U by Uniworld's second ship enters service

U by Uniworld, the new river cruise line by Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, has debuted its second ship, The A.

Like its sister ship, The B, which was unveiled last fall, the The A has an all-black exterior with neon logos. There is a retractable indoor Ice Bar on the top deck adjacent to an outdoor lounge area, a lounge and bar area on the second deck with booth seating, and a main dining room with pop-up charging stations for devices on the tables and TV screens that display the daily menus. There is also a gym, a spa room and guest laundry onboard.

As for accommodations, there is a variety on the 120-pasenger ship, ranging from four suites with large bathrooms with double vanities to two studio bedrooms outfitted with bunk beds to allow for triple occupancy. There are 26 standard balcony staterooms as well as 29 studio rooms on the lower deck that have windows but no balconies.

All staterooms feature flat screen TVs, built-in Bluetooth speakers and numerous USB ports. BeeKind toiletries, a body care product line that uses all-natural ingredients, is provided in all rooms.

Included activities are mixology classes, silent disco parties, yoga classes and wine tastings. Farm-to-table dining incorporates organic and healthy fare. U also offers immersive excursions such as an evening tour of a medieval castle, a foodie tour through the Jordaan district of Amsterdam, and a scenic bike tour and wine tasting at Eberbach Monastery in Germany, which was used as a filming location for the hit HBO show "Game of Thrones."

U by Uniworld uses WhatsApp and email to communicate with guests, and has a Press Reader app for guests to receive news onboard.

U by Uniworld launches The A

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The line's second ship is the sister ship to The B, which debuted last fall. Pictured here, the reception area on The A.

The line's second ship is the sister ship to The B, which debuted last fall. Pictured here, the reception area on The A.

U by Uniworld's newly launched The A features an all-black exterior and neon logos.

A standard balcony room on The A.

Two stateroooms onboard feature bunk beds that allow for triple occupancy, something rarely seen on river cruises.

The outdoor lounge area on the sun deck.

The A's Ice Bar is an indoor bar on the sun deck with retractable walls that can be lowered when the vessel sails under lower bridges. The Ice Bar also features a DJ booth.

The vessel's main lounge and bar is outfitted with booth seating, a unique feature for a river ship lounge.

The dining room on The A is outfitted with midcentury modern-style tulip chairs, bench seating, Edison bulb hanging lights and flatscreen TVs.

Tables feature pop-up charging stations for recharging devices.

The dining room has some longer tables meant for more communal-style dining.

U by Uniworld says that it serves healthy, organic and local farm-to-table fare onboard. TV screens in the dining room feature the daily menus.

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Sailings on The A start at $187 per person, per day, with eight-day itineraries along the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers.

Last month, Uniworld revealed that the new cruise line, which was initially conceived as a millennial-focused product, is now available to all adult travelers. U by Uniworld was unveiled in late 2016 by the higher-priced luxury line Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection as a brand for guests ages 18 to 40. By April 2017, when cruises went on sale, Uniworld had widened the age range to 21 to 45. But there is no longer any age restriction.

Following the news, Uniworld CEO Ellen Bettridge said that while the age restriction has now been lifted, she still expects to see a younger demographic onboard.

To launch U by Uniworld, Uniworld repurposed two of its older vessels to sail for the new line. The former River Ambassador and River Baroness were transformed into The A and The B.

U by Uniworld is a lower-priced option to Uniworld's main product, which is achieved by offering fewer included meals and excursions.

"U continues to bring adventurous and curious travelers a completely new river cruise experience, with longer stays in destination that allow guests the chance to truly immerse themselves in the local culture," said Uniworld CEO Ellen Bettridge.