The brand is aimed at 21 to 45-year-olds, and Kathryn Beadle, UK managing director, said the line was keen to “get younger agents engaged because this is their demographic”.
She admitted Uniworld would have to “work hard” in explaining the brand’s proposition to the trade but was confident there was demand forthe product.
“When we talk to our trade partners they say, ‘why hasn’t someone done this before?’” she told TTG.
“Research is telling us that millennials want it – they’re more concerned with having experiences than possessions.”
The line is planning to utilise social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram to market the brand, with Beadle hoping to “encourage trade partners to do the same” to attract the younger audience.
“We rely on the trade, and we hope this will be something new and exciting for them,” she added.
Beadle said fam trips would be offered to boost agents’ understanding of U by Uniworld, but admitted: “The challenge will be to make sure that the agents are the right age. There will be no bending of the rules on this, no exception. But there are lots of young agents out there and we want to get them engaged.”
U by Uniworld, which goes on sale in the next two weeks, will initially be offered on just two ships – the Ambassador and the Baroness – from April 2018, with both ships undergoing “complete revamps,” Beadle said.
Ellen Bettridge, chief executive and president of Uniworld, added that the line had “learned a lot” from sister brand and 18-35 specialist Contiki, which she said had shaped the design of the ships, excursions and itineraries.
“We learned that these customers want river cruises,” she told TTG.
“We did a lot of focus groups with people who said they wanted that experience.”
New additions to the ships will include a “cooler lounge area”, with a dance floor added, which will feature a DJ at night.
The ships will also stay later overnight in ports and visit more cities, such as Paris and Amsterdam, while more active excursions will be offered, nine of which will be included within the price.
Drinks will not be included, but Bettridge said packages would be available. “I’m wildly convinced that this will be successful,” she added.
There will initially be four itineraries on offer on the Rhone and Danube, but Beadle hinted that more could be offered in future, and said she had “no doubt” the brand would evolve.
“There will be a lot of learnings on what people want and like,” she said.
