Club Med will be calling at a number of new ports this year, including Alexandria, Datcha in Turkey, and Kos and Pylos in the Greek Islands – and during its Caribbean season, Puerto Limon.

While plans beyond 2009 are still being considered, Venezuela is a strong possibility, which would be a first for the line, Anne Saurat, director of shore programs, itineraries and logistics, told Cruise Industry News.

Club Med sails with the 14,000-ton, 392-passenger, 1992-built Club Med 2, in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, homeporting out of Nice, Athens, Piraeus, and Bodrum; and Guadeloupe, Martinique, the Dominican Republic, and Havana (where the ship will be doing two turnarounds this year).

2009’s annual passenger capacity among French cruise operators is approximately 63,000, of which Club Med accounts for 33 percent or 21,000 passengers.