A 'do nothing' holiday is what everyone needs right now - here's how to do it
I'm going on holiday in a few weeks, and you know what I'm most excited for?
Nothing.
I cannot wait to lie down on a chair by the pool, and do absolutely zilch. Maybe I'll get up to order a cocktail.
And I'm not alone: a recent study found that 46 per cent of Australians are interested in 'do nothing' holidays in 2025.
Holidays are so good when you actually get to relax. Getty
Gone are the trips from my 20s when I'd pack my itinerary with hikes and food tours, and still have enough energy for drinks and bar-hopping when the sun went down.
When it's time to clock off, I want to actually relax. I don't want to have to rush around to get ready for a 6pm dinner booking or do a walking tour in 35-degree heat.
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So I've recently found the perfect holiday. A cruise.
Don't worry, I'm not claiming to have invented the idea of going on a cruise to relax. But I've realised that a cruise is undeniably the best possible way to holiday, especially if you want to do nothing.
On a cruise, you can do as much or as little as you like. Getty
You can do nothing, guilt-free
Cruises are one of the few holidays where you can genuinely opt out of doing anything at all, and still feel like you're having a "real" travel experience.
You can wake up and spend your entire day by the pool or in a lounge reading your book. You can be blissfully unaware of what day it is, and have no pressure to even check the time, let alone the date.
But even while you're flopped, you're still going somewhere. You're waking up to a new view each morning, and you're not having to lift a finger.
The ship still moves, and you get to visit new places, but you don't have any pressure to plan anything or pack your bags every few days.
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Cruise ships also offer a ton of activities. MSC
Or, you can do everything
But if you wake up one day with a ton of energy, you can cram your day with activities: waterslides, rock climbing, ziplining, live music, trivia, mini golf... the list goes on.
And that's before you even dock in a port and have the chance to explore a brand new city.
It's also perfect for travelling in a group where everyone has different travel styles. If one person in the group wants constant activities and another wants to sleep all day, both can be happy.
Everything is right there
Food, drinks, entertainment, and activities are literally steps from your bed - no walking 2km to the beach or stumbling around a new city, caffeine-deprived, looking for a café.
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Being able to go straight from bed to the coffee shop (or bar) to the pool is the best part of a cruise. Nine / Supplied
And don't even get me started on how good the 24/7 food service is.
I can only imagine that when you're travelling with kids, it's even better. You don't have to spend hours researching family-friendly activities and restaurants; it's all right there on board.
It's all already paid for
I'm terrible at sticking to a budget, especially on holidays. The amount of money I've wasted on ATM fees and dodgy currency conversions over the years is obscene.
You basically get to travel the world without lifting a finger. Supplied
Another perk of cruising? You can pay for everything before you go. Being able to pre-arrange my beverage package, my WiFi, and any shore excursions that I want to do makes the financial side of the trip feel much more manageable.
A holiday where the only thing you have to worry about is whether you'll have ice cream before lunch or after? And having ocean views 24/7? Sign me up.
