Uniworld River Cruises Knows the Baby Boomer Travel Playbook

Uniworld’s River Queen on the Moselle River. Photo courtesy of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, whose trademarked slogan is “the world’s only authentic boutique cruise line,” is offering experiences that are right out of the baby boomer promotional playbook.

According to a recent press release, “enhancements for 2014 include delving even more into authentic and personalized travel experiences.”

“Authentic” and “personalized travel experiences,” please note, are exactly what baby boomers are looking for when they leave home.

The press release continues: “Uniworld’s onshore experiences will continue to focus more on flexibility with their ‘Choice is Yours’ options, along with more authentic and enriching experiences with more interaction with local communities, such as their ‘Do as the Locals’ and exclusive ‘Village Days’ offering the ultimate insiders’ experience.”

“Flexibility”…”Choice is Yours” options…”authentic” (again)…”enriching”…”interaction with local communities”…”Do as the Locals”…”insiders’ experience”…

All of the above are words and phrases almost guaranteed to set baby boomer travelers’ hearts fluttering when they ponder which river cruise company is going to win their hard-earned cash. (Uniworld cruises rivers in Europe, Russia, Asia and Egypt.)

If you’ve been following this blog, you know that I frequently write about the power of “authenticity,” “flexibility,” “enrichment” and interacting with locals when trying to appeal to baby boomers.

Furthermore, Uniworld in 2014 is promoting its “introduction of true all-inclusive river cruising,” claiming to be the only North American-based river cruise line to do so. Next year prices will include “unlimited fine wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, bottled water, and all gratuities,” according to the press release.

I wrote about the boomer attraction for all-inclusive pricing in this earlier post on Viking Ocean Cruises, a new enterprise spawned by industry giant Viking River Cruises.

Note that while Viking River Cruises aims at a lower-priced market, Uniworld is a luxury product, with prices to match — the river cruising equivalent of ocean-going luxury cruise lines like Crystal and Regent.

Note also that many baby boomers have plenty of money to spend are are willing to do just that if they perceive they are getting value in return — for what Uniworld calls “the most luxurious and worry-free experience” for their passengers.

This isn’t a commercial for Uniworld — I’ve never cruised with them — but it is a commercial for their commercial, if you will. They’re striking all the right notes for attracting an affluent contingent of boomers to their ships.

Be sure to download my free report, “How to Ride the Coming Wave of Boomers,” available here. It’s all about the best ways to market travel to baby boomers — the biggest-spending group of travelers the world has ever seen.

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