2010 vs 2011

Happy New Year everyone! Before we kick off 2012, I wanted to take a look at the 2010 cruise vs the 2011 cruise. Now for my reviews I really tried not to compare the two cruises. But there were definitely a bunch of differences, both positive and negative. So I'm getting it all out there now.

Most Improved

• Kevin. Don't think I need to elaborate much on this point. Loved having him there.
• Beach Party- All around this event was a much bigger success than last year. Logistically I thought the venue worked better because they had a nice big stage and anywhere you stood you pretty much had a good view. They also did a ton more events.
• Sail Away Party- This was a new addition in 2011 and I really liked having a proper start to the cruise. Sure it helped I was front row for this event, but still a great way to get everyone pumped for the cruise to come.
• Pajama Night- Probably the most successful theme night across both cruises. I loved how they added the truth or dare element to it to make it more entertaining for everyone in attendance.
• Had a nice event/last evening to bring the cruise to a proper end. Last cruise that was a huge complaint.
• Concert- LOVED the unplugged concert this year and the fact we could vote on the set list.
• Lots of fun banners and signs around the ship, which they couldn't do last time.
• The Backstreet Boys themselves appeared to be a lot more interactive with fans and comfortable with the whole experience AT the events. Last year you could tell they were very apprehensive, but by this year they definitely let loose.
• I thought they did a much better job of trying to give everyone their “special moment” with the boys. Lots of opportunities at the concert to go on stage, at the beach party to play games, karaoke, game shows, even at deck parties. Even though I wasn’t so lucky, its nice that a lot of girls were.
• Game Show- Debatable if this was improved or not. I thought the quality of the show was better and more entertaining than last year. Though last year we had 2 game shows. So I suppose it about evens out.
• Howie! Don't know where that Howie has been hiding all these years but I want to see more of him.

What I missed from the first cruise:

• Obviously 2010 was a day longer and I personally felt a huge difference between the 3 and 4 day cruise. I think they packed 4 days worth of activities in there, but it was a lot less relaxed.
• You seemed to run into the Backstreet Boys more around the ship last time around. I definitely missed those random run-ins with the boys.
• I really missed the Q&A or really just any event that was solely the boys.
• I miss not eating dinner with them (though a few boys were spotted in the dining room some nights) but no where near the same experience.
• As a whole, I thought the deck parties were better in 2010 (with the exception of pajama night) I liked how the boys were more interactive and engaging for everyone last year.
• Karaoke was clearly better last year. In my opinion, I don't think they should've done it again.
• Can't say this applies to everyone, but I felt like people were friendlier last year. I think most people had their friends established by this cruise and didn’t seem as open to meeting new friends.
• The hallways seemed deserted this year, or maybe it was just me. But I missed the feeling of walking down the hall and always running into people . Not sure where everyone was.
• Door decorations were waaaay better last year. No one really did them this year and the few that dad weren't nearly as elaborate. I felt like I saw every one's door decorations in 30 minutes where as last year I dont think I even got to them all.
• I even missed all of their entourage not being there. It was nice last time that if you weren't running into a Backstreet Boy, you'd run into one of their friends or family members. I missed not chatting with Howie's mom or Rochelle this time. 
• Not in anyone's control, but the ship wasn't nearly as rocky last year. At least I don't remember it being that bad. Seems like a lot of girls got seasick this year.
• Backstreet TV seemed better last cruise. Lots more fun videos I hadn't seen before. This year they cycled through the same 5 or 6 music videos. Got old pretty quick.

It's really tough to say which cruise I enjoyed more overall. They were both so different in their own ways and I had such memorable experiences on each that make them both my "favorite." If a genie granted me one wish to go back and relive only one of the cruises, I'd have to pick the first one. My reasoning though is because it was the first cruise and everything was new, exciting, and no one knew what to expect. My level of excitement on the first cruise was probably 10 times that of the second cruise and regardless of what actually transpired on each cruise- that feeling could never be replicated.

Once again, Happy New Year everyone. To a happy, healthy, and Backstreet-filled 2012!

