Recap: Pre-cruise 2014

I can't believe I'm writing my 4th cruise review. Even after the fourth time around, it still feels like such a surreal experience and it still hits me like its the first. It still stings to cut off the wristband and post-cruise depression seems to only get worse each subsequent time. But I want to focus on all the highlights of my trip, starting at the beginning...

Wednesday, Oct 22nd - Nick & Knight

As soon as I heard that Nick would be performing with Jordan a couple of days before the cruise, I knew I had to be there. It seemed silly NOT to go if I was going to be in Miami a couple of days later anyway. Right?! So I flew into Fort Lauderdale that morning and had an uneventful flight. Just savoring those last few minutes of peace and quiet before the craziness that I knew would ensue.

Sure enough, I had a mild panic attack in the cab as I realized I left my concert tickets at home. I couldn't believe it. Very unlike me to forget something so important. Of course my head isn't thinking straight, so I'm mentally preparing just to buy another pair of tickets when I get to the venue. Fortunately my level-headed roommate Ana suggested I call Ticketmaster....and luckily they were able to help. Phew! I just had to switch my tickets to print-on-demand. Crisis averted! But I did learn an important lesson in the process. Triple check that packing list before leaving. And when all else fails, call Ticketmaster ;)

With my freshly printed tickets in tow, we headed to the venue to find a line of girls already wrapped around the building. I was so happy to reunite as well as meet so many friends before any Backstreet events had even officially started. I just wish I could pause time and be able to chat with everyone, it was so hectic. But a good kind of hectic.

Lucy and I at Nick & Knight

The gang at Nick & Knight

Rebecca and I at Nick & Knight

Stephanie, me, and Jessica and Nick & Knight

Me and Jocelyn at Nick & Knight

I clearly killed a lot of time in line taking pictures ;) Once inside, the soundcheck party was a bit of a clusterfuck, but what else is new? I should've expected that with such an anticipated large crowd. I still had a lot of fun though.

Before the show I was being a total dork and tried to recreate Nick's selfie....

The show itself was excellent. I won't go into details, but I did get abnormally excited when Nick mentioned that this concert was the best pre-cruise party ever. Totally agree! Whether you're a fan of the newly formed duo or not (and to clarify, I am a huge fan!) I think the 2 have an undeniable chemistry and they're a lot of fun to watch on stage together.

Nick & Knight bromance

Thursday, Oct 23rd - Nick's Acoustic Dinner

I woke up to another rainy morning in Fort Lauderdale, which kind of put a damper on my plans for the day. I was hoping to relax by the pool or beach and maybe get in a little shopping. Instead I decided to tag along with a few of my girlfriends who were doing brunch with Jordan, and just find somewhere to eat nearby. Alas, I couldn't quite justify the $215 price tag for brunch with Jordan. But at least it'd get me out of the hotel.

We all pile into the van and head over to the W. Just as we were pulling in, I notice a suspiciously familiar blond leaving the hotel. Eeeek - a Nick siting! Our timing was almost perfect. I think if we were 30 seconds earlier we could have caught him before he got in the van, but I will gladly still take a glimpse. And I wasn't about to go bother him, as he was clearly headed somewhere. I honestly didn't think he'd be staying where Jordan's brunch was held, I figure he headed to Miami the night before. But certainly no complaints from me!

So while a bunch of my friends head off to their brunch with Jordan, Cory and I decide to do our own brunch next door. Same delicious food at a fraction of the cost. And over brunch we streamed 'I Heart Nick Carter' on our phone since we missed it the night before. We were as happy as clams. Not to mention we did get a few peeks of Jordan as well.

Me watching 'I Heart Nick Carter' over brunch

Nothing eventful happened for the next few hours, we just made our way to Miami. So I'll fast forward to Nick's acoustic dinner.

Nick's Acoustic Dinner

I had sooo much luck this cruise and it actually started with getting picked to ride in the Wylee hummer over to the Wylee party. The initial plan was to head to the Marriott and be among the first to get a ride to the Wylee party, stay there for an hour or so, and then head over to Nick's dinner. I was hopeful that Nick would be running on Backstreet time, which would allow me to do both. However I realized that I was being overly ambitious and I didn't want to be late for Nick's event. So incredibly reluctantly I decided to just go to Nick's event early and plop myself in line so I could get a good spot.

Turns out, I think I made the right decision as Brian's event was running on Backstreet time. I really didn't think he'd be in the hummer, but he did drive the first batch of girls over to the event. From what I hear from those who went to Brian's event- it was very crowded and the venue really wasn't set up for this type of event. Brian did do pictures with everyone, which I was upset to miss. But unfortunately I just wasn't able to be in two places at once. Hopefully if and when they do this again, they'll coordinate so we're not forced to choose.

Back at the Hard Rock, I was one of the first few in the venue and was able to get a front row spot up front. My hours of waiting paid off. The event was not quite as "intimate" as Nick described. There were easily over 200 fans there. They really didn't keep us waiting too long at all. Shortly after everyone was seated, the food was out and Nick arrived. Nick essentially made his way around the entire room, chatted with fans, and took pictures with everyone. I was too nervous to eat as I watched him slowly make his way around the room. You'd think I'd never met the man before with how nervous I was.

Nick managing to surprise me

Finally he inched his way closer to my table, but somehow he still managed to catch me off guard as he popped up around a giant pillar. He was very sweet, and surprisingly didn't rush us at all. My friend, Anne Marie, and I chatted with him for a couple of minutes. We mentioned that at Jordan's brunch that morning they discussed the idea of doing Nick & Knight on the cruise. Jordan seemed actually really into the idea, but his take was that Nick didn't think the boys would go for it. We told Nick we would've loved to see a Nick & Knight show at the brunch. We also spoke to him about what he was recording earlier that morning, and he told us it was hopefully going to be new Backstreet music that he would pitch to the other guys. I joked with him that he really doesn't waste any time. I would think he'd want to rest up before the cruise, but no, instead he goes into the studio with his free morning. Again, not that I'm complaining. After a little more banter, we snap our pictures.

