Recap 2014: Day 2 (Part 1)

I woke up the next morning on the early side and per usual, couldn't fall back asleep. Too much excitement to sleep! So I grabbed some breakfast and then decided it would be a good time to walk around and look at cabin doors while it was still relatively quiet on board. I was probably only 5 minutes into my door viewing adventure and met another fan wandering around and so we explored the rest of the cabins together. It's moments like that which remind me why I love the Backstreet cruise - it's so easy to meet awesome new friends.

Anyway, I found there not to be a whole lot of doors decorated this year and as a whole it seems people didn't go as extravagant as they have in years past. Here are a couple of my faves...

Buzzfeed type door with top 10 lists

A wall of CD lyrics

After roaming the halls looking at door decorations, my roommates and friends were waking up, so that meant it was breakfast time! Food always tastes better when I don't have to cook it. And tastes even better than that on a cruise with the Backstreet Boys.

An uneventful breakfast (other than spending some quality time work my girls) was followed by a trip to the casino. I had signed up to participate in the blackjack and poker tournaments but decided to forgo my spot at the poker table. Partly because of how early my assigned time was, and partly because I wasn't super confident in my skills and I didn't want to completely throw my money away.

Howie's Blackjack Tournament

I was going to try my luck at the blackjack tournament. I am by no means a gambler, in fact I really dislike the concept because I feel like these games are designed for you to lose. But when there's a chance to win some quality time with a Backstreet Boy, I'm down. Plus I was feeling a little bit more confident this year, having played last cruise and knowing generally how the tournament works.

I heard that the tournament was running way behind, so I just headed to go to the casino when I had a rare moment of downtime, and they told me to just grab a seat. Well, no one else was there at that time so it was just me and the dealer. And my friends watching over my shoulder for good luck.
Well, I dont remember the exact hands I got dealt, but I do remember asking the dealer for lucky cards because the best prize ever was at stake - Howie D!

Sure enough, after my 7 anxiety-ridden hands, I actually managed to place on the board at spot #5. Holy crap, I was so proud of myself! I knew I still had a couple hours left in the tournament, so the odds of my name still remaining on the board were low. But I was just pleased that I had made it that far. Oh, and the other exciting part is that my roommate, Ana, was #2. So I knew if for some crazy reason I were to play, at least I'd have her by my side and she actually knew what she was doing.

Me being the blackjack queen at #5!

Meet & Greet

So after I played blackjack, it was time for pictures! Yayy! My girls and I decided to do a 'huggy pose' wih us all on the same side of the boy. Meanwhile I was strategically rehearsing everything I wanted to say to each guy, knowing fully well that I wasn't going to remember it all by the time I got up there. It's nerve-racking enough. Am I right?

The line moved relatively quickly and I finally made my way up to the front of the line and I managed to have a few "conversations" with some of the boys. And I use the word 'conversation' very loosely. So I approached Howie first and I was being overly optimistic and excited about my recent blackjack placement so I told him I won the blackjack tournament and would be playing with him later that night. Hoping I wasn't going to jinx myself in the process. He seemed excited though.

Next down the line was AJ. I knew this was the only guaranteed face time I'd have with him, so I had to mention our Friends door and told him he's gotta come check it out. I feel like he barely processed what I was saying, but that's okay. I think by this point he must've heard about the door several times over, and I didn't want to be overbearing about it. I was just happy I accomplished what I wanted to say. So many times I approach them and what I intended to say completely flies out my head.

Next down the line, admittedly was a bit of a blur. In a strange turn of events, I didn't have much to say to Nick. I think it was Kevin or Brian who asked me if I was having a good time. Well, duh! Though I certainly appreciate that he tried, especially because we were near the end of the line. I honestly question how these boys do it. And yeah, that's pretty much it! So another amazing meet and greet added to my list :D

Huggy poses with the boys

I'm super happy with how the picture turned out. AJ was the fail, though. We almost had everyone in the right poses....AJ just HAD to throw his other arm out. Oh well! As I always say - any picture with a Backstreet Boy is a good picture.

Down Time
By this point, over an hour had passed since I last checked the blackjack board. Sure enough my roommate and I got bumped down one spot. So now I'm last, at number 6. I definitely had mixed emotions because I was thrilled my name was still up there. But I also knew it was just a matter of one other person bumping me off. I was trying not to get my hopes up, but it's hard not to let myself get excited at the idea of playing with Howie.

I needed a distraction in the form of food. So up the lido buffet for lunch. It was a very anxious meal, as I was just counting down the time until the tournament closed and I'd find out whether or not I won.

I'll just fast forward ahead to the anticipated moment after the tournament finally ended. I was almost too scared to look, but sure enough, the tournament had officially closed and next to spot number 6 it read 'Laura D'.  I was soooo excited!!! I couldn't believe how incredibly lucky I was. I actually would be playing blackjack with Howie D. And even better that my roommate, Ana, also won. This is just not real life!

