Acquired and owned by The Travel Corporation (TTC) in 2004, Uniworld is synonymous with luxury river cruising in key European countries such as Germany and France. TTC owns more than 30 top brands such as Trafalgar, Contiki, Red Carnation Hotels and Insight Vacations, and U by Uniworld is also one of them. But the company’s proudest product is its luxury river cruise line where the brand’s European fleet features luxurious vessels accommodating up to 120 guests. These pampered patrons are offered gourmet cuisine, unparalleled hospitality as they sail across key river routes, and they can also enjoy enticing shore excursions when the vessel docks.

Cruise ship docked at Budapest.

While the global pandemic has not spared Uniworld, the company is set to woo back guests with an active mission to reconnect them in 2021. The programme called “U by Uniworld” is pitched to travellers seeking smaller, more intimate cruises next year as the pandemic has forced people to observe social distancing.

“Our mission for 2021 is to re-connect and remind our guests why they love to travel. We’re introducing these unconventional experiences that align with our traveller’s playful and adventurous energy and will bring even more value to our sailings than before with our new inclusions,” says Ellen Bettridge, President and CEO of U by Uniworld. Bettridge also opines, “We’ve observed an uptick in interest for travellers seeking smaller cruise ships next year. We know our ship’s high guest to staff ratio, close proximity to shore, enhanced health and safety protocols, and fewer people on board will keep our guest’s minds at ease as we go into this new era of travel.”

Therefore, U by Uniworld will welcome guests in 2021 with completely new, first-of-its-kind experiences – there will be four itineraries throughout European hot-spot cities, idyllic river cruises, and an enticing roster of offshore excursions. All these can be tailored to your request, allowing you to be curious to explore the wondrous sights and experiences as you traverse in your own time and comfort.

The ship’s lounge area.

U by Uniworld Cruise – Rhine River

Travelling in 2021 – New Experiences in the New Normal
Uniworld’s GenZ on U devised for 2021 will be a new family programme exclusively for teens and their parents. There will be six, select sailings to choose from; perfect for planning occasions such as anniversaries, birthdays, milestones, graduations, and more. Through these smaller curated events, generational families can reconnect and allow them to be themselves and have fun.

Teens who wish to hang out with their generation can do so with offerings onboard such as camping on the rooftop, trivia nights, foosball tournaments, karaoke competitions and even some cooking demonstrations. For parents, GenZ on U becomes the ideal way to explore Europe and bond with their teenage children through travel. You are assured that you only need to unpack once on your floating hotel while you enjoy the modern trappings of your room and the vessel’s amenities. Notable cruises to experience include Antwerp’s neighbourhoods, Viennese cooking class, kayaking through Ghent canals, or even a relaxing and meditative yoga class in the Wachau Valley vineyards in Austria.

If U Love Food: A Foodie Experience for Hungry Souls 
For teens who have an affinity for food, there’s U’s first foodie-themed cruise set to sail on 24 July 2021 in collaboration with top food influencer Salvatore DiBenedetto, known as The GrubFather (@thegrubfather) who wows his 215K Instagram followers with his travel and food inspirations across the globe.

Salvatore’s Rolling on the Rhine cruise will inevitably awe guests because a specially curated menu awaits them. Salvatore and his U team have also created a range of onboard activities and offshore excursions to engage guests further. You can expect sunset sailing experiences where champagne is served as music played by a local DJ and saxophonist complements the vibe. Salvatore will also showcase some of his favourite offshore spots in key cities, so your wanderlust experience is complete.

For teens who wish for a bout of offshore discovery, you can bike to Domburg Beach along the Netherlands coastline; jog through thousands of running paths in scenic Rotterdam; do a pub crawl through Krems in Vienna, or visit the famous ruin bars in the charming city of Budapest. There are also additional new excursions for an extra fee: a day trip to cover Croatia from Hungary and experience a bona fide Croatian lunch with a local family, or perhaps, you can choose paddle boarding or canoeing on the Ilz River to explore Passau – a German city on the border with Austria. Read about other travel segments here.

For more information visit Uniworld here.
To book a cruise, visit www.ubyuniworld.com. Rates start at USD 2,799 per person.