U By Uniworld Opens Bookings
by Daniel McCarthyUniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection’s new Millennial-oriented cruise brand is now open for booking.
U by Uniworld targets younger travelers, between the ages of 21 and 45, with overnight stops and longer stays in cities like Paris, Vienna, Amsterdam and Budapest. It was announced in December and will launch in spring 2018.
The new brand will use two existing but completely refurbished ships, River Baroness and River Ambassador. Dubbed The B and The A, their exteriors have been painted black and they have gotten new interior design, open communal spaces and rooftop lounges. They will offer four eight-day itineraries—Rolling On The Rhine, Germany’s Finest, The Danube Flow and The Seine Experience—plus combined sailings that can extend cruises to 15 or 22 days.
Rooftop lounges.
They also will sail two five-day holiday itineraries for the holiday season, Dashing Through The Danube and A Merry Little Christmas Cruise.
Shore excursions offer up rock climbing, white water rafting, hiking, cocktail classes and bike tours. When the ship remains in port at night, “U Hosts” will escort guests to the city’s hotpots, from a nightclub in Amsterdam to a midnight stroll in Paris.
“We saw a great opportunity with U by Uniworld to reach an entirely new audience,” said Uniworld president and CEO Ellen Bettridge. “We’re incredibly proud to create a brand that will broaden the interest in this type of experiential travel.”
Sideview of the ships.
The ships, each with a maximum capacity of 120 travelers, offer three room categories—studios, balconies and suites. Solo travelers can book single rooms or special room-share rates.
Pricing on The A starts at $1,699 per person for eight-day sailings along the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers. Pricing on The B for sailings on the Seine starts at $1,999.