Nick and I (with Eddie photobombing)

I had to laugh because he made his way around another table or two and then came back to us. He approached me again putting his arms out for a hug, and I had to gently remind him that we already met. I probably should've kept my mouth shut to get another picture....but I wanted to be fair about it. I did take a second hug though. If Nick Carter comes up to you with his arms out, can't turn that down! I'm only human after all.

After I got to chat with Nick, I actually ate some of my dinner and went to the bathroom before the show started. I came back to find that about 20 girls had shoved their way in front of my friends and I. I can't even begin to tell you how upset I was. I felt like everyone was behaving so well and we were all being so calm and respectful, up until that moment. I watched girls literally try to crawl over fans in wheelchairs. I was so appalled. And the fact that security was doing nothing and just watching it all happen. I tried so hard to stay in the moment and not let it get to me...but its hard not to. Okay, sorry for the rant, but sadly I think many of you can relate to that feeling.

My friends and I at Nick's dinner

Back on track to the happy stuff. Nick finally took stage and his set was incredible. He joked that this was the longest meet & greet he ever did, which I believe. He sang 7 songs- I Got You, QPG, Falling Down, IWITW, Help Me, Incomplete, and Halfway There. He sounded phenomenal, it was just him and his guitar. My personal favorite was Help Me, just because I haven't heard that song in the longest time. He shared that his favorite place to play is in dive bars. He also apologized for the rainy Florida weather. And he teased that fans gave him a hard time for chewing gum as he was walking around, but said he needed it because he had bad breath.

Nick performing Help Me

It felt like I blinked and the show was over. I could've sat there for another 5 hours listening to him sing, but it was probably for the best that the evening come to an end so I could get back to the hotel and get some sleep before the cruise. I knew we had a busy few days ahead of us! 

MixTape Festival Recap

I know I'm super late on this review, but better late than never! I definitely wanted to share my experiences at MixTape Festival. I think I can best describe the event as an emotional roller coaster, which seems very fitting since we were just a few hundred yards away from Hershey Park and its crazy coasters. In all, I was super frustrated for a lot more of the weekend than I would've like to have been, but for the most part the Backstreet Boys and other artists at the event made up for it.

Friday

So after months of anticipation, the fun started off with a drive up to Hershey Park. Luckily we didn't hit traffic and made pretty decent time. I found it so overwhelming when I first arrived. We needed to check-in to the hotel, check-in for the VIP, meet up with friends, change, and grab some much needed lunch. Somehow we managed to get this all done, but not without a few hiccups. Any of you other attendees who did the VIP know what hiccups I'm referring to. But for those who did not, let's just say it was quite the cluster trying to check-in. They had 2 people checking in probably 2,000 people. People waited HOURS, to the extent where they had to miss the opening acts. Completely unacceptable for "VIP" treatment. But I was able to quickly put that behind me and kick the festival off with a bang.

Aaron Carter was the first to open up the set. Right before he came on, the sky opened up and it poured cats and dogs. Unfortunately his set got cut short; he only did 3 songs. This made me kinda mad because they had a DJ on after him. C'mon guys, cut the DJ short, not Aaron! I probably hadn't seen Aaron in 10+ years, so even though it was short-lived, it was a treat to see him. The whole time he was on stage I just couldn't get over how much he looked like his brother. Even the mannerisms were spot-on.

I can't be the only one who think he looks just like Nick.

In efforts to stay dry as much as I could, I decided to forgo my spot in front of the stage and hang out in the VIP tent. Word on the street was that Andrea Barber, or you may better know her as Kimmie Gibler, was wondering around and taking pictures. I didn't have any luck, so I decided to do my "free" massage. Very delightful 7 minutes indeed. Nothing horribly exciting happened the rest of the day. The New Kids kept popping into the VIP tent randomly. But never for more than 30 seconds at any given time. Just enough to get everyone screaming and then they'd leave.

Donnie saying hi in the VIP tent

By this point in the day, there were no artists I was particularly excited to see. Meanwhile the blockheads were already setting up camp, filling up the area in front of the stage. I pretty much just wandered around, trying to keep dry and wait for NKOTB and Kelly Clarkson. As the sky got darker, The Fray took the stage. I enjoyed their set, though overall it wasn't as lively and upbeat as I was hoping.

Me, Sara, and Ash looking oh so fashionable while trying to stay dry

Finally the New Kids on the Block were ready to come out. I noticed at the stage further from where they were supposed to perform, about 30 security guards huddled in 1 spot near backstage. Well if all my experiences have taught me nothing in life, where ever there are security guards there are musicians not too far away. My hunch proved to be right. The New Kids made a spectacular entrance and drove across the stadium. So at least I had a good view for a portion of the show.

The set was pretty much exactly the same as the set they do on NKOTBSB, even with all the remixes and stuff. The only difference was that they had a different opening song. I truthfully didnt mind the redundant set because I knew all the words, though it certainly would've been nice to see something at least a little different. Oh well. Had a great spot when the guys were in the middle.

My fave part of the show- Joey and his son singing Tonight

After New Kids, it was time for Kelly Clarkson. Thus I left the New Kids set a song or 2 early and this proved to be a great decision because I was able to get front row for Kelly. This is also thanks to Ash and Cort. Thanks girls! Her set was great. I love how humble and down-to-earth she is. I felt slightly bad because there didn't seem to be too many people who watched her. Once again, I think all the blockheads were waiting to see the New Kids at the after party. However, in the middle of her set, Joey came out and did a song with her. That was pretty neat. But I still think my favorite part of her set was Breakaway. I just love that song.

Front row for Kelly Clarkson

So after Kelly was the after party. I wasnt sure what to expect, but by the time I got there the place was a zoo. I pretty much just stayed long enough to see the New Kids say 'hi' and then left. The problem was I couldn't really see or hear them, so I felt there was no point in staying there any longer, especially considering I knew I needed my rest for Saturday.