Recommendations for Rose Tours

I'm taking a brief break from my cruise recap to call your attention to a survey request from Rose Tours. You should've received an email from Rose Tours today asking them for feedback about the cruise. As a general reminder to everyone out there I think it's so incredibly important to not only fill this out, but make sure you give constructive criticism and point out everything that you liked about the cruise. If all they hear is complaints, they won't be as likely to do another cruise in the future! So really take some time to think about what you liked, what you didn't like and what you'd like to see more of in the future.

As a point of references, here's what my comments for Rose Tours are. Let me know if you agree/disagree or maybe I missed something big.

What I Liked

• Loved the banners and cardboard cutouts around the ship. Would love to see more of this.
• BSB channel on TV. Always a nice touch.
• Great selection of merchandise
• I liked having new and different games. In it to Win it was a lot of fun!
• Loved that there were lots of little goodies thrown into the audience- beads, shirts, pillows, candy, etc. Even something super cheap, if thrown by a backstreet boy, is priceless to us fans. So a little bit of money can go a long way. Would like to see even more of this next cruise.
• You really did a good job of giving plenty of opportunities for a lot of fans to have their special moment with a backstreet boy- whether it was playing games on the beach or selected to be prom queen.
• Loved pajama night. Not sure if it was just the event itself or the location in the atrium that made it better. On a related note I think adding games to the deck parties was a great idea. I also loved having that ‘goodbye’ moment which we didn’t have last year. I think its important to end the cruise on a high note.
• Cable Beach was set up much nicer for our event than the beach last year. Lots of room with a big stage. Everyone had a great view. Also loved the addition of lots more games.
• Ability to choose your own seats in dining room
• Sail Away party was a lot of fun and a nice new addition this year. Great way to kick off the cruise.
• Rose Tour staff was great, friendly, and accommodating with 1 exception (see below)
• LOVED the concert. I like the fact that we could vote on the songs and it was an unplugged set. Would love to see this again!!
• I liked how you picked contestants for karaoke. Gave everyone a fair shot and brought a sense of calmness to the process because it was pre-decided.

What I Think Could've Been Improved

• Minor complaint but I didn’t care for the naked mermaid logo that was used throughout the cruise. It makes it harder to wear the merchandise later on.
• Need to clearly announce the door decoration contest and dimensions of door, if there was going to be a contest
• When planning events, consider what it is like for the other fans watching more so than the ones playing. Overall you did a great job with this, but personally I didn’t enjoy watching them play beer pong. It was fun for the girls on stage but not for everyone else. I'd argue the same for prom night.
• DJ was very repetitive. May want to try a new DJ next year
• It seemed bringing back karaoke wasn't nearly as successful as it was last year. It seemed forced to me. I think for next time either scrap the event all together or bring a new refreshing twist to it. Maybe its a karaoke contest. For example Nick and Brian with fans vs AJ and Howie with fans. It seems like the Backstreet Boys have a competitive side so that might be more entertaining all around.
• I also plan on telling them as nicely as possible that I think Hal Roseman’s behavior was wildly inappropriate. Quite frankly his behavior was disgusting, unprofessional, and I think he poorly represents Rose Tours as the face of their company.

