UbyUniworld-not sure what to say

[acwmom]

Personally, I'm sitting here shaking my head, speechless. And when I looked at the pricing....wow, I can cruise for that price in luxury.  Interested in hearing others' thoughts!

 

https://www.ubyuniworld.com/us/themed-cruises

 

Robin

[I like vacation]

16 minutes ago, acwmom said:

Personally, I'm sitting here shaking my head, speechless. And when I looked at the pricing....wow, I can cruise for that price in luxury.  Interested in hearing others' thoughts!

 

https://www.ubyuniworld.com/us/themed-cruises

 

Robin

Nope, I can see that side show for free in NYC.

[caripoo]

NO THANKS

[Host Jazzbeau]

Maybe they can share email lists with Virgin Voyages, the new ocean line with onboard tattoo parlors.

[Ritabob]

I, too, have to shake my head.  Not sure what is happening with U by Uniworld.  Why pay that much for less than what you get with all inclusive on the regular cruises?

RB

[acwmom]

51 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Maybe they can share email lists with Virgin Voyages, the new ocean line with onboard tattoo parlors.

Yeah, that's a midlife crisis on steroids....

 

Uniworld needs to admit the concept of U, for the moment, has failed. How many social media influencers can they afford to put on board before they go belly-up? Time to move on....The thing is, I like the itinerary, because it isn't one standard Uniworld does. If they would abandon the goth/floating hearse exterior,  make the cabins  (and bathrooms) bigger, and turn it back into mainstream Uniworld, they might fill some cabins.

 

Robin

[notamermaid]

okaaaay... that is indeed a weird combination of things. To use another image from the realm of human beings: U seems to me like a teenager who has not found his or her role in life yet. Well, Uniworld has said that they are still experimenting with U. Frankfurt, o.k., but the small towns and drag queen and/or tattoo artist? I am not sure that this works...

 

Robin, the itinerary is indeed nice and something I have been looking at for years now, it is especially appealing in wintertime for me. German companies do this, five nights along that route for the Christmas markets. Avalon has got an itinerary covering that stretch around Christmas time: https://www.avalonwaterways.com/river-cruise/christmastime-in-the-heart-of-germany-westbound/wnf/

 

I seem to remember reading about another company that does this kind of itinerary, not just in winter, but I cannot recall the name at the moment.

 

The standard pricing of both versions of the itinerary is a little steep at 1,599 pounds but the reduced price of 1,119 pounds currently advertised is comparable to Riviera Travel UK for example. However, for a price of a little higher than 1,119 pounds you can do an itinerary Cologne return of the same length with Riviera that includes Eurostar or airfare. Riviera does not offer river cruises with "social influencers" but also has themed cruises that stand out from the crowd (in a conventional sense). All in all, I find the price too high for that kind of offer by U and do wonder if that "fringe market" they are attracting is willing to go on a river cruise to meet these people. Who knows, it could be worth it for them.

 

By the way, I like the "goth" look, but then, I like big black things like steam engines and steel bridges anyway.

 

Edit: found the itinerary I meant: https://www.rivieratravel.co.uk/medieval-germany-the-main-to-the-danube-river-cruise

it does not include Frankfurt, but Mainz is near enough for a nice post-cruise night-out.

 

notamermaid

 

 

Edited March 7, 2019 by notamermaid
additional information

[Got2Cruise]

The May 6 sailing. The one without drag or tattoos is priced much lower than the other two sailings. I think if U works out a good base price the concept can work. 

[papa B me]

So I'm starting to plan 2020 vacations.  We've done ocean cruises last year and this year so thinking about our 4th Uniworld river cruise for next year.  We turned 55 last year so maybe we are due for a midlife crisis.  I'll check with my wife to see if it's time to "tat" up and "drag" up.   NOT!!!!!!!!

[Ritabob]

17 minutes ago, papa B me said:

So I'm starting to plan 2020 vacations.  We've done ocean cruises last year and this year so thinking about our 4th Uniworld river cruise for next year.  We turned 55 last year so maybe we are due for a midlife crisis.  I'll check with my wife to see if it's time to "tat" up and "drag" up.   NOT!!!!!!!!

Please reconsider?   😉😁  that way you can write a review for all of us 'zoomers'  who have hit midlife and beyond.

RB

[acwmom]

51 minutes ago, Got2Cruise said:

The May 6 sailing. The one without drag or tattoos is priced much lower than the other two sailings. I think if U works out a good base price the concept can work. 

Bad timing for me though (2 graduations, and will just be back from our Viking Empires of the Med cruise)  Also not a fan of family style dining every night.

 

Robin

[acwmom]

50 minutes ago, papa B me said:

So I'm starting to plan 2020 vacations.  We've done ocean cruises last year and this year so thinking about our 4th Uniworld river cruise for next year.  We turned 55 last year so maybe we are due for a midlife crisis.  I'll check with my wife to see if it's time to "tat" up and "drag" up.   NOT!!!!!!!!

And to add to what Ritabob said, a pictorial review!

 

Robin

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, acwmom said:

Bad timing for me though (2 graduations, and will just be back from our Viking Empires of the Med cruise)  Also not a fan of family style dining every night.