Saturday

Saturday was the day with literally everything going on! I knew it would be an exhausting day, and boy was it. First on the agenda was supposed to be our meet & greet with New Kids on the Block. Or so we thought. And so we were told. But clearly I had too much faith in the organizers. I should've known better. After waiting probably about an hour, being escorted into the tent where the New Kids were taking their pictures, all the VIP Bs were escorted out of line and told to go back later. Ugh, are you kidding me? Not only did this now mean we had a conflict with the BBQ, but they specifically told us we would be "fast-passed" And it meant our pain-staking efforts of finding a group with 2 Danny girls was all for nothing. I think that it what made me cry the most.

BSBBQ

Well, after the crew and even my friends had to practically drag me out of line without our M&G, we headed off to the BSBBQ. Which was also a cluster of disorganization that I wont even get into or it will make me upset. Before I get into the fun stuff, my only other complaint was the location because everyone in the stadium could see what was going on, as well as all the folks waiting to take their picture with New Kids. I realize I'm getting nit picky in an otherwise great event, but those were my few negatives on this. But as someone who paid $250, I expect a bit more organization from GroundCtrl and I would've liked to see it held in a bit more of a private location.

Anyway, the Backstreet Boys showed up about an hour late, which was pretty good for them. Before they showed up- I spent 5 minutes of that time enjoying my hotdog. The rest of the time I frantically tried to find 3 other people to complete our NK picture group, that was messed up earlier. I felt like a lawyer as I negotiated between everyone. "Okay, if she stands next to Danny would you be willing next to stand next to Jon? Well, let me check with my group and I'll get back to you with a counter offer." I think I ran back and forth like 5 times, but we were eventually able to close the deal and miraculously found 2 Danny girls. I think I deserve a medal for that one.

Once the Backstreet Boys showed up, they didn't have mics so it was a little tough to hear them. But they gave a quick little intro on their loudspeakers and said they'd be coming by to mingle and play games with us. As most of the girls swarmed the tables where they were, I decided to hang back a bit with my friends and see if being patient and not a crazy person might pay off. Unfortunately it did not pay off. Major bummer. I'm a little regretful and wish I was a bit more proactive, because it seems most other people who attended the BBQ had really great stories. But alas, I cant be everywhere at once.

I found the event almost too overwhelming to process. You had each of the 4 guys scattered around the lawn, so I was torn on where to go! AJ was serving food, but I had already eaten so I didnt feel the need to go get more food. Nick was swarmed. Or at least he appeared to be. Howie was also going from table to table. And Brian was doing Wylee pre-orders. I didn't buy anything, but my friend Jessica did and was so gracious as to let me hop in the picture with her.

Me, Brian, and Jessica at the BBQ

After I got my pic with Brian, they started the games. They played cornhole and horseshoes with some fans. This was fun to watch. Each of the boys selected 3 fans to play with. So I felt like you could get a front row watching any one of them. I hopped around a bit to see each guy play.

Comical Video of Nick and AJ at the BBQ

AJ playing horseshoes

Nick trying to fix the horseshoe pole

After some of the games, I also snagged a picture with Howie. I was pretty pleased with how it came out. I was also pleased with just the overall event. I thought all the guys were in great spirits. Even Nick. They all took a bunch of pictures, really chatted with the fans, and seemed to be enjoying themselves. I really hope they decide to do more events like this in the future.

Me, Howie, and Kristen

After the fun and games, they did the meet & greet picture. Our group proved to be super disorganized. They were supposed to be in groups of 10, which we did. But we had no game plan and thus our picture turned out a bit chaotic. At least its a good representation of MixTape overall.

When I met the guys, they all commented on our shirts. Even though I cant take credit for making them, I do take credit for wearing it with pride.

New Kids on the Block Meet & Greet

After the BSB meet & greet, we hightailed it over to the New Kids meet & greet for take 2. I was so proud of myself for organizing our group after it was messed up earlier. However those efforts also proved to be in vain, because one fan who was leaving the event told us that the groups were all off sync and they were just taking the next 10 girls in line. Not the preorganized groups. Are you F-ing kidding me MixTape?? I'm not sure these people realize how much effort goes into these picture groups. I personally don't really care, but a lot of girls do.

Well, we finally made our way up to the front of the line. I was kinda nervous to meet them, since Ive never met them before. I don't know them nearly as well as I do the Backstreet Boys, nor do I honestly care as much.  Though all the chaos seemed to help keep me distracted. I was just so busy trying to arrange our groups such that everyone was as happy as possible.

However as we inched closer and closer to the front of the line, I could see the New Kids and to be frank, how miserable they looked. I think we must've been the 1200th or people they met that day, and it showed on their face. But despite how tired they were, they all very super pleasant to meet. I was impressed. Despite all the madness, our picture came out great.

Is it bad to say I was just happy I didn't have to stand next to Danny?

The Remainder of Saturday

The rest of the day was filled with lots of great artists and fun. The Wanted. LL Cool J. Carly Rae Jepsen. I found myself to be rather antsy that day and bounced around from either stage, the Wylee Party, and the VIP tent. Just trying to keep cool amid all the acts. Plus I was trying to spend a little bit of time with all my friends and fam.

Me and Kristen

Me and my bro

I tried multiple times to see Brian at the Wylee party. It probably took a good 3-4 hours before the crowds finally died down and I could actually make my way up front. He was so gracious doing autographs for everyone. I was actually able to chat with him for a hot second. I just told him how great the bbq event was and that we'd love to see more of those types of events in the future. In typical Brian fashion, he just made a joke about he was really hoping to be grilling at the event and was disappointed to see that it was catered.

Brian at the Wylee Party

Another highlight of the day for me was seeing 98` reunite. I had never seen them before, but I had their CDs back in the day so it was a lot of fun to see them perform. The great thing about seeing them was that I think 90% of the crowds were camped out on the other stage by that point. So I was able to walk up last minute and get a pretty decent view. See pic below.

