Recently, I won a cruise to the Bahamas through my job. I will be on it with the owners of my company and it is a great opportunity to get in really good with them. The one thing that could screw this up is of course, alcohol. I’ve only been sober for a couple of days and I love it so far. The day we leave for the cruise would be exactly one month. I’m nervous. Any advice? Have any of you made it through a vacation sober?
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Well done 2 good things, getting sober and winning a cruise.
Is say of course it possible because you are the only person who can make you drink.
@VSue has been on a cruise sober and so have many others.
Apparently “Friends if Bill W” is the place to be on a cruise ship these days.
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I worry because the owners drink a little and I’m sure they’ll ask me to have a drink with them. It’s going to be tough to say no. I just accepted a new position as regional VP of our new Texas operation next year. If they see me as a raging drunk it will screw everything up.
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Cruise ships are huge, I could probably hit meetings and they would never know.
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So let them see you as a sober, intelligent person.
Like I said no one can make you drink. And he’ll probably think more of you for sticking to your guns.
You don’t have to tell him all the gory details.
Not everyone drinks in this world.
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I could see me getting totally wasted and doing some stupid shit like that
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There’s absolutely nothing wrong with ordering a coke, absolutely nothing. Dash that notion, cause it’s a pure fallacy of the mind. They order a vodka tonic, you order a coke, schmooze it up, enjoy your time.
It’s weeks away, focus on what you can do to set yourself up for success today, you lay some solid bedrock in the weeks leading up to the cruise and you’ll have all the stable footing you need to navigate a cruise without booze.
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More than anything, I want to actually enjoy things on this trip. Not just have every waking second revolving around booze. I will be on this app a lot during the trip, I might need some of y’all to talk me off the ledge lol
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No you won’t! You’ll be fine!
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Thanks for the tag.
Yes. On a cruise they will have meetings. Sometimes it’s obviously signed as “Friends of Bill”. My mom kept on wondering who this Bill guy was and why he was so popular.
In my last cruise I could find it in the daily activity list or anything so I went to guest services to ask about it. There was definitely meetings everyday but they were keeping it discreet. So if you can’t find it go ask. One employee on a ship of thousands of guests will never remember you so you do t have to worry about being outed.
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You just hit one of the things you should do on the trip and that is to enjoy it. Do as kany activities as you can bro. The wilder the better I say. That will maintain your focus and it allows you unforgettable and cherished experiences.
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Been on several cruises , not all had meetings but the ones i went to had anote on the bullitin board friends of Bill W . enjoy
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(I’m lol at work with that visual!
)
I agree with Geo; a simple “no thanks, I don’t drink” should suffice. Only drunks will be the ones pushing it!
You’re living healthy and that doesn’t fit in the grand scheme of things. Have fun!
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I know my bosses will respect the fact that I don’t drink, they’ll probably feel a lot more comfortable turning over their new Texas operation to me if they see that I have that kind of self control. Definitely will be looking for meetings and the weight room on the ship.
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I went on vacation recently with six months sober. I was feeling grounded in sobriety.
I did not plan for when a drink was set in front of me. When it happened. I ended up drinking it and I didnt stop for a couple of days. I ended up making an ass out of myself.
I wasnt honest about my alcoholism with my date. She didnt know that buying me a drink would cause harm. I didnt know that having that set in front of me would be so hard to decline.
I would never tell an employer about my alcoholism unless there was a reason to trust them.
Most people drink on vacation. For most people its ok. It wasnt for me. Once I started I couldnt stop.
It was easy to say no, if asked. I never thought about a drink being bought for me and set in front of me. I had no defense for that scenario.
Plan for every scenario.
I almost lost my date because my ugly drunkard behavior came out strong. I was able to save the trip, and my relationship with her.
Had i acted like that with an employer, I’m 99% certain I’d be unemployed.
Six months sober and when the booze hit my system, I lost control and became a blackout, wreckless, asshole drunk.
It happened at the beginning of the trip. I was able to get my shit back together and stay sober on vacation. Alcohol was everywhere and everyone made it look fun. It was challenging not to join them.
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I went on a cruise about 2 weeks into a suboxone withdrawal a few years back. I was dreading it and was going to cancel, but glad I didn’t. It actually calmed me and I did pretty good. I’m sure it was better for me then sitting around feeling sorry for myself. Suboxone is one of the worst WDs out there, so if I could do it, you can. The ship also ported in several spots in Mexico and all these stops had pharmacies that sell tramadol, and other types of opiates, I just kept walking by them and stayed strong. You can do it, just let everyone else get drunk and have hangovers wasting their vacation
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We went on a Disney Cruise last February and I didn’t drink the whole time. They have a free drink station with all kinds pop/tea/flavored waters. I bought a large Tervis and kept it full of an Arnold Palmer tea. So that way I was still walking around with a drink like everyone else. It seems like EVERYONE is drinking on a cruise. I was so proud of myself 
, then I came home and relapsed lol So be careful when you come back home (reality) lol
Have fun while maintaining focus on your sober self at the same time . Maybe get a facial to reward yourself!!! I hope you have a great time
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I have a cruise coming up in September, and I have thought about this. I’m really excited to go sober. I’ve only been completely blacked out on my past cruises and the stuff I remember I was incredibly sea sick. Growing up boating, I never got sick. So maybe the enormous amounts of booze contributed lol. Anyway, instead of dreading the sober cruise, I’m really looking forward to actually being present for it and being active. Not sure what that means yet, but I’m excited. If people ask me nowadays why I don’t drink or think I’m a party pooper, I just say, trust me, I’m A LOT more fun if I DON’T drink.
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If you’re feeling weird about not drinking socially, and not wanting to tell them while you’re not drinking- you could totally make something up. Tell them you’re on antibiotics, or that you have a migraine, or that the doctor told you to cut out the booze for a while to manage your blood pressure. They probably won’t care either way, but sometimes it feels more comfortable to be able to share a reason that doesn’t make you feel embarrassed or awkward 
Just remember, your opinion of yourself is what matters most right now, and you are worth saying no to that first drink!
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