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! 

Wylee Party at Soyka

In case you missed it, yesterday Leighanne tweeted that there will be a Wylee party Oct 23rd, the night before the cruise, at Soyka from 6-9pm.  More details to follow.

Soyka Restaurant
5556 NE 4th Ct, Miami, FL 33137
(305) 759-3117

For anyone who doesn't know what a Wylee party is - it's a party thrown by Brian's wife, Leighanne, to feature products from her clothing and accessory line. She has everything from cute handbags to clothing. Here's the Wylee website if you want to do some pre-event shopping. At the party she'll have a lot of her products up for display and she's also be available to mingle.

Now most of you are probably wondering if Brian will show up. And historically, yes, he has shown up. There are NO guarantees, but I'd be willing to bet he'll be there. In the past he was around to mingle, but keep in mind the main purpose of the event is to sell Wylee products. It's not a Brian stalkfest. Thus Brian is typically helping Leighanne sell, but will certainly chat with fans. He typically doesn't really do picture or autographs during the event, but if we're lucky, he may. It seems to vary depending on the day and how he's feeling. *Fingers crossed*

You don't have to buy anything, but I would encourage you to buy something. Just consider that the event is free, so its a way to show your support.

Happy shopping!

***UPDATED INFO***
 Brian shared more info about the Wylee party.

Are you sailing away with the Backstreet Boys?

Come party with us before! We're hosting the biggest Wylee by Leighanne Littrell Party yet and you're invited! Enjoy complimentary hors' d'oeuvres, sip on a complimentary cocktail and shop our fabulous new collection. Select lucky guests can ride in style from your hotel to the party in the Wylee Hummer. Email Cruise@WyleeBags.com with your information for your chance to win.

Can't make it to the party? Don't worry you can still have your favorite Wylee items delivered right to your cabin. Simply place your order on http://www.wylee.com/, put your cabin number in the notes and select "Pick up on Cruise" for your shipping selection.

Bon Voyage!

~ Brian Littrell\

***MORE UPDATED INFO***

Leighanne also tweeted "No RSVP needed unless you want to make a dinner reservation. If you do call in to reserve a table, be sure to mention Wylee. !"

Recap 2013- Day 3

Last day already?! Gosh it really flies by. Though day 3 would prove to be the most action packed and the hardest on my poor feet. So much standing!

AJ's Blackjack Tournament

I decided to sign up for the blackjack tournament to see what it was all about. Even though I'm no expert, I know enough to play. I know its awful, but I was guessing that a lot of fans who signed up probably didn't know a lot either and just wanted the chance to play with AJ.

Fortunately my scheduled time wasn't super early, so I scoped out the tables to see how it all worked. Turns out you're not playing against the table, you're playing against everyone. Everyone gets 7 hands and whoever comes out with the most money at the end wins. Knowing this, my strategy was 'go big or go home'. So by the time I sat down, I was pumped. First hand- black jack! Sweet, off to a great start. But my luck ran out there...the next 6 hands didn't go quite as well. As quickly as won, I was just as quick to give all my money right back to the dealer. Which reminds me why I don't gamble in real life. Even though I didn't win, I'm glad I tried. If he were to do it again next year, at least I'll have a better understanding of how the tournament is set up so I can prep a bit better.

BSB-skinned poker table

Meet & Greet