98`

Then was the main event. NKOTBSB! Another fantastic performance by both groups. It didnt really occur to me until we were at the concert that this would be THE last time NKOTBSB would be performing, for well...indefinitely. That made it really special. My friend Ash also pointed out either during IWITW or SMTMOBL that this would be the last performance by the Backstreet Boys without Kevin. And as a Howie girl, she was rather upset this would be the last time Howie sung Kev's verses. I never thought of that either! So it was a bitter sweet moment. I was just happy to be a part of it.

The show was pretty much what you're used to seeing. They had a few fun/unique moments though. I loved when Brian and AJ came out during Please Don't Go Girl. Clearly AJ sings that much better than Joey. The Wanted also came out at one point and they sang Im Glad You Came. So definitely a fun show!

After the concert, they had the after party in the VIP tent. It was a bit more lively that night because the New Kids and even some Backstreet Boys showed up. Sadly the one thing I got out of this experience was just how much more interactive the New Kids are. It pains me to admit it, but just in the hour or so I was there that night, I could see how the New Kids cruise would be a lot more fun. I see Donnie and Joey working the crowd while Howie is standing there with his beer watching them. I wanted to run up to Howie and yell, "Do something!" But hey, at least Howie showed up. And surprisingly Brian showed up for a bit as well.

The gang at the after party

Softball Game

This was a fun event! Nick didn't show up, and I think Team Backstreet definitely needed him. Though Im not sure it would've helped. We ended up losing 4 to 9. But we sure put in a solid effort. I think I'll let the pictures/videos speak for themselves on this portion, as this post is running a lot longer than intended.

The New Kids celebrating One Out

Brian trying to get the ball from Donnie's dog

Donnie enjoying what I can only imagine to be a beer at 10am

Howie at bat

Jon didn't play. But was quite entertaining to watch in the dugout with Joey's son

AJ playing in the field

New Kids vs BSB Cruise

So this is a post I had really wanted to write myself. But at the end of the day I decided not to do the New Kids cruise. Thus today I present to you, the lovely Cortney Gusek. She just got back from the New Kids cruise and I really enjoyed her review and analysis on how it compared to the BSB cruise. Even though they are 2 different groups, the cruises are still organized by the same company so I think it's interesting to see what BSB does better and where BSB has room to improve. Cortney is a Nick/Donnie girl from Ontario, Canada. She's super friendly so be sure to check her out on facebook and make a new BSB friend today :)

New Kids Cruise vs BSB Cruise

As most of you know I am a die hard BSB fan and always will be. However, the summer of 2011 changed my life when I discovered the Backstreet Boys were joining forces with New Kids on the Block to form NKOTBSB for the ultimate boy band experience.

Now I will be the first to admit I had never been a fan of the New Kids and wasn’t really familiar with them so going on this tour was strictly for BSB. I bought tickets to 4 shows along with Backstreet VIP’s. I was ready to turn on my inner fangirl for BSB when BAM, the curtain dropped and my world spun upside down. I was thrown for a loop as I found myself quickly swooning over 5 New Kids I never even knew existed!

After the first NKOTBSB show I knew I was doomed! Before I knew it I was purchasing tickets to 2 more shows and trying to get an NKOTB VIP with no luck – SOLD OUT! I had a lot to learn about these guys but the first thing I discovered was an entire Block Nation of fans who knew exactly what they were doing!

And so began my new found fandom for NKOTB. A small part of me felt guilty, like I was turning my back on BSB. Then I realized that was impossible! BSB would always be my #1, having been a fan since I was 9, you can’t take that away. And there’s no such thing as too much boy band love. The more I learned about NKOTB, the more I realized how very different these two groups really are. Yes they are both singing groups comprised of men with crazy and dedicated fans that defy time, but that is about as far as the similarities go.

Please remember that this review is simply my thoughts and perspective on these two bands, both of which are near and dear to my heart. I do not mean to insult or offend anyone in any way and you can take this however you’d like.

You may find it hard to believe but I never realized how reserved BSB really are. Compared to NKOTB they are squeaky clean! I can’t really decide if that is a good thing or not. In some ways it shows they are professional and stay true to the image they want to portray, however it makes me wonder if they are 100% genuine. Backstreet are always good to their fans and try to make us feel involved. I have never been disappointed in any VIP experience and they always perform their hearts out!

BUT, NKOTB really don’t hold back. They know who their fans and audience are. They realize we have grown over the years and treat us such. They aren’t afraid to say exactly what they think, they don’t censor their language, and I just get a sense that they are being real all the time! And I hate to say it but I have never seen any New Kid with their nose buried in a cell phone during a VIP or interview.

Is it fair to say BSB has taken some ideas from NKOTB with regards to VIP’s and other added features for the fans? Yes. And is it fair to say BSB might have some improving to do? Sadly, I think so. It’s no secret BSB fans have suggestions on how to make the VIP’s better and I think there is always room for improvement, even with NKOTB. But since I have not experienced an NKOTB VIP I’ll call this a tie since I don’t think either group will 100% make every fan happy.

Now for what you’ve all been waiting for, the Cruises!!! I went on the first two BSB Cruises in 2010 and 2011. I had already book the BSB 2011 Cruise when we found out that the New Kids were having their Cruise in 2012. While we were caught up in the moment on the NKOTBSB tour we said “screw it” and booked the New Kids Cruise too! After having experienced both group’s Cruises, I can tell you there were definite similarities and differences!

Let’s start from the beginning. On the first day we board the boat. We knew the guys have to get on the boat somehow and based on the BSB Cruise we had a good idea of where to stand in the lobby to get a good view. We thought we were being smart by heading to the Port at 10:30am when boarding didn’t even begin until noon. Boy were we in for a shock when we arrived only to find the lobby already ¾ filled with fans! These Block Heads don’t mess around. Right away I could sense the difference. Both bands had a full charter boat but BSB never sold out, whereas New Kids sold out almost right away! There were so many girls in this little terminal that I began to get a little nervous. This was a whole new ball park! Moral of the story, I learned right away that the BSB Cruise was way more mellow than a New Kids Cruise, if you can believe that!

