Miss Manners: I couldn’t escape a couple’s horrible body odor on my cruise

DEAR MISS MANNERS: We are frequent cruisers. That means we share spaces such as elevators, dining rooms, theaters, lounges, etc., with fellow cruisers we don’t know. We have always had pleasant times interacting with others.

On our most recent cruise, we encountered an older couple -- sometimes in the elevators, sometimes in our top-tier lounge -- who either don’t shower, don’t use deodorant, or both. The body odor was overwhelming. It was noticeable within 10 feet of them.

We simply moved away or left the area when we ran into them, and would even get off the elevator on the wrong deck just to avoid the smell. It was really bad. We noticed others doing the same, and we invariably caught each other’s silent, knowing expressions as to the problem.

I couldn’t imagine sitting near them at