Inside Scoop for First Time BSB Cruisers

I'm anticipating many first time cruisers this year because we're headed across the pond to Europe. So while Rose Tours puts together a lovely FAQ page (which you should probably check out as it has a lot of logistical questions answered) many of you want to know the REAL deal about just exactly what goes down on a BSB cruise. You gotta know if it's worth the money. The short answer is yes. But just in case you're unsure, here's a quick rundown on some frequently asked questions from first timers.

What can I expect on a BSB cruise?
Expect to have the time of your life. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll sing, you'll dance. You'll get to meet the Backstreet Boys. You'll meet some amazing fans from all over the world and hopefully walk away with many new best friends. You'll act like you're 13 the entire time. You'll make some wonderful memories. Seriously...it's awesome. You just gotta trust me on this one and then thank me later.

Will I get to meet the Backstreet Boys?
You WILL definitely get to meet the Backstreet Boys. I repeat... you will get to meet the Backstreet Boys and make a childhood dream officially come true. You can leave the ship and die happy. No but really, they have a meet & greet session where you are guaranteed to meet all 5 Backstreet Boys and get a group picture with them. And the meet & greet is included in the cost of the cruise, so not to fret!

Proof that you do in fact get to meet them AND get a picture AND they're in sailor outfits

Help! I really want to go but have no one to go with.
As my brother likes to tell me, "Track 3 - In a World Like This." You have a lot of options. Don't let not having a travel buddy stop you. If I let that stop me, I wouldn't have gone on that first cruise 5 glorious years ago and have this lovely blog. You have options. Rose Tours offers a roommate match program and they will pair you up with another cruiser in your situation. Its easy and it works. You can also scour twitter, facebook, the fanclub, or even let me know and I'll try to match you with someone. You're not alone. I guarantee there are others in the exact same situation and would love to room with you.

Also, its super easy to meet people on board. You can literally go up to anyone on that ship and start a conversation with, "So what is your favorite Nick hairstyle?" and proceed to have a 2 hour chat discussing the pros and cons of each of his dos. Any by 'anyone on that ship', I don't mean the Royal Caribbean staff. You might get yourself a few sideways glances.

The hair has come full circle.

Is it worth the money?
Yes, it's expensive. But it's worth every penny. Try not to think about the fact that you could go on a different cruise for half the price and twice as long. Think about how that cruise ship won't have this waiting for you when you board....

How much face time is realistic?
I wish I could tell you we all get to have an intimate lunch with Brian every day. But alas, there's simply not enough BSB to go around. The good news is it is very likely to run into them around the ship. They stay with us all 4 days and are often found roaming around the ship. It's not uncommon to see AJ grabbing lunch at the buffet or Howie shooting craps in the casino. 

Plus there are lots of opportunities to get a selfie, hug, autograph, picture, quick convo, or have Nick sign your body so you can get it tattooed when you get back home (yes this really happens and yes he'll actually do it). The boys really make themselves available during the cruise, especially the deck parties. And if you're patient, you'll hopefully go home with at least 1 or 2 pictures to make all of your friends back home super jealous. I mean, that is the ultimate goal, right?


What's the deal with the photo groups?

"Looking for a Kevin and Brian girl."

"Nick girl looking for a group."

"Need a Howie fan."

When you see these sorts of phrases, or any iteration thereof, it means people are looking to complete their photo group. And I'm sure some go-getters already have theirs figured out.

So as I said above, you'll get to meet the Backstreet Boys and part of that process means finding other fans to take a picture with. For the past 2 cruises they have done photo groups of 4-5 people. So if you're going to leave utterly devastated if you don't stand next to your favorite boy in the photo, you might want to think about getting a group together a month or two before sailing. Otherwise, don't worry about it. There will be other fans who need group members too and the staff will match you up the day of. There is NO need to start worrying about this now.

Is it worth it to get the more expensive cabins?
It's funny. My friends who have gotten the more expensive cabins insist it's absolutely worth it to get the front seats at the shows. Meanwhile my friends who have gotten the cheapo cabins insist it's not worth the extra money to get the better cabins. So what I've concluded - you can't go wrong. (Personally I fall in the latter category and have never felt like I missed out on anything.)

I do feel obliged to point out that this cruise is the first year that the better cabins come with an exclusive BSB event. I emailed Rose Tours trying to pry more info out of them, but sadly they don't have details yet. Color me crazy, but I would like slightly more info before shelling out an extra $1000+.

What sort of events do they have on board?
In typical Backstreet fashion, we won't get this information until 2 weeks before the cruise. So buckle up, you're in for a long wait. Though based on what has happened on past cruises, I expect that they will have some mix of the following events:

• Sailaway party- Basically BSB in sailor outfits
• Game show- An hour of watching Brian's competitive side come out
• Deck/Theme Parties (x3)- Evening of trying to get selfies with the boys in fun costumes
• Q&A- The boys answering actually decent questions that aren't the typical, "What advice do you have for the new generation of boybands?"
  (Its a tossup as to whether or not they'll have this event. But I really like the Q&A so I hope they do it!)
• Concert- Please, for the love of Nick Carter, they better do a unique cruise concert like they did last year. That was amazing!
• Meet & Greet-  Getting hugs from AJ, Brian, Kevin, Nick and Howie. Squeee!
• Solo events (if we're lucky)
• Beach Party- Shirtless Backstreet Boys. (Though in my personal opinion I'm doubtful we'll get one this year based on our 2 free port days.)
  
  
  

If you're a first timer and have any other questions, feel free to post below!