- Overall I thought this cruise was phenomenal and ranked right up
there as one of the best. I think they really tried to make up for the
last one and they knocked it out of the park.
- Highlight for me was Millennium Night. And funny enough the Fast
Times at Backstreet High was also one of the best deck parties but it
ended up being completely overshadowed by Millennium Night. I know they
didn't end up doing as many selfies but I absolutely loved that about
both nights because they sang BSB songs. I felt like we got 2 extra
concerts and not just any concert, but freakin the entire Millennium
album.
I would best describe Millennium night as...okay you know when you're hanging out with your friends and you just put your iPod on a Backstreet shuffle playlist and then sing along and tell funny stories in between the songs? Well imagine you're doing that but WITH the Backstreet Boys performing those songs and goofing around with you. And then Nick and AJ decide to spontaneously jump in the pool with you while Kevin is off serving drinks to you. Definitely a deck party for the record books and I hope the boys take note that we want more of this!!
Millennium Night (Not sure who put this together to give credit to, but I loved it! and think it sums up the cruise) - Another highlight for me was the concert. I feel like I leave every
cruise and say 'that was the best concert ever' and this was no
different. I loved the funny interludes and untold stories that we've
never heard before. And I loved the setlist. My fave was Climbing the
Walls <3
- Sneak Peak with AJ and Kevin. AH-MAY-ZING! It makes me feel good
that they acknowledge the fans who go on the cruise are superfans and
that they trusted us to play new music. This is an example where it
seems like fans behaved and didn't try to sneak in cameras (at least i
haven't heard about it yet) and I hope that it pays off and they'll
trust us to do more of this in the future.
As for the music - it was almost too much to process at one time but I loved hearing a lot of the new songs. I do hope there is more uptempo songs on the new album because based on what Kevin shared it seemed there were definitely more slower songs. AJ's new music also sounded great and I hope that he can actually follow through and actually release them! - I'm not sure who this Nick Carter we got on this cruise was, but I
was super glad to have this version of him. Historically he is notorious
for being the least accessible but this cruise he stepped up in the
best of ways and we noticed! I loved his little game the first day on
trying to find him for a selfie and the fact that he did a random selfie
line on the third day for hours on end - LOVED IT!
I thought Kevin and AJ both were also both rockstars in terms of taking pics with fans. They've always been great in the past so I wouldn't expect anything different this time around. Both Kev and AJ were super accessible and stayed out super late on multiple occasions taking pics with the fans with their massive selfie lines. And I find whether you're first in line or 500th in line they are still as nice and engaging.
Meanwhile I thought Howie and Brian weren't as great about pictures as they normally are or the other 3 boys. I heard that AJ even tried to encourage Howie to start a line and his response was that he'd rather be drinking on stage. Not gonna lie, a little disappointed. And not to say that he didn't do any pictures, because he certainly did. I think Brian made it up to the top deck on the 2nd night for pictures and did pictures side-stage or randomly around the ship for a bit. So I certainly give him credit, but I suppose when he's always the first to peel away from the deck parties it's easy to see that he's missing from picture time. - I think this may have been the only cruise that we had all deck
parties outside. And I loved it!! It makes a huge difference and I hope
our bad weather curse is over.
- I can't stop picturing Nick dressed up as baby spice and it makes me laugh without fail. The Spiceboys costumes were epic!
- Overall I thought the vibe of this cruise was laid back,
appreciative, and nostalgic. As far as the fans I didn't personally
experience any pushing or excessive amounts of rude, aggressive fans.
Now granted I wasn't up front except for 1 event so maybe that was it.
But coming off the European cruise, I could definitely feel the
difference.
I thought the boys overall seemed to have their guard down and were just loose and having fun - sharing stories and just reflective of their 25 year journey of how they've gotten to where they are today. I loved it! - For me the only negative of this cruise actually came from the fans.
I could not believe my eyes that people were stealing the decorations
on the 2nd day of the cruise! Shame on you for ruining this for others. I
agree with the announcement that "this is why we can't have nice
things." I wouldn't be surprised if they don't do those next cruise as a
result, and that would make me really sad.
Similarly I heard that fans were stealing door decorations and Kevin's signatures from the doors. Again, just so disgusting and selfish and I hope Backstreet karma bites you in the ass. - And I'll end with... 3 words...
Showing posts with label Deck Party. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Deck Party. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Post-Cruise Recap
Welcome back cruisers. I'm in the throws of post-cruise depression.
Not to mention I'm still exhausted and busy digesting everything that
happened the past 5 days or so. But here's some of my quick down and
dirty thoughts about this cruise while I catch back up on life and write
a proper review.
Sunday, April 29, 2018
Cruise Itineraries 2018
Rose Tours made us sweat it out this year, but, better late than never!
My Take
Phew, lots to digest here!
Let's start with the new events. 'AJ Goes Country & Sneak Peak with Kevy Kev'. Given how strict they are with the whole 'no cameras or phones' I assume we'll be getting a taste of new music. Given that I have 2 phones and a camera, part of me wanted to sneak in a device, but they seem to mean business if they're making us go through a metal detector. Yikes! But the other part of me will feel a sense of relief not having to worry about taking pictures and filming the events. Just enjoy some new music from 2 of my faves :) And historically I've loved the solo events where the guys sing. They can do some more unreleased stuff and things we don't normally get to hear.
Next up is Cinco De Howie. Sounds generic enough but it also sounds a bit like his 'Rum DMC' event. I imagine it'll involve Howie and alcohol and more Howie and more alcohol. I wasn't the biggest fan of his Rum DMC event, so hopefully this event will have a bit more to it than watching him play beer pong. Granted whatever he does, I'll be there!
BSB HQ with Nick. So best that I can infer is that this will be based on the popular trivia game/app - HQ trivia. The good news is that I do play that app/game and the bad news is I have yet to win. Grrr. But with Nick hosting and the questions being BSB related, I maybe just maybe will be pull this off.
For those of you who don't know what HQ trivia is all about - its a game show where they ask 12 multiple choice questions where everyone gets to play until they guess a wrong answer. Last ones standing will split a pot of money. If that's what they intend to do here, I love that it gives everyone a chance to play. Of course you never know, so we shall see!
Last but not least is Game Night with Mr. & Mrs. Littrell & Guests. Of course that last word is the most intriguing here. "& Guests," huh? How does one get to be a guest? Hopefully this means fan involvement in some way. This sounds like it'll be a fun time. Anytime you give Brian a mic you know you'll have some good laughs.
Seems like we're getting lots of game shows this year... Double Trouble Game Show being the main game show with all the boys. I honestly don't have any guesses on this one but I'm sure it'll involve some good laughs as well.
Last but not least is BSB: Storytellers. It appears that this will be our concert. From my understanding the New Kids did a concert similar to this where they take about some of their songs with stories and anecdotes, then sing them. I'm honestly thrilled they're not copping out and doing the Vegas set because I was a bit worried they would. I'm glad that they realize they are on a ship with all of their super fans and we don't need to see all their singles we've seen performed hundreds of time. Im happy we're getting something unique.
Of course I don't want to focus on what's not here, but I still can't help but be a bit upset we aren't getting a Q&A event nor a beach party. Those are 2 of my faves and the Q&A seems like such an easy event to put together....but that's okay. Hopefully they'll more than make it up to us with these other events.
Oh boy, cruisers. It's getting real!! See you on board in just 4 days!
BACKSTREET BOYS Cruise 2018 Itinerary
Day One: Thursday, May 3th, 2018
12:00PM – 3:30PM Arrival Onboard the Carnival Cruise Ship Sensation
3:30PM – 4:30PM Mandatory Emergency Boat Drill
4:45PM
BACKSTREET BOYS Cruise 2018 Itinerary
Day One: Thursday, May 3th, 2018
12:00PM – 3:30PM Arrival Onboard the Carnival Cruise Ship Sensation
3:30PM – 4:30PM Mandatory Emergency Boat Drill
4:45PM
6:00PM
6:00PM
6:30PM
8:15PM
9:00PM
9:30 PM
11:00PM
1 Hour Cocktail Party Open Bar from 12:00AM – 1:00 AM
Tonight’s Theme is “Fast times at Backstreet High”
Other Activities will be added, please check Carnival’s Fun Times for times and locations.