Our moment of excitement was short-lived, as we came to the epiphany that the final tournament with Howie was at the EXACT same time as our scavenger hunt prize with Kevin. Both at 8pm later that day........ I couldn't believe our good and bad luck at the same time. Two once-in-a-lifetime opportunities at the exact same time. How on earth are we supposed to choose? Believe me, I realize how incredibly spoiled and fortunate I was to have this problem. But, it was a problem, nonetheless.

So Ana and I were on a new mission to find some staff who could potentially help us out. After 2 failed attempts with Rose Tours staff, we both looked at each other and realized there is likely only 1 person on that ship who could help us and that was Jen. We knew that the boys were still wrapping up pictures, and Jen was in that room with them, so off we went to try and talk to Jen.

Thus we waited outside the room where the boys were taking their pictures, ironically not for the boys. Fortunately we were able to nab her and explain our situation. She also appreciated the fact that we were both incredibly fortunate to have such a "problem," but told us we would ultimately would have to pick one of the events. I'm not gonna lie, of course I was upset. I know I was lucky winning both of these amazing prizes, but the truth is that I earned both of them and I wanted both of my prizes.

Part of me was secretly hoping one of these boys would be on Backstreet time and we could pull off both, but of course we picked Kevin's events. And semi-resolving that situation, we headed to Don't Forget the Lyrics.

Don't Forget the Lyrics

My mind was already highly anticipating the events of that evening, and the fact that I would be getting 1x1 time with Kevin. But we still had a super fun activity that afternoon, which was a new one! I just like that it was something new and different. Similar to karaoke, but at least it had a new twist to make it more enjoyable. I also liked that they incorporated fans into the event.

The girls and I waiting for the event to start

The game was pretty self explanatory with the boys competing against fans on who better could complete the lyrics. Here are some of my favorite moments:

• Nick singing along with Bang Bang. It was just cute to see him continually get the wrong answer and then blame Brian for it
  

  

  Nick being Nick

• AJ singing Justin Bieber's 'Boyfriend'
  
  
• Howie making this face when he had to sing Frozen's, 'Let it Go'

  

  Best. Face. Ever.

• AJ's reaction to Howie not knowing 'Frozen'....
  

  "If you have kids, you have to know that song. Or you're the worst parent ever." - AJ
  (Poor Howie!)

• Brian singing Nsync and proclaiming, "I'm gonna be sea-sick ladies!" Me too, Brian. Me too
• Kevin rapping and being Snoop Dogg
  

  

  Snoop Kevin

• Howie's rendition of Enrique Iglesias' 'Hero' singing "You can't take my breast away."
  
• After 'Like a Virgin', Nick excitedly jumps up and asking, "Ok, raise your hand if you're a virgin........why didn't any one raise their hands??"
  Oh Nick.....

Ok, so basically this whole event had a lot of highlights. Overall I'd say it was a success. Nice weather out on the deck. Backstreet Boys goofing around, singing. Really can't go wrong here.

After the event, once again I happened to catch Jen leaving. So I briefly spoke to her again and told her we chose to do Kevin's event. Thanked her for everything she does. And I also thanked her for tweeting out my blog a couple of times. She paused for a moment, trying to process what I was saying, and then came a look of understanding on her face. So she actually seemed to know what I was talking about. That made me super happy that she actually knows of my blog, and presumably reads it. I honestly never dreamed that this little blog I started as an outlet, mainly for myself, would grow into something so appreciated by the BSB community and even read by their management. That definitely made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. And I get that same feeling when you all approach me and ask 'Are you Laura?' I had a bunch of you gals stop me to say hi. It honestly means the world that you all still read this even though I haven't been as diligent about updating. I just wish I had more time to spend with each of you, there just isn't enough time in 3 days!!

Sorry, got sidetracked there! Back to the cruise...

My roommates and I snuck into early dining because we had the Kevin prize scheduled in the middle of our dinner. This meal was even more anxiety-ridden than lunch. I don't know how I managed to even eat anything. All I remember from this dinner is that our waiter kept trying to talk to us, and I know I was being rude to him but not really responding. I was hoping he'd take the hint, because my mind was only focused on the fact that we had our 1x1 time with Kevin in less than 2 hours! My head just kept spinning at all the possibilities. We had no idea what the event would be or how long it would last. All we knew is that it was Kevin and the 3 of us. That's all we needed to know :)

And before I knew it, dinner was over and we headed off to the piano bar to meet Kevin...

The Evolving Backstreet Cruise

I'm proud to say I've been on all 3 cruises and will hopefully be going on the next cruise as well. Every cruise seems to keep me on my toes and have a completely different vibe from the previous. So I'm going to take a quick look down cruise memory lane and make some predictions for the 2014 cruise.

