A top agent has revealed how his client proposed in front of dozens of penguins, after hiding the engagement ring from his partner for two weeks. 

Travlux owner Ross Johnson booked the adventurous couple onto a Ponant expedition cruise to Antarctica last January, fulfilling their bucket-list dream of visiting the White Continent. 

At a total of £24,000, the 11-day voyage on L’Austral included everything from zodiac trips in polar light to observations of wildlife such as crabeater and Weddell seals. There was also an opportunity to explore Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, before the ship set sail down the notorious Drake Passage. 

What wasn’t on the itinerary, however, was a special interaction between two of the ship’s youngest guests. 

On the second-to-last day of the cruise, Johnson’s client proposed to his boyfriend against a backdrop of misty snow and Adelie penguins.

To ensure the moment was captured, he discreetly asked Ponant’s official photographer to follow him up a hill, where he proceeded to pop the question. 

“It was a surprise to us at Travlux,” Johnson told TTG Luxury. “The cruise line didn’t know about the proposal either.” 

Having spotted the engagement photos on his client’s Instagram, Johnson immediately messaged Ponant’s UK sales manager, Vladislav Saveliev, to alert him of the news. 

“It was a little time-sensitive,” he recalled. “The clients had just 24 hours left on the ship and I didn’t know how long it would take for the message to reach the crew.”

Johnson needn’t have worried; Saveliev replied within 15 minutes, confirming he would get a message to the ship’s hotel director who would let the crew know. 

By the time the couple had returned to the ship from their excursion, their stateroom had been decorated with electric candles, swan towel foldings and even stuffed penguins. The attendants had also gifted them a bottle of champagne and macaroons, in keeping with the brand’s French heritage. 

It wasn’t long before the other guests heard about the proposal, and in celebration, invited the couple to join them for a ‘mini’ disembarkation party on the final evening. “It was such a nice, community environment because of the size of the ship,” Johnson added. 

The proposal also brought an end to a tense fortnight of secrecy, during which time his client’s partner had to keep the engagement ring hidden – but still safe – at all times. 

“He had the ring on his person every day, even taking it with him on each zodiac trip off the ship, because he was waiting for the right moment to propose,” Johnson recalled. “Every day he had to put it in his big red Ponant overcoat to take off with him, always making sure pockets were zipped up! He also had to find somewhere to hide it in the stateroom. It’s a long time to have to keep something hidden from a partner, but it paid off!” 

Johnson credits his strong relationship with Ponant, which has recently announced plans to expand further into the UK market, for helping him to pull off the last-minute gesture. 

“Having someone you can personally message at any luxury brand is pivotal,” he explained, before highlighting the importance of attending educational trips for making such contacts. 

“It was my first Ponant booking, but I was confident about selling the cruise line after attending a fam trip with them in Belize and Honduras,” he added. “It was great to understand how the brand worked, and to know that, though some of the style is very French, English speakers won’t feel out of place.”