Meet the Travel Advisor Who Turned an Incentive into the Proposal of a Lifetime

For one travel advisor, a free trip from Holland America Line became the backdrop for a lifechanging moment at sea.

Dan Hammond, a cruise specialist with U.K. agency GoCruise & Travel with Tony & Dan, won the trip from Holland America Line from an incentive program in September. He received a verandah stateroom for two aboard Nieuw Statendam, for a Caribbean sailing that departed on Feb. 28, 2026.

With the help of Holland America Line, Hammond used the trip to propose to his girlfriend Mary. The onboard team worked discreetly to plan the event, even providing access to the ship’s bow during a day at Relax Away, Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas.

“The captain kindly gave us permission to use the bow of the ship — an area that isn’t normally accessible to guests — which already made the moment feel incredibly special,” Hammond told Travel Market Report. “What I later discovered made it even more memorable: the bridge team had actually adjusted the ship’s course slightly to ensure we had the most stunning sunset as the backdrop.”

Hammond proposed in a private moment, standing at the front of the ship with uninterupted views of the ocean. When Mary said yes, the crew surprised them with glasses of champagne and the captain marked the moment sounding the ship’s horn.

“It truly couldn’t have been more perfect. Standing on the bow with Mary as the sun set behind us and hearing her say yes is a moment I’ll never forget,” he said.

For Hammond, a life-long cruiser, the choice to use the trip to propse was a no-brainer.

“I’ve been cruising since I was 18 months old and this cruise was my 92nd, so cruising really is in my blood,” he said.

How the Dream Proposal Came Together

Behind the scenes, Hammond worked closely with HAL to pull off the proposal, coordinating with the cruise line ahead of time and working with the onboard team during the sailing. He named Emma Paolino, assistant manager for the business development team with Holland America in the U.K. and Cynthia Boorsma, guest services manager on Nieuw Statendam, as being especially helpful. 

“Holland America Line were incredible throughout the whole process. Around two months before the cruise, the Holland America trade team — particularly Emma — were already liaising directly with the ship and Guest Services Manager Cynthia to explore what might be possible, from timing and location to making sure the moment was just right.”

Holland America Line told TMR that the ship team was happy to be involved in Hammond’s special moment.

“Our ship team was happy to help make the moment happen,” said Rob Coleman, senior vice president of sales for Holland America Line. “It was meaningful to support one of our travel advisors during such a personal moment.”

Hammond told TMR that being a travel advisor came in handy while planning the proposal.

“The relationships and connections I’ve built within the industry — particularly with the Holland America trade team — meant I could work closely with people who understood how important the moment was and were genuinely invested in helping make it perfect,” explained Hammond. “My extra knowledge of the cruise line, design of the ship also helped as I knew where would work well and what time of day would work.”

Hammond recommends travel advisors connect with their BDMs and get to know the trade teams at companies like Holland America Line.

“They are there to help and will do anything they can to help (within reason) and that includes organise the perfect proposal.”