2010 Cruise

The first time the boys are brave enough to face the sea. This cruise was probably the most unlike the others because it was a half charter, a day longer, and they had a kick-ass pre cruise acoustic concert. So the trip translated into 5 days of Backstreet goodness. And with a half charter, that meant only 1 of each event- none of the group A/group B nonsense. We were all in the same dining and all got to see everything. This also meant that there was a lot more opportunity to see the boys during the downtime. They actually got to sit down and have dinner with us, knock on cabin doors, and hang out in the club with us after the events.

The other neat thing about this cruise was that everyone and their mother came, including Howie's mom! Most of their family was able to join and a lot of their friends were able to come as well. With that came pros and cons- I think it was neat to see all of their loved ones. But it arguably took time away from fans.

The boys were still quite scared and unsure on what to expect for this trip. That was really evident in their interactions with the fans. Moreover, the fans didn't know what to expect. There was no practically no camping out because we were all still learning the ropes. That and there were half the number of people on board.

Overall this trip felt more like you were on vacation and backstreet boys & their families happened to be there too. There were less events and a lot more downtime. You actually had time to sit by the pool and relax, go figure!

2011 Cruise

In 2011 they went to their first full charter and cut back on the number of days. Now we're down to a 3 day cruise, but the good news is they still kept a pre-cruise event so 4 days of solid BSB fun! There were twice the number of fans, and people started catching on to how things work. It became tougher to get closer to the stage at events. Fans came to reunite with old friends they had met from the first cruise.

The boys definitely felt a lot more comfortable on this cruise, knowing what to expect. I think they let loose a bit more, as evidenced during some of the theme nights.

This was the first year that we had to deal with early/late dining groups, which was certainly an adjustment.

Looking back I'd say this cruise had the most ideal Backstreet Events: Vacation Time ratio of the three cruises. Lots to do, but still had some time to relax and eat.

2013 Cruise

I'll cut to the chase, the 2013 cruise was nuts. They kept up a 3 day cruise, but got rid of the pre-cruise event so know we're down to 3 days of BSB excitement. That said- they sure filled those 3 days!

I think the fans were the most crazy this year. Felt like a lot of first time cruisers were on board due to the excitement of the 20th anniversary and Kevin's return. Meanwhile repeat cruisers now know all the ins & outs and tricks of the cruise. Fans were camping out by the stage for hours, even forgoing other events to do so. It just felt so much more chaotic to me.

The itinerary was also the most busy its ever been, primarily because of the addition of solo events.  Not complaining, but it didn't feel like a vacation- it felt like a BSB marathon. I was forced to skip meals because there was just no time to eat. It left me feeling exhausted, and from what I could tell, the boys exhausted as well. There was a lot less of those random run-ins because there was no downtime.

I believe Leighanne and Howie's brother, John, were the only family members still brave enough to still board the ship with all of us. Its becoming clear that this is "work" for the boys, not time to vacation with their family in the Caribbean.

Rose Tours keeps honing the trip and making the events better. Boys are also getting really comfortable at the events and giving us what we want including more chances for interaction, more pictures, etc.

2014 Cruise

I have a few predictions for 2014. I think the fans are going to continue to get worse, in terms of camping out by the stage and mobbing the guys. Repeat cruisers are just getting more and more experienced on how to work the system and get their moments. This past cruise I was roaming the halls looking at door decorations and I see a bunch of girls camped out by the crew entrance where the boys would theoretically come out of the crew corridors to get back to their cabin. Oye! Every year seems to get progressively worse.

That said, it seems like a lot of repeat cruisers are not all eagerly signing up as they were in the past. Mainly for 2 reasons. First is cost- some can't afford yet another cruise so close to the last one and so close to the holidays. Second- I think a lot of fans have had their fill, so to speak. After a couple of cruises, some people got a taste of it and that was all they needed. Lucky for me, I don't fit in either of those categories.

Once again I think there's going to be very little to no downtime. At this point I dont think they'd take away the solo events, so I think we're going to have another very busy schedule. I also see the quality of the events just getting better as they need to continuously need to outdo themselves.

These are just a few of my predictions. Do you guys have any?

