Ever since the infamous “Gap Yah” video was released in 2010, taking a year out has been seen as an opportunity for privileged rich kids to party.
But a luxury cruise company just took it to the next level, offering a £46,000 gap year trip that will see students travel to six continents in seven months on “some of the world’s most impressive cruise liners”.
“If gap years are universities, then we’re launching Cambridge,” said Michael Wilson, managing director of Bolsover Cruise Club.
“Forget hostels, part-time jobs in bars and long bus journeys, our gap year holiday is the ultimate way a student can see the world in their year out.”
At £46,600 for the trip, the experience costs almost £3,000 more than the average student spends during their three years at university.
The unbearably lucky (or spoiled) student travellers will begin their five-star journey in Paris before heading north to take in the Arctic scenery of the Norwegian fjords, Iceland and Alaska.
Before the little darlings get too chilly, they will be whipped to the tropics, stopping off in Hawaii to top up their tans on the exotic beaches of Honolulu.
The group’s “unique journey to self-discovery” will continue as they sail over to New Zealand and Australia, taking in Perth and Sydney.
It’s then on to a tour of Southeast Asia and a chance to visit Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore Bangkok and Cambodia.
If that wasn’t enough (yes, there’s more), another luxury cruise liner will take the student voyagers on to Japan and China to see the bright lights of Tokyo and the Great Wall.
Finally, the now-seasoned travellers will stop off in South Africa and Buenos Aires, before ticking off Peru’s Machu Picchu from their bucket list.
All in all, the journey will take students to 15 countries between July 2017 and February 2018, travelling 60,000 miles on 11 different cruise ships.
“We’re excited to be able to give students some unforgettable experiences around the world that will stay with them for the rest of their lives – and the only fruit they’ll have to worry about picking will be from the buffet counter,” Wilson added.
Sounds like the travellers will have endless “gap yah” stories to tell when they start university.
Just try not to chunder everywhere while you listen.