So we didn’t get the greatest view of the guys boarding and we waited twice as long to get on board but all was going well. Once on board, we headed for the Lido deck to get some lunch while waiting for our room. Just like the BSB Cruise, the guys were having lunch in the same area at the same time. The difference…the New Kids stayed on the top floor and sent their security down to get their food. I found that BSB were able to mingle a little better and sat on the main floor, stood in line at the buffet with fans, etc. But maybe that is because they had less of crowd to deal with than New Kids, who knows?

After eating we took a quick stop at our rooms to freshen up before heading to the Sail Away deck party. First of all I have to say I like the Destiny better then Imagination. The deck allows a way better view anywhere you stand and seems more roomy. But none the less, there were still those crazy fans who staked their claim on the prime spots and “camped out” for hours. Some things will never change for either group!

New Kids Sail Away Party

First I have to address the weather. The BSB Cruise was in December both years so it was usually quite cool and windy. At the time I hated it but what I wouldn’t have done for it to be cold again. Florida in Jun is friggin’ HOT! For me the Sail Away party was the worst. It was in the middle of the day, in the blazing sun, and we were crammed on a deck filled with 3,000 screaming fans! I was miserable…until the guys appeared and then the weather was the last thing on my mind! I am curious to know what it was like cruising in May – maybe next year??!!!

Along these lines was the rockiness of the boat. In December I found the water to be a bit more rough. I handled the movement fine but some people were out of commission for the first day and missed all events because they were so sea sick. In June, I didn’t even know I was on a boat most of the time so that was a huge plus!

Another major difference at the deck parties was that NKOTB had 3 small stages on the main level of the deck. Just like BSB they came out on the top deck by the railing but quickly made their way to the lower stages. I found this amazing since it allowed us to have a good view of each of them no matter where we were standing. The guys also took turns switching spots, crowd surfing through the fans to get from one stage to another or just walking through everyone! Each guy only had one security guard and I found they were really good at staying back and not being too pushy with fans. BSB did make an attempt to walk through the fans but it was literally a few minutes, quickly walking past everyone from one set of stairs to the other and back to the safety of the top deck with two security around each of them! Whereas the New Kids spent almost the entire night on the deck mingling with the fans.

Another huge difference between the two groups was that New Kids were constantly signing autographs for fans. If you were gutsy enough to go into the sea of fans in front of the stages and hold up something you were guaranteed to get it signed. The guys would also grab cameras and snap shots of themselves or with fans. They were just way more interactive! If you were like me and stayed back on the tiered railings you weren’t out of luck either. Some of the guys weren’t afraid the venture up further for us less “aggressive” fans! If I could suggest anything to BSB it would be to loosen up and trust your fans a bit more. We pay a lot of money to be there so try to make it a little more worth while.

I also found that the New Kids spent a lot more time on the microphone. As much as BSB tried to party I hate to say they really have nothing on NKOTB. These guys can drink and really know how to have a good time. They dance, pull fans on stage to dance with them, sing along to songs, give speeches, tell jokes, etc. Yes there were a few funny moments on the BSB Cruise and the guys had their fair share of drinks, etc. but I just found I spent a lot of time watching BSB hang out with each other and their friends/family from behind the railing and only occasionally addressing the fans.

New Kids at Pajama Night

One thing both groups need to improve on is the DJ! How many times can we hear the same song in one night? And it would be nice if we could hear an entire song in full before it gets cut off by another crappy song half way through. And seriously, enough with the blow horn – we get it! P.S. – theme nights usually mean we would like to hear songs that match that theme. We can hear the top 20 on the radio any day! And on a side note, 90’s does not equal all rap – seriously know your audience!

Moving on… be prepared to not sleep, on any cruise! Those deck parties go to the wee hours of the morning and you’ll have to get up the next morning to do it all again. Wear comfy shoes!!! I paid the price on this cruise by wearing flip flops the whole time and my feet got so swollen from the heat and never sitting down. Comfort is key!!!

Next up…Beach Party. I have to say neither group had the best Beach Party. For Backstreet we were taken to the beach where it was a free for all to get spots in front of the stage. We had to eat our lunch in the sand at our spot because there was no tables and we waited for over 3 hours until the guys finally arrived. Once they got there it was great though. They sang a couple acapella songs and played a bunch of beach games. I found BSB got the fans more involved and spent more time on the beach playing games. They moved around and divided into two groups so there were more options for fans to get a good view at the guys doing something.

With New Kids they offered a reserved area for priority wrist bands, which I was lucky enough to have however, we were the first ones to get off the boat and had to stand in a line away from the beach for hours until we were finally let into the area closer to the stage. We were dying from standing in the heat all day but luckily the reserved area went into the water so we opted to stay a bit further back to cool off. The regular wrist bands were being kept off to the sides of this area but it was not officially blocked off. We thought we had it good until suddenly the stupid security guards let EVERYONE rush the stage at the last minute right before the guys arrived and they all ran in front of us in our reserved area so in the end we had a crappy view after standing in a line all day while the others got to relax on the beach and then took our spots. I was pissed!

A note for next year, the reserved area should be roped off right into the water and monitored better by security to make it fair for those who were supposed to have the priority wristbands. It’s a “reserved” area for a reason!

But in the end, having a reserved area at the beach for wristbands is a great idea that BSB should consider too, it just needs to be organized better!

I also wasn’t a fan of the concert being on the beach for NKOTB. Because of the heat they only sang a few songs, whereas BSB had a full on concert with lights and effects back on the boat. I think it’s more fair to have the concert in the theatre on the boat where everyone has an assigned seat instead of the mayhem that took place on the beach with general seating!

I found the New Kids only did a few beach games and even though they brought up fans, they themselves didn’t really participate in the games as much as BSB did so there was less interaction. They only spent a couple hours total on the beach whereas BSB were there all day with us! I think the Beach Party needs a lot of improvements for both groups and it’s hard to say which was better or worse.