Scavenger Hunt

So I had an idea that I thought might be fun on the cruise during some down time. A scavenger hunt! I decided to come up with a fun list of things to search for if you and your friends want to play. Note that most of these just require a picture :)

BSB Cruise Scavenger Hunt

• A crew member from Africa
• AJ smoking 
• Fans wearing matching T-shirts.
• Fun Times in a foreign language
• A receipt from the merch store worth over $200
• A bread or fruit sculpture
• Howie with a drink in his hand
• 5 Empty deck chairs in a row
• Someone camping out outside the boys' cabins
• An ice cream cone with ice cream (extra point for non soft-serve)
• A backstreet boy looking at door decorations
• Four people in a cabin bathroom (extra points for any person above 4)
• The cruise director's autograph
• Brian playing a sport
• Towel animal shaped like a monkey
• The name of the ship
• Burger King action figures
• Picture of another Carnival ship
• Fans waiting for a backstreet boy who has gone to the bathroom
• Picture of you wearing a life jacket
•  Kevin in the lido restaurant
• Winning bingo card
• Nick DJing
• Seashell
• As many backstreet fans in one photo
• A stuffed animal
• Picture of you with a backstreet boy. (Additional point for each each unique picture of you with a bsb)
• Full shot glass

Please comment below if you can think of any other fun items to try and find on board!

Behind the Scenes at Carnival

Believe it or not, I actually had the chance to go on a 3 day cruise on the lovely Carnival Imagination about 2 weeks ago. I swear being on the Imagination was pure dumb luck, as my main reason for the trip was to visit my brother who is currently working on board. Visiting him gave me a very unique look at a behind-the-scenes view of the cruise. I stayed with him in a crew cabin, ate in the staff mess hall, and hung out with his friends on board

What lies behind these curtains?

Where does the staff live?|
Stop 1- my brother’s cabin where I would be spending the next 3 days. To get there I had to take an elevator allllll the way to the bottom. And just when I think I couldn't go any lower, there were some steps to take me further down. Now if you think your cabin is small, you haven’t see anything. I would estimate the average crew cabin to be about half the size of a standard cabin; and most of them have bunkbeds set up to accommodate 2 people. Plus the average contract of a crew member is 6 months. Think about how much you packed for 3 days…now think about what you’d have to pack for 6 months. Sadly I think I packed more for my 3 day cruise than my brother packs when he’s gone for months at a time :/

Anyway, the cabin itself has 1 desk and a TV. The staff members do get a teeny tiny bathroom en suite, to the point where I literally am simultaneously in the shower, while on the toilet. Yes it is possible. And they actually do have cabin stewards for the crew as well to change their linens. I took a few pics of his cabin, but his room would probably be the equivalent of a suite in the crew world. His position allows him a solo room where he doesnt have to share with anyway; most rooms feature a bunk bed and 2 people living there.

My bro's cabin

Bathroom in crew cabin

Outside my bro's cabin (notice sticker on the left)

I found that they staff very much operates on a hierarchy system with 3 basic groups- crew, staff, and officers. Each of which have their own dining room. It actually reminded me of that Friends episode where Ross and Joey worked at the museum and the blue coats couldn’t sit with the white coats. Anyway, crew members consist of the housekeeping and wait-staff. Staff members include the entertainment department, spa, dancers, shop workers, etc. And officers include, well, the officers.

What do they eat?

Another topic that I know I had questions about is- what do the staff eat? Are they eating in the buffet when we’re not looking? Well, there are 3 separate mess halls on deck 3 for all the staff. They do have buffets down there, but no where near the quantity and variety guests receive. The hours are also rather limiting, so it becomes important to hit the mess hall before it closes, or you’ll be SOL. There were a couple things that surprised me though.

1- They actually had a ‘midnight buffet’ every night for the staff. Though it makes sense if a lot of people are working during the evening and then need to eat afterward. I found it funny that they seemed to have more choices than guests at that hour, because as a guest I find when the clock strikes midnight I had 3 choices for food- pizza, ice cream, or pizza and ice cream.

2- Particularly for the midnight buffet, I actually thought they had some delicious looking international food choices that we don't generally see as guests either. But it makes so much sense considering the staff comes from over 40 different countries- with the highest population coming from India and the Philippines. So naturally they want comforts of home.

Crew members are also allowed to eat in the main dining room on occasion if they fill out a bunch of paper-work. Generally this is done if they have friends/family visiting (ie what my bro did when I visited!)

What do they do for fun?

For most people when they’re done working, they leave their office or wherever they work, and go home at the end of the day. That’s not the case when you work on a cruise ship. You are confined to being on that ship. But I was happy to learn that they do have a lot of ways to keep busy. They have a crew bar called the Oasis Lounge. It’s a pretty chill place with pool tables, TVs, couches, and of course a bar. And the best part (in my humble opinion) is that the drinks are dirt cheap. I got a beer for $1.25, which would be 5 times the price if I went upstairs to a guest bar.

Crew bar

Aside from crew bar, they do have activities planned for the crew such as movie nights, talent shows, and karaoke to name a few. They also receive discounts on most all of the fun things guests are offered such as 40% off at the spa or a discounted rate for excursions.

Generally, how does their schedule work?
When you go on a cruise, you know how quickly they turn those ships over. As soon as that last person leaves the prior cruise, the next batch of guests is eagerly ready to board. So when do crew members have time off?