 

Robin

 

But I'll bet you don't have a family like this!

 

Going back to one of your earlier posts, the problem Uniworld faces with these ships is that they are old and that is baked in to their layouts.  You mention "make the cabins  (and bathrooms) bigger" – if the hulls had been worth that kind of investment, Uniworld would have refurbed them into SS ships.  If 'U' doesn't find its niche, I suspect Uniworld will give up and sell the hulls to a down-market cruise line.

[acwmom]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

But I'll bet you don't have a family like this!

 

Going back to one of your earlier posts, the problem Uniworld faces with these ships is that they are old and that is baked in to their layouts.  You mention "make the cabins  (and bathrooms) bigger" – if the hulls had been worth that kind of investment, Uniworld would have refurbed them into SS ships.  If 'U' doesn't find its niche, I suspect Uniworld will give up and sell the hulls to a down-market cruise line.

We actually sailed on the A when she was the Ambassador, and chose to try Avalon based on the cramped quarters. I rolled over one night, and my arm hit the wall/windowsill. The bathroom was designed such that the toilet faced the door, and Uniworld loves their mirrors, so....imagine the view

 

I don't think it's big enough to be an SS ship. It's pretty basic, no elevator. We'd been on the River Countess, and it, too, was older, but was miles better.

 

Robin

[Coral]

Theme cruises are often more expensive. 

 

I work with people that are in the age that U is trying to attract. They don't want to go on a river cruise. They want to stay in hostels and live out of a back pack.

 

U probably won't be around next year.

[TravelerThom]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 ...If 'U' doesn't find its niche, I suspect Uniworld will give up and sell the hulls to a down-market cruise line.

Other than price being charged, I’m not sure can you get any more down-market than what they are already offering. 

[TravelerThom]

U by UniWorld previous marketing flops (eg no one under 35) lead to attempts to fill the boat by offering the product to anyone. It will be interesting to see the reaction of a conservative couple from rural America who shows up for their unresearched but marked down to cheap cruise and much to their horror find it filled with drag queens. Should be interesting to watch that car wreak. 

[notamermaid]

Talking of rural, TravelerThom. What I just cannot get over is the fact that they chose the Main small medieval towns for this. A much better fit would have been Frankfurt to the cosmopolitan Düsseldorf on the Rhine.

 

Is this to attract the millenials? Or experimenting with fringe markets for experimenting's sake? I do not get it.

 

How about picking up the goth theme next? That might work on the Rhine, especially in November. I do mean this neutrally and in earnest.

 

Or steampunk perhaps...

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[Babcia7]

Shaking my head too.  Since the change of command at Uniworld, I think the company has made some changes that will not fair well for their product.  My husband and I loved our 5 river cruises with Uniworld on their more traditional itineraries, but we'll be trying a Crystal river cruise this year.  It will be interesting to compare.

[ljandgb]

We're  not in the market for a cruise right now, but honestly, I think the drag queen one might be fun.  But then, I have a daughter who has several friends in and around that demographic.

 

I wonder if Uniworld is looking at the popularity of the reality tv shows featuring drag queens and tattoo artists and trying to capture that feel?  I'm just not sure that the Venn diagram of drag queens and/or tattoo aficionados and river cruisers is very large.

[Hoyaheel]

Could be we're surprised by popularity - I'm often surprised at what fan group [ocean] cruises can price at and sell out quickly, just because I'm not the target demo. Who knows?!

[dolllover]

I know I'm in the minority here but I think it's a cool concept. Will be interesting if it takes off.

 

[acwmom]

1 hour ago, Babcia7 said:

Shaking my head too.  Since the change of command at Uniworld, I think the company has made some changes that will not fair well for their product.  My husband and I loved our 5 river cruises with Uniworld on their more traditional itineraries, but we'll be trying a Crystal river cruise this year.  It will be interesting to compare.

I couldn't agree more with the changes since the change of command. We are about to book a Crystal river cruise for next year as well.

 

Robin

[acwmom]

2 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Talking of rural, TravelerThom. What I just cannot get over is the fact that they chose the Main small medieval towns for this. A much better fit would have been Frankfurt to the cosmopolitan Düsseldorf on the Rhine.

 

Is this to attract the millenials? Or experimenting with fringe markets for experimenting's sake? I do not get it.

 

How about picking up the goth theme next? That might work on the Rhine, especially in November. I do mean this neutrally and in earnest.

 

Or steampunk perhaps...

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

I wish they would do a beer-themed cruise for this itinerary.  

 

Robin

[papa B me]

By my previous post you can probably tell that this doesn't appeal to me.  However, I'm probably not as pessimistic about the new leadership.  As a business person I truly respect them trying to innovate and do something different to complete in this crowded space.  I certainly think they feel the competition with Crystal, Tauck and Scenic all competing for the "luxury" space so it's commendable to take these older ships and try to create an expanded revenue stream.  Time will tell whether it will work or not but again, I respect their trying.  It's also nice to see them creating more SS ships and putting new ships on the Nile and Douro next year.  But bottom line is as a consumer I'm thrilled to see so many options out there if Uniworld fails to perform as they have in the past.  Just one man's opinion.