How to create a travel wish list

Tuesday, 19 April 2022

People on a cruise

Most of us have dreams of getting out there and seeing more of the world. From cruises to Europe to exploring far-flung destinations on an around the world cruise, the options are endless. With so many incredible destinations out there, it can be a little daunting to think about where you might like to visit in the future. This is why putting a list together of dream destinations is a must. But where do you begin? Well, to make your future travel planning a little bit easier, we have put together this guide for how to create a travel wish list. With some top tips and advice, you will be able to sit down and assemble a list that not only sounds nice in theory, but you can actually put into action.

Initial brainstorming

Person writing in a notepad

First things first, you will want to engage in an initial brainstorming exercise, just to get the ball rolling and your mind thinking about where you want to travel. As with many other UK Cruise Lines, there are so many destinations to choose from, so making a note about the destinations you would like to visit the most is a great way to start.

You don’t need to be realistic when it comes to your brainstorming, dream big and write down all the destinations and locations you have always imagined visiting. Start with cities and then move up to regions and countries and then expand into a list of experiences you want to enjoy, dishes you want to try and dreams you want to fulfil.

Think about your interests

Now that you’ve got the initial brainstorming out of the way and likely a whole bunch of random destinations jotted down, it’s time to think a bit more deeply about things. Have a think about what interests you, about what type of experiences you would like to enjoy and so on. Are you a really active person? Do you like history? Is nature your thing? Or do you want to lounge on the world’s best beaches? By pondering these types of things, you can start to identify exactly what you are looking for and discover locations that are tailored to your personality.

Try to make it extra special when creating your travel wish list, you should make it exciting and try to include places far and beyond your own country’s border. Try and tailor some of the destinations on your list to the interests you have listed, for example, Rome is a great place to enjoy delicious food and Iceland is a great destination for sightseeing and activities.

READ MORE: Must-try Icelandic food and drink

Speak to other travellers

Person walking around on holiday

It never hurts to get a bit of inspiration from others. Instead of going it alone or merely bouncing ideas off your spouse or travel partner, have a chat with other relatives and friends that have done a bit of travelling. Ask them about the destinations that they most enjoyed visiting and why. You never know, you might come up with a few ideas you never thought of! Including some specific recommendations for what to do when you are there.

READ MORE: Lesser-known cruise destinations

Research

Person typing on a laptop

By now, you are really in the swing of things and hopefully have a good idea of the kinds of destinations and experiences you are interested in. So now is the time to do some proper research and see if these locations are really right for you. Would a Singapore cruise fulfil your needs, or feel like too big a voyage? Would you prefer something closer like a Madeira cruise?

Have a look at some travel blogs, read some TripAdvisor reviews, swoon over some photos, and see if the destinations you had in mind are actually what you thought and could be places you see yourself actually visiting in the future. 

Prioritise your chosen destinations

Now that you have done your research, you have hopefully decided on the actual locations you would like to add to your wish list. Once you have got a list of locations that make you excited about travelling, it’s time to start prioritising. After all, you can’t visit everything at once so it’s important to analyse your list and see what order you would like to tackle them in. What appeals to you the most? What do you think you can actually visit next year? Is there a reason you want to visit a certain destination sooner rather than later? Can you visit more than one on a single cruise? Ask yourselves these questions and put your list into the order you want to start ticking them off.

Don’t forget about it

Right, your list is assembled, and you know which destination you would like to visit first. Now the important thing is to not stuff your list into a drawer or PC folder and forget about it. This is a wish list, but it also contains locations you really want to visit! Start looking into specific travel plans and if you can’t begin booking anything quite yet, keep the list somewhere you will always see it. If it’s in paper form, stick it on the fridge, if it’s digital, keep a shortcut on your desktop. Just don’t let all of your thinking and research go to waste. Then, when the time is right, you can get out there and visit all of those incredible destinations.

Tips for creating a travel wish list

  • Make sure to write it down
  • Initial brainstorming
  • Think about your interests
  • Speak to other travellers
  • Research
  • Prioritise your chosen destinations
  • Don’t forget about it

READ MORETop 5 European cruise types to enjoy

We hope that these tips will prove useful when creating your own travel wish list. There’s a big wide world out there with destinations and experiences to suit everyone. So, remember the above advice and start thinking about where you might like to travel in the future. You can also browse our late cruise deals for inspiration!

For more travel tips, advice, and guides, make sure to visit our blog.