THE FANTASIA LOUNGE IS AT FULL CAPACITY. NO SEATING CHANGE REQUESTS CAN BE ACCOMMODATED
Day Two: Friday, May 4th, 2018 – Day at Sea
11:00AM
4:15 PM
4:45PM
6:00PM
8:15PM
8:30PM
9:00PM
11:00PM
Tonight’s Theme is “We Got it Going Con”
Other Activities will be added, please check Carnival’s Fun Times for times and locations.
THE FANTASIA LOUNGE IS AT FULL CAPACITY. NO SEATING CHANGE REQUESTS CAN BE ACCOMODATED
Day Three: Saturday, May 5th, 2018 –Grand Turk
ENJOY YOUR FREE DAY IN GRAND TURK. BE BACK ON BOARD THE SHIP BY 5:30 PM
5:30PM
6:00PM
8:15PM
9:30PM
9:45PM BSB: Storytellers Group B
11:30PM
Tonight’s Theme is “Millennium Night”
Other Activities will be added, please check Carnival’s Fun Times for times and locations.
Day Four: Sunday, May 6th, 2018 – Day at Sea
10:00AM – 3:00PM Blackjack Tournaments
11:00AM Photo Session Group A Plaza Aft Lounge
2:30PM
3:30PM
4:00PM
6:00PM Dinner Group A
6:00PM
6:30PM
7:30PM BSB Casino Night – Final Tournament Tables Casino
8:00PM
8:15PM
8:30PM
10:00PM
Tonight’s Theme is “Party like it’s 1993”
Other Activities will be added, please check Carnival’s Fun Times for times and locations.
THE FANTASIA LOUNGE IS AT FULL CAPACITY. NO SEATING CHANGE REQUESTS CAN BE ACCOMMODATED
Day Five: Monday, May 7th, 2018
Day of Debarkation
8:00AM
Merchandise Store Hours:
The Merchandise store is in the Library on Atlantic Deck 8
Day One: Friday May 3, 2018
5:30PM – 11:30PM
Day Two: Friday May 4, 2018
9:00AM – 11:30PM
Day Three: Saturday May 5, 2018
5:30PM – 11:30PM
Day Four: Sunday May 6, 2018
9:00AM – 10:00PM
Hospitality Desk Hours:
The Hospitality Desk is Midship on Promenade Deck 9
Day One: Friday May 3, 2018
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
5:00PM – 8:00PM
Day Two: Friday May 4, 2018
4:00PM – 7:00PM
Day Three: Saturday May 5, 2018
6:00PM – 8:00PM
Day Four: Sunday May 6, 2018
6:00PM – 8:00PM
In Your cabin tune into your exclusive BSB Channel 21
My Take
Phew, lots to digest here!
Let's start with the new events. 'AJ Goes Country & Sneak Peak with Kevy Kev'. Given how strict they are with the whole 'no cameras or phones' I assume we'll be getting a taste of new music. Given that I have 2 phones and a camera, part of me wanted to sneak in a device, but they seem to mean business if they're making us go through a metal detector. Yikes! But the other part of me will feel a sense of relief not having to worry about taking pictures and filming the events. Just enjoy some new music from 2 of my faves :) And historically I've loved the solo events where the guys sing. They can do some more unreleased stuff and things we don't normally get to hear.
Next up is Cinco De Howie. Sounds generic enough but it also sounds a bit like his 'Rum DMC' event. I imagine it'll involve Howie and alcohol and more Howie and more alcohol. I wasn't the biggest fan of his Rum DMC event, so hopefully this event will have a bit more to it than watching him play beer pong. Granted whatever he does, I'll be there!
BSB HQ with Nick. So best that I can infer is that this will be based on the popular trivia game/app - HQ trivia. The good news is that I do play that app/game and the bad news is I have yet to win. Grrr. But with Nick hosting and the questions being BSB related, I maybe just maybe will be pull this off.
For those of you who don't know what HQ trivia is all about - its a game show where they ask 12 multiple choice questions where everyone gets to play until they guess a wrong answer. Last ones standing will split a pot of money. If that's what they intend to do here, I love that it gives everyone a chance to play. Of course you never know, so we shall see!
Last but not least is Game Night with Mr. & Mrs. Littrell & Guests. Of course that last word is the most intriguing here. "& Guests," huh? How does one get to be a guest? Hopefully this means fan involvement in some way. This sounds like it'll be a fun time. Anytime you give Brian a mic you know you'll have some good laughs.
Seems like we're getting lots of game shows this year... Double Trouble Game Show being the main game show with all the boys. I honestly don't have any guesses on this one but I'm sure it'll involve some good laughs as well.
Last but not least is BSB: Storytellers. It appears that this will be our concert. From my understanding the New Kids did a concert similar to this where they take about some of their songs with stories and anecdotes, then sing them. I'm honestly thrilled they're not copping out and doing the Vegas set because I was a bit worried they would. I'm glad that they realize they are on a ship with all of their super fans and we don't need to see all their singles we've seen performed hundreds of time. Im happy we're getting something unique.
Of course I don't want to focus on what's not here, but I still can't help but be a bit upset we aren't getting a Q&A event nor a beach party. Those are 2 of my faves and the Q&A seems like such an easy event to put together....but that's okay. Hopefully they'll more than make it up to us with these other events.
Oh boy, cruisers. It's getting real!! See you on board in just 4 days!
Friday, February 16, 2018
#CruiseThemeThursday: Comic Con Night
And it looks like we finally have our 4th theme!
Now that we have all the themes - I do find it interesting that they aren't really have a formal night. I suppose white night kind of falls into that category, but in all the years past they've had some sort of official dress-up night that corresponds with the formal dinner. I'm also (believe it or not) pleasantly surprised that they aren't doing a raunchier theme this year. Last year it honestly felt a bit forced to me.
Ahoy, Backstreet Army! Our final theme night of #BSBCruise2018 is... We've Got It Goin' Con Superheroes and villains and monsters oh my! Cosplay is key here... so have fun with it! Love, BSB
My Take
So I'm excited for this one!! It's fun, different, and related to BSB. I also think it will be a fun atmosphere and it'll be cool to see what the guys are dressed up as. As for me, my favorite has always been Superman so I'll see if I can find a t-shirt or something with an 'S' on it. Just no spandex and capes for me.
Now that we have all the themes - I do find it interesting that they aren't really have a formal night. I suppose white night kind of falls into that category, but in all the years past they've had some sort of official dress-up night that corresponds with the formal dinner. I'm also (believe it or not) pleasantly surprised that they aren't doing a raunchier theme this year. Last year it honestly felt a bit forced to me.
I guess it's time to go shopping, cruisers!
Thursday, February 1, 2018
#CruiseThemeThursday: Millennium Night
Another Thursday, and another cruise theme!
My Take
Is it just me or are all of these themes pretty much the same? Yes they are technically different, but 90s, millennium, and high school all occurred around the same time for a lot of us fans and they seem to have a similar vibe to me. I like each of these themes individually but not sure how they will all come together on one cruise. They feel too similar.
That said, I do think 'white night' will be easy enough to dress for, which I do like. Not sure what they'll do for activities that night, hopefully something Millennium themed. I'm also not as excited to see what the boys wear. It won't be as exciting as some of the other themes where you never know what they will come out ask. I guess we'll have to wait another 3 months to find out!
Ahoy, Backstreet Army!
We're bringing it back to the Millennium era for theme 3...
#BSBCruise2018 Theme Night 3 Is.....
Millennium Night
All white everything! Bonus points if you rock an outfit like the ones in 'I Want It That Way' ;).
Love,
BSB
My Take
Is it just me or are all of these themes pretty much the same? Yes they are technically different, but 90s, millennium, and high school all occurred around the same time for a lot of us fans and they seem to have a similar vibe to me. I like each of these themes individually but not sure how they will all come together on one cruise. They feel too similar.
That said, I do think 'white night' will be easy enough to dress for, which I do like. Not sure what they'll do for activities that night, hopefully something Millennium themed. I'm also not as excited to see what the boys wear. It won't be as exciting as some of the other themes where you never know what they will come out ask. I guess we'll have to wait another 3 months to find out!
Thursday, January 25, 2018
#CruiseThemeThursday: Party Like It's 1993
And another Thursday brings us another theme....90s night!!
