Love on the high seas: passengers and crew share their stories of romance

It’s the season of love – and cruise is no exception. Relationships can blossom in all manner of places and circumstances; often forged through shared passions, and a fair dollop of fate.

It was in early February 2024 that Christine and Howard, from the UK, stepped onboard a Holland America Line cruise to Antarctica, booked via Iglu Cruise. They did so as strangers, both travelling solo.

On the first evening of the voyage, their paths crossed at a solo-traveller meet-up. “It was only when we found ourselves sitting together at the onboard lectures and evening entertainment that our friendship began to grow as we discovered that we shared a mutual love of travelling,” explains Howard.

What followed was a continuation of that friendship. “By the end of the trip we had arranged to meet up in the UK. Our relationship blossomed and we have spent the last year travelling together both at home and in Europe," shares Howard.

For Christine, the voyage to Antarctica was her first cruise and she admits to being “quite apprehensive” about the experience. “I needn't have worried, however,” she adds. “The crew were so helpful and I soon made lots of friends. I would encourage anyone to embrace cruising – it changed my life forever.”

In the months that followed, the couple travelled together to discover new destinations – and their story is set for another chapter with more cruises planned. 

Howard says: “We have booked a number of cruises with Holland America, the first being one to the Caribbean we took just before Christmas 2024, which we very much enjoyed. Now we are looking forward to spending Valentine's Day together in Hong Kong before joining our cruise to the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan, two days later. 

“Looking further ahead, in 2026 we are planning another Holland America trip, starting in Australia, continuing through the South Sea islands, on to Hawaii.”

Love and celebration have also been in the air for fellow UK guests David and Karen. Back in June 2013, they joined Holland America Line for a cruise to Norway, a sailing that would prove to be far from ordinary as David had hatched a plan. 

“Our cruise took us the length of Norway and included a stop in Tromsø, a favourite place for us, having visited in winter to see the Northern Lights,” David says. “This time, however, we were there on mid summer’s day and being in the Arctic Circle with 24-hour daylight the scene was set for a special visit."  

“We headed to a brewery for a drink as by now I was feeling distinctly nervous. On leaving the brewery, Karen noticed that I was acting somewhat furtively until we reached the small Polar Museum on the harbour. 

"There I dropped to one knee and proposed: she cried and said yes. Later, we visited the ship’s photographer, Vesna, for some engagement photographs to take home with us. The voyage was everything that we could have hoped for and was there for our life-changing moment.”

More moments were to follow. In 2014, they celebrated their honeymoon with a cruise to Hawaii on Zaandam, “where we were greeted like old friends at embarkation by Vesna the photographer”, smiles David. 

Speaking of crew...  while working as spa manager on Westerdam in 2009, Farah Barhorst – who now holds the position of director, onboard revenue at Holland America – met her future husband, Eric, who at the time was working as a first officer. 

"One evening, on a crossing from Fort Lauderdale to Seattle, we were both asked to host a table in the dining room,” shares Farah. “A few days later, there was a crew excursion in Sint Maarten where two teams took part in a yacht race, and Eric asked if I wanted to go with him.  

"We were put on opposing teams so we made a deal that whoever lost would buy lunch – he lost. We've been together ever since that day and got married in 2018.”
 
Farah adds: "I was never a believer in 'what is meant to be, is meant to be', but it's crazy how the stars aligned in that way.”
 
Love, it seems, is indeed all around.