Mother-in-Law Crashes Couple’s Anniversary Cruise Vacation

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Most people would likely agree that it would be normal to feel upset after their cruise vacation was ruined after months of planning. 

However, one woman needed the support of Reddit to confirm that her disappointment and frustration was valid after her Mother-in-Law unexpectedly showed up on what was supposed to be a romantic cruise for two. 

The 35-year-old did not specify which cruise line they sailed with – only that the sailing embarked from Florida (which is home to popular ports like PortMiami and Port Canaveral) – and that she had spent three months planning the voyage as a joint anniversary celebration and birthday trip for her husband. 

The unidentified woman even coordinated with her own parents, who โ€œflew over 8 hoursโ€ to babysit their children to make sure this could be a solo trip for the duo. 

โ€œI spent three months planning and coordinating with my parents so someone could stay with our two school aged children so we could enjoy a solo trip,โ€ the frustrated wife shared.

But on embarkation day, shortly after the couple dropped off their carry-on bags in their cabin, the pair received a call informing them that the womanโ€™s mother-in-law and father-in-law were also onboard – which was an unwelcome surprise. 

โ€œMy mood instantly shifts, this is not someone who I have a good or close relationship with at all. Husband is active duty so vacations are not something that is regularly happening or are easy to plan,โ€ the post continued. 

She immediately made it clear to her husband that she wasnโ€™t happy about his mom crashing their romantic getaway, but her husband was excited to see his mom. She didnโ€™t say anything else on the matter for the remainder of the week-long cruise, the majority of which was spent in the presence of the mother-in-law. 

โ€œThat was the only time I addressed the situation, kept my mouth shut and was cordial for 7 full days as I was a third wheel on the vacation that I planned,โ€ added the Redditor. 

When the couple returned home at the end of their cruise, she attempted to bring up her disappointment with her husband – who insisted that his โ€œmother did nothing wrong.โ€

This conversation drove her to Reddit to find out if she was blowing things out of proportion or if she was valid in feeling upset that โ€œmy vacation was crashed and in my opinion completely ruined.โ€ 

Reddit Community Sides with Disappointed Wife 

There was no shortage of validation for the wifeโ€™s feelings, with many seeing the mother-in-lawโ€™s surprise as outrageous. 

โ€œSeriously though, yikes. On an anniversary trip? Did she crash the honeymoon too? Because an anniversary trip sans kids is like one step below honeymoon trip in terms of ‘we want alone time,โ€™โ€ one redditor replied on the thread. 

Others also pointed out that the husband was also in the wrong. Not only did he allow his mother to crash what was supposed to be a romantic cruise for two, but some wondered if he secretly invited her in the first place. 

โ€œEither his mother did nothing wrong, in which case your husband invited her to your vacation without telling youโ€ฆor his mother crashed your vacation and your husband let herโ€ฆEither way calling you up after you board the ship to let you know theyโ€™re already there is creepy,โ€ another person wrote in their assessment of the situation.

Carnival Cruise Line Passengers
Carnival Cruise Line Passengers (Photo Credit: GagliardiPhotography)

Read Also: What Are the Best Cruise Lines for Couples?

Hopefully this husband and wife will be able to work out their differences and get a redo in the future – as cruises are a great way to celebrate love and important milestones within a relationship. 

Afterall, cruise ships are essentially designed for romance between amenities like specialty dining and couples services in the onboard spas. 

In addition to honeymoons and anniversary cruises, some couples even get married during their cruise – as an elopement at sea can save thousands of dollars compared to weddings on land without missing out on any of the romance. 

With Valentineโ€™s Day coming up, some cruise lines are also gearing up to make February 14 extra special for the love birds in the cruise community. 

Carnival, for example, will be continuing its tradition of hosting a massive vow renewal for all the couples sailing across the fleet on Valentineโ€™s Day. Chief Fun Officer (and basketball star) Shaquille Oโ€™Neal will host the group event as a virtual officiant.

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Catie Kovelman
Catie Kovelman
Catie is an award-winning journalist and researcher. By day, she helps market new movies and TV shows as a senior research manager. But by night, she loves writing cruise news. In addition to Cruise Hive, Catie has contributed to a variety of newspapers, magazines, and other online publications, such as The Plaid Horse, Unwritten, YourTango, Fangirl Nation Magazine, Chapman Magazine, the Orange County Register, and Voice of OC.

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