Suggestions for Next Time

• Event suggestions
• Have the boys do a roast. They seemed to start on that during karaoke a bit and I think it would be a great event if they are willing.
• Battle of the Sexes- I think this would be extremely entertaining
• Some sort of audience participation game. Royal Caribbean does a game called Quest and its basically an interactive adult scavenger hunt which might be fun if adapted properly. But what's nice is that even if you aren't on stage you're still involved
• You should broadcast the alternate groups event on the TV so the rest of the ship can simultaneously watch and not feel left out. And continue to air all that footage the remainder of the cruise, similar to how they do it on a ‘regular’ cruise.
• It was apparent that the cruise had trouble selling this year. Meanwhile I also noticed that subsequently, many contests for cruise giveaways started popping up giving away free accommodations, exclusive meet and greets, and even access to sound check. You may want to consider offering similar rewards/incentives for people signing up early. It doesn’t have to be money off, but perhaps something like “if you sign up by X date you get exclusive access to the sound check party” or “the first 200 people who sign up get a bonus meet and greet”
• I’d love to see the boys do solo events. You could possibly have 4 events at the same time allowing for a more intimate event. Or do them at separate times, allowing the other boys a break.
• Clarify that if a deck party starts at 11:30, it doesn’t mean the backstreet boys get there at 11:30. Same goes for beach party. I personally understood the concept, but many did not and were complaining.
• I think there needs to be a monitor or screen at the deck parties with a live feed of the event in order to make it easier for people to see. Also would’ve been nice at the beach party or during the main events in the lounge. It’s tough for shorter people to see over the crowd and I think a screen is crucial to fully enjoy those events.
• Minor suggestion, but Hal was the one who announced the door decoration contest winner. I think it would be a nice touch to have the backstreet boys announce it next time. The fans work really hard on those doors so any way to give the winners extra credit would be nice. Also announce more runners up.
• Create an ultimate fan trivia event. BSB doesn’t even have to be there, but it would be fun to do during down time or while the other group has their event.
• I really missed the Q&A this year. I think its important to have at least 1 event where its just BSB on stage with no fans (aside from the concert) just to see them. After all, that’s why we’re there.
• I liked the selection process for karaoke and think it should be more widely adopted next time around. It gave everyone a fair equal shot at getting picked; it didn’t allow any bias in terms of race, ethnicity, physical appearance, etc.  It also brought a much calmer atmosphere to the event because girls knew that the contestants had already been decided. I don’t suggest this for everything, as I also think it’s nice for the Backstreet Boys themselves to pick fans in some scenarios. But I think this is more fair approach than having Rose Tour staff hand pick girls on the spot because it appeared to many of us that there was some prejudice in that process. Whether that’s a true statement or not, that is the widespread perception.
• I liked how on the cruise in 2010 you would upgrade girls to front row for each event via a random drawing. I'd like to see that brought back.

I feel like my list could go on and on, but this is what I've come up with so far.

BSB TV

Ever wonder what was on the Backstreet channel while you were out and about around the ship? It felt like every time I was in the cabin I saw the same 2 things on TV- The Oprah appearance or the Unbreakable concert. But in fact there were a ton of videos on constant loop. So in case you missed it while on board, here is a list of the majority of the videos playing on the Backstreet channel.

• Larger than Life Music Video
• More than That Music Video
• Quit Playing Games Music Video
• Shame of My Heart Music Video
• Show me the Meaning Music Video
• The Call Music Video
• The One Music Video
• We've Got it Going On Music Video
• BSB making paper airplanes that have their autographs on them and flying them off their hotel balcony to fans below:
  
  
  
  

  Air Mail
• Boys on a bus trying to go through a crowd of screaming girls. Appears to be from Unbreakable era in South America.
• Boys eating dinner in Brazil where Howie revealed his favorite drink is guarana.
• Brian in a bathrobe blowing out candles on his birthday cake.
• San Juan Puerto Rico 2009. Shirtless backstreet boys on the beach.
• "Indiana Nick" and the rest of the boys doing some sort of tour in a desert ruin.
• Howie Webchat
• Brian Webchat
• BSB in some airport talking about how Justin threw up on the camera
• Nick hanging out at the studio with the camera literally about 2 inches from his face. He then interviews Howie who said his wife picked out his jacket and he talks about sexy time with his wife.
• The boys in South America laying on the floor while giving an interview. Taking about "their poops" all throughout South America (I cant make this stuff up, folks!)
• Boys on the side of the road when their van broke down:
  
  
  
  The Bus Broke Down
• Interviewing their security guard
• Nick hiding in some room beneath a window sill and popping up and scaring anyone who walks by the window including AJ. Meanwhile Howie is just sitting on the sofa looking completely unamused.
• Boys practicing for This is Us tour
• Brief Interview
• Clip of Everybody and Straight Through my Heart from This is Us tour
• Brian and AJ jumping on the bed and hitting each other with pillows:
  
  
  
  To be or not to be a Stuntmen?
• AJ webchat
• Straight Through my Heart Music Video
• Kevin and the boys on Oprah
• This is Us Concert from Japan
• NKOTBSB on American Music Awards
• Inconsolable Music Video
• Unbreakable Concert
• Bigger Music Video
• Private Sessions

I realized most of these videos can be found on the bsbofficial YouTube channel. I really enjoyed the fact that most all of their videos were from post-Unbreakable era. So lots of these things I hadn't really seen before. It will be interesting to see if they use the same DVD for this upcoming cruise, or they will update it with some NKOTBSB footage. Truthfully, I'm hoping for the latter.

