What is Friends of Bill W.?

[Jewelfine]

Ok so I saw this on RCL and I think on HAL and now looking at the Freesytles for the Dawn someone so graciously posted I see it again.

 

What is Friends of Bill W. Meet at 5 pm?

 

I feel like I should know who he is!

 

:-)

Thanx

[Stacylee]

AA Group

[Druke I]

Bill W was one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.

 

The meetings are AA meetings,and very common on cruise ships.

 

Friends of Dorothy meetings are also very common - gay and lesbian groups.

[immargaret]

Ok so I saw this on RCL and I think on HAL and now looking at the Freesytles for the Dawn someone so graciously posted I see it again.

 

What is Friends of Bill W. Meet at 5 pm?

 

I feel like I should know who he is!

 

:-)

Thanx

 

Bill W was the founder of Alcoholics Annonomous.....

[jimc_usa]

Good Answer!

[Jewelfine]

Thank you sooooo much for clarifying that! now I feel better. I think that is awesome that they have meetings on board.

[pengu1n]

I didn't know what it stood for either at first, but thought it was a weird coincidence that every cruise that I went on, this same guy (Bill W.) was there too.

[vickiw0318]

Bill's a popular guy with lots of friends so it's no wonder he's got a loyal following on all the cruise lines!

[NJBear]

I didn't know what it stood for either at first, but thought it was a weird coincidence that every cruise that I went on, this same guy (Bill W.) was there too.

 

hehehe, I'm a friend of Bill W. and here are 2 quick stories i found amusing on my last 2 cruises.

 

Over heard at the pool: "I sure do wish we'd run into that Bill W. guy, he has a party every night!" :D

 

In a meeting as it was beginning a man and woman walked in with his freestyle daily schedule in hand and said "Well this guy Bill even has coffee, tea, juice and cookies, we don't know who he is but we'd sure be glad to stay and meet him..is he here?"...When I told them it was a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous the man almost ran over the woman getting to the door.....hehehe , sometimes we try to do "everything" offered on the ship..

 

..although last cruise a young man walked in and chose (or was chosen)the middle of a cruise to get sober--what a great thing that there was help for him in the middle of an ocean:)

[GOLDENBONNY]

Bill W was one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous.

 

The meetings are AA meetings,and very common on cruise ships.

 

Friends of Dorothy meetings are also very common - gay and lesbian groups.

 

why would people have AA meetings on cruise?:confused:

[Stevie17]

Golden --

 

Because people in recovery need to go to AA meetings....often. My husband is newly into his recovery, and in the very early months, he would go to AA meetings every day. I don't think I need to point out what a liquor-laden environment a cruise ship is. It can be a difficult situation for those in recovery, and AA meetings are a life line. If they didn't offer them, I don't think that we would cruise...it's that important.

[chessie68]

If you have never had the opportunity to know an alcoholic in recovery you will never understand what a life line the on board Bill W. meetings are. Most recovering alcoholics, when on a land vacation will look for the nearest neighborhood AA meeting. It is a wonderful service these cruise lines do to provide a time and place for these meetings.

[Billymac]

I am a Friend of Bill W. as well. I have met some wonderful people I may have not had the chance to otherwise meet in these informal meetings. I don't give advice, but To Goldenbonny, everything you post is negative. Are there any good things for you to post about? IMO I think it is disrespectful to post what you did about meetings on cruise ships. Just my thoughts.

[jimc_usa]

As a friend of Bill W. I can tell you it is also really cheap to cruise, not buying alcohol!

Another great story I heard..... A flight attendent very new to recovery had just got off a plane and had the urge to drink when passing the bars on the airport concourse. Instead she paged the airport and asked if " Friends of Bill W." would come to Gate 12 (an empty gate) apparently over 20 people came and talked to her. (2 people missed their flights!)

[jbsteven]

As a friend of Bill W. I can tell you it is also really cheap to cruise, not buying alcohol!

Another great story I heard..... A flight attendent very new to recovery had just got off a plane and had the urge to drink when passing the bars on the airport concourse. Instead she paged the airport and asked if " Friends of Bill W." would come to Gate 12 (an empty gate) apparently over 20 people came and talked to her. (2 people missed their flights!)

 

that's very cool!

 

I have shown up to at least one meeting on every cruise I have been on and not one time has anyone else been there, bummer. I am coming up on 9 years sober.

[vickiw0318]

I've been a friend of Bill for over 13 years and always go to meetings onboard. We've met some really wonderful people. We've even met ship employees who really look forward to the onboard meetings because they have a hard time getting to meetings on land because of their schedules.

 

My thanks to all of you who give up the Library (or whatever designated space) for an hour. Can you all imagine how hard it is for a newcomer to recovery to be surrounded all the time by waiters hawking the drink of the day?? Our "happy hours" together are wonderful and much needed.

[Jewelfine]

Congratulations to you all for the hard work, perserverence and success! I admire anyone who is willing to take on the disease and sees that their life is worth it!

