Letting the kids plan your family cruise sounds like the stuff of nightmares, but you might be pleasantly surprised to see the results, if you give it a try. Marella Cruises recently conducted a survey of 1,000 children and then with the help of the Saccone Joly’s, put their findings to the test.

The UK’s third largest cruise line recently conducted an independent study of 1,000 children aged between six and 12 years and discovered that nearly a third of the children asked said that spending time with their parents was the most important thing to do while on a family holiday. The great outdoors also triumphed over tech, with a quarter of the kids saying they’d rather explore and have an adventure than stare at a TV screen or tablet.

TOP 5 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT GOING ON HOLIDAY TO UK KIDS

Spending time with parents / family – 31.9%

Exploring / going on adventures – 25.5%

Swimming – 15.5%

To play games – 5.7%

Freedom to do what they want – 5.6%

Marella Cruises conducted the research and put their findings to the test, sending YouTube vlogging family ‘The Saccone Joly’s’ on a Marella Cruise – but with a twist. The entire itinerary was planned by their five-year-old daughter Emilia, who was given free rein to organise the family holiday, making all the fun and diverse decisions – from exploring the plethora of programmes onboard to experiencing the exciting excursions ashore. This is what happened.

Pleasantly surprised by the reaction of Emilia’s dad? I was. It’s not every day a five-year-old gets to plan the family holiday, but she clearly did and exceptional job. “Allowing Emilia to plan the holiday has shown us that there’s something for everyone on a Marella Cruise, she chose everything – from the type of holiday, the destination to our itinerary.” Those were the words of her parents, so clearly it can be done.

Interestingly, during the independent survey, children said they enjoyed being involved with the holiday planning, in fact, 59% wanted the freedom to choose the family activities and 51% said they would feel more grown up if their parents would let them pick where they wanted go and what they wanted to do during the trip.

I enjoyed reading the survey and hearing about the Saccone Joly’s cruise, but I wonder how many people will give it a go themselves?

There are currently five ships in the Marella Cruises fleet: Marella Dream, Marella Celebration, Marella Discovery, Marella Discovery 2 and Marella Spirit. New ship Marella Explorer will begin sailing in summer 2018.

Marella Cruises offers a unique experience with unrivalled entertainment, superb food and a wide choice of destinations. Tips are also included, giving customers the peace of mind they need when budgeting for their cruise holiday. What else makes the cruise line so popular with UK cruisers? Marella offers exceptional service and treats everybody the same.

In partnership with TUI