My Take
Overall - looking forward to this one! I think fans have been asking for it for a while. Seems like they're making this a nostalgia cruise. High school night and 90s night. Quite frankly for both of these themes I would've been wearing a BSB t-shirt back in the day. But I feel like that's cheating so I'll have to put in a bit more thought. Any ideas are welcome.
I wonder what the boys will do with this one. I'd love to see them embrace some of their earlier roots. I think the New Kids watched some of their old videos with fans at the deck party and I think this sounds like a fun idea and an appropriate night to do that. Basically watch videos like A Night out With the Backstreet Boys, All Access or the Disney special. How fun would it be to have their live commentary watching those. Plus I haven't seen those videos in ages because they all sit on VHS.
Ahoy, Backstreet Army!
Grab your tamagotchis and beanie babies! We're going back to the 90s!
#BSBCruise2018 Theme Night 2 Is.....
Party Like It's 1993
Celebrating one of the greatest decades - the 90s!
We're going back to the 90's with a "Party Like It's 1993" Party! Cruisers should go all out 90s in their get-ups. Nothing is off limits!
My Take
Overall - looking forward to this one! I think fans have been asking for it for a while. Seems like they're making this a nostalgia cruise. High school night and 90s night. Quite frankly for both of these themes I would've been wearing a BSB t-shirt back in the day. But I feel like that's cheating so I'll have to put in a bit more thought. Any ideas are welcome.
I wonder what the boys will do with this one. I'd love to see them embrace some of their earlier roots. I think the New Kids watched some of their old videos with fans at the deck party and I think this sounds like a fun idea and an appropriate night to do that. Basically watch videos like A Night out With the Backstreet Boys, All Access or the Disney special. How fun would it be to have their live commentary watching those. Plus I haven't seen those videos in ages because they all sit on VHS.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Recap 2016: Day 4 Part 2 (Sea Day)
Just to be Close to You: A Guinness World Record Attempt
Once the question and answer session was done then it was time for our Guinness world record attempt where they would find out how many nationalities would fit in the hot tub. All of the girls were pre-selected and were all brought up to the front of the stage and given numbers.
Now as an American you're going to have to let me rant for one quick second here. I understand they were going for a Guinness world record attempt but the reality is because the Backstreet Boys are from the US, no US fans were even eligible to participate in this event. Not a huge deal, enough time has past so I'm over it. But it definitely sucks they had an event where a good number of fans were ineligible to participate. Yes I know there are many unfair things about the Backstreet fandom, I suppose this is just another to add to the list. But its my blog so I get to voice my opinion :) I just think there could've other sorts of records that would've at least given everyone the chance to participate.
Anyway...This event was actually more fun than I thought it would be. They had fun Caribbean music playing (even though we weren't in the Caribbean this year). AJ and Nick actually both got in the hot tub which probably threw our numbers off a little bit. The other thing that surprised me is that the other back she boys did stick around to watch the events unfold. I just assume that only one of the boys would participate in the rest with the retreat back to the safety and comfort of their cabin.
Overall I felt like there was a lot of energy on deck and it was actually quite official with a Guinness officiator, or whatever they're title might be. They had AJ and Nick getting the crowd pumped. I was initially torn if I would attend this event because I wanted to get ready for the preferred event, but I was happy that I stuck around.
Preferred Event
During this time slot those cruisers who bought the more expensive cabins had the opportunity to go to a 'preferred event'. There was no description of what this event would entail, so it was a complete surprise to everyone. Meanwhile the other half of the ship had the chance to go to a BSB trivia with Rose Tours. I'm still kinda bummed I missed that. From what I heard not many folks showed up but it sounded cool.
Since Rose Tours never did send a survey, I'm going to voice my honest opinion of this event here. I need to at least have the illusion that my opinion might be heard.
What was Supposed to Happen
For those of you who missed the event, I suppose I should start with the general concept of the event. It opened with their manager Jen entering the room and informing us that it was going to be a "chill mingling" event. The fans would stay put and the boys would mingle around the room. Everyone wildly cheers! We're all excited and naively optimistic that this is what would actually happen.
What Really Happened
Sadly that concept fell apart REAL quick. Unfortunately many of the boys couldn't really leave the front stage because fans were crowding around. Nick was the only one who actually attempted to mingle around the room. And he's only 1 boy, so he didn't get too far. Thus I'd say the first 20 minutes or so people generally played by the rules. Brian sat up front talking to a crowd of people while the other boys starting mingling and sitting at tables with fans.
I'd say around the 20 minute mark is when things started to go down hill. The boys who were mingling SLOWLY moved from table to table, some hitting the same group of girls who already had a boy visit. Brian never moved from the front of the stage. Fans started approaching the boys and crowding the front area, asking for pictures thus making it even harder for the boys to mingle. By the end of the event, fans were frantically asking the boys for pictures and I'd say at least half the fans in the room didn't get to interact with any Backstreet Boy. And sadly it was the fans who played by the rules and patiently waiting who didn't get anything.
My Personal Experience
I had a seat in the back and I waited patiently for the first maybe 15 minutes sipping my champagne (though my friends will probably tell you I wasn't that patient :P). Once we got into the 20 minute mark and beyond...I realized how slow the boys were moving around the room. I'm kind of a numbers gal and I started doing the math in my head and realized that this wasn't working quite as well as they had hoped and previously indicated. So now I'm getting more anxious by the minute, but still try to wait a bit longer to see what will happen. 5-10 more minutes pass and Nick starts heading towards the back. I think to myself, 'Great!' I love me some Nick, so that would make me a happy camper. Sadly he veered off in the other direction before coming my way and my heart sinks.
Back to square one.
Around 30 minutes in I'm more than a little worked up having 0 interactions with any Backstreet Boy and watching other girls in the front having a grand ole time. I ask one of the staff how long the event is and he told me an hour and that the clock was ticking. At this point I give up on being polite and sadly resolve to being part of the problem. I still feel bad about it, but I suppose I've been to other events in the past where I patiently waited and end up leaving with nothing. In general I struggle to find the balance between being respectful and playing by the rules, but being assertive as well. There have been a few too many instances where I leaned more towards polite and left with nothing. I wasn't about to pay as much as we did for a suite and not get anything for it.
Brian had been chatting with a bunch of fans up front for a while so I thought if nothing else, I could at least sit near him and hear him talk and be part of that conversation. By the time I got up there he was pretty much done chatting and now having a loose sort of line to briefly chat with him and take pics. So I hop in line and scoot my way up to the front. I had a nice little moment with him where he asked how I was enjoying the cruise. I told him I was having a great time, and that I always do have a great time on the cruise, but the crowds were a little more intense than what I'm used to from past cruises. He gave me knowing look and said he agreed with me. I felt like we shared a moment haha
After having my nice moment with Brian, I breathed a sigh of relief. At least I had some interaction with a Backstreet Boy. But there was still time left and I wanted to make the most of my time. Howie wasn't too far away and he was also chatting with a group of girls. Once again, I figured that it'd just be neat to eavesdrop into the conversation. He was talking to some girls about filming Dead 7, what that was like. I asked him if he would consider doing a sort of sequel (totally not considering that they all pretty much died in the movie. Oopsies) But hopefully he understood what I meant. He said that he'd be open to doing a movie again in the future but no immediate plans at the moment. When he was finished chatting with all the girls, he took a few pictures with the girls at the table so I grabbed a pic as well. I still inadvertently blocked him a bit. Oopsies again!
Suggestions for Next Time
I would actually love to see them try this event again (though I doubt they ever would because of the backlash on this one). I truly loved the IDEA of this event, it sadly just failed in execution. The key here is the event just needed a few logistical modifications to make things run smoother:
Dead 7 Screening: Q&A
Before the screening, my roommate told me that she ran into Howie near our cabin door and apparently he complimented our door too. Eeek!! I wasn't even thinking about how the other boys would respond to the door, but that was super nice to hear :)
So I have been literally running from event event all day (not complaining by any means!) and there was still more excitement ahead, thus I continued my Backstreet marathon. Running across the entire length of the ship. Again.
Given I had already seen the movie, the idea that it was a "premier" and something new and special was slightly lost on me. I didn't feel the burning need to be there right when it started. But I understand why Nick wanted to do this event for his international fans who hadn't gotten a chance to see the movie yet. Of course as a Nick girl, you bet I still wouldn't miss this. Particularly because I wanted to hear the Q&A.
