This Club Med was inspired by the sea and the desire to organize sea excursions of varying lengths. The era of the Odysseys, or sailing village as indicated by the 1957 Trident 48, began in 1955 and was aimed at sports enthusiasts and sea lovers. Each Odyssey was a rugged experience. Each boat (a caique) carried a maximum of 16 guests. Everyone lived and slept on deck under the stars; the sea dictated the day's itinerary. Swimsuit, towel, toothpaste, and the essential sarong were more than enough luggage.
These tours include: exploring sites, scuba diving, and coastal cruising. These Odysseys depart from a village (like Corfu, for example).
The desire to offer something less archaic than the comfort and rusticity of a traditional fishing boat emerged in 1965. That year, Club Med had the bold idea of offering its guests cruises aboard specially designed ships. The Ivan Franko, a vessel from the Soviet fleet, was chartered for Mediterranean cruises. A few months later, on August 23, 1966, Club Med signed a contract with Messageries Maritimes (formerly Chargeurs Réunis) to operate the Louis Lumière, a mixed passenger and car ship used on the South American route, as well as the Viet Nam. The latter would provide voyages to the Far East. The first-class cabins of both ships were converted into a village. The contract was for 10 voyages.
The complexity, but above all the lack of success with the GMs (the clientele of the time was not ready for this type of service), led the Club to abandon it after two seasons. It then returned to its love of villages on the mainland.
It was only 20 years after abandoning the formula that Club Med reappeared on the cruise market with a ship considered revolutionary, named Club Med One. Club Med One boasted cutting-edge technology in both its navigation controls and its propulsion system, which combined an engine with steerable sails. Club Med One was a true Club Med product, not a chartered ship converted for a season or two.
Two years later, in 1991, the Club Med 2, an improved sister ship, was launched. It entered service in October 1992 in the Asian market (Yellow Sea, South China Sea, coasts of Vietnam and Thailand, New Caledonia), while its predecessor sailed in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. The Club Med 2 replaced its predecessor, which was sold in 1998 (during Philippe Bourguignon's presidency) to Windstar Cruises for economic and political reasons aimed at eliminating loss-making assets. The WindSurf was renamed WindSurf. Today, the WindSurf sails the seas (Atlantic, Mediterranean) and sometimes crosses paths with the Club Med 2 in certain ports
Videos
A film shot in 1967 (according to legend) about the Ivan Franko
Club Med 2
Archive Spirit45
Club Med commercial film 1
Archive Collierbar