Well, most crew members will sign 6-month contracts and pretty much work for 6 months straight. They will have blocks of time off, especially during port days. But for all intents and purposes, they dont have a full day off in 6 months. So what my brother has done in the past is work 6 months on; come home for 1-2 months; and back out for 6 months.


Well, those are the highlights. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask! And if it's something I don't know, I'll ask my brother.

FAQ

I'm so overdue for an FAQ section on this site as this blog is accumulating more and more posts. I find people reach out to me and largely ask the same questions. So not that I don't love hearing from you all, because I most certainly do, but I figured I'd aggregate all of those questions for you in 1 place in hopes to answer the most often asked questions. I also hope to keep adding to this as needed so keep checking back.


I hear the guys go around knocking on cabin doors, is that true?

Yes, AJ did go around knocking on cabin doors the first cruise and visited with fans. Supposedly Howie stopped by a few cabins as well. AJ made his way to 2 decks. Thus there is always the possibility they'll do it again, but nothing I'd want to get my hopes up for.

When did they announce the themes last year?

Last year the themes were announced on August 19th, which was a little over 3 months out.

What's the deal with the pre-cruise party?

For both of the past cruises the Backstreet Boys held a pre-cruise event the night before in Miami. In 2010 they did an acoustic show with the option for a meet & greet; in 2011 they did a club event also with the option of a meet & greet. In 2013 they did no pre-cruise event. When they did have an event, it's something that wasn't announced until 1 month before the cruise. So please keep it in mind as you make your travel arrangements, but my advice would be not to count on an event.

Do you get the meet the guys?

Yes, you get to the Backstreet Boys at the meet & greet photo event. That is the ONLY time you are guaranteed interaction with them. That said, there are plenty of other opportunities during the cruise to see them and interact with them- both at official events and just roaming around the ship. I think a lot of it is luck and a lot of it is just how assertive/dedicated you are.

What's the deal with the plug situation?

I seem to remember 1 outlet in the room and maybe 1 in the bathroom. Basically count on a limited number of outlets. Some people like to bring surge protectors, however I've also heard they can get confiscated. So bring at your own risk. We had 3 girls in the cabin and managed just fine sharing. It just takes coordination and consideration of your roommates. I think the only thing I used an outlet for was my hair straightener and to charge my camera. I didnt need to charge my phone since I wasnt using. Overall it wasnt really an issue.

How do I buy VIP?

I think this is one of the most popular questions from new cruisers. You CANNOT buy a VIP for the cruise. They do have VIP sections for certain events, however its primarily designated for the boys, their friends, family, staff, etc. The staff have been known to hand out VIP bracelets to randomly chosen cruisers so its 

Tips for dressing around the ship/theme nights? How many formal outfits do you need?

So at night definitely consider the fact that you will be outside on a windy deck with the ocean. It will be chilly. Pack layers and plan your theme outfit accordingly. I know there were a couple times I had my nice theme outfit planned and it pretty much was all for nothing when I had to throw a sweatshirt on over it.

Some people like to dress up for dinner every night. So if that's something you like to do, pack a few nicer outfits. The dining room does have a dress code. Though if it's not your thing, there is nothing requiring you to get dressed up and you can always eat at the informal buffet should you choose.

As for walking around the ship during the day, many people opt for beach/pool type clothes. You'll also see BSB shirts floating around. I'd recommend something comfortable and something you're okay possibly running into a Backstreet Boy wearing.

How does the group photo work? How many people and when does it happen?

For the photo shoot- you basically get in a group with 10 girls and show up to the photo session at your designated time. On the past cruises its been held on the last day. Ideally you want to form a group with other people in your dining seating (either Group A or Group B) and you find all your Howie girls ahead of time. Sorry- but you know I speak the truth! If you don't have a group ahead of time, or your group is incomplete, don't worry. Rose Tours will make sure you have a full group before getting your photo taken and match you up with others who also need a group. But I think its best to be prepared if you're particular on who you stand next to.
UPDATE- On the 2013 cruise they changed the group sizes to 4-5 girls. For the 2014 cruise they have been promoting smaller group sizes thus I would anticipate it to be around 4-5 fans this upcoming trip as well.

What time in the morning do the events typically start?

Typically there were no events in the morning. The earliest we ever had something was noon- which was the photo shoot. So feel free to sleep in should your heart desire.

When should I arrive to the port in Miami the day of the cruise?

This is another common question and the answer is- it's really up to you. You can get there as early as you'd like. They let you on the ship as soon as its cleared by customs and the previous cruise has emptied off. The BSB cruise website says we board at noon, and generally speaking they'll let us on around noon or even as early as 11am. That said, it could be earlier or later. You just NEED to be there before the ship sets sails at 4pm.

The Backstreet Boys themselves generally get there on the earlier side. I'd say 10ish. They will check in separately in a special VIP area so they aren't mobbed by fans. They will also board prior to everyone else. If you want to see them board, get there early.

