The A Review

From the outside in, there's nothing like The A sailing the Rhine, Main or Danube Rivers. Formerly Uniworld's River Ambassador, the ship has been painted black with neon accents, and completely updated with hip decor and public spaces designed to appeal to millennials (although the ship itself is geared for adults and has no age limit).

You won't encounter nautical terms onboard. In an effort to appeal to first-time cruisers, phrases like "cabin" or "starboard" translate to "room" and "right." Reference to decks is all but eliminated with directions given as "upstairs" or "downstairs," "lounge" or "rooftop lounge." Even the dynamic between passengers and crew is more relaxed; uniforms for the staff consist of all-black jeans, T-shirts, hoodies and Converse sneakers. Local guides are called "U Hosts" and beyond leading orientation walks and answering questions, they occasionally dine with passengers and can be seen grabbing drinks with a group at their favorite local bar.

The organized tour feeling you often get on excursions is stripped away as much as possible, which presents both challenges and opportunities to passengers on The A. There's not a ton of hand-holding, and the line encourages flexibility. Want to spend the night off the ship or take the train to catch up with the vessel in the next port? Go right ahead. This is a boon for independent travelers worried that they will be marked as tourists following a guide's lollipop. But on the flipside, passengers should feel comfortable enough to be dropped in the middle of a bustling plaza in Amsterdam and find their way back to the ship using some loose walking/public transportation directions. Expect to be self-sufficient.

Those who want to lounge onboard will be met by attentive and friendly service, and up-to-the-minute programming like painting with wine or camping on the top deck under the stars (extra fees apply). On a seven-night cruise, only one night was spent sailing; the ship is usually split between those spending every free moment in port and those enjoying some of the onboard offerings like DJ nights or a "silent cinema."

A late-morning brunch instead of breakfast or lunch, digital-only schedules and menus, a WhatsApp group for socializing and USB outlets at every turn are other striking differentiators for those who have taken a more traditional river cruise.

When designing the ship, execs were careful that "youthful" didn't read "cheap." The cheeky sketches of nude figures lining cabin hallways? They are original Matisse prints. The multicolored Marilyn Monroes who watch your every move -- on the dance floor or sashaying through the lobby -- they are all limited editions signed by Warhol. Nor is the cruise a cheap venture for many in their first decade of a career; starting prices are close to $300 per day, when you factor in added expenses.

Skeptics have mocked some aspects of U, wondering if a river cruise originally intended for millennials would get off the ground. But the flexibility that The A promotes could appeal to anyone looking for a break from the rigid days and early nights of many river cruises. We agree they're on to something. You get the benefit of unpacking once, with a built-in support crew and social atmosphere, plus farm-to-table meals each morning and evening that make the idea of backpacking hostels less and less attractive. The A is for travelers who are still eager and adventurous, but have aged out of the idea of "schlepping."