From Grandparent to Great Friend - It’s Good to Talk

New research from Ambassador Cruise Line suggests that Brits could be better at showing their appreciation for their grandparents and all that they do for the family unit

• Almost half of Brits don’t see their grandparents regularly - do people need to re-prioritise their time to show their appreciation?  
• Grandparents open to sharing everything you always wanted to know (but some were too afraid to ask)
• Ambassador calls on the nation to nominate the Grandparent of the Year ahead of National Grandparents’ Day on 1 October

Grandchildren aren’t investing enough in creating strong bonds with their grandparents or spending quality time in their company, new research from Ambassador Cruise Line suggests. 

A poll of 1,000 respondents with a living grandparent found that half (47%) of Brits see their grandma or grandad once a fortnight or less, with 14% of the population saying they visit them less than four times a year.

One in 10 (11%) of us admit that our social lives are too busy to fit in the time to see them - with men (15%) prioritising their social lives more than women (8%) at the expense of keeping in touch with their elders – who many (56%) believe to be lonely and say would appreciate the company.

This begs the question – why aren’t some of us giving back to our grandparents and doing more to recognise all that they do for us by spending time with them? Why do we allow our social life to get in the way of seeing some of our closest, most important family members more often?  

Some respondents said they don’t see their grandparents for personal reasons - 10% say they are estranged, 14% say they don’t get along and 7% don’t visit as they ‘feel judged’. 30% of people that do see their grandparents say they find it difficult to talk to them, with two in five (42%) uncomfortable asking them personal questions and 5% admitting that they find them boring – which may all be reasons why visiting them isn’t prioritised.

However, the research suggests that grandma and grandad appreciate the company and are more than willing to talk to their grandchildren about their lives, past and present. Of those that do visit, 58% of respondents say they simply ‘sit and talk’ to a grandparent, with the most popular topics of conversation being personal stories (62%), tales of childhood (60%), major life events (48%) and matters relating to the family (46%).  This indicates that, if more of us were to make the time (and had the inclination) to see them more often, we could not only learn more about our own family history but also come to appreciate our elder relative as a friend or confidante as much as we do a grandparent. As the saying goes: it’s good to talk.

Additional survey responses found that almost a fifth (19%) of us ‘say it with flowers’ or presents (18%) when visiting a grandparent, with 17% sorting out minor tech issues, such as setting up the WiFi for our silver surfing relative, and just over one in 10 (12%) helping out with the shopping or with household chores.

Old and new worlds collide when not meeting in person - almost half of us (44%) speak to a grandparent by phone, one in five (19%) talk on Zoom or Facetime, one in ten write an email (10%) or letter (12%) and one in four of us (24%) text or use WhatsApp to keep in touch.

The poll also discovered that Grandparents can be a very generous bunch, choosing to support their grandchildren in many ways to help make life a little easier. This includes buying gifts (24%), giving their grandchildren money (19%), taking them out to dinner or the pub (13%) or simply babysitting (9%).

The survey was conducted by Ambassador after the premium value, no-fly cruise line launched a search for its first ever Grandparent of the Year ahead of National Grandparents' day on Sunday 1 October (press release here). Calling on the nation to afford this little-known national day the same honourable status as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, the UK-wide search forms part of a wider initiative that sees Ambassador, which specialises in adult-only sailings aimed at the 50+ market along with multigenerational cruises, look to celebrate the loving, generous and often under-appreciated people we call Grandma and Grandad and inspire the nation to recognise them for all that they do for the family unit.

Christian Verhounig, CEO of Ambassador Cruise Line, says: “Grandparents are the anchors of the family, yet we can see that many grandchildren aren’t taking the time to see their grandparents or showing as much appreciation for them as they might. While finding time in our increasingly busy lives can be challenging, we feel that this is an important step to ensure that grandparents and grandchildren get to know each other well and create strong family bonds. 

“At Ambassador, we are proud to champion the silver generation across the country, so this month we have launched a nationwide search for the UK’s greatest Grandma or Grandad. One of those nominated will receive the prestigious title of ‘Grandparent of the Year’ as well as a full board, adult-only cruise holiday for two, which they can enjoy with a partner or friend – or a multigenerational cruise for four people should they wish to spend quality time on holiday with their grandchildren.”

Ahead of National Grandparents’ Day on 1 October, Brits can nominate their grandparent (or someone they know who is a grandparent) for the title of Ambassador’s first-ever Grandparent of the Year via a dedicated web page – www.ambassadorcruiseline.com/national-grandparents-day.

Welcoming written, audio and video submissions, friends and family from across the country should tell Ambassador why their family member or friend deserves to be named as Grandparent of the Year.  Closing at 23:59 on Tuesday 26 September 2023, all entries will be judged by an expert panel, with the winner announced in the week following National Grandparents’ Day.

As part of Ambassador Cruise Line’s commitment to celebrating National Grandparents Day, the cruise line is offering a 10% discount on adults only and multigenerational cruises to those nominating their grandparents. Valid on 23/24 and 24/25 sailings, the discount code is valid until 16 October and will be shared at the time the nomination is entered.