City Breaks No Longer a Cheap Weekend Getaway

Research reveals city breaks now cost as a much as seven-day holiday in Spain for a family of three

New research reveals a short city break now costs the same as a seven-day Spanish seaside holiday for a family of three.

The survey, commissioned by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, found that Brits complained of multiple factors – city break accommodation now costs an average of £382, eating out an average of £229, with must-see attractions coming in at £182. Awkward flight times eating into the break (34%), increased costs for short haul flights (32%) and ‘not being able to fit in everything in’ (30%) ranked high amongst Brits’ gripes about shorter trips

Of those polled, 61% admitted they would consider cutting down on eating out, activities, and excursions whilst on holiday to keep costs down – with 50% even saying they would think twice about going on another city break anytime soon due to it being not good value for money.

As a result, 46% of holidaymakers are considering changing their approach to getaways – going on longer holidays rather than several short breaks throughout the year. With three in ten wanting to ensure they get the most value out of a trip, and many Brits turning their back on short city breaks altogether, NCL predicts a trend of ‘inter-sailing’ will rise in popularity this summer.

With 10-night sailings starting from just £2,078pp, NCL’s itineraries offer a once in a lifetime getaway for those looking to visit up to 10 new cities in the one holiday, with the cost-effective benefits of including industry leading entertainment, complimentary dining, drinks packages and a spa which rivals many 5* land-based options.

Gary Anslow, Head of UK & I Business at Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), says, “Brits have a real hunger for exploring the world, but the rising cost of travel is an ongoing challenge. An NCL cruise aims to give holidaymakers the option to maximise their budget, with a wide range of itineraries designed to make the most of every minute at sea. From a 4-day cruise to the Greek Isles with stops in Barcelona, Florence, Cannes, and Rome, to a 5-day itinerary calling at Rome, Naples, Palma, Barcelona and even Ibiza, guests can wake up to a new city nearly every day of their cruise.”

Anslow continues, “Our research found that half of holidaymakers like to visit a new place every time they go on a trip, and one in three want the best of both worlds, a pool-side holiday and city break wrapped up into one. With inter-sailing where you visit multiple cities on a cruise holiday, you can do it all.”

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