per Holland America corporate policy in Seattle (my paraphrase) about 6-7
weeks ago they can no longer host and publicize such gatherings.

If they had ANYTHING anywhere about "Friends of Bill W" meetings or
gatherings, the corporate policy would seem, on the surface, to be
discriminatory. Is there any chance you have any of the daily newsletters
and can check for Friends of Bill W meetings or maybe remember if they were
publicized?

--
Charlie Funk
Just Cruisin' Plus
800 888-0922
615 833-0922
www.justcruisinplus.com
We prefer the MasterCard card
"JEFFCOUD" wrote in message
...
Hey folks...I'm writing live onboard the Holland America Line Zuiderdam.
We
are at sea today (having not been able to tender at Half Moon Cay).

This morning I wrote a nice note to the Cruise Director Pete (can't
remember
last name....) requesting a Friends of Dorothy party to be scheduled for
tomorrow, which is also a sea day.

Pete was kind enough to leave me a voice mail letting me know that, per
Holland
America corporate policy in Seattle (my paraphrase) about 6-7 weeks ago
they
can no longer host and publicize such gatherings. He said he would be
happy to
put such a party together in a public room, but they could not put it in
the
daily bulletin!

At this moment....I am damn angry! Which I certainly don't need on my
long
awaited vacation. At great splurgy expense to myself I have booked as a
solo
in a Cat S suite....not exactly chump change! But this is absolutely my
2nd
and last Holland America cruise unless this policy is changed asap! I
can't
believe in this day and age such a policy would exist. I think in today's
program, for example, they've had meetings for people who like to play
bridge,
and for veterans. So what is the big deal -- we are but yet another group
of
people who have some common interests. Isn't the cruise line's job to
bring
people together for an enjoyable vacation experience?

I do want to be clear I do not harbor any ill will towards the CD...he was
kind
enough to respond to my note and was just relaying a corporate policy --
which
he did not create -- to me.

In any case, Pete said I could call him at various times this evening, but
really why bother? The whole point is to get a room and have it in the
daily
program....it's not like I have some magic ability to "spread this by word
of
mouth", using his words....to every gay and lesbian passenger on the ship.
I
don't want to go around making presumptions about people right?

Holland America -- wake up!!

Jeff Coudriet -- taking my $$ back to Celebrity which has never turned
down my
request to host such a party.