Once-in-a-lifetime holidays and spontaneous trips: 53% Brits vow to ‘Never say Never’ post-pandemic

As the UK eases out of lockdown and slowly returns to normality, new research carried out by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the leading innovator in global cruise travel, reveals that half (53%) of Brits want to make up for lost time by never saying no to things they want to do again.

According to the survey, 46% of the participants are ready to step outside their comfort zone, with more than a third (35%) vowing to say ‘yes’ to things more often post-pandemic. The top 10 things Brits plan to say yes to includes travel (46%), trying something new (44%) and nights out (40%).

Top 10 things Brits plan to say yes to more often:

1. Travel (46%)
2. Spending more time with family and friends (45%)
3. Trying something new (44%)
4. Nights out (40%)
5. Talking to new people (36%)
6. Spontaneous nights out (35%)
7. Spending money (30%)
8. Getting creative (26%)
9. Date night (23%)
10. Volunteering (21%)

Reasons for saying yes include wanting to learn more about themselves (29%), seeing things from a new perspective (31%), and wanting to fulfil a lifelong dream (22%). Over half (56%) are now simply living by the ‘life is too short’ mantra.

Saying yes to travel in 2021 and beyond is high on the UK’s agenda, despite the current travel ban. To make up for lost time, a quarter (26%) plan to book their dream trip sooner than expected, whilst half (52%) expect to go on multiple trips. Instead of short-lived weekend getaways, 33% are wanting longer holidays and just over a third (35%) plan on spending more time abroad. More than half (56%) intend to take more spontaneous trips and 64% look forward to visiting new destinations.

As Brits looked for an escape during lockdown, the survey found that over half (56%) dream of travelling again and 55% have been busy planning or booking their next trip. What’s more, 44% intend to treat themselves to a little luxury whilst on holiday after a challenging year.

“The pandemic has reminded the nation that life is for living,” said Eamonn Ferrin, NCL vice president and managing director in the UK, Ireland, Middle East and Africa. “It’s uplifting to see that Brits are embracing new challenges and experiences. At NCL, we encourage everyone to say yes to travel and break free from 2020, when it is safe to do so. We recently announced our highly anticipated return to service, with new itineraries sailing Europe and The Caribbean this summer. Our dedicated team has spent the last year working tirelessly towards resumption of operations and we can’t wait to welcome new and loyal guests onboard as part of our great cruise comeback.”