A new national survey shows there is nothing like a bleak winter to make Australians obsess about holidaying somewhere warm and using their tax refunds to flee the chill.

As winter’s grip has tightened, nearly a quarter of those surveyed admitted that on most days they think about a follow-the-sun escape.

Nearly two thirds said the cold weather prompted them to check how many days leave the boss owed them.

And more than half said they were likely to use the proceeds of their annual tax refund or a government bonus payment to book a holiday.

The P&O Cruises ‘Great Winter Escape’ survey has also explained a longstanding mystery when it comes to holiday bookings.

“We’ve known for years that August is the peak month for cruise bookings including a surge immediately after the winter school holidays,” said P&O Cruises’ corporate communications manager David Jones.

“The combination of three drearily cold months plus a house full of kids during the winter school holidays makes parents want to escape to somewhere warm. We know that cruise bookings can surge by up to 25 per cent in August.”

The main findings of the P&O Cruises’ ‘Great Winter Escape’ survey of more than 1000 people included:
• 24 per cent of those surveyed thought about being somewhere warmer ‘on most days’ during winter – with women much more likely than men to yearn for winter warmth
• 36 per cent were either ‘extremely likely’ or ‘very likely’ during winter to check how many days or weeks holiday they had owing
• 48.5 per cent had made a holiday booking during winter for a warm or tropical location with women again more likely than men to take action
• 55 per cent were ‘often’ or ‘sometimes’ prompted to visit destinations friends or family members had mentioned on Facebook or other social media.

P&O Cruises’ passengers, Kylie and Callum Waddell from Brisbane fit the profile of Australian families who make sure holiday plans keep the winter blues at bay.

“I am always looking for things to try and do and booking holidays seems to be my second job,” Kylie said.

“We have booked a cruise in October but we always have a holiday to be away during winter.

“We went to Fiji to escape winter this year and next year it will be New York. It’s about getting away from the cold and, with the school holidays, it’s a chance to do something exciting with the kids.”

A nine-night cruise on Pacific Pearl departing Sydney on July 8, 2013, is priced from $899* per person quad share with calls at Noumea, Lifou, Mystery Island and Isle of Pines.