does this approach work or are you sabotaging yourself , you ask.
wouldn't have worked for me, though i tried it many times, which is why i know it didn't work for me.
but no, i don't think you are sabotaging yourself, since you are planning to drink on vacation. where would be the sabotage?
i did set a date, last time i tried, and with my reasoning being much like yours, i chose a date after an upcoming vacation (vacation without others drinking, but couldn't fathom ANY vacation without drinking).
suddenly, though, i just couldn't wait to be rid of this sick thing and ended up quitting before the vacation.