Around three quarters of Brits aged under 40 say cruise holidays have made them more adventurous travellers, according to new research

A nationwide survey of 2,000 UK adults carried out by Cruise118 found that cruising is increasingly helping travellers step outside their comfort zones and explore places they might otherwise feel daunted to visit.

More than two-thirds of Brits (68 per cent) and74 per cent of under 40s believe going on a cruise makes them more confident to travel to new destinations.

Almost three in five UK holidaymakers (59 per cent) say they are now more spontaneous about booking travel than before the pandemic, and nearly two in five (39 per cent) say they would be happy to plan a holiday just a few weeks in advance, compared with only 17 per cent who prefer to plan more than four months ahead.

Younger travellers are leading this trend, with 71 per cent of both Gen Z and Millennials describing themselves as spontaneous holiday planners. By comparison, over half (58 per cent) of Gen X and Baby Boomers (55 per cent) say they take a more considered approach when planning a trip.

When asked about travel experiences, seeing the Northern Lights topped the nation’s bucket list, chosen by 28 per cent of respondents, while visiting the Pyramids of Giza ranked second (18 per cent), followed by the Great Barrier Reef (13 per cent), the Great Wall of China (9 per cent) and an Antarctica expedition (7 per cent).

Lindsay Haslehurst, head of product and commercial at Cruise118.com, said: “What our data tells us is that travel means so much more to people than just a holiday. Instead, we’re seeing a shift in how people approach their holidays.

“For example, our study reveals that they want richer experiences, they want to explore more of the world without the stress, and they’re increasingly turning to cruises to do exactly that. The fact that younger generations are getting such a confidence boost from cruising is particularly exciting for us, as they represent the adventurers of the future, and it’s brilliant to see them using cruises to discover just how much the world has to offer.”