Page 4 | AIBU to dread sharing my cruise with a clingy colleague?

Ard · 27/06/2026 20:22

If she's been exaggerating with her boasting she might want to avoid you, in case her husband tells the truth.

Sentfrommygarden · 27/06/2026 20:19

My SIL and MIL don’t speak. Unknowingly they booked themselves on the same Caribbean cruise. It took SIL 9 days, MIL even longer to see the other. They didn’t acknowledge the other and still don’t speak. Hopefully you will have the same sort of “luck”.

coronafiona · 27/06/2026 20:18

Change your booking!

Notasunshineinsight · 27/06/2026 20:17

InkyOctopuswithLegs · 27/06/2026 16:07

We are both going with our husbands but that won't stop her!
Can't change the cruise as its in a few weeks time😆
There's almost 3 thousand passengers so just hope we dont even see her but im not convinced. Of all the holidays in all the world.......🤦‍♀️

If you do see her you can say - hope you are enjoying your time relaxing and away from work.
if she asks to talk or starts talking you could say
sorry Marge just let me stop you there I don’t want to be rude but this is my one long awaited time to be myself, away from work and colleagues and to totally relax and have quality alone time or time with my husband. Please enjoy yourself and we will catch up back at work

EarlofShrewsbury · 27/06/2026 20:13

When I got my hair cut I found out my hairdresser was on the exact same cruise, she offered to do my hair for formal night and found out we were only 4 cabins away on the same deck.

We didn't see each other for the entire week!

SummerHasArrivedatLast · 27/06/2026 20:12

lightreflectingonwater · 27/06/2026 20:06

As you didn't let on you have already booked, I am looking forward to the Mumsnet thread started by your work colleague in a few weeks time about her stalky work colleague who found out she was going to be on a cruise and then booked to go on the same one

Show quote history

She will describe how she only talks to OP at work, because OP is always on her own and has no friends.

Bristolandlazy · 27/06/2026 20:10

Tell her your twin sister is going on a cruise soon but you're not sure which one.

If you see her onboard ignore her, she'll assume you're the twin sister. Sorted.

SummerHasArrivedatLast · 27/06/2026 20:08

InkyOctopuswithLegs · 27/06/2026 19:09

@SummerHasArrivedAtLast 🤣🤣
Believe me she is friends with everyone, she makes a bee line for anyone stood on their own!

If I do bump into her we've decided to say DH has surprised me for my birthday!

If they are in the room next door at least I can be sure of their movements 🤣🤣

Maybe she feels sorry for you at work, because you're on your own. She'll be relieved that she doesn't have to talk to you if you're with your husband.

lightreflectingonwater · 27/06/2026 20:06

InkyOctopuswithLegs · 27/06/2026 15:51

Just found out someone i work with is going on the same MSC cruise as me.I am polite and always say hello but this person is someone I wouldn't want to spend time with. They are clingy and talk non stop, if they see you in a communal area they will make a bee line for you and start telling you about what they are doing, boasting mostly.
They told me yesterday about the cruise and I was speechless🤣 in didn't let on i was on the same cruise but I'm gutted and don't want this person chasing me around the ship🤦‍♀️

As you didn't let on you have already booked, I am looking forward to the Mumsnet thread started by your work colleague in a few weeks time about her stalky work colleague who found out she was going to be on a cruise and then booked to go on the same one

Mt563 · 27/06/2026 20:06

Can you gently probe to find out more of what/ when she's planning to do on the cruise? Maybe an excursions she has planned? If she's a talker you could probably easily just set her going. Might help you plan how to avoid!!

Tableforjoan · 27/06/2026 20:01

Yeah don’t preempt It act all shocked if you do bump into her like you was paying no attention to her chats and that your dh surprised you.

If you let her know she will look for you even if to still not talk but to watch and see and share.

Toober · 27/06/2026 19:59

Hmm not sure how I feel about the suggestions to pre-empt it. Might as well say 'I've booked the same cruise, none of your usual shit please Susan!' 😂

I don't have any better though. If I did see her I would just laugh and tell her she reminds me too much of work to be social! If your job is stressful she'll probably laugh along knowingly.

Howdymostgratefil · 27/06/2026 19:57

InkyOctopuswithLegs · 27/06/2026 19:09

@SummerHasArrivedAtLast 🤣🤣
Believe me she is friends with everyone, she makes a bee line for anyone stood on their own!

If I do bump into her we've decided to say DH has surprised me for my birthday!

If they are in the room next door at least I can be sure of their movements 🤣🤣

Fingers crossed she doesn't use MN.

MandemChickenShop · 27/06/2026 19:57

just deal with it like a grown up.

yapping on about her on a forum behind her back is pretty ugly

Backfromhols · 27/06/2026 19:49

MSC ships are huge, just book into Yacht Club so she can’t get to you.

StaySpicy · 27/06/2026 19:36

You could set it up now. When she brings it up again, lay it on about how if you ever went on a cruise with DH you'd really love the quiet time with him and just to get away from everyone and everything relating to real life.

Atleastitsnotsunstroke · 27/06/2026 19:30

Like PP said if you do see her just say hi, have you been to the xx / we did the xx / OK nice anyway have a good trip bye. Grey rock her.

Allonthesametrain · 27/06/2026 19:26

You may well not ever bump into her if on different parts of the ship. Or you could find her next door lol 😆 Sorry...

Sausagedog101 · 27/06/2026 19:22

CornishCornetto · 27/06/2026 15:55

I would likewise hate this. It’s good she doesn’t know you’re meant to be on the same cruise, that gives you more options without being rude/making work difficult!

Could you move to a different cruise? Can you call the cruise line and ask?

Otherwise yes some form of disguise is your best option.

Disagree - OP will be on tenterhooks all holiday (even with a disguise!) in case she bumps into said colleague. I wouldn’t even attempt it and ask for a transfer (or whatever they can offer!).

Original poster

InkyOctopuswithLegs · 27/06/2026 19:09

@SummerHasArrivedAtLast 🤣🤣
Believe me she is friends with everyone, she makes a bee line for anyone stood on their own!

If I do bump into her we've decided to say DH has surprised me for my birthday!

If they are in the room next door at least I can be sure of their movements 🤣🤣

OP posts:

jay55 · 27/06/2026 19:07

Have you got a balcony? I love sitting on my balcony on a cruise with my book, away from people.

Propagandalf · 27/06/2026 19:00

If she's not a gambler, then scarper off to the casino section of the boat to shake her off the trail! You don't have to gamble yourself, just sit at the casino bar for a drink.

Cockerpoomom · 27/06/2026 19:00

It would be my luck she will have the room next door 🙈

It would definitely happen to me!!!!

SummerHasArrivedatLast · 27/06/2026 18:56

uptheposh · 27/06/2026 18:16

If this were me I’d approach her at work and tell her and say some excuse why you will only be saying hi and moving on. Set it out from the start. Less stressful in the long run.

That's a bit presumptuous.

SummerHasArrivedatLast · 27/06/2026 18:54

InkyOctopuswithLegs · 27/06/2026 17:39

@knittyknotty we are driving down to the cruise terminal so no flight for us!

How can you be so sure your colleague and her husband are so desperate to spend their holiday with you?

You obviously don't like her, so it's likely she doesn't like you either. She has probably noticed you don't like her and will be horrified that "the woman at work who doesn't like me" is going to cast a shadow over her enjoyment of her holiday.

In the unlikely event that you see her amongst 3,000 other people, pretend you haven't and look the other way. She will probably do the same.