Friends of Bill W.

[3timecruiser]

My wife and I were looking over a couple Navigators last night to get in the spirit for an upcoming cruise. We noticed an activity called "Friends of Bill W.". Anyone have insight on what that is? Thx

 

[WDWLVR]

That's code for a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous.

 

[minnieluvzmickey]

Are you for real?

 

[eek40]

Yes what that means is meetings for AA. They use that on all cruise ships, I figured it out after making a fool out of myself and thinking that Bill W. sure went on a lot of cruises, and that we always managed to sail at the same time.

Aimee

 

[LarryC]

Bill W (William Griffith Wilson) published the book "Alcoholics Anonymous" (which included the 12-step program) in 1939.

He died in 1971. Members of AA are known as "Friends of Bill W."

 

[minnieluvzmickey]

Well you learn something new everyday. My dh thinks I need to start my 12 step program for my Disney addiction.

 

[ohiominnie]

A friend of ours went on a Jazz cruise back when DCL was The Big Red Boat. A lot of drinking and partying went on, but he is a recovering alchoholic. One afternoon he was standing on the top deck watching the water go by and someone came up to him and said "Friend of Bill W?" And he said "Yup"....they had an instant connection and hung out on the cruise because the two of them were just about the only two who weren't into partying!

 

[dennisnlisab96]

You learn something new everyday!!! I have seen bumper stickers that say Frieds of Bill W. and never knew why he had soooo many friends. Never knew who to ask to find out who Bill W. Was.

 

[logan1_2000]

The best part of these boards sometimes is just finding out that other people do the same things as I do, so I don't feel like I am the only one stepping on my..well, making a fool of myself.

Yup, last January DW and I notice that this Bill W. fellow was travelling with a group and they had reserved a meeting room. Plenty of groups, reunions, family gatherings take place on cruise ships, but I had made a big book of cruise info complete with Menus and Navigators for our Itinerary to present to DW along with the travel doc's as a b'day surprise two weeks before we sailed, and she recalled that Bill W., ever popular, had also travelled the previous July when the Navigators I had downloaded from Dave's DCL Tribute Site were from. What were the odds that Bill W had been on that cruise and ours as well?

The good professionals at Guest Services gave us the piece of Education on what friends of Bill W. meant.

God grant me the strength to book the DCL cruises and pull my DS out of school on off-peak weeks that I can afford, the serenity to accept the peak vacation weeks that are beyond my budget, and the wisdom to know the difference. Friends of Walt D.

 

[Shooter]

I have been a friend of Bill W.'s for almost 12 years.

The AA program is the reason I am still married to my beautiful DW (16 years) and have a beautiful DS (9) and a great job (10 yrs) that allows me to enjoy the vacations that we have enjoyed over the last 3 years and will soon enjoy another next week.

I am grateful of DCL providing a meeting room for us.

Myself I go to two meetings a week in the evening here around home and am busy with work 9 - 10 hours a day 5 days a week that when I am on vacation with my family I try to spend as much time with them as possible or my serenity can take "God grant me the serenity to not throw him over board" LOL so last year I did not take in a meeting on the ship but you have to remember I've been working a solid faith driven program daily for 12 years so being around people partying up (my DW being one of them)doesn't bother me. Others may be new in sobriety or might be strugling and a meeting on a cruise liner in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean might be someone's lifesaver.

Who knows, in two weeks when we're on there my life or the world around me might be really crappy but it is reassuring to know that once or twice a day on the Magic I can set down and share or listen about experience, strength and hope with people who share my common problem with alcohol.

 

[smchan]

Originally posted by Shooter
Who knows, in two weeks when we're on there my life or the world around me might be really crappy but it is reassuring to know that once or twice a day on the Magic I can set down and share or listen about experience, strength and hope with people who share my common problem with alcohol.

A very encouraging story, Shooter. Thanks for having the courage to share it.

Sam

 

[CVW]

Maybe there needs to be a "Friends of Al Roker" forum.

It could be for those of us who thought we could diet before the cruise, pig out during the cruise, and diet again when we got home.

I was the model of willpower before the cruise.

I've been home for two weeks now, and I'm writing this post over a bowl of Strawberry Honeycombs and a can of Coke.

Help me, Al.

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

It could be for those of us who thought we could diet before the cruise, pig out during the cruise, and diet again when we got home.

CVW - you might want to rename that group "Friends of Will Power"...

 

[Shooter]

Sam,

Thank you for the kind words.

Dad,

Watch someone take a bunch of Exlax and see how much will power they have.LOL!

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by Shooter
Watch someone take a bunch of Exlax and see how much will power they have.LOL!

Now now...let's not start making fun of bulemics here!!!

 

[Shooter]

Oh I'm so sorry I wasn't meaning that at all.

That's just a term AA's use when talking with a new person who says they don't need AA or the 12 steps " 'cause they got plenty of will power"

We usally look at them and in a Dr. Evil voice say "Right" and then we say all your best intentions got you in the jackpot you're in, maybe you should try a different approach.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by Shooter
Oh I'm so sorry I wasn't meaning that at all.

Oh, I know...I was just jokin' around! Sometimes my mind travels places it shouldn't! LOL