Friends of Bill W??

Is this on every Princess Cruise? I've been on 5 and never noticed this before my last cruise.

Is it really AA? Are there that many people with drinking problems on a vacation cruise that they need to have a meeting every day?

Sorry, I think it is actually called Dr. Bob & Bill W. Meeting.

Just curious. I would have never guessed.

Would Friends of Bill W also be the same as Friends of Dorothy meeting? I noticed this on the patters too on my Golden Cruise.

Friends of Bill W = AA, and yes, there are meetings on every Princess ship I've been on.

Friends of Dorothy is something else entirely, although there can be an intersection of the two groups

Friends of Bill W is a AA support group.I don't know if they have them on every cruise line but think it is wonderful the cruise lines support this. Friends of Dorothy I believe is a Gay and Lesbian group.

Ann

Until Golden Princess
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As a friend of Dorothy myself, let me just say that the reference is to Dorothy Gale and/or Judy Garland and/or the Stonewall riots that started the day she died. The riots were started by drag queens at the Stonewall bar in New York City, who – legend has it – were grieving so over the loss of Judy Garland that when police raided their bar, they just didn’t take it anymore. And the birth of the Gay Rights movement had begun.

Given Will and Grace, Queer as Folk, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, the “L” Word, Boy Meets Boy and other mainstream TV shows and movies with gay and lesbian characters, I think cruise lines could be a little more up front than naming these gatherings “Friends of Dorothy.” Especially since the younger generations of gay and lesbian adults don’t even know what Friends of Dorothy is – talk about losing one’s culture.

So there’s a little history lesson for you.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Friends of Dorothy is something else entirely, although there can be an intersection of the two groups <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Sad, but true...see what persecution does to a community?

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Sun Princess, 03/2004; Pacific Princess, 07/2003; Star Princess, 05/2003; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Sun Princess, 05/2001; Sun Princess, 04/2001; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Regal Princess, 10/1999; Sun Princess, 08/1998; Holiday, 05/1998; Westerdam, 09/1997; Regal Princess, 11/1996; Royal Odyssey, 09/1995; Starward, 11/1993

Hmmm, didn't mean it with any persecution suggestion, merely that alcoholism strikes everywhere.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Hmmm, didn't mean it with any persecution suggestion, merely that alcoholism strikes everywhere. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Didn't take it that way. You're correct, alcoholism does strike everywhere. Unfortunately the GLBT community has higher incidences of alcoholism, suicide, deaths from smoking, etc. than mainstream straight society. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that many feel unaccepted because of their sexuality. I can tell you some stories that will make your hair curl.

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Sun Princess, 03/2004; Pacific Princess, 07/2003; Star Princess, 05/2003; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Sun Princess, 05/2001; Sun Princess, 04/2001; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Regal Princess, 10/1999; Sun Princess, 08/1998; Holiday, 05/1998; Westerdam, 09/1997; Regal Princess, 11/1996; Royal Odyssey, 09/1995; Starward, 11/1993

Hey bdjam,

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Cruisin with Sis,Clark,& Lana Inside Passage Regal

bdjam,
Thanks for the history lesson.That was kool [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]. I never knew where the "Friends of Dorothy" reference came from..I just figured that it had to do with fondness of Musicals or Oz... [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Cindy

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=9400d3&cdt=2004;08;14;16;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]
Cruisin with Sis,Clark,& Lana Inside Passage Regal

[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
You're welcome. Have a great time on Regal Princess - she's a great ship. She was just in town today on her San Francisco turn around...

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Sun Princess, 03/2004; Pacific Princess, 07/2003; Star Princess, 05/2003; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Sun Princess, 05/2001; Sun Princess, 04/2001; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Regal Princess, 10/1999; Sun Princess, 08/1998; Holiday, 05/1998; Westerdam, 09/1997; Regal Princess, 11/1996; Royal Odyssey, 09/1995; Starward, 11/1993

I would have never known any of this if it weren't for these cruise boards.

Thanks for the quick response. Now I know that if I ever end up with a drinking problem or desire the same sex I will still be welcome on my Princess cruise.

[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Of Course this community of 1,000 workers and their 2,000 fancyfree customers live a flawless village existance(better than "Our Town"). It must be,

Nirvanna... Kurt Cobain never cruised.

Hail Reality Cruising!

bdjam, thanks for the history lesson, also. I had no idea what either friends of group was.

JV The 4 stages of cruising: planning, anticipation, experience and reflection.

Kitty555 asks: "Is it really AA? Are there that many people with drinking problems on a vacation cruise that they need to have a meeting every day?"