Donnie at the beach party

Now for the photo-op. This too was a mess for both groups. We are told to pre-arrange groups with two fans per guy. This is easier said than done! When you finally have your group formed you spend most of the day standing in a long line waiting nervously to meet the guys. And when you finally get there, it’s over in a blink of an eye. It also doesn’t help having security yelling at you the whole time to keep it moving, turn around and snap/flash, get out! What just happened??? Both groups spend about a millisecond giving each person a quick hug and a half-hearted hello. It always seems like they are pre-occupied and bored which really doesn’t help.

I understand it must be tough taking photos all day and meeting 3,000 fans but there really HAS to be a better way to organize this! Just don’t ask me how! My only suggestion to make up for this a little bit is to give each fan a autographed photo like at the BSB VIP so everyone walks away with something. It’s the least they can do when we spend so much really!

Ok back to the positive…shows on the boat! I have to say I LOVED the shows put on in the theatre. First was the game show. I thought NKOTB Squares was hilarious but they should have invited one fan to sit with each of the guys to play together to make it more interactive rather than having all the fans off to the side. Other than that it was great. BSB also did a great job at their game shows each year and they really know how to involve the fans so I have no complaints there!

NKOTB on the other hand had extra shows in the theatre that BSB didn’t. They divided it into two days with two guys each day. Danny’s show was really moving and raw and the Joe Show was hilarious! He is so talented, I would pay just to see him perform that alone. Then there was the Backrub which I really have no words for and only wish I could have brought my camera but what happens on the boat stays on the boat (sorta)! And I couldn’t have been more excited to see Jordan perform his Live & Unfinished show again, and he didn’t disappoint! There really is nothing I would do differently about these shows!

BSB on the other didn’t do anything above and beyond like this to showcase themselves as individuals or even offer extra events in the theatre. So I think that is something they should consider adding for the next cruise because it really does make a huge difference. We get to see them more and having it in the reserved seating theatre is very fair!

Each group also offered a gift bag and it’s hard to say which was better. NKOTB had a drawstring beach bag as the actual gift bag whereas BSB had a cheap plastic bag. NKOTB had sunglasses and chap stick whereas BSB had trinkets that matched each theme night to bring with you to the deck parties. Another thing I liked with BSB was they planted 5 golden ducks one year and 5 golden crowns the next year and whoever had these items in the gift bag got to go on stage with the guys on one theme night to hang out with them. However, NKOTB had a water bottle which was by far the best gift! We brought it with us to the beach which was a lifesaver and then used it for the deck parties so we didn’t have to keep buying drinks! Perfect!

I think overall I saw BSB around the boat more but that could be because the boat was less full and a downfall was they always had tons of security. I only saw NKOTB a couple times and they passed by quickly but I did see that Donnie and Danny signed almost everyone’s door decorations that I passed by which means they took the time to walk around and leave autograph’s which is awesome!

Doing these cruises can’t be easy for either group and I’m so glad they put in the effort to do this year after year but I still think there can be improvements. I had an amazing time on each cruise I’ve been on and I’m sure it won’t be my last! I can’t say that one group is any better than the other but the best way I can describe it is they are very different!

I said from the get-go that I have always been a BSB fan and they will always be #1 but they’d better watch out because they have some serious competition!!! After this summers’ NKOTBSB tour and the New Kids Cruise I now officially call myself a Blockhead even though BSB will always be in my heart! I can’t even imagine what the future holds…all I know is I’m in trouble!!!

Backstreet Townhall

I've been reading how the New Kids do a townhall meeting with their fans where essentially the fans have the floor to speak their mind and tell them what they'd like to see in the future. I've never been to this event, but I still liked the concept and thought it would be nice if our boys did the same thing.

So now I'm pretending that BSB did do a townhall concept. Here are a few things that I would like to suggest to them for future improvements as well as some fun things I'd love to see them do.

1. First and foremost we need a new album. Never Gone was released in 2005; Unbreakable in 2007; and This is Us in 2009. So by that pattern we should've had an album last year! We are way overdue.
   
   
2. More consistency in the VIP experience for sound check parties. I'm sympathetic that sometimes things come up that are beyond their control which translates into last minute changes. But aside from that, I don't think its fair that sometimes there are barricades and sometimes there aren't. Sometimes they do more songs than others. Sometimes they'll handle the Q&A differently. And don't even get me started on how different the platinum VIPs can differ. I do like the fact that each boy does their tour a little different to suit their personality, but it still doesn't feel right that Brian may spend upwards of 45 minutes doing a Q&A before the tour actually starts where Nick's whole tour lasts 10 minutes. Even Howie himself has joked that he would ask for his money back if he had Nick as a tour guide. If we're all paying the same amount, we should all largely have the same experience? 


3. I'm not sure how best to articulate this thought, but we need an improvement on the end to end management of events. Fans are starting to feel like they are being financially taken advantage of. For me personally, my issue isn't in the prices of the events themselves (though I certainly wouldn't complain if they lowered the cost of things) but rather on how the whole thing is being handled.
   
   On the front end, events are not always clearly outlined on just exactly what is and is not included in the price. Fans are feeling confused and mislead through vague terminology in event descriptions/ads. Example- This whole debacle with the MixTape barbeque or even the beach party for the first cruise later being announced as an additional charge. Had they been up front from the beginning that these types of things are an addon, then people wouldn't be as upset. In the future I would like to see things very explicitly written out. For example, "Photo op" is too vague for my liking. They need to say "Meet & greet with 5 fans per picture guaranteed" or they need to say "BSB will be taking pictures at their own discretion so no one is guaranteed a photo." I think simply by using more clear wording should hopefully avoid fans feeling deceived going forward.
   
   I also feel like things need to be done on the back end to better resolve scenarios that didn't live up to what was promised. As I said before, I'm understanding that things come up last minute that might elicit changes, but the reality is that if what I bought isn't what was delivered, there should be some sort of restitution. If I bought a VIP ticket that promised 3 songs or bought a group picture that was supposed to have 5 people, its simply not right if I'm not compensated when they only do 2 songs or last minute enforce a picture with 8 fans. This is when I really start to feel taken advantage of because I'm not getting what I paid for. In any other business scenario, that is how it works. If I were to order a pepperoni pizza at a restaurant and they brought out cheese. I'd think to myself, 'Self, this pizza is absolutely delicious but I paid extra for pepperoni so I better get a pile of pepperonis to go or the amount I paid for the extra topping back." Sorry for the food analogy, I'm hungry. I would just like to see us fans treated as any other consumer. We pay a lot for this stuff so we deserve a bit more customer service.
   
