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6 Ways River Cruises Are Targeting Millennials

By U.S. News & World Report

Even though the target river cruising demographic skews to the 55-plus crowd and retirees, river cruises have long been trying to lure millennial travelers. While river cruises offer a more leisurely experience than say an ocean cruise or even a land-based tour, many of the world’s top river cruise lines are upgrading their ships, updating their decor, adding more adventure-focused excursions and creating healthier menus to appeal to younger travelers. So, if you’re a part of the millennial generation, before you write off a river cruise, consider these ways the river cruising market is well-suited for younger, active and price-sensitive travelers.

[See: 10 Dreamy Cruise Vacations to Cross Off Your Bucket List.]

Healthier Dining Options

Though many cruise lines have started to offer healthy and organic meal options, cruises aren’t exactly known for their nutritious cuisine, with deep-fried buffets, hearty French fare loaded with butter and milk, all-inclusive cocktails and heavy dessert bars. And river cruise lines are no exception, with plenty of upscale fine dining options. But to reach health-conscious travelers, lines like Avalon Waterways have partnered with the Wrenkh brothers, famed vegan chefs, to create a completely revamped menu. With fresh ingredients and locally sourced produce, along with vegetarian and vegan cuisine, Avalon Waterways allows travelers to opt for more nutritious meals, such as like a chia seed bowl with acai berries for breakfast or a quinoa vegan bowl made with coconut milk and sweet potatoes.

More Active Excursions

One of the major benefits of river cruising is that all shore excursions are included in the cost of your trip. The only caveat: Many excursions cater to senior cruisers, meaning most sights and tours are seen through the window of a coach. To add more activity, many lines, including Avalon and AmaWaterways, have teamed up with world-renown adventure outfitters like Backroads to create active excursions meant for adventure-seekers. From biking along the Wacchu Valley in Austria to taking jogging tours in Vienna, each itinerary offers at least one active tour a day to get your blood pumping. And for those who’d rather do their own thing, many lines, such as AmaWaterways, Avalon and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection offer bikes to rent, so you can pedal at your own pace.

[See: 10 Extraordinary European Cruise Ports You Shouldn’t Skip.]

Gyms and Running Tracks That Allow Guests to Keep Up Their Fitness Routines

For people who work out on a daily basis, taking a week or two off from the gym can be a deal breaker when it comes to choosing a vacation. Luckily, most river cruise companies have upped their fitness facilities and amenities, offering small yet functional fitness rooms for guests looking to burn off extra calories. In addition to gyms, nearly every river cruise line offers ships with running tracks that span the length of the ship on the top deck. Plus, many lines are adding saunas and even small pools to their ships. Uniworld, one of the luxury leading cruise lines, also provides walking sticks and yoga mats on most of their ships.

Unique, Off-the-Beaten-Path Ports of Call

One common attribute among millennial travelers is the desire to go deeper into a culture and see beyond the main sights to explore lesser-known areas. That’s why river cruise companies are adding more unique, exotic and off-the-beaten-track port stops on many of their itineraries. Avalon Waterways, for example, is one of the few lines to offer an enriching voyage to the isolated northernmost regions of Myanmar, where the locals rarely see visitors. Meanwhile, Viking Cruises takes passengers along the ancient Nile River and through some of Cairo’s most fascinating neighborhoods and local eateries. And Uniworld guides cruisers along India’s weaving Ganges River, navigating to smaller villages such as Bandel, Kalna and Mayapur along with bigger cities like New Delhi and Jaipur. Each shore excursion on the Uniworld itinerary showcases top attractions, but also offers travelers a chance to interact with the locals, taste different traditional curries and navigate one of the world’s most beautiful and chaotic countries.

An Onboard Experience for Non-Cruisers

Despite contrary belief, millennials aren’t cruise-averse. In reality, younger cruisers crave tailored, unique and authentic experiences. That’s why many river cruise companies, which have the luxury of being smaller and more intimate, are doing more to make the experience onboard more immersive. Viking Cruises, for example, brings local entertainers, winemakers, beer brewers and chefs aboard while at port to talk about their day-to-day lives and the products the region is known for. And UnCruise Adventures, which offers intimate ships open to fewer than 100 guests, hosts onboard wine tastings with a local expert or invites a world-renowned local photographer on board its ships to teach guests photography lessons.

[See: 10 Affordable Last-Minute Cruise Vacations.]

Better Social Marketing

It’s hard for any company to succeed in today’s day in age if you don’t have an adaptable social media marketing plan. Fortunately, river cruise lines are quickly picking up on this necessary strategy and are creating accounts that aren’t just informative, but personal, shareable and designed with a younger cruiser in mind. Viking Cruises, for instance, features photos from real passengers on their Twitter and Facebook accounts. Meanwhile, UnCruise Adventures uses almost all guest photos for its social marketing, and is one of the few lines that actively participates in Twitter chats with travel influencers and top publications. Plus, many river cruise companies diligently use hashtags, such as #vikingcruises, #lovetravel and #avalonpassion to inspire younger travelers to tag, post and share their journeys.

More from U.S. News

8 Secret Tricks for Scoring a Cruise Deal

7 Top European River Cruise Deals to Book in 2016

Which Is Right for You: a River or Ocean Cruise?

6 Ways River Cruises Are Targeting Millennials originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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