Even if it's just one or two people I think the availability of the meetings is very important. Consider the environment of a cruise ship with "drinks of the day" and a waiter pushing beverages at every turn. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img] My brother went on a 35 day back to back cruise and attended the meetings everyday. He met the greatest people too! They did shore excursions together and still correspond. By the by, I don't think it's a "real" AA meeting, that's why they call it "Friends of Bill W." And I hope everyone knows who Dr. Bob and Bill W. are! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Grand Princess Transatlantic - August 27, 2004
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cruznliz, I have no idea who they are.

JV The 4 stages of cruising: planning, anticipation, experience and reflection.

They were the co-founders of AA (in the 1940's I believe.)

Grand Princess Transatlantic - August 27, 2004
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Thanks for the quick response. Now I know that if I ever end up with a drinking problem or desire the same sex I will still be welcome on my Princess cruise.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes,You can drink a shot of orange juice out of a pair of ruby slipper's. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Please, no slippers in the formal dining room. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Steve

Golden 2/04
Grand 11/03
The three most exciting sounds in the world: Anchor chains, plane motors, and train whistles....George Bailey

The "Friends of Bill" meetings during the cruise are in fact real AA meetings. I have been on cruises where only two of us show up for a meeting, and at other times, have over 20 people. AA is a way of life for me on shore, so see no reason why it should not be a way of life for me when on a cruise. We have a saying that in order to have a meeting, all we need is "Two people, a coffee pot, and a resentment".

I think that's great.

I hope no one was thinking that I was being hurtful of anyone's feelings in anyway. I'm sure all of us in our lives have been touched by someone with a drinking problem.

I just didn't realize that this type of activity was available on a cruise.

Thanks again for the responses.

I saw a Friends of Dorothy meeting listed on a cruise once so I went. I thought it would be nice to meet a bunch of fellow Kansans but wondered why other states were not represented. I didn't think much of it being all guys. I just figured the girls were off at the spa or something.

Now with our Caribbean Princess cruise about a week away I'm planning on going to Movies Under The Stars showings of both the Tina Turner Special and the Wizard of Oz. I was beginning to wonder what it was about cruising, Dorothy, the Wizard and all that went together.

Ok maybe I knew all along.

On another note:

[I]"As a friend of Dorothy myself, let me just say that..." [/I]

Pretty cool that you feel you [I]can [/I]say that here huh?

Happy Cruising

Chris

[url="http://www.LifeIsCruising.com"]www.LifeIsCruising.com[/url]

Next up:
Caribbean Princess 06/26/04
Star Princess 10/24/04
Diamond Princess 12/22/04
Sapphire Princess June '05
Caribbean Princess 09/17/05
Carnival Valor 10/30/05

"Friends of Bill W" met regularly on the Holland America cruise I was on in March.

I have cruised three times on Celebrity and they all have had friends of Bill W. meetings. Funny story, my first cruise, shortly after finishing treatment, I attended a meeting and my tablemates were the only other ones to show at the first meeting. Needless to say, we had a good time with that when the wine steward came by the next night.

Bill
Horizon, 2002
Galaxy, 2003
Century (Eastern), 2003
Century (Western), 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> "As a friend of Dorothy myself, let me just say that..."

Pretty cool that you feel you can say that here huh? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Chris – let’s just say I’m somewhat protected here because of the guidelines of the boards. My propensity not to hide who I am has resulted in some posts that have been removed. But I don’t live my life any differently…although I’m not out to advertise – no pun intended – I’m also past the point that I’ll ever hide again.

And – as a side note – for the most part, I find the passenger/crew mix on cruise ships to be some of the most open and accepting people that I’ve met.

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Sun Princess, 03/2004; Pacific Princess, 07/2003; Star Princess, 05/2003; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Grand Princess, 10/2002; Sun Princess, 05/2001; Sun Princess, 04/2001; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Sun Princess, 09/2000; Regal Princess, 10/1999; Sun Princess, 08/1998; Holiday, 05/1998; Westerdam, 09/1997; Regal Princess, 11/1996; Royal Odyssey, 09/1995; Starward, 11/1993

[I]"I find the passenger/crew mix on cruise ships to be some of the most open and accepting people that I’ve met."[/I]

The diversity represented by the crew of so many cruise ship is one of the things that really struck me as being great on our very first cruise. So many people different in so many ways working together. Really cool.

Happy Cruising

Chris
[email]Chris@LifeIsCruising.com[/email]
[url="http://www.LifeIsCruising.com"]www.LifeIsCruising.com[/url]

Next up:
Caribbean Princess 06/26/04
Star Princess 10/24/04
Diamond Princess 12/22/04
Sapphire Princess June '05
Caribbean Princess 09/17/05
Carnival Valor 10/30/05

While I have seen Patter announcements of Friends of Bob and Bill W. meetings on all of my cruises, I don't ever recall seeing Friends of Dorothy meetings announced (and I would have known what it meant).

While I am not a friend of Dorothy, I am a friend of a friend. (grin)