 

I love your stories about people who show up to meetings thinking it is a cruise event! - lol

and that is amazing about the flight attendant!

[sweetpea-2]

Ok so I saw this on RCL and I think on HAL and now looking at the Freesytles for the Dawn someone so graciously posted I see it again.

 

What is Friends of Bill W. Meet at 5 pm?

 

I feel like I should know who he is!

 

:-)

Thanx

 

;) glad you asked, I was wondering also...

[restasured]

Ya know I have seen Friends of Bill W on several interet chat sites and also on cruise line postings and being the guy that I am (I don't need to ask for directions) I have wondered about this also. I agree with the poster that said a cruise without alcohol purchases can be very reasonable. I do have a drink occasionally and a glass of red wine at night but when on a cruise it is water and tea. I won't pay the high prices they want for the drinks on the ship. And you are right it is considerably cheaper. I totally commend all Friends of Bill W.

 

Roger

[sweetpea-2]

my first thought was WOW...all the drinking that goes on while your cruising....but if a support group was needed it would be this one..... it must help them allot........

[jimc_usa]

Congratulations to you all for the hard work, perserverence and success! I admire anyone who is willing to take on the disease and sees that their life is worth it!

 

I love your stories about people who show up to meetings thinking it is a cruise event! - lol

and that is amazing about the flight attendant!

 

 

Thank you

There are many sober cruises, but that means a TA has booked maybe 200/300 AA members and their SO on a cruise, The next cruise I am on, the Dream in October is a sober cruise for me, (not for my DW)with all day meetings and speakers when at sea. Most people on the cruise would never know!

[Stevie17]

Jim -- I'd love more information on sober cruises. Where can I look?

[NJBear]

............I won't pay the high prices they want for the drinks on the ship. And you are right it is considerably cheaper. I totally commend all Friends of Bill W.

 

Roger

 

Actually the very least of all the reasons for an alcoholic not to drink is the cash price of one (or a dozen )drinks. For a real alcoholic to pick up a drink again more times than not..means jails, institutions and the loss of jobs,families,friends,homes,savings and sanity..For me as an alcoholic picking up a drink is like taking a huge eraser to my life and watching things and people disappear..at a very rapid rate.

 

I have been on 3 cruises and attend FOBW meetings on a daily basis there. I have met people that had 40 years of sobriety at them and met people that were on Day 1 of sobriety there. I am ever so grateful to the cruise lines for supplying a time and place for the meetings...I said to the Food and beverage director on the SPIRIT while thanking him for the coffee setups " You REALLY don't need one of us getting drunk on this beautiful ship, me running naked through the atrium would NOT be a pretty sight!"....hehehehe..He reminded me that they still have a brig on the ship <G>...

 

Thanks for the nod of support to Friends of Bill W., Even in this day and age alcoholism is considered a moral failing or a sin by many..I DO know one thing, although alcoholism to me isn't a sin....when I was drunk I committed way too many of them that I later I was blessed to have the privilege and opportunity to make amends.

[sjbdtz]

Thanks for the nod of support to Friends of Bill W., Even in this day and age alcoholism is considered a moral failing

 

Ignore what others think. An addiction is not a moral failing in any way, shape or form. Unhappily, some people are more susceptible to the disease than others...but no disease is a moral failing.

 

I'm not a FOBW, but I have a lot of respect for people who are. I know the two don't really compare, but I still mark each day since I quit smoking a pack-a-day (5 years & 3 months so far!) with Not One Puff.

 

Good luck.

[jimc_usa]

Actually the very least of all the reasons for an alcoholic not to drink is the cash price of one (or a dozen )drinks. For a real alcoholic to pick up a drink again more times than not..means jails, institutions and the loss of jobs,families,friends,homes,savings and sanity..For me as an alcoholic picking up a drink is like taking a huge eraser to my life and watching things and people disappear..at a very rapid rate.

 

I have been on 3 cruises and attend FOBW meetings on a daily basis there. I have met people that had 40 years of sobriety at them and met people that were on Day 1 of sobriety there. I am ever so grateful to the cruise lines for supplying a time and place for the meetings...I said to the Food and beverage director on the SPIRIT while thanking him for the coffee setups " You REALLY don't need one of us getting drunk on this beautiful ship, me running naked through the atrium would NOT be a pretty sight!"....hehehehe..He reminded me that they still have a brig on the ship <G>...

 

Thanks for the nod of support to Friends of Bill W., Even in this day and age alcoholism is considered a moral failing or a sin by many..I DO know one thing, although alcoholism to me isn't a sin....when I was drunk I committed way too many of them that I later I was blessed to have the privilege and opportunity to make amends.

 

 

I agree entirely - if the people who think it is a SIN - should know - my daughter does not choose to be an epileptic - she just is. I didn't choose to be an alcoholic - I just am! But we both did something about it. She takes medication - I don't drink!