As for me, I personally get there as early as possible. In my head the sooner I get to the port, the closer I am to the front of the line to board, and the sooner I can get on that ship and start my vacation. I probably shoot to get there around 9-9:30. Im also a paranoid traveler and don't like to take ANY chances missing that ship. I also find these few hours while you're waiting in the terminal is a great place to meet up with friends you've been looking forward to meeting because once you're on the ship, all hell breaks loose.

Can you tell me more about the door decorations?

They hold a contest where you can opt to decorate your door with any sort of BSB-related decoration you'd like. The winner will be announced during the cruise and in the past the winner gets front row seats to the concert on board. If you're looking for ideas- generally the ones with a clear theme seem to do well. Lots of people put up collages of sorts but the themes help set you apart. I've seen a lot of people do Christmas themes, beach/cruise themes, and movie themes were popular. I also found that having something 3-D makes your door stand out. And this is something you don't have to participate in if you don't want to. No matter what you decide, just have fun with it!

Can you tell me more how the roommate match program works?

If you are a solo traveler and are so gung-ho about going on the BSB cruise but can't convince anyone back home to go with you, the roommate match program is for you! When you book your cruise you have the option to book a cabin with the roommate match program, and you will be matched based on several different criteria. You will not find out your roommate until a little over a month out from the cruise. I did this program the first year and didn't have any major problems. Most people I know who have done it were very positive with their experience. My biggest frustration was that I couldn't work on my door decoration until last minute. But I would definitely recommend this for anyone who is traveling solo.

Will I get sea-sick? If so, what should I do?

Hopefully not, but you should prepare yourself, particularly if you've never been on a cruise before. If you're prone to motion sickness, you should take even further precaution. Since I luckily don't really get seasick, here are some words of wisdom from my not so lucky friend who did....

If you're prone to motion seasickness, seasickness is nothing like it. It's much worse! And I found that regular motion seasickness medication didn't work. If Nick Carter points out that the ship is rocking, you will instantly feel it - even if you didn't before! Haha. I went to my doctor and she prescribed those bracelets that some people wear. I'm sure those and other knickknacks work for mild sickness, but I'm not willing to gamble my once in a lifetime experience again. I got REALLY sick. That said, not everyone will. I just think it's better to be prepared for it then to spend the first day curled up in a ball.  The best advice I have is to get on the boat and hit the Customer Service desk. For a couple of dollars you get four pills. Each pill lasts twelve hours. Most importantly - take it a half hour before the boat departs. Once you're seasick, it can't be undone.

To expand on her experience, guest services will give you medique (meclizine hydrochloride) 25 mg. It’s an antiemetic. Apparently good stuff.

What should a first time cruiser expect?

I would say to expect to have the time of your life with your friends, meet some wonderful new friends, no sleep. You'll laugh, you'll cry. Tons of great unique BSB events that you can only get on the cruise. On the flip side I would NOT expect to literally hang out with the backstreet boys for 3 days.

What's the best part of the BSB cruise?

Everything!! Seriously though, its such a unique experience that nothing else even comes close. A concert is only 2 hours of BSB but on the cruise is 3 days! And in that 3 days there are so many special moments that you can only get here. Like you'll be eating dinner and casually look across the room to see Brian eating with his family. Or you'll be chilling at the pool and see Nick walk by.

On top of that the events themselves are so unique. You get game shows, beach parties, deck parties, etc. I just feel like you dont get to see BSB in some of those environments anywhere else. Even outside of the events there is BSB-stuff everywhere! BSB TV, door decorations, music playing by the pool, etc. In the "real-world" I jump for joy hearing IWITW on the radio....on the cruise its everywhere. Like a magical Backstreet utopia!

Beyond BSB themselves- for me its all about hanging out with my friends & making new friends who all share the same level of passion I do for BSB. These people all understand 110% what the backstreet boys mean to me and its so nice to share this experience with them. You can walk up to anyone on that ship and just talk for hours to them sharing stories and experiences. This is really my favorite part! I know have so many life-long friends because of the past 2 cruises.

What's the worst part of the BSB cruise?

The only negative thing for me is that there is so much anticipation leading up to the trip and my expectations are so high for it that its tough for the cruise to live up to my expectations, though so far its been able to. Its just natural that things won't always go as you envisioned so I've found you can't let the little things get to you or it will ruin your trip. Things will inevitably go wrong. You might have someone spill a drink on your outfit you've been planning out for months. You might end up getting seasick. Whatever it is. Just stay optimistic and have the time of your life!

Any suggestions if I don't have anyone to travel with?