   I hope you don't take this massive rant as complaining, but rather I view it is an opportunity for improvements in the future.
   
   
4. I'd love to see some different pre/post concert events besides an after party at a club. Obviously after parties aren't suited for all members of the Backstreet Boys so perhaps they should do another fun event before the concert that can better incorporate all members. I've heard a little about these brunches that Jordan Knight does and I thought that would be a ton of fun to do with BSB. I wouldn't mind eating an omelet with Howie D.
   
   
5. Release a DVD from the NKOTBSB tour. And an international version of the This is Us Tour while they're at it. Its been over a week since I've dropped money on our boys, so I'm overdue to spend more money on them. But I can't do that unless they give me something to spend it on.
   
   
6. Do more atypical concerts such as the unplugged concert on the second cruise where fans can pick songs that Nick doesn't know the lyrics to. Or do more acoustic shows with the Q&A weaved throughout the event. I love the full stage production shows, but the concerts where the boys are more 'raw' are by far my fave.
   
   
7. Try to add a little more value to the Fan Club. We're essentially paying $40/year for access to a few pre-sales. I'd love to see the boys do more chats or exclusive videos. Just SOMETHING.
   
   
8. Do more big events similar to the cruise. I'm not sure I can dream up anything better than the cruise, but I love the concept that we have the opportunity to spend more time with the boys outside of just your normal concert. I love interacting with the guys in different ways like game shows, Q&A, etc. The fans get really pumped for big events like this so I think they should do more of them. They could do something like a cruise on land- some sort of Backstreetfest weekend. Even though my wallet is already trying to seal itself up at the mere mention of it.
   
   
9. So now I'm getting into a few cruise specific suggestions. My latest brainchild was to have one of the themed deck parties in the afternoon as opposed to late at night. Think luau themed pool party in the afternoon with pool games. We know Brian doesn't like these late night events. Meanwhile AJ doesn't exactly thrive in that environment either. So I'd be interested to see if our boys might be more engaged and energetic in the afternoon than these late-night deck parties. Plus I think it would be fun to try something different.
   
   
10. Something else I'd really like to see on the cruise is each of the boys doing their own event on the cruise. I've mentioned this before, but if each BSB does a solo event, that's 4 (hopefully 5) more events for us fans and not much extra work on their part. I think it could be a great opportunity for some of them to either promote their solo material or just pick an activity that is better suited for their individual personalities.
    
    
11. Actually have a townhall meeting so I can share #'s 1-10 with the Backstreet Boys.

So what would be your question/comment if there was a Backstreet townhall?

No More Complaining

First let's take a look at the Backstreet Cruising experience as a whole:

Complaining about the Backstreet Boys isn’t something you can avoid, it’s a primary feature of the cruise. The BSB fan club probably would’ve collapsed due to lack of interest if people didn’t have various aspects of the cruise to bitch about. We should be applauding Ground Ctrl and Rose Tours for keep coming back to plan more cruises for us in spite of all the complaints they receive. Not to mention the Backstreet Boys as well.

It always amazes me that fans seem to complain no matter what. I think we're all guilty of it at times, myself included. It's almost tough not to when the expectations are so high. But I decided I'm going to tackle some of those more common complaints and give you my opinion on the matter.

"How they pick the fans that participate in the events isn't fair."

I'd say this is the number one complaint. I've heard fans complain about how the staff picks fans on the spot isn't fair. How it shouldn't be based off of physical appearance. I've heard how they pick them randomly in advance isn't fair. It should be based off of who puts the most effort into the theme outfit, door, etc. The reality is that the process will be fair for those who end up getting picked, and isn't fair for those that don't. End of story. This will never change no matter how they pick fans.

 "The Backstreet Boys aren't spending enough time with the fans."

I personally think this complaint goes back to having unrealistic expectations. I don't think its feasible that the boys are with us every minute of the day. They need a break. I know if I was in the midst of all that craziness I couldn't handle it for more than the amount that they do. I'd obviously love if they could spend more time with us, but I certainly don't fault them for not doing so. I say take what you can get. I feel like I get to spend more time with them in 1 hour of the cruise than I do in an entire year of random BSB events.

"The Backstreet Boys aren't interacting enough with their fans."

I just am not sure what some fans expect. They must think Nick is going to tuck them every night. I personally disagree with this and think they do a great job of interacting with the fans. The only reason they don't do it more is our own behavior. If we didn't act like wild animals around them, they'd be more inclined to spend more time mingling with us. Once again, I think it goes back to having unrealistic expectations.

"The BSB cruise isn't as good as the New Kids cruise because the New Kids are a lot more hands on."

I get irritated when people compare BSB to New Kids in this fashion because its like comparing apples and oranges. They're completely different people. If New Kids are more hands on, that's because its their personality to be that way. Our boys maybe aren't as hands on but that's why I love them. I don't expect Brian to be ripping his shirt off at the beach or grinding with girls in the club like Donnie might. And I don't expect AJ to be out late every night and partying like Jordan might do because it means he's staying healthy and sober. And if Howie or Nick were as "hands on" and dancing with every girl on the ship, I would probably lose some respect for them. I just don't think you can compare what New Kids are doing to what BSB is doing. Sorry for the rant but thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

"It costs too much money for what we're getting."

Yes the trip costs a lot of money but I personally feel its a great value. If you consider that they charge $520 for a platinum VIP which lasts maybe an hour; the cruise costs an average of $1,000-$2,000 for 3-4 full days with the Backstreet Boys. It is what it is, so in my mind there's no use complaining about it.

