Cruise Ship Code Words Explained: What’s a Bill W. Meeting?

When I first started cruising, I was always puzzled by the Friends of Bill W. events I found on the daily schedule.

Who is Bill W.? Why does he have so many friends, and how does he get everywhere?

I wondered whether it was a secret crew get together or a secret event of some sort, but it’s actually really important.

Who Is Bill W.?

Bill Wilson is the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

“Friends of Bill W.” serves as a discreet way for members to identify themselves to each other for support in public settings, such as airports or cruise ships, without revealing their AA membership to the world.

Why the Code?

The name is designed to respect the privacy of people in recovery.

Passengers who need support will know what it means, but others who have never had any interaction with Alcoholics Anonymous will probably skim past.

What Happens at a Bill W. Meeting?

“Friends of Bill W.” meetings are a safe, confidential space for cruisers in recovery to meet up.

They follow the same principles as AA meetings on land.

They are often organised in a quiet lounge or conference room on board.

Other Meetings You May See Scheduled:

Friends of Jimmy K.

This is a similar code used for Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

“Jimmy K.” refers to Jimmy Kinnon, NA’s founder.

Kinnon was a recovering addict himself who got clean through Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). He saw the need for a separate fellowship specifically for drug addiction. He and other former AA members officially founded Narcotics Anonymous in July 1953.

During his lifetime, he was known as “Jimmy K.” in line with NA’s principle of personal anonymity on a public level.

He died in 1985, but meetings still bear his name.

Friends of Dorothy

This used to be a way to signal LGBTQ+ meetups, but these are now often listed far more openly.

This shows how cruise culture and attitudes have evolved and improved for the better over time.

“Friends of Dorothy” is rarely used now but used to be fairly common on cruise ships.

These meetings show that cruises aren’t just for fun and sun, they are also about community and support.

Before You Go

Find out what ship prefixes stand for in the article below:

RMS, SS, MS and More: What Do Those Ship Prefix Letters Actually Mean?

Find your way around cruise lingo in the article below:

Cruise Lingo Exposed: Don’t Fall for These Tricky Terms!