If you decide to come by yourself, they do have a roommate match program so they would pair you up with 1 other random roommate. I've heard mostly positive things about the program. Another idea is to search on the fanclub, twitter, or facebook for other people going and looking for roommates.There are a couple closed facebook groups that I'm more than happy to invite you to, just shoot me an email and I'll get you invited!

When we book a ticket, is there a payment program?

They do have a payment plan. If your room was $1000 you pay the $300 deposit, then $300 a few months later, and $400 for the final payment. And obviously that would adjust depending how much your cabin cost. Rose Tours requires 3 payments. But I know some people will call more frequently, say the end of every month, and pay less for each payment. I've found Rose Tours is very willing to work with you on your payment as long as they get their money at the end of the day.

How much time do you actually get with the Boys? 

So time with the boys...this is a tricky one to answer. As I've said numerous times, you need to go in with realistic expectations. If you think you're going to have dinner with Nick every night, you'll be sorely disappointed. There are 2000 girls on the ship and only so much BSB to go around. You can probably do the math. The only guaranteed interaction you have will be at the M&G/photo session. However I think its fair to say you'll see plenty of them. You'll prob see them wandering around the ship, at all the events, maybe catch them at a few of the meals, in the elevator, etc. My advice here is go in expecting very little interaction, and you can only be pleasantly surprised when you get more.

I'm traveling from overseas. Is it worth the thousands of dollars it would cost me to get there? Or should I just buy a VIP the next tour?

Well, I think so but with a few caveats. Obviously this is a trip you only consider if you can afford it. If you're going to rack up major credit card debt, it's not worth it. But assuming you can afford it, I think if the roles were reversed and the boys did a cruise outside the US; I would probably make a vacation of it and extend my trip. So I'd recommend anyone traveling to the states to take a few days to explore Florida, go to Disney World, or even fly to other major cities in the US that interest you.

I think a lot of this cruise is what you make of it. If you have a positive attitude and make the most of it, it will be a great trip and thus worth the money. My other advice is try to meet some new friends. That's one of the best parts for me. Being able to share your love for BSB with girls who feel the same. Plus theres a lot of down time. BSB doesnt entertain us 24/7. So having people to hang out with during those down times is great. The cruise is such a unique experience that you'll remember forever. A VIP is so quick. I def recommend the cruise over a VIP.

Do you have to participate in everything?

You dont have to participate in anything if you don't want to. A lot of people bring their boyfriends/husbands who dont really go to the events, they'll just choose to hit the casino or something instead. It's your vacation so you can do whatever you want. Some girls would rather go explore some of the islands rather than go to their beach party, because they've traveled so far to be there. But I do highly recommend in participating in everything they do.

Do you think booking the more expensive cabins are worth it in order to get better seats?

I personally don't think so, but I know many girls who disagree with me. My personal opinion on the matter is that its not worth the extra hundreds or even thousands of dollars to get a few rows closer. The lounge is small enough that even being in the last row isn't that bad. You'll have plenty of opportunity to see them up close around the ship and you also have to remember that not all the events are held in the lounge. Last cruise there were only 2 events in the lounge. Plus you could put that money towards another cruise or doing a VIP on tour. If you are lucky enough to book early and get a good reservation number, than you should be fine. My advice is save the money!

But to make Im impartial and present both sides, I have friends who did the suite. They like it and will do it again because they liked not having to worry about possibly being in the back and risk not being able to see.

If you book early, will you have a better seat for the BSB shows on board?

Yes, the earlier the book the better your seat should theoretically be. If you book a suite- it shouldn't really matter because you'll be guaranteed to be in the first 6 rows regardless. However if you're gonna book a cheap cabin like me, the earlier you book the better. They will assign the rest of the seats beyond the 6th row based on your reservation number. So the earlier you reserve, the closer you'll be to the stage.

How do they pick fans to participate in games/concerts/events?

Fans are picked differently depending on the event. For some events- like karaoke, you got an email before the cruise started and you could sign up. Then Rose Tours randomly selected a few people to be chosen. Then there's things like the prom queen, and those girls were chosen because they had a lucky item placed in their goody bags when they got in the room. So that was random.

The girls who got picked at the beach party were a mixture of the boys picking people on the spot. But also members of the Rose Tour staff seemed to be grabbing people to sign up as well. If you ever see a Rose Tour staff with a clip board before an event, thats generally where you should be. For the game shows- I think you have to show up early and Rose Tours staff was picking people. In 2013 they started drawing names from a bag, which I like because it gives everyone a fair shot. I think those are your primary ways to be chosen. I have yet to be picked for anything, so as always, take my advice with a grain of salt. But it seems to be a lot of luck or being in the right spot at the right time.

Will my cell phone work on the cruise?

When we're in the middle of the ocean- no, you will not have service. When we're docked in port, it will work, but if you're outside your country you will most definitely incur crazy roaming fees. My advice is to turn your phone off once we set sail and not turn it on until we're back in Miami. I've just heard such horror stories on coming back to obscene bills. If you simply can't go 3 days without your cell phone and need to get in touch with work or loved ones back home, I recommend checking with your carrier and adding the appropriate international voice/data plan.