I sadly missed the first couple of minutes, and they didn't skip a beat and were well underway in the Q&A.
Sidebar - just putting on my logistical hat, I honestly don't know why they had the Q&A BEFORE they showed the clip. Wouldn't it make more sense to see the clip and THEN ask questions? Or is that just too practical? So unfortunately the key when I was supershort I think it lasted no more than 10 minutes and I had missed the first few because I was still coming from the last event.
If you have 10 minutes to kill and want to watch (pretty much) the entire Q&A (minus the part I missed in the beginning), here you go:
Start at 7.48 for a funny story
My favorite part was
when Nick shared one of his ideas about creating a movie
based with the following premise:
The last thing I'll mention about this event, I was super duper close to getting picked to ask a question. I was able to capture the attention of the person walking around with a microphone and she was standing right next to me. She literally had the mic pointed in my direction and I was going to be next. However Nick decided to cut the event and put the movie on at that point. So close but so far! I can I can't be the only one who has these sorts of close calls with the boys right? Oh well no big deal but still a bummer.
Blackjack Tournament Finals
I decided to go to dinner a little late because I wanted to watch the final blackjack tournament. I couldn't pass me up some AJ. As a bystander, I wasn't able to get super close to really see what was going on. But I still enjoyed just watching on and seeing AJ play with some fans.
50 Shades of BSB Leather & Lace Deck Party
So one of the last or rather the last events of the cruise was leather and lace night. Queue the sad music that it was the last event :( The guys were running super late for this one and it was a shame because I was so tired. 4 days of chasing the Backstreet Boys around Europe was finally catching up to me.
Sadly, once again they had to move the event inside due to rain. Which I understand is out of anyone's control. But deck parties are just not the same when they are inside. I was a couple stories up and waiting for the boys to arrive. Eventually I got tired of standing, so I sat down and leaned up against the chair. I remember closing my eyes and my roommate later would tell me that I fell asleep. I didn't think I did, but I don't doubt that it was true.
The boys finally arrives in and entered to the famous Fifty Shades of Grey music. I was still at this point unsure what to expect and where the evening was going to take us. The guys were all on stage and bought a few lucky fans up to interact with the boys.
I just don't even know how to really explain this events if you weren't there but wowser.
Surprisingly AJ disappeared for the first little bit of this event. I would've assumed of all the Backstreet Boys he would've been the most involved and excited about this particular theme party. And on the flipside I thought Brian was more engaged than I thought he would be. This event was interesting for me because I honestly was uncomfortable at points. Even Kevin made a comment about saying that he was done. I enjoyed watching from a far and was just waiting for the boys to make their nightly rounds for selfies.
Door Decoration Contest
So around at some ungodly hour I was tired and wanted to go back to the cabin to just rest for a few moments. And when I went back to the cabin I noticed there was something on my bed. Well lo and behold it there was a note sitting beside 4 bags. The note read…
I couldn't believe it we had one the door decoration contest!!! I was almost so happy that I didn't care how ridiculous this handwritten note signed by " - BSB - " was. Seriously though, this looked liked the cabin steward scrawled this out before sliding it under our door.
This was just the icing on the cake because I felt that I had already gotten my prize when AJ came to the door earlier in the cruise. I also felt really good about winning because I was able to showcase my strength as a fan - which is my creativity. Some people can sing, some can dance, some are artistic. I'd like to think I can be creative when I need to be.
Plus, it was very nice to be acknowledged. We did work really hard on that door and I personally think it was probably one of the best ones on the cruise. And just to clarify for any one out there we did not win the year prior.
So we ended up winning a little swag bag of goodies that included stuff that you found in the merch shop. It included a water bottle, a hat, a metal and the tote bag. Heck - it was probably worth $100 or so.
Now Im dying to go find my roommates and share the good news! I scamper back to the atrium and I was able to find a few of them. I casually just slip them over the note and I enjoyed seeing their reaction. So we were all very excited to win!
Later that evening my cabin mates and I found ourselves near AJ as he was making his rounds. I already felt like I had more than enough pictures with AJ but given that we just found out that we won, we thought it would be nice to close out the cruise and just thank him again if we had that opportunity.
As even more AJ luck would have it, we did get the chance to not only get a picture with him but also let him know that we won and we wanted to thank him for picking us as the winners. He exclaimed 'how could it be anyone else.' It was very nice to have that last moment with AJ. That was the perfect way to end the cruise in my mind.
So at this point in the evening the crowds are starting to dwindle and the boys were peeling off one by one. I was desperately not wanting the night to end. Brian must've heard my inner dialogue because not soon after AJ left, Brian made his way around the corner. I don't recall saying a lot to him but I was able to get my final pic of the cruise.
We knew we had an early morning ahead of us and we wanted a few hours of sleep. The next morning we left the ship bright and early. The interesting thing that I would later realize is that the boys actually left after the majority of the cruisers debarked. Typically on Carnival cruises they've historically always been the first off the ship. I have to admit I really did want to get one last glimpse of the boys before I left, but sadly we wanted to get to the hotel.
Post Cruise
Oh I feel like stepping back onto land after a backstreet boy cruises just such an indescribable feeling. It's just a mix of every emotion you can possibly experience at once. I'm sad that such an amazing event is over. I'm sad that something that I had been looking forward to for over a year had finally come to an end. I'm upset that I won't get to see some of my friends in a long time most likely until the next cruise in some cases. I'm happy for all of the amazing experiences that I was so fortunate to have had. Happy for all the pictures, seeing all my friends, making new memories. I'm physically and emotionally exhausted. In a weird way I'm also relieved that I can finally get sleep and give my body some rest.
There's just no other feeling like leaving a BSB cruise.
Overall this was a good cruise for me and I made a lot of great memories. I'm so glad I was able to go on my FIFTH backstreet cruise and experience my first European BSB cruise. Yikes, i'm still in disbelief over the fact that I've been on 5 Backstreet cruises. I never thought in a million years I'd be so fortunate.
Once the question and answer session was done then it was time for our Guinness world record attempt where they would find out how many nationalities would fit in the hot tub. All of the girls were pre-selected and were all brought up to the front of the stage and given numbers.
Now as an American you're going to have to let me rant for one quick second here. I understand they were going for a Guinness world record attempt but the reality is because the Backstreet Boys are from the US, no US fans were even eligible to participate in this event. Not a huge deal, enough time has past so I'm over it. But it definitely sucks they had an event where a good number of fans were ineligible to participate. Yes I know there are many unfair things about the Backstreet fandom, I suppose this is just another to add to the list. But its my blog so I get to voice my opinion :) I just think there could've other sorts of records that would've at least given everyone the chance to participate.
Anyway...This event was actually more fun than I thought it would be. They had fun Caribbean music playing (even though we weren't in the Caribbean this year). AJ and Nick actually both got in the hot tub which probably threw our numbers off a little bit. The other thing that surprised me is that the other back she boys did stick around to watch the events unfold. I just assume that only one of the boys would participate in the rest with the retreat back to the safety and comfort of their cabin.
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| Brian and Kevin watching the festivities |
Overall I felt like there was a lot of energy on deck and it was actually quite official with a Guinness officiator, or whatever they're title might be. They had AJ and Nick getting the crowd pumped. I was initially torn if I would attend this event because I wanted to get ready for the preferred event, but I was happy that I stuck around.
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| AJ getting ready to get in the hot tub |
Preferred Event
During this time slot those cruisers who bought the more expensive cabins had the opportunity to go to a 'preferred event'. There was no description of what this event would entail, so it was a complete surprise to everyone. Meanwhile the other half of the ship had the chance to go to a BSB trivia with Rose Tours. I'm still kinda bummed I missed that. From what I heard not many folks showed up but it sounded cool.
Since Rose Tours never did send a survey, I'm going to voice my honest opinion of this event here. I need to at least have the illusion that my opinion might be heard.
What was Supposed to Happen
For those of you who missed the event, I suppose I should start with the general concept of the event. It opened with their manager Jen entering the room and informing us that it was going to be a "chill mingling" event. The fans would stay put and the boys would mingle around the room. Everyone wildly cheers! We're all excited and naively optimistic that this is what would actually happen.
