Tom Stieghorst
Uniworld's new product for millennials has a familiar ring around my house.
The brand, set to debut in 2018, is called U by Uniworld. My 20-year-old daughter attends the University of Miami, whose students and alumni style it - somewhat obnoxiously - as "The U."
They like to say "It's all about The U," which happens to echo Uniworld's social media hashtag for the brand (#AllAboutU).
U by Uniworld will target travelers 18 - 40 and be offered on two ships renovated to have a more contemporary look and feel, with features such as communal dining tables and with both cocktail mixologists and international DJs onboard.
The company plans to develop more immersive and experiential itineraries with longer stays in each destination, to "connect explorers to local experiences and vibrant nightlife" and offer a mix of more free time as well as guided excursions with a more adventurous bent.
I thought it might be worth asking my millennial what she thinks of the idea. After reading Travel Weekly's story about U by Uniworld, by my colleague Michelle Baran, she was fairly impressed.
"The concept is cool," she said.
That's the first hurdle that any cruise has to navigate with younger travelers. She wondered, however, why it would be less inclusive, feeling like that was taking away something from the targeted segment.
Two summers ago, she took a tour of Europe with Contiki, another Uniworld brand. One of the things she liked most was the included activities, which would have been hard for independent travelers to duplicate.
I explained that having fewer included activities typically lowers the price of the cruise and that Uniworld's main brand was pretty upscale. That addressed one of her other concerns, a lack of affordability for her. Uniworld has not detailed pricing yet, but guessing that it might be out of her price range, she thought it might be "more successful" with the older end of the millennial generation.
Other qualms: the small size of the ship (116 passengers), and that river cruises are aimed at people with "refined taste." She said many people her age prefer larger ships for the wider variety of social contacts.
I asked her 18-year-old sister about U by Uniworld, thinking I would get different answers because they enjoy different activities and vacations. But I got virtually the same responses from her.
"That sounds really cool," she said. "That's something I would be interested in."
As long as the price is right.