U by Uniworld, the new river cruise brand offering travel for 21-45-year-olds, debuted its first ship in Paris, France.  The B set sail on its maiden voyage along the Seine River with top influencers with a combined reach of nearly 10 million, lifestyle media, travel agents and contest winners onboard to get an exclusive “Sneak Peek” of the first-ever river cruise brand for millennials.

Uniworld is repurposing (and refitting) River Baroness and her sister, River Ambassador, for its new U by Uniworld product. Photo courtesy of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

“We’re thrilled to make history with the launch of U by Uniworld and introduce a whole new generation to river cruising,” said Ellen Bettridge, President & CEO of Uniworld. “It’s very exciting to see this vision come to life and to have such influential, well-traveled young people onboard to experience it for the first time.”

The inaugural events included a drum circle creating a spiritual energy onboard, sabering champagne on the top deck and a renaming ceremony where guests released biodegradable lanterns to symbolize letting go of Uniworld’s River Baroness ship and starting new with The B.  The renaming ceremony was led by the ship’s ‘Guardian Angel’ Petra Nemcova, supermodel and noted philanthropist.  “It’s truly an honor to be named ‘Guardian Angel’ of The B ship,” said Petra.  “For me, travel has always been a bridge – not only to the world’s most marvelous places, like Paris, but to the people that bring these destinations and attractions to life, and U by Uniworld will give young travelers the opportunity to be among like-minded people.”  Following the ceremony, guests danced the night away with local pop-electro alternative rock band SHINE.

During the remainder of this preview journey, guests will experience all that U has to offer onboard from yoga and camping on the top deck, a silent disco party to mixology, impressionist paint and wine classes.  Offshore, guests will experience some of U’s excursions such as a panoramic breakfast on a Gastronome bus, treasure hunt at the Louvre, secret tour of Versailles, a Paris City Roofs tour and more.

The B ship was renamed following extensive renovations and design changes of Uniworld’s River Baroness ship.  U unveils a new look and feel, inviting up to 120 travelers per voyage, spread across its four Suites, 26 Balcony Bedrooms, 29 Studio Bedrooms and two Studios Bedrooms with triple occupancy – all with waterfront views and equipped with built-in Bluetooth speakers. The B is the only ship on the river to reveal an all-matte black exterior. The ship boasts two rooftop venues, a spa, mixologists, international DJ’s, communal tables for dining, and farm-to-table cuisine with dishes ranging from Bea Tollman’s Spaghetti Pomodoro, U by Quinoa Burgers, Miso Marinated Wild Salmon to Peanut Butter Bacon Chocolate Bars.

U offers organic BeeKind amenities in all rooms, uses WhatsApp and email for internal communication with guests, doing away with the traditional paper daily itineraries on cruise ships, displays menus on screens in the bar and restaurant. It also has a Press Reader app for guests to receive news onboard and is creating an app, which will connect travelers before, during and after their trips together and debut in March 2018 ahead of the first bookable sailings.

Sailings on The B and U’s second ship, The A, begin in April 2018 with prices starting at $200 per person, per day.  Four eight-day itineraries – The Seine Experience, Rolling on the Rhine, Germany’s Finest and The Danube Flow – will sail along the Rhine, Main, Danube and Seine Rivers, with overnight stops and longer stays available in major cities including Paris, Vienna, Amsterdam and Budapest.  U by Uniworld will also offer two five-day holiday itineraries – Dashing Through The Danube and A Merry Little Christmas Cruise – during the holiday season.