The Best Cruises for Young Adults: U by Uniworld

If you search for millennial cruising in Google, you’ll get a number of search-appropriate cruising lists. You’ll also see a page for U by Uniworld, and with great reason. U is the trendy cousin to Uniworld’s luxury river voyages, and it places unique emphasis on aspects like special overnight docking so cruisers may enjoy the nightlife of a port city. Originally marketed as purely for millennials, U has expanded to all generations. While U is no longer millennial-exclusive, it still seems to be inspired by the demographic.

U isn’t the only cruise product for the hipper, trendier, edgier, and, potentially, younger cruiser. The aptly-named Celebrity Edge provides a chic experience for those who are tired by or turned off to the presentation of a typical ship. Then, there is the Symphony of the Seas by Royal Caribbean, which is a bonanza of modern fun with glow-in-the-dark laser tag, a colossal slide, bionic bar, and much, much more.

Nevertheless, marketing to millennials can be a difficult task. Ships that are chicer, cheaper, and a mixture of both may be objectively appealing, but millennials may still not bite. It’s hard to blame them; the average millennial has more than $37,000 in debt from student loans but makes around $36,000 per year. Cruising, for some, isn’t in the cards.

U by Uniworld is staying attentive. As Uniworld President and CEO Ellen Bettridge said, “Entering into our second season, we’re following the ever-evolving consumer trends and listening [to travelers] as we seek new ways to push the limit on the river cruise experience.”

U identifies itself on its website as “not merely a river cruise. It’s a full on, activity packed, culturally immersive, social and active travel experience.” In accomplishing that jam-packed bag of cruising fun, U’s eight-day trips start at $1,539 as of Jan. 18, 2019. Its new itinerary that begins and ends in Paris includes 14 onboard meals, a welcome party, two hosts, local DJ set, and excursions. U also has sailings that go to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Regensburg, Vienna, Budapest, and other European destinations.

There are even Christmas-themed U sailings for cruisers who want to let their holiday spirits run free. “Dashing Through the Danube” takes to you a number of European Christmas markets whereas “A Merry Little Christmas Cruise” wraps the same Christmas magic in an itinerary with fewer cities.

Why river cruises though? Well, as U notes, it offers an easier way to explore the wonders of Europe. Its smaller ships are able to dock closer to city centers, which allows for more quality time in the cities themselves. On the other end of the spectrum, the Symphony of the Seas – the world’s largest cruise ship – might not be able to dock in a city center but has endless fun on the boat.

The millennial cruiser certainly has options when it comes to cruising. U offers a competitive product, as well as the Celebrity Edge, the Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas, and other ships. Depending on aspects like price-point and itinerary, millennials will, naturally, have some level of variety in their tastes and prefer one cruise over another. In that way, millennials are just like their parents.

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