengers. 

The renovated 110 sq. mtr. spa will collaborate with Sothys, a legendary French skin care brand, and a new Yoga School by Heberson will feature. 

A new arts program will be staged by Club Med Talents, while water and land sports remain unlimited; an open bar, snacks, Wi-Fi and gratuities are included in the fare, as in the past.

Reinforced health regulations

In addition to adhering to health protocols in keeping with European standards for cruise ships, Club Med 2 has added its ‘Safe together’ rules concerning restaurants and leisure activities and has new digital services. All passengers from 11 years old, as well as those fully vaccinated, will have to produce a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours before arrival. All passengers will undergo an additional antigen test before boarding.           

Cancellation terms have been adapted to reflect the current situation.

 One of the two largest sailing ships in the world 

Consisting of 184 cabins for some 380 passengers, Club Med 2 is one of the two largest sailing ships in the world and benefits from 2,000 sq. mtr. of open decks.  

About the Author

Michèle Valandina

French correspondent

A graduate from Lyon University, where she specialised in foreign languages and American literature, Michèle worked as an interpreter/translator (English, German and Italian) for major international events before entering the diplomatic world for a few years. As a Paris-based freelance travel and lifestyle writer, she has been a contributor to a host of publications and has long specialised in two sectors: cruising and wellness. Her features have appeared in, among others, Le Monde, Le Figaro, Le Figaro Magazine, Les Echos Week-end and periodicals dedicated to the MICE sector. She has also featured on radio and TV travel programmes and, since 1992, has been the author of the only French cruise guide, Croisières Passion.

 

The latest cruise news, analysis and more straight to your inbox
Get the free newsletter read by industry experts

You May Also Like