The venue was among Sydney’s sexiest – Bar Machiavelli in Rushcutters’ Bay, an offshoot of the famous media and business long-lunch haunt in the city.
The turnout was very on-message: bloggers, glitterati and…ahem…us!.
“Sorry – only 21-45s can enter the raffle” the blonde on the door cheerily told us as we arrived. Never mind. The champagne was cool…and the food was hot.
The event was the launch of U by Uniworld, the bold new river cruise line aimed at the very people who, hitherto, wouldn’t be see dead on a river cruise: millennials.
U by Uniworld is a an attempt by one of the genre’s really great lines – who doesn’t love Uniworld’s fabulous over-the-top river ships – to create something different for Generation Next.
The brochure, the website, the photography and language is all designed to reassure a younger set that there will be no aged piano men and glass blowers aboard these ultra-sophisticated black-painted river ships.
The two U by Uniwrorld ships are due to set sail in April, 2018. Petra Nemcova, philanthropist, founder of Happy Heart Fund and Victoria’s Secret Angel, will act as The B’s Guardian Angel (nothing so naff as a godmother).
The ships are due to set to sail in April 14, 2018. Uniworld MD Fiona Dalton says: “Some have called it revolutionary, others a game-changer but whichever way you look at it, what we’re doing is new, innovative and offers a completely new take on experiential travel!”
And the event last week showed a very different river cruise face. Media personalities such as Jordan and Zac Stenmark, Tim Robards, Melissa Hoyer, Lincoln Younes and Matt Doran were among the guests, and hip DJ Alice Quiddington provided the music.
Will it work? That was the question on everyone’s lips.
But full marks to Uniworld for boldly going where no river cruise line has gone before.
U by Uniworld will begin sailings in spring 2018 with nine itineraries on the Seine, Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers, among two renovated ships with a maximum capacity of 120 passengers.
See www.ubyuniworld.com – but only if you’re 21 – 45 and ultra cool….
