AIBU to dread sharing my cruise with a clingy colleague?

If she spots you and starts talking just say "oh I think that person over there was saying earlier how they'd love to have a chat with you"....direct her to some random and accept you'll be going straight to Hell.

Having seen Carry On Cruising it put me off for life. Ditto threads on MN, the fact I don't like "fun" and I don't want to be with my partner 24/7, stuck on a ship for 7+ days. Quite fancy the food though.

This is a simple fix -

Tell your husband that if/when you bump into her you are both to say "we are spending precious time together and we are not a sociable couple. Enjoy the cruise." Then scarper. Rinse and repeat.

Then noticeably avoid her. If unavoidable - hello/goodbye without breaking stride.

Just tell her straight. I'm sorry but I need to completely detach from work and so I will not be spending time with you.

Your husband also has an identical twin who happens to be in a relationship with your twin sister 😁

Oh god, she sounds like my mother! Except she’s retired so it can’t be her. 😂

Get a large floppy hat and a big pair of sunglasses! Good luck.

This. The worst outcome is that you haven’t availed yourself of the opportunity to tell her you’re on the same cruise, and so she will think that you copied her and booked the cruise after she told you she was going - and hence she may think that you want to spend time with her!

It's only the same as finding yourself at the same all inclusive hotel abroad.

Had a similar situation while at a Euro camp in France . Had arranged to go with another couple by choice as DCs same age . But when I went to join my friend in the pool I saw she was chatting to another school mum . Complete coincidence. Unfortunately she wasn't someone we would normally hang out with as she was a complete misery and always complaining about something. I put on a pair of goggles and swam away under the water like a submarine.

If you’re not bothered if she doesn’t speak to you again then get your husband to be vocal if she corners you both - something like “inky is having a break from work for her birthday and we really just want to have a complete break from everything and anyone we know. Nothing personal - enjoy your cruise!”

I know someone like your colleague though. She just talks at you about all her problems.

Such a nightmare situation!! Sympathies, you won’t be able to relax knowing she could pop up. I’ve got one particular friend I can tolerate in short bursts and only if I’m not tired/stressed for another reason. She’s just too much!!

If you see her on the cruise, tell her you’ve had a spot of norovirus and still getting the diarrhoea part. Then say “actually I feel a bit sick now” and that you’re going to sit apart… then walk off 😂 Least awkward way to get rid of her!!

I’d go one further than this and say multiple wigs and accents?
Big sunnies too and a few good hats.

In all seriousness I hope you manage to find some good spots to get away from them. Are you going with someone who’ll help keep them at bay?

I reckon you'll be fine. I bumped into someone I knew on a cruise once....we had no idea each other was going to be there and then I never saw them again for the entire holiday!

It's hard enough when you're purposefully trying to find your family members on a cruise ship!

You must report back after the cruise!

I went on a cruise a few years ago, I knew someone on there from work was also going, we didn’t see them once.

Flirt outrageously with her husband and only speak to him and try to keep her out of the converation or change topic whenever she speaks. (Tell your husband first of course of this ploy). She should then be trying to avoid you.

We went on a cruise last year with Royal Caribbean. I was surprised when waiting in Barcelona for the coach to the ship to discover a cousin of mine was also there. During the trip we only bumped into each other twice.

I know cruise ships are enormous, and the chances of bumping into her are low, but what would kill me is the FEAR of seeing/bumping into her and constantly being on edge in case she might appear and say "SURPRISE". OMG.

Sorry OP, I know that's not helping, but it's how I'd feel.

This is genius.

Having just returned from a cruise ( and we have done quite a few) this wouldn’t even bother me at all. There are plenty of places to eat if you were very unluckily and most unlikely were allocated the same table at dining. I’ve been on a cruise when a friend was on and we arranged to meet up a few times. Other than when we met deliberately we only saw her once by the pool. If you are that bothered blame your husband ‘ he has social anxiety so don’t be offended if we don’t stop to chat’. Mine is utterly antisocial so I could legitimately use that as a reason. Enjoy.

They may be huge ships but you know the odds of them being in the next cabin have now shrunk considerably. 😉

If you are sailing on Virtuosa it holds 6000 passengers so you might be lucky to avoid her.
Or pay to upgrade to yacht club then you'll be completely away from her unless you choose to visit the main areas.

I had to look up "pineapple badge" 😄 I'd be careful with that as she may well be up for it!! 🤣

Are you on the Virtuosa?

Although it is a big ship, it’s a lot more busier and crowded because a chunk of it is reserved for the Yacht Club, so it feels smaller than its equivalent on say P and O.

You may be lucky and not bump into them as there is so much to do and places to go. But make boundaries clear if you do bump into them

You could try and move the holiday.

Or upgrade to Yacht Club.

.