55 per cent of people surveyed said they wanted to see the northern lights in Iceland

NCL predicts the rise of the ‘golden gap year’

According to new research by the cruise line, nearly four in ten baby boomers have decided to book life-changing trips, including long cruises

By Cruise Adviser Last updated Oct 6, 2022

According to new research by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the UK is set to see the rise of the ‘golden gap year’, with nearly four in ten baby boomers deciding to seize the moment and book a life-changing trip.

According to the research, 37 per cent of older travellers admit they have a new lease of life when it comes to travelling, with nearly a fifth (19 per cent) admitting they’re more likely to travel than five years ago.

One fifth (20 per cent) are planning to throw caution to the wind and go away for a year, while nine months is the preferred trip length. Cruises, city breaks and beach holidays are the favoured trips.

A third of those surveyed said they were constantly adding to their bucket list of destinations to travel to.

The research reveals that the most popular ‘golden gap year’ destinations are a trip to see the northern lights in Iceland (55 per cent); walking through the wild countryside of New Zealand (33 per cent) and eating pasta on the Amalfi coast (31 per cent).

Eamonn Ferrin, vice president of international business at NCL said: “While globetrotting has long been associated with the young and carefree, our research suggests more baby boomers are travelling than ever before.

“While ‘golden gap year’ travel is becoming a trend – at NCL we’ve seen a surge in all generations prioritising travel, taking more frequent trips to long-haul destinations.

“No matter your age, travel has no limit. Cruising is a unique, comfortable and inspiring way to explore the world, enabling travellers to easily visit multiple destinations in a single trip.”