These are just a few of the complaints I hear a lot. There are tons and tons more. I could have a whole separate blog just addressing complaints of the cruise. I can only imagine what sort of things Rose Tours must see on a daily basis.

As I said, we're all guilty of voicing a few complaints. I know I've done it before so hopefully you don't think I'm too hypocritical. But now that my head is slightly out of the BSB Cruise fog I can now step back and look at it with a level head. I realize there's really a method to their madness and I shouldn't be so quick to complain. Sometimes we all just need to step back and remember how special of an opportunity this is and check the complaints at the door.

2011 in Review

I can't believe 2011 is over. It was most definitely the year of the Backstreet Boys for me. Though I did manage to have a lot of other fun outside of BSB. I'm a tad late on this entry, but I thought I'd reflect back over the year over some of the highlights.

January

• I must've still been recuperating from the first BSB cruise because I sadly can't remember much anything exciting that happened this month.
  

February

• Another boring month for me as I tend to hibernate in the winter. Sorry for the slow start, it gets better though.

March

• Backstreet Cruise 2011 officially announce. Let the excitement begin.
• Got promoted to Sr. Marketing Specialist at my company. Good timing too because I needed the extra money to fund the cruise.

April

• I took a trip up to New York City. Not to see famous art, not to enjoy great good, nor see famous landmarks. But to see celebrities! We went to see a live taping of Regis and Kelly as well as The View. Between both of those shows and running into a few celebs near Broadway I saw John Krasinski, Orlando Bloom, Tim McGraw, and Chris Rock. I'm such a celeb whore.
  

  

  Me and Regis Philbin. I didn't want to post this picture because I look awful, but reluctantly posted it anyway.

• Also managed to go south to Atlanta to visit my old college roommate. Is it sad that the entire time I was on constantly on high Brian alert? Sadly a small part of me really thought I'd actually run into him.
• Got swept up in the hype of the Royal Wedding. My friends and I did our own Royal Wedding Brunch. We got dressed up, made mimosas, and even had a wedding cake. I wish I could do this more often.
  
  

May

• First NKOTBSB show in Baltimore. Such a great thrill seeing that show for the first time.
• Celebrated my 5 year anniversary with the boyfriend. <3Time has flown by.

June

• NKOTBSB show #2 in DC. Highlight being when Nick and Brian came down my aisle for SOMH and shook my hand.
  
  
  Nick and Brian at the DC show
• NKOTBSB show #3 in Philadelphia. This was probably the turning point of when I actually started to paying attention to the New Kids and didn't view them as "in the way" of our Backstreet Boys. Good show. I also remember AJ playing on his segue outside before the concert started.
• NKOTBSB show #4 in Nashville. First trip to Tennessee. Saw an old friend from high school, met up with awesome friends I met on the cruise, went to my first Wylee party, randomly saw Donnie walking down the street. And just when you didn't think it could get any better, I met AJ and Howie in the middle of the concert. Lots of highlights in Nashville.
  
  

  

  Me and AJ

July

• Took a trip to see Niagara Falls and Toronto with my best friend of 20 years. And surprisingly it wasn't to see BSB. I was able to cross another thing off the ole bucket list though.
  

  

  At Niagara Falls

• NKOTBSB show #5 in Atlantic City with my bro. By the 5th show, I got a lot of my excitement out of watching my brother see the show for the first time. Also met up with a bunch of friends I hadn't seen since the cruise, which was delightful. Then we headed to Harrah's for Nick and Howie's after party. Not the best of experiences, but I did get some chap stick from Howie.
• Final NKOTBSB show in Hershey. Finished it off with a bang by doing Platinum VIP and had Nick as my tour guide. Believe it or not, this was my first sound check party ever and I got to ask the boys a question, which was fabulous. They actually had their attention on ME for all of 3 seconds. The concert was just as amazing as the previous 5 shows. It was an outdoor venue, which was different. My only complaint was that I was hoping it would rain so we could see some wet Backstreet Boys. No such luck.
  

  

  Me and Nick

August

• Traveled up north to visit my backstreet girls at the shore, as the New Jersians refer to it. We had a classic Backstreet weekend watching old VHS tapes and had a ball.
  

  

  I hadn't played this in sooo long. Remember the little planes?

September

• Went out to the west coast to San Francisco, all the while on my company's dime. That really is the best way to travel. Even though I was there for a work, I got to explore the city. I saw everything except the Full House house, which was really the only thing I wanted to see. Oh, I also somehow found myself front row at a Metallica concert. Talk about random. I don't even know any Metallica songs. That was the furthest thing from a Backstreet concert as you could get.
  

  

  At a Metallica concert. How come I cant luck into these kind of seats for BSB?

October

• Back up north to Boston (for work). The highlight of my trip was eating grilled cheese from a famous food truck featured on The Great Food Truck Race. My life is sad.

November

• I got to meet Jordan Knight. He was at a local mall doing an autograph signing/meet and greet. Met some fun people in line, including other Backstreet fan converts such as myself. To be honest, he was kind of cranky when I met him. I was next up when he leaned over to a staff member and said "How many more of these?" Not exactly what you want to hear. But I didn't take it personally, it seemed like he was having an off day. So glad BSB hasn't had an off day when I've met them.

  

  Me and Jordan Knight

December

• Orlando adventure to Disney World and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Disney makes me almost as happy as BSB....almost. It was great to feel like a little kid again.

  

  Me (clad in BSB shirt) and Anne Marie at Animal Kingdom

• BSB cruise- Duh! Not sure if I have to elaborate on this or otherwise you wouldn't be reading this blog, would you? Let me see if I can sum it up in 20 words. IYWITBGG, coconut smoochie, Howie's pillow, "ladieeees", sphynkter, wiggle wiggle, ninja turtle, "Oh Christmas tree", stripper pole, truth or dare, Kevin.

I want to be back on that ship so bad.

What a year! I can't believe I was able to have so many encounters with BSB, do as much traveling as I did, and meet so many wonderful new friends. It's going to be a tough year to top but hopefully next year at this time I'll have an even better year in review.