If you’ve been put off going on a cruise before because of the potential age range of your fellow passengers, maybe you should give these new ships a chance.
U by Uniworld is aimed at the millennial market – well, the itineraries are designed with people aged 21-45 in mind – and there are four different eight-day options starting from spring 2018.
Uniworld president and CEO Ellen Bettridge told Conde Naste Traveller that the average age of passengers is usually 50, so the intineraries planned for these new trips are a bit different to normal – we’re talking silent discos, painting sessions (with wine), plenty of yoga, and cocktail making classes.
The rooms on the two ships, which will be known as The A and The B (nice and easy to remember), will all have river views, and if you want to keep costs as low as possible, you can go for a studio room with bunk beds in.
There will also be plenty of hammocks and beanbags to hang out on around the ship. Then, on the top deck, the glass enclosed room disappears into the ?oor to create an open-air drinking spot.
Among the routes is one called Rolling On The Rhine, which goes from Amsterdam to Frankfurt, as well as the Danube Flow, which takes in cities such as Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest.
There’s also a cruise from Amsterdam to Frankfurt and a German route, which goes from Frankfurt to Regensburg.
When it comes to activities off of the boat, passengers will be able to choose between hands-on excursions which are included or so-called U Time. This costs more but includes edgier things like a street art walking tour in Paris.
Programmes can be tailored to individual travel personalities – other sorts of excursions include market shopping for foodies, guided bike tours of Second World War sites in Nuremberg for history buffs and kayaking through Unesco World Heritage Sites for adventurers. And at night, U Hosts will take you to hidden bars and nightclubs in party cities like Amsterdam, if it’s the beer you’re most excited for.
Of course, you also don’t have to follow a timetable at all – you’re free to explore by yourself. And it’s worth bearing in mind that several of the cruises are based around cool events like festivals.
The meals are another reason why we’re tempted to choose a cruise next year – the price includes breakfast and dinners, and will feature delicious street food.
Itineraries on The A start at £899 per person and include sailings along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. Pricing for The B, which sails exclusively on the Seine River and throughout France, starts at £1,799 per person.
