The survey polled 1,000 US parents with children ranging from newborns to teens to find out what appealed to them the most about vacationing without the kids.
While sleeping late rated high (17 per cent), and 37 per cent of parents said they couldn't wait to be free of responsibilities, having time alone with their partner won by a landslide.
An overwhelming 77 per cent of those surveyed stressed the importance of time for romance, saying that among the perfect vacation ingredients would be "a cruise", along with cash.
"Not surprisingly, cruises ranked as a top choice for a getaway; they offer everything a parent could want, from privacy to fine dining to activities with other adults."
Aside from costs, parents surveyed said the biggest challenge in planning a vacation is finding time and securing child care. Other parents expressed concern about finding someone to care for their pets.
All the parents surveyed agreed on what they want to do on their child- free vacation: relax. More than half said they would like to enjoy fine food and wine, and lounge by the pool. Others said they would take time to see a show, go dancing and just curl up with a good book.
With only 9.4 per cent of parents surveyed interested in using their time to exercise, it's clear that most are in need of a break. And while some kids would be disappointed to see their parents go, almost half of the parents said their kids would be indifferent or thrilled to see them go.
In response to parents' need to spend romantic time together, away from their children, Celebrity Cruises in 2002 introduced Celebrity Escape(SM) sailings - premium cruise vacations for adults only. And due to guest demand, Celebrity presents four more "Escape" sailings this year, in the Caribbean, Alaska and the Mexican Riviera. With special amenities including extended hours in the exotic AquaSpa(SM) by Elemis, late-night adult comedy shows, professional dance instruction, romantic films in the cinemas, and wine tastings, Celebrity's Escape programme provides adults the chance to be a "grown-up" again.
