Demand for river cruising is booming, and experts and operators say the average age for river cruisers is dropping.
Still, it appears U's attempt to corner the millennial market might have been an idea either before or after its time.
U by Uniworld, the first river cruise line targeting the young demographic, last week announced it was repositioning its original ship, the B, from the Seine to more popular rivers in Central Europe in 2020 after just one year.
But you had to read between the lines to see that it was also canceling all of its planned 2019 sailings on the Seine, and taking the whole year to move the ship and prepare new itineraries for 2020.
While the company has done its best to put a positive spin on demand for the new line, its actions keep skeptics saying, "I told you so."
First, not long after announcing its launch as the industry's first, W hotel-style cruise line with hip ships, amenities and programs for travelers between the ages of 18 and 40, it moved those age limits to between 21 and 45 before bookings opened. Not long after that, U scrapped age limits altogether, citing demand by older adults as well.
And last week's cancellation of The B sailings for an entire season comes at a time when CLIA, the industry trade association, reports river cruises are one of the hottest trends in the cruise industry, with 53% year-over-year growth on the most popular rivers, the Rhine, Moselle, Danube and Elbe.
U said the Central European rivers had stronger demand and more to offer the younger demographic than the Seine. And while it is unusual to cancel a ship's entire season to reposition it, CEO Ellen Bettridge said she wanted to take the time to get it right.
And while Bettridge has said repeatedly that U sales were strong and improving, she did give a nod to the unique challenges faced by the line.
"Being the first means that we're not only inventing an entirely new sector of the industry, but we're quite literally in 'unchartered waters,'" she said in a press release. "As a brand, U will always stay true to its ethos as a sexy, fun, never-before-seen cruise experience, but we also want to remain open to consumer trends and feedback. That is how brands move from concepts to success stories."
Yes, river cruise lines ultimately will want to look at the younger customer base. But whether now is too soon or whether a separate brand reminiscent of the now 20-year-old lifestyle hotel movement is the most relevant path forward remain the big questions.
After all, some of the hordes of research that has been done on millennials indicate that, having traveled a lot with their parents, many are perfectly comfortable with traditional luxury brands, as long as they offer the right experiences.
And many of us who were part of the demographic that fell all-in for lifestyle hotels now fall squarely into the 50-plus demographic target of today's traditional river cruise lines. We might still feel young at heart and enjoy a hip vibe in our travels. Probably less so, though, if it means hanging out with a crowd of millennials who will only remind us just how old we really are.