I wish they would sell the DVD with these videos on it. Now that is something I would definitely buy!

What to Expect- Downtime

Not every second of the trip will be planned out around a BSB event, though I wish it was ;) Thus there will inevitably be some downtime. I did find that a majority of the time was spent either at a BSB event, or getting ready for a BSB event, which didn’t leave all that much time to relax. But I did have gaps of time that I had to fill with something.

During my downtime I would typically grab some food or a drink and just chat with friends. Another thing you can do if the weather was cooperating was to hit up the pool/hot tubs. Both of these activities had a high likelihood of spotting a BSB, which only made it that much more enjoyable. You could also go to the casino and try your luck at the tables or slots. If you like to shop, the cruise has several little shops onboard. If you enjoy sports, there was a basketball court on board as well, where Brian was seen playing with his son.

If you're feeling particularly healthy, you can hit up the gym or go for a nice walk/run around the promenade deck. Take in some of that lovely ocean air.

As for night life- there will be some sort of lounge or club with music. There will also several bars around the ship. Both of these can be a lot of fun. But just be warned that the ratio of girls to guys will be slightly askew. The Backstreet Boys also made frequent appearances at the club.

Another thing to consider is that we will be docked in Nassau for practically the majority of the trip. Another way to kill some time is to get off the ship and explore Nassau. I'll do a future post on things to do in Nassau.

A less fun, but practical idea- since the Backstreet Boys will be doing every event twice, it also presents a good opportunity to take a quick catnap while the other group has their event. Good way to catch up on some sleep while not missing anything.

BSB Related Activities During your Downtime

If you want to make sure eke out as much Backstreet as possible during your trip, here are a few BSB related activities to do during your down time.

• If you have a few hours to kill, I would definitely recommend taking a friend and a camera down the halls of the cruise ship and look at door decorations. Even if you don’t have a few hours to kill, I would highly suggest making time for this because I really enjoyed it.
  
• Another suggestion if you've got some time to kill- swing by the BSB merchandise store. Even if you don't intend to buy, still fun to look around.
  
• If you’re looking for a more relaxed activity, there’s nothing wrong with chilling in your cabin and putting the Backstreet Boy channel on. Normally I don’t like to sit in the cabin during the day if I can help it, but I can’t think of a better reason to stay there.
  
• Meet other fans. Lots of fun, cool people to meet around the ship. So why not meet some fellow BSB fans during your down-time?

I doubt anyone could ever be bored on a Backstreet cruise, but hopefully these ideas will make sure of that. Definitely not a shortage of things to do!

What You’re Going to Love about a BSB Cruise

So much to enjoy on the ship, and just not enough time to do it in. Here is a list of 11 things I think you’ll really enjoy about the upcoming cruise:

1. Nonstop BSB music around the ship. First of all it’s a rare to hear All I Have to Give in a public place nowadays, but even so I’m usually the only one singing along. Not the case on a Backstreet cruise!
2. Admiring the door decorations. So much fun stuff to see all the pictures on the doors and all the creativity. I find it very nostalgic and it takes me down memory lane.
3. 24/7 free pizza. Yum!
4. Eating breakfast next to a Backstreet Boy as if that’s a normal occurrence. By day 3 I was used to having my morning coffee next to Howie :)
5. Meeting fans from all around the world.
6. BSB TV- An entire channel dedicated to the Backstreet boys.
7. Getting dressed up for theme nights. Maybe its just me, but I never get the opportunity to really get dressed up for theme parties so this is a nice treat.
8. Experiencing BSB in a whole new way. I feel like they were a lot more uncensored on the ship than most any place else you’d see them. Normally Nick wouldn’t announce that he has to pee in the middle of a show and just get up and leave.
9. See Howie interact with his son. His son is so cute and I enjoyed watching them together.
   
   Howie and James at the beach party
   
10. Unexpected moments of Backstreet antics such as Nick and AJ dancing on the tables at dinner.
11. Brian’s themed outfits. He went ALL out last year and I’m excited to see what he comes up with for this year.

Brian and Leighanne during international night