What Really Happened
Sadly that concept fell apart REAL quick. Unfortunately many of the boys couldn't really leave the front stage because fans were crowding around. Nick was the only one who actually attempted to mingle around the room. And he's only 1 boy, so he didn't get too far. Thus I'd say the first 20 minutes or so people generally played by the rules. Brian sat up front talking to a crowd of people while the other boys starting mingling and sitting at tables with fans.
I'd say around the 20 minute mark is when things started to go down hill. The boys who were mingling SLOWLY moved from table to table, some hitting the same group of girls who already had a boy visit. Brian never moved from the front of the stage. Fans started approaching the boys and crowding the front area, asking for pictures thus making it even harder for the boys to mingle. By the end of the event, fans were frantically asking the boys for pictures and I'd say at least half the fans in the room didn't get to interact with any Backstreet Boy. And sadly it was the fans who played by the rules and patiently waiting who didn't get anything.
My Personal Experience
I had a seat in the back and I waited patiently for the first maybe 15 minutes sipping my champagne (though my friends will probably tell you I wasn't that patient :P). Once we got into the 20 minute mark and beyond...I realized how slow the boys were moving around the room. I'm kind of a numbers gal and I started doing the math in my head and realized that this wasn't working quite as well as they had hoped and previously indicated. So now I'm getting more anxious by the minute, but still try to wait a bit longer to see what will happen. 5-10 more minutes pass and Nick starts heading towards the back. I think to myself, 'Great!' I love me some Nick, so that would make me a happy camper. Sadly he veered off in the other direction before coming my way and my heart sinks.
Back to square one.
Around 30 minutes in I'm more than a little worked up having 0 interactions with any Backstreet Boy and watching other girls in the front having a grand ole time. I ask one of the staff how long the event is and he told me an hour and that the clock was ticking. At this point I give up on being polite and sadly resolve to being part of the problem. I still feel bad about it, but I suppose I've been to other events in the past where I patiently waited and end up leaving with nothing. In general I struggle to find the balance between being respectful and playing by the rules, but being assertive as well. There have been a few too many instances where I leaned more towards polite and left with nothing. I wasn't about to pay as much as we did for a suite and not get anything for it.
Brian had been chatting with a bunch of fans up front for a while so I thought if nothing else, I could at least sit near him and hear him talk and be part of that conversation. By the time I got up there he was pretty much done chatting and now having a loose sort of line to briefly chat with him and take pics. So I hop in line and scoot my way up to the front. I had a nice little moment with him where he asked how I was enjoying the cruise. I told him I was having a great time, and that I always do have a great time on the cruise, but the crowds were a little more intense than what I'm used to from past cruises. He gave me knowing look and said he agreed with me. I felt like we shared a moment haha
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| Me and Brian <3 |
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| Me and Howito |
There was still some time left in the event but it was clearly turning into a shit show at this point. Fans were really upset because the boys were starting to leave and many people didn't get any interaction at all, which made me incredibly grateful for what I got. It just shouldn't have played out the way it did. Period.
I would actually love to see them try this event again (though I doubt they ever would because of the backlash on this one). I truly loved the IDEA of this event, it sadly just failed in execution. The key here is the event just needed a few logistical modifications to make things run smoother:
- For starters they need to limit the number of people drastically. Maybe do Group A and Group B? There were simply too many fans in that room for the time allotted and only 5 backstreet boys. Something had to give.
- I also think they should ban cameras from that event so that fans cant take pictures...make it 100% about the mingling. Unfortunately as soon as we see the boys are taking selfies, everyone wants pics and then there's no mingling. I'm just as guilty. I think they should just have Justin go around and snap candid pics for us instead.
- The boys needed to spread out more. Since they all started in the front of the room, a few girls sitting up front had an amazing time because they had 3 backstreet boys visit. Meanwhile the fans on the side and in the back had no one. And sadly its the fans who played by the rules and patiently waited, ended up getting nothing. The other factor is that some of the boys *cough* Kevin *cough* sat and talked to the same group of girls for like 15-20 minutes. I know that's just Kevin being himself and I'm sure it was awesome for those girls (and I dont fault them at all!) But when there are a couple hundred fans in the room, it just doesn't work. I think staff should've helped manage the boys move around the room better.
- One idea if they were to do this again, I almost envision the event like 'Backstreet Speed Dating'. Every fan has a chair and can't get up, perhaps in small groups at tables. But the idea that there is a set time limit of 5-7 minutes with each group of fans, and when times up, the bell dings, and the boy moves to the next group of fans. I think it would make it fair and eliminate a lot of the chaos we experienced this time around.
Dead 7 Screening: Q&A
Before the screening, my roommate told me that she ran into Howie near our cabin door and apparently he complimented our door too. Eeek!! I wasn't even thinking about how the other boys would respond to the door, but that was super nice to hear :)
So I have been literally running from event event all day (not complaining by any means!) and there was still more excitement ahead, thus I continued my Backstreet marathon. Running across the entire length of the ship. Again.
Given I had already seen the movie, the idea that it was a "premier" and something new and special was slightly lost on me. I didn't feel the burning need to be there right when it started. But I understand why Nick wanted to do this event for his international fans who hadn't gotten a chance to see the movie yet. Of course as a Nick girl, you bet I still wouldn't miss this. Particularly because I wanted to hear the Q&A.
I sadly missed the first couple of minutes, and they didn't skip a beat and were well underway in the Q&A.
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| Nick making a funny face |
If you have 10 minutes to kill and want to watch (pretty much) the entire Q&A (minus the part I missed in the beginning), here you go:
- Dark Comedy
- Inspired by the Cruise
- A fan kidnaps one of the Backstreet Boys, and according to Nick, "Let's just choose Howie"
- Howie thinks the boys will save him
- The Backstreet Boys hire someone like Liam Neeson to save Howie a la 'Taken'
- The rest of the boys don't care and continue tour and figure out who to replace him with
The last thing I'll mention about this event, I was super duper close to getting picked to ask a question. I was able to capture the attention of the person walking around with a microphone and she was standing right next to me. She literally had the mic pointed in my direction and I was going to be next. However Nick decided to cut the event and put the movie on at that point. So close but so far! I can I can't be the only one who has these sorts of close calls with the boys right? Oh well no big deal but still a bummer.
Blackjack Tournament Finals
I decided to go to dinner a little late because I wanted to watch the final blackjack tournament. I couldn't pass me up some AJ. As a bystander, I wasn't able to get super close to really see what was going on. But I still enjoyed just watching on and seeing AJ play with some fans.
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| AJ playing blackjack at the tournament finals |
50 Shades of BSB Leather & Lace Deck Party
So one of the last or rather the last events of the cruise was leather and lace night. Queue the sad music that it was the last event :( The guys were running super late for this one and it was a shame because I was so tired. 4 days of chasing the Backstreet Boys around Europe was finally catching up to me.
Sadly, once again they had to move the event inside due to rain. Which I understand is out of anyone's control. But deck parties are just not the same when they are inside. I was a couple stories up and waiting for the boys to arrive. Eventually I got tired of standing, so I sat down and leaned up against the chair. I remember closing my eyes and my roommate later would tell me that I fell asleep. I didn't think I did, but I don't doubt that it was true.
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| Me and my roommates waiting for the boys |
I just don't even know how to really explain this events if you weren't there but wowser.
Surprisingly AJ disappeared for the first little bit of this event. I would've assumed of all the Backstreet Boys he would've been the most involved and excited about this particular theme party. And on the flipside I thought Brian was more engaged than I thought he would be. This event was interesting for me because I honestly was uncomfortable at points. Even Kevin made a comment about saying that he was done. I enjoyed watching from a far and was just waiting for the boys to make their nightly rounds for selfies.
Door Decoration Contest
So around at some ungodly hour I was tired and wanted to go back to the cabin to just rest for a few moments. And when I went back to the cabin I noticed there was something on my bed. Well lo and behold it there was a note sitting beside 4 bags. The note read…
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| We won!! |
This was just the icing on the cake because I felt that I had already gotten my prize when AJ came to the door earlier in the cruise. I also felt really good about winning because I was able to showcase my strength as a fan - which is my creativity. Some people can sing, some can dance, some are artistic. I'd like to think I can be creative when I need to be.
