# Ask the guy who recently returned from a cruise... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 27, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-who-recently-returned-from-a-cruise/747325 "2016-02-27T19:27:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-who-recently-returned-from-a-cruise/747325/61 "2016-03-01T03:20:54Z")
So, on your first cruise, did you wonder who Bill was and why he has to meet up with his friends every day? ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-who-recently-returned-from-a-cruise/747325/62 "2016-03-03T01:55:06Z")
> [@dzeiger](#): > > So, on your first cruise, did you wonder who Bill was and why he has to meet up with his friends every day? LOL, I did wonder about that, when I was on my first cruise! I figured out who the “Friends of Dorothy” were pretty easily, but I’ve never done Alcoholics Anonymous so I didn’t have any clue who Bill W. might be! I wonder how many people think it’s a private party and show up, thinking there might be free drinks? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-who-recently-returned-from-a-cruise/747325/63 "2016-03-03T08:31:06Z")
> [@dzeiger](#): > > So, on your first cruise, did you wonder who Bill was and why he has to meet up with his friends every day? I have no idea what this means. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-who-recently-returned-from-a-cruise/747325/64 "2016-03-03T10:49:43Z")
I haven’t seen a Friends of Dorothy on the schedule for a few years. Maybe on other lines, but our cruises have just had LGBT Meetups. Obsolete euphemism? ---
**Author:** ![MickNickMaggies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@MickNickMaggies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MickNickMaggies)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-who-recently-returned-from-a-cruise/747325/65 "2016-03-03T12:09:05Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I have no idea what this means. Alcoholics Anonymous- founded (and handbook written) by Bill W. So if you’re a friend of Bill… ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-who-recently-returned-from-a-cruise/747325/66 "2016-03-03T12:59:50Z")
> [@Lasciel](#): > > In general, cruises are for people who like staying in nice hotels and being taken care of, rather than people who want to GO and DO and EXPLORE and SEE. In general. > > Most of the fun of a cruise (like a very nice hotel or resort complex) is being somewhere where you don’t have to worry about ANYTHING. > > Want to eat? Ok, there’s a 24-7 buffet, lovely restaurants, bars, and room service. > Dirty clothes? No worries - they’ll be back later tonight, magically clean. > Want to be pampered? Massage? Haircut? Sauna? Aromatherapy? YES. > Want to be entertained? It’s like mini-Vegas - what are you in the mood for? > Want to lounge in a chair and read and have someone bring you drinks and snacks all day? Yeah boy. > Want to swim? Pick a pool, there’s like 6 of them. > Want to do something interesting, but not be bothered to plan or figure out the logistics? Hand your card to the nice shipboard/resort consierge and tomorrow morning you go swim with dolphins or go for a picnic on a shrimp boat or ride horses along the beach without you having to do a damn thing to arrange it. That’s why I’m going on a cruise! ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-who-recently-returned-from-a-cruise/747325/67 "2016-03-03T19:04:18Z")
> [@MickNickMaggies](#): > > Alcoholics Anonymous- founded (and handbook written) by Bill W. So if you’re a friend of Bill… Ah. I didn’t see anything like this, but I would not have known what it was and wouldn’t have noticed it. There was a LGBT event listed in the ship’s newspaper. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-guy-who-recently-returned-from-a-cruise/747325.md?page=3)