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The beauty of a cruise holiday is the chance to wake up in a new city or exotic location each day.

But one fifth of cruise passengers admit they have stayed on board their docked cruise ship at one or more destinations during their trip.

And six per cent of passengers refuse to leave the ship altogether, according to a new survey.

Home comforts: Some passengers couldn't tear themselves away from the on board entertainment

An abundance of free food and drink, along with on-board entertainment, were the top reasons passengers gave for snubbing the chance to explore a new destination and opting to stay on their ship instead.

The research was carried out by independent online cruising agency www.bonvoyage.uk who polled 1,259 adults aged 18 and over that had taken a cruise holiday within the past five years.

Over a fifth (21 per cent) of respondents revealed that they had stayed on board the ship for at least one of the destinations their ship had docked at.

Other reasons given for staying on board the ship included the fact that young children or elderly relatives didn't want to leave the ship; the fact that the weather was too bad; or simply that they were uninterested in that particular destination.

Incredibly, six per cent of respondents said they hadn't left their cruise ship at all during their trip.

Of the 79 per cent of respondents who had visited each destination, 83 per cent said that they would never consider staying on-board a docked ship as one of the main attractions of a cruise holiday was the opportunity to visit a plethora of cities and countries.

All you can eat: Free food and drink was the top reason given for staying on board the cruise ship

Steph Curtin, Cruise Development Manager at www.bonvoyage.uk, said that passengers refusing to leave the ship at a particular destination could become a growing trend, which was a 'worrying sign'.

She said: 'Cruises pride themselves on being the ultimate all-in-one holiday package, so it's pleasing to see cruisers recognise the exceptional standards of the facilities on offer.

'Whilst there are unbelievable facilities for travellers to enjoy aboard the ship, they really are no substitutes for some of the breath-taking destinations on offer.

'I really would urge cruisers to leave the cruise ship and take in the spectacular views and culture on offer; it could be a once in a lifetime opportunity you live to regret!'