Plus, it was very nice to be acknowledged. We did work really hard on that door and I personally think it was probably one of the best ones on the cruise. And just to clarify for any one out there we did not win the year prior.
So we ended up winning a little swag bag of goodies that included stuff that you found in the merch shop. It included a water bottle, a hat, a metal and the tote bag. Heck - it was probably worth $100 or so.
Now Im dying to go find my roommates and share the good news! I scamper back to the atrium and I was able to find a few of them. I casually just slip them over the note and I enjoyed seeing their reaction. So we were all very excited to win!
Later that evening my cabin mates and I found ourselves near AJ as he was making his rounds. I already felt like I had more than enough pictures with AJ but given that we just found out that we won, we thought it would be nice to close out the cruise and just thank him again if we had that opportunity.
As even more AJ luck would have it, we did get the chance to not only get a picture with him but also let him know that we won and we wanted to thank him for picking us as the winners. He exclaimed 'how could it be anyone else.' It was very nice to have that last moment with AJ. That was the perfect way to end the cruise in my mind.
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| Me and masked AJ |
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| AJ signed our winning notice |
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| My final pic of the cruise |
We knew we had an early morning ahead of us and we wanted a few hours of sleep. The next morning we left the ship bright and early. The interesting thing that I would later realize is that the boys actually left after the majority of the cruisers debarked. Typically on Carnival cruises they've historically always been the first off the ship. I have to admit I really did want to get one last glimpse of the boys before I left, but sadly we wanted to get to the hotel.
Post Cruise
Oh I feel like stepping back onto land after a backstreet boy cruises just such an indescribable feeling. It's just a mix of every emotion you can possibly experience at once. I'm sad that such an amazing event is over. I'm sad that something that I had been looking forward to for over a year had finally come to an end. I'm upset that I won't get to see some of my friends in a long time most likely until the next cruise in some cases. I'm happy for all of the amazing experiences that I was so fortunate to have had. Happy for all the pictures, seeing all my friends, making new memories. I'm physically and emotionally exhausted. In a weird way I'm also relieved that I can finally get sleep and give my body some rest.
There's just no other feeling like leaving a BSB cruise.
Overall this was a good cruise for me and I made a lot of great memories. I'm so glad I was able to go on my FIFTH backstreet cruise and experience my first European BSB cruise. Yikes, i'm still in disbelief over the fact that I've been on 5 Backstreet cruises. I never thought in a million years I'd be so fortunate.
Friday, July 29, 2016
Recap 2016: Day 2 (Cannes)
Waking up the second day of the Backstreet Boy cruise was the weirdest experience. You know why?
I was able to sleep in!
Hallelujah. The first time in the history of Backstreet Boy cruises I didn't have to set an alarm. Granted that was because I wasn't doing any excursions, but I was really okay with that. There wasn't anything I was dying to see there, I just wanted to leisurely take my time in getting up. And boy was it glorious.
Cannes
After grabbing a quick breakfast, I ventured off the ship into the bustling city of Cannes during its most exciting time of year - the Cannes Film Festival. I was immediately taken by all the red carpets and important looking people with badges and cameras. I kept hoping I would catch a glimpse of a movie star, but sadly, I did not.
I spent most of the late morning/early afternoon just exploring the town by foot. At one point we decided to stop and take a carousel ride, because, well I'm a grown up and don't have to explain!
After a couple of hours of exploring we decided to turn around and find a little cafe to grab pastries and drinks. Well on the way back I noticed Justin and Jenn walking on the other side of the street. Then behind them I noticed Nick...then Kevin...then Howie. Eeek! I swear my reaction was that as if I wasn't on a Backstreet cruise and like I randomly noticed the Backstreet Boys on the street.
Now I admit, I was tempted to dart across traffic and risk my safety to go say 'hi', but I quickly remembered (or rather my friends kindly pointed out) that this was their downtime and we should let them do their thing. As much as my heart was pulling me across the street, the better part of reasoning agreed with them so I just enjoyed the view, watching them explore the streets of Cannes.
Justin may have taken this pic, but I swear I was on the other side of the road not too long after this was taken.
The interesting thing here, all the other 'Non-Cruisers' were walking past them and clearly had no idea who they were. That still amazes me. I'm like 'HELLO - Its the Backstreet Boys. Why are you not freaking out like I am!?' haha
After our Backstreet run-in, we found our little cafe and I enjoyed some pastries and a beautiful view of Cannes.
Photo Session
We had to get back to the ship at a decent hour so we could start getting ready for our official picture with the boys. We have 4 girls in 1 cabin with 1 bathroom. It takes time and coordination!
So I've been super duper fortunate over the last several years to have had the opportunity to meet the boys on numerous occasions, yet it still never gets old. The butterflies still don't disappear as I wait in that line that wrapped the length of the ship. The same thoughts pop through my head "Do I look okay?" "Do I have anything in my teeth?" "What do I say" "Holy crap I'm meeting the Backstreet Boys"
Once I got closer to the front of the line, I saw how good the boys were looking in their sailor suits. Yum! This is one of those things that will never get old! My cabinmates and I work so well together because we all have different favorite boys. We have a Brian girl, AJ girl, Kevin girl, and me - the lonely Nick girl (believe it or not!). I really am fortunate to have no Nick competition. Though to be honest, at this point I really couldn't care less who I stand next to.
When it was finally time for our meet & greet...damn it goes by fast! I briefly said hi to all the boys and gave them quick hugs. Surprisingly the only one who really engaged me in a "conversation" (and I use the term loosely) was Nick. He asked me if I was having a good time. I think I muttered out "of course!". But who really knows what sort of nonsense I said. For crying out loud - it was Nick Carter in a sailor suit!
I know these photo ops go super quick, but it was still very enjoyable, as always. I'm also happy with how our picture came out :)
Next up was dinner. It proved to be a nice time to sit and relax with my all my friends. Pour over all of our stories from the day and analyze every little interaction and event. After dinner I was just too tempted and wanted to go press my ear against the theater to see if I could hear the other concert going on. And sure enough, I wasn't the only one with that thought. Even though I couldn't be in there to enjoy the concert, it was still nice listening to a few songs from outside. I tore myself away from the door after hearing maybe 4 songs because I didn't want to spoil any more. Just from the little pieces I did hear, I knew this was going to be an AMAZING concert!!
Before long, it was time to get ready for 'Night at the Cinema'!!
Night at the Cinema
So my roommates and I wanted to do a group costume and we came up with the idea to go as the cast of Inside Out. I picked last and got assigned 'Anger', which is very NOT me. But it was still fun to play the part.
We found ourselves a spot upstairs and away from the mob pit, as I already got my fill of pushing the night prior. Of course after a long wait made even longer with Backstreet time, the boys finally emerged.....
I'm not super into Star Wars, but thought it was a fun theme. I loved how Nick apparently drew the short straw again and somehow got assigned as Princess Leia. I'm really starting to wonder if he's actually volunteering to dress as a woman.
As far as deck parties go - they did their typical spiels. AJ brought some fans on stage to do some 'real dancing'. Nick was also very engaged that night on the stage.
This deck party had to be my favorite. It was the only one we had outside and I just felt so much energy from the guys and the fans. I loved all the costumes because I think the fans were really creative and seemed to have a lot of fun with it. I enjoyed spotting my favorite movie characters from across the pool deck. Just overall I had a really great time.
My Night of AJ
Hopefully I've intrigued you enough with my subheading here, but I swear the rest of the night was all about AJ. Nick, Brian, Howie, Kevin who??
As the deck party went on, I found myself letting my guard down and not worrying so much about hunting the boys down for a picture. But I swear no sooner than that thought crossed my head AJ was heading upstairs right my direction. Well, shoot. If he's coming right towards me you bet I'm going to try and get a picture. He stayed and did a good number of pictures and I inched my way closer and closer. Then the dreaded words, "Sorry guys, I gotta go."
Blah. Just got my hopes up and off he goes. But before he runs off he says, "Don't worry, I'll come back. And you know me; I mean that." This is true. He is probably the best doing pictures with fans so I reluctantly watch as AJ runs across the deck.
After that adrenaline burst, I shift gears and get back into the party. More singing, dancing, and having fun with my roommate, Cory. The usual deck party drill. Then I ran into another friend and...well yadda yadda yadda, my friend and I ended up getting a wristband into VIP.
