Princess Cruises conducted a national survey about relaxation. The report revealed some surprising revelations on people’s dreams of relaxation.
Relaxation Is Difficult
Despite the current economic climate, two out of five (40%) Americans think finding time to wind down is even harder than living within their budget (60%). And while technology may be making things easier for some, half (50%) of those surveyed agreed that having a smartphone by their side actually makes it harder to check out.
Kid-Free Travel
American families are well aware of the stresses of everyday living, and while three out of four (76%) parents would feel guilty leaving their little ones behind, more than half (54%) of parents say their perfect vacation wouldn’t include their children!
Time Is on Our Side
Most experts suggest creating minor moments of “me time” during the day, but Americans think that taking a week away delivers longer lasting results. Nearly half (45%) of Americans think a weeklong vacation is more likely to reduce the stress in their lives than taking small moments each day to decompress.
Americans also agreed that it takes an average of two days to settle in and let the time off clear their busy minds – meaning a weekend trip just won’t cut it.
A Toast to Sleeping In
The 2011 Relaxation Report also illustrates a directional shift in Americans’ favored methods of achieving relaxation. In the 2010 report, Americans opted for reading (25%) and getting up early (55%) while on vacation.*
This year, however, roles were reversed, with Americans enjoying a cocktail (24%) and sleeping in (65%) as the preferred ways to unwind. Cheers to that!
About the 2011 Survey
The Relaxation Report, commissioned by Princess Cruises, was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,005 nationally representative Americans ages 18+ between July 7th and July 13th, 2011, using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas have been set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. adult population 18 and older. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within +3.1 percentage points, 95 times out of 100, of what they would have been had the entire population of adults in the U.S. been polled.