When do we get the itinerary?

Two weeks before we set sail.

Do I have to tip?

No, your tip is included in your fees. Though feel free to leave an additional tip for your cabin steward or waiters if you feel they've gone above and beyond.

How much should I expect to spend?

In short, a lot. I'd budget at least $2,000 and even more depending on your cabin. The lowest I've heard someone spend on the entire experience was $1,800. Factoring in the cost of the cruise, travel, accommodations, pre-cruise shopping, merch/drinks on board, pre-cruise events, etc. It all adds up to a lot more than you'd anticipate.

How much cash/spending money should I bring? Do I even need to bring cash?

I personally am not a big spender on the cruise. The items that cost extra are drinks (including sodas), spa services, casino, shopping, specialty restaurants, excursions, cabanas, etc. But you don't pay cash for any of it- its all on your sail & sign card. You can tie your sail & sign card to your credit card and not have to worry about carrying cash at all on board.  Even the backstreet boys merchandise, you can charge to this card.
As for how much- it really depends on your spending habits. You can get out of there without spending any extra money- but realistically if you want some souvenirs and or splurge on any of the extras you'll want anywhere from $100-$300.

Are there professional photographers on board?

For BSB events- Justin will be taking pictures. He'll post them on backstreetboys.com afterward. Though in my opinion, there weren't a whole ton of pictures. There will also be a videographer, though for the 2011 cruise they never did anything with that footage. So I wouldn't count on these pictures, even though you'll see them feverishly taking videos/photo.

What does Group A do when Group B is having their event & vice versa?

Short answer- whatever you want! Generally when the other group is having their events, in some ways its a bit more relaxing because I know exactly where the boys are and that I cant run into them. But I also find I'm anxious because it KILLS me knowing they're doing a concert like 30 feet away and I'm not there. Some times the other groups event will be happening during your dinner. So you'll still have something to do. And if not Id suggest its a good time to relax, get ready for your next event, or even steal in a quick nap.

Will there be time to change for the theme nights?

In years past some people would get dressed before dinner- but i also feel it really depends on the theme. You could wear a prom dress to dinner, but not a Halloween costume. There is time in between events to change. Remember, they run on backstreet time! If they say the deck party starts at 12, you can safely assume the boys wont show up at that time. They're gonna be putting on a concert and then need to go get ready themselves. So dont stress about not having time.

The only caveat here is that like most events- the sooner you get to them, the better spot you'll have. So by taking that extra time to change later in the night, might set you back a tad. But if you're not the type who needs front row for everything, then you'll be fine. Plus its kind of hard to define what a good spot really is, because the guys move around the deck anyway.

How do you meet up with people? Should I bring walkie talkies?

I know I put walkie talkies on my packing list, and I've tried bringing them before but they ended up sitting in my suitcase. I found they were too burdensome to carry around. Maybe there are smaller models these days, but Im not sure. I ended up meeting my friends the old fashioned way, remember those days before cell phones? Yeah, we were able to function! So basically just deciding on when and where to meet. You can also call each others cabins, so jot down all your friends' numbers. Otherwise I find people generally hang in the same spots. Some will like to hang in the lido buffet, others by the pool, casino, etc. Generally if I wandered around for 10 minutes I could find my gang or I'd run into someone else I knew. The ship isn't that big.

I have a gift I'd like to give to the boys. How do I give that to them?

So here's the official word on gifts:
"Gifts will NOT be permitted at any BSB scheduled events. Gifts can be left at the hospitality desk. Please consult your itinerary for Hospitality Hours. Your gifts will be delivered to BSB."
I personally wouldn't want to leave a gift for them; half the fun there is seeing the reaction. But there is this option if you don't care about giving it to them directly. The only time you are guaranteed to interact with them is at the meet & greet, and they are VERY strict about not letting you bring anything in there. The only other way to get them a gift is getting lucky. You might have a chance elsewhere on the ship if you run into them. So if you're dedicated to the cause, you can carry it with you and hope you'll bump into one of the guys and give it to them then.

What do people wear to dinner?

Honestly you see a range of everything from fancier dresses to borderline t-shirts. You'll fit right in if you want to get dressed up. Though sometimes they have formal night where people do get a bit more dressed up. Personally I like to do a sundress to dinner on most nights.

FYI the dress code:
Ladies - Casual dresses, casual skirts or pants and blouses, summer dresses, Capri pants, dress shorts, jeans (no cut-offs). Not permitted in the dining room during the Cruise Casual dinner for ladies and gentlemen: shorts, gym shorts, basketball shorts, beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, cut-off jeans, & sleeveless shirts.

 

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!