Yes, I know. I yadda yaddaed the best part. Just want to thank my friend for that hookup!
Any who...Cory and I decide to go check out the VIP area. I wanted to see what the deal was because in years past they had free drinks so it was worth investigating. Well what we got ended up being better than free drinks, we got AJ! I just had to chuckle because I just can't seem to get away from him (not that I'm complaining!)
It was very chill in that VIP area because there weren't that many fans there. We were able to have a brief chat with AJ and take our pictures.
After the pictures, he's still chatting with us but we see him taking his shoes off. Of course I'm thinking to myself, uh AJ, why the heck are you taking your shoes off? And almost as if he heard my thoughts, he told us that he was about to go jump in the pool. Then we tease him that the shoes are of course the most important thing he can't get wet. We all know AJ loves his sneakers.
Now Cory and I are in prime spot to and get ready to watch AJ jump in the pool.
Oh gosh, I felt so bad for AJ because I was super cold without being soaking wet, and now he must be freezing and keeps getting stopped to take pictures.
At this point Cory and I are ready for a break and head to the buffet to grab a snack attack around 2:30. Got to eat when you can because the buffet closed at 3. We're just relaxing and eating and then we hear AJ come over the intercom...
Ding, goes the intercom again.
Folks, I've been wanting the boys to make announcements on the PA system since before the concept of a Backstreet cruise even existed. I write that suggestion every year on my surveys so I was super excited that they finally listened!!
My Night of AJ Continues
Next I decided that since it was so cold out, I wanted to go down to the cabin for a few minutes, grab a sweatshirt, hit the little girls room, and just rest a bit before going back to the deck party. So Cory and I head to our room and do just that.
When we get there we notice that the cabin steward made up our bed wrong and only set the room for 3 of us instead of 4. I felt awful having to call them so early in the morning, but what else are we supposed to do? So we call them and they said they'll send someone up shortly to fix our room. Ok, cool. No biggie. Problem solved.
I'd say about 5 minutes later Cory and I hear some rustling outside our door so we assume its the cabin steward coming to fix our room. Thus Cory opens the door to let her in and it wasn't the cabin steward.
IT WAS FREAKIN AJ!!!!! *#&^@Q(&
At this point, I can't even. I just can't even. That moment was so surreal, I can't even put into words. I had been dreaming up this moment in my head for the past 3 years since I initially came up with the concept of doing a Friends themed door. And there he was, looking at the door. It was a mix of shock and pure happiness. I'll never forget that moment when I saw AJ in our doorway.
So AJ is hunched over the door reading our episode, side by sides. And he said, "This wasn't here last year, was it?"
I start to freak out again!! That means he remembered our door from last year and must've seen it, even though I really didn't think he ever got to make it. The fact that we actually had those episodes on our door last year is moot, I wasn't about to correct him.
We get chatting for probably a good 5-10 minutes. All the while I'm trying to keep my composure. He starts off by telling us about the announcement he just made on the intercom. He said he felt so bad because he meant to just wake up the cabins, and that's what he instructed the crew to do. But apparently it woke up the entire ship, including the crew quarters and the captain. I could tell he felt really bad about it. But hell, I enjoyed it!
We continue chatting, mostly about the show Friends. He asked us if we had a chance to go to that Central Perk pop-up shop, which sadly, I had not. He then launched into this really touching monologue about how much the show means to him and his wife and that it's really a bonding element. It wasn't necessarily new information to me, but very touching and it felt like an intimate moment between the 3 of us as he opened up.
At one point during the conversation the cabin steward we called comes and interrupts us. I was literally so flustered and couldn't think straight so I asked her to come back. And then I paused for a moment and realized its 3am and this poor woman probably had to wake up to come fix this, so then we let her in the room. I was not thinking straight. But really - what crummy timing!
Apologies, my memory is so blurry on this, but at some point later in the conversation he stops us and asks if he can take a picture with the door. Oh gee, let me think on that....OF COURSE!!
So he whips out his own phone. Let me repeat. His own phone! Seriously, I'm already dying. He's trying to kill me! So he takes a picture of just himself in front of our door with his phone. Then he takes one with Cory and I, on his phone. I don't even know how I had the faculties to ask for a picture on my camera....but thank goodness I did.
There were other fans in the hallway and they were super respectful and let us have our time (thank you if you're reading this!! Also, if you have any pics that would be super cool haha) but then AJ continued on to chat with other fans.
Meanwhile Jen stayed and looked more at our door so we got chatting with her a bit. Which was another great conversation. We talked for a bit about Friends but then that segued into reality TV since I know she's a big reality fan. And then we moved into talking about the cruise and honestly, anytime you can get feedback to the person that matters - its great. So I totally took advantage.
She basically shared and echoed everything I was thinking about the cruise. She said she loves planning these cruises, its her favorite part of the job. She said it was great to have the extra day (amen, sister!) but felt a lot more cramped on this ship. Apparently there are a lot less open spaces. She acknowledged the lido deck wasn't great for the cruise because there wasn't a lot of room. She said Royal Caribbean is 10x nicer but ultimately Carnival is a party ship.
Mind you, AJ is still a few feet away talking with other fans. He does a U-turn and heads past our room again. He gives Cory and I a high-five, once again tells us he loves our door, and continues the other way to chat with other fans down the hall.
Cory and I go back into our room and literally collapse on the bed and freak out together. That lasted for a couple of minutes before it occurred to me that AJ was still in our hall. Why are we in our cabin?? Then we had this cartoon like moment where we stared at each other and bolted back out the door.
We let other fans have their moment but figured it didn't hurt to listen in on the conversation. We also noticed that they blocked the hallway off completely by shutting the door. A few minutes later we see our other 2 roommates peak through the door and see them process what is happening. I can't even begin to explain how awful I felt that they missed him coming to our cabin, but I was relieved they didn't miss him all together. Fortunately they were able to get pics with AJ and that spurred a conversation about Inside Out. He said Ava loved the elephant character, but none of us could remember his name at the time (It was Bing Bong). All in all, we probably had another 5-10 minutes of him chatting with other fans down the hall.
Now I'm full of adrenaline and no where near ready to go to bed. So Cory and I wander around the ship trying to process what had just happened. We end up in the solarium just reliving the glorious evening over and over and over. I had so much trouble falling asleep that night. But eventually forced myself. I went to bed knowing that anything else that happens on the cruise is gravy. I could've left at that moment and it would've been 150% worth everything.
I was able to sleep in!
Hallelujah. The first time in the history of Backstreet Boy cruises I didn't have to set an alarm. Granted that was because I wasn't doing any excursions, but I was really okay with that. There wasn't anything I was dying to see there, I just wanted to leisurely take my time in getting up. And boy was it glorious.
Cannes
After grabbing a quick breakfast, I ventured off the ship into the bustling city of Cannes during its most exciting time of year - the Cannes Film Festival. I was immediately taken by all the red carpets and important looking people with badges and cameras. I kept hoping I would catch a glimpse of a movie star, but sadly, I did not.
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| Me and the gang in Cannes |
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| Me and Chrissy on a Carousel |
Now I admit, I was tempted to dart across traffic and risk my safety to go say 'hi', but I quickly remembered (or rather my friends kindly pointed out) that this was their downtime and we should let them do their thing. As much as my heart was pulling me across the street, the better part of reasoning agreed with them so I just enjoyed the view, watching them explore the streets of Cannes.
Justin may have taken this pic, but I swear I was on the other side of the road not too long after this was taken.
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| The boys exploring Cannes |
The interesting thing here, all the other 'Non-Cruisers' were walking past them and clearly had no idea who they were. That still amazes me. I'm like 'HELLO - Its the Backstreet Boys. Why are you not freaking out like I am!?' haha
After our Backstreet run-in, we found our little cafe and I enjoyed some pastries and a beautiful view of Cannes.
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| Enjoying some delicious pastries in France. Yum! |
Photo Session
We had to get back to the ship at a decent hour so we could start getting ready for our official picture with the boys. We have 4 girls in 1 cabin with 1 bathroom. It takes time and coordination!
So I've been super duper fortunate over the last several years to have had the opportunity to meet the boys on numerous occasions, yet it still never gets old. The butterflies still don't disappear as I wait in that line that wrapped the length of the ship. The same thoughts pop through my head "Do I look okay?" "Do I have anything in my teeth?" "What do I say" "Holy crap I'm meeting the Backstreet Boys"
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| Random picture of me waiting to take a picture. Gotta love the irony. |
Once I got closer to the front of the line, I saw how good the boys were looking in their sailor suits. Yum! This is one of those things that will never get old! My cabinmates and I work so well together because we all have different favorite boys. We have a Brian girl, AJ girl, Kevin girl, and me - the lonely Nick girl (believe it or not!). I really am fortunate to have no Nick competition. Though to be honest, at this point I really couldn't care less who I stand next to.
When it was finally time for our meet & greet...damn it goes by fast! I briefly said hi to all the boys and gave them quick hugs. Surprisingly the only one who really engaged me in a "conversation" (and I use the term loosely) was Nick. He asked me if I was having a good time. I think I muttered out "of course!". But who really knows what sort of nonsense I said. For crying out loud - it was Nick Carter in a sailor suit!
I know these photo ops go super quick, but it was still very enjoyable, as always. I'm also happy with how our picture came out :)
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| Nick and Kevin sandwich! |
Next up was dinner. It proved to be a nice time to sit and relax with my all my friends. Pour over all of our stories from the day and analyze every little interaction and event. After dinner I was just too tempted and wanted to go press my ear against the theater to see if I could hear the other concert going on. And sure enough, I wasn't the only one with that thought. Even though I couldn't be in there to enjoy the concert, it was still nice listening to a few songs from outside. I tore myself away from the door after hearing maybe 4 songs because I didn't want to spoil any more. Just from the little pieces I did hear, I knew this was going to be an AMAZING concert!!
Before long, it was time to get ready for 'Night at the Cinema'!!
Night at the Cinema
So my roommates and I wanted to do a group costume and we came up with the idea to go as the cast of Inside Out. I picked last and got assigned 'Anger', which is very NOT me. But it was still fun to play the part.
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| My roommates as the cast of Inside Out (sans Fear) |
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| May the Backstreet Boys be With You (Sorry, I couldn't help myself) |
As far as deck parties go - they did their typical spiels. AJ brought some fans on stage to do some 'real dancing'. Nick was also very engaged that night on the stage.
This deck party had to be my favorite. It was the only one we had outside and I just felt so much energy from the guys and the fans. I loved all the costumes because I think the fans were really creative and seemed to have a lot of fun with it. I enjoyed spotting my favorite movie characters from across the pool deck. Just overall I had a really great time.
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| See, Brian's having a great time too :) |
My Night of AJ
Hopefully I've intrigued you enough with my subheading here, but I swear the rest of the night was all about AJ. Nick, Brian, Howie, Kevin who??
As the deck party went on, I found myself letting my guard down and not worrying so much about hunting the boys down for a picture. But I swear no sooner than that thought crossed my head AJ was heading upstairs right my direction. Well, shoot. If he's coming right towards me you bet I'm going to try and get a picture. He stayed and did a good number of pictures and I inched my way closer and closer. Then the dreaded words, "Sorry guys, I gotta go."
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| So close but so far |
After that adrenaline burst, I shift gears and get back into the party. More singing, dancing, and having fun with my roommate, Cory. The usual deck party drill. Then I ran into another friend and...well yadda yadda yadda, my friend and I ended up getting a wristband into VIP.
Yes, I know. I yadda yaddaed the best part. Just want to thank my friend for that hookup!
Any who...Cory and I decide to go check out the VIP area. I wanted to see what the deal was because in years past they had free drinks so it was worth investigating. Well what we got ended up being better than free drinks, we got AJ! I just had to chuckle because I just can't seem to get away from him (not that I'm complaining!)
It was very chill in that VIP area because there weren't that many fans there. We were able to have a brief chat with AJ and take our pictures.
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| Anger (AKA me) and AJ |
Now Cory and I are in prime spot to and get ready to watch AJ jump in the pool.
AJ jumping in the pool
Oh gosh, I felt so bad for AJ because I was super cold without being soaking wet, and now he must be freezing and keeps getting stopped to take pictures.
At this point Cory and I are ready for a break and head to the buffet to grab a snack attack around 2:30. Got to eat when you can because the buffet closed at 3. We're just relaxing and eating and then we hear AJ come over the intercom...
Um AJ, why are you telling us good night, but then want us to go out and party?
Ding, goes the intercom again.
Good, AJ realized his mistake.
Folks, I've been wanting the boys to make announcements on the PA system since before the concept of a Backstreet cruise even existed. I write that suggestion every year on my surveys so I was super excited that they finally listened!!
My Night of AJ Continues
Next I decided that since it was so cold out, I wanted to go down to the cabin for a few minutes, grab a sweatshirt, hit the little girls room, and just rest a bit before going back to the deck party. So Cory and I head to our room and do just that.
When we get there we notice that the cabin steward made up our bed wrong and only set the room for 3 of us instead of 4. I felt awful having to call them so early in the morning, but what else are we supposed to do? So we call them and they said they'll send someone up shortly to fix our room. Ok, cool. No biggie. Problem solved.
I'd say about 5 minutes later Cory and I hear some rustling outside our door so we assume its the cabin steward coming to fix our room. Thus Cory opens the door to let her in and it wasn't the cabin steward.
IT WAS FREAKIN AJ!!!!! *#&^@Q(&
At this point, I can't even. I just can't even. That moment was so surreal, I can't even put into words. I had been dreaming up this moment in my head for the past 3 years since I initially came up with the concept of doing a Friends themed door. And there he was, looking at the door. It was a mix of shock and pure happiness. I'll never forget that moment when I saw AJ in our doorway.
So AJ is hunched over the door reading our episode, side by sides. And he said, "This wasn't here last year, was it?"
I start to freak out again!! That means he remembered our door from last year and must've seen it, even though I really didn't think he ever got to make it. The fact that we actually had those episodes on our door last year is moot, I wasn't about to correct him.
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| Stealth shot of AJ chatting with us |
We continue chatting, mostly about the show Friends. He asked us if we had a chance to go to that Central Perk pop-up shop, which sadly, I had not. He then launched into this really touching monologue about how much the show means to him and his wife and that it's really a bonding element. It wasn't necessarily new information to me, but very touching and it felt like an intimate moment between the 3 of us as he opened up.
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| Stealth shot #2 |
Apologies, my memory is so blurry on this, but at some point later in the conversation he stops us and asks if he can take a picture with the door. Oh gee, let me think on that....OF COURSE!!
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| Me trying to get a pic of AJ with our door |
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| I'll Be There For You |
There were other fans in the hallway and they were super respectful and let us have our time (thank you if you're reading this!! Also, if you have any pics that would be super cool haha) but then AJ continued on to chat with other fans.
Meanwhile Jen stayed and looked more at our door so we got chatting with her a bit. Which was another great conversation. We talked for a bit about Friends but then that segued into reality TV since I know she's a big reality fan. And then we moved into talking about the cruise and honestly, anytime you can get feedback to the person that matters - its great. So I totally took advantage.
She basically shared and echoed everything I was thinking about the cruise. She said she loves planning these cruises, its her favorite part of the job. She said it was great to have the extra day (amen, sister!) but felt a lot more cramped on this ship. Apparently there are a lot less open spaces. She acknowledged the lido deck wasn't great for the cruise because there wasn't a lot of room. She said Royal Caribbean is 10x nicer but ultimately Carnival is a party ship.
Mind you, AJ is still a few feet away talking with other fans. He does a U-turn and heads past our room again. He gives Cory and I a high-five, once again tells us he loves our door, and continues the other way to chat with other fans down the hall.
Cory and I go back into our room and literally collapse on the bed and freak out together. That lasted for a couple of minutes before it occurred to me that AJ was still in our hall. Why are we in our cabin?? Then we had this cartoon like moment where we stared at each other and bolted back out the door.
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| Me heading back towards AJ |
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| AJ down the hall |
Now I'm full of adrenaline and no where near ready to go to bed. So Cory and I wander around the ship trying to process what had just happened. We end up in the solarium just reliving the glorious evening over and over and over. I had so much trouble falling asleep that night. But eventually forced myself. I went to bed knowing that anything else that happens on the cruise is gravy. I could've left at that moment and it would've been 150% worth everything.
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