A second Club Med sailing cruise ship will be built at Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre for delivery towards the end of 1992. The Club Med II will be built at a cost of $145 million including a $90 million aid package from the French government in the form of subsidies and tax exemptions. The vessel will have to stay at least 26 weeks of the year in the French Pacific area of New Caledonia and operate under French flag.

The second vessel will be identical to the 450-passenger Club Med I, which was launched last winter, and presently sails in the Mediterranean, before returning to the Caribbean for the winter season.

Contrary to previously announced marketing intentions, trade advertising for the Club Med I broke in U.S. travel trade press last week. Since the ship was announced two to three years ago and throughout its inaugural season this winter and spring, the Club Med I has kept a very low advertising profile, promoted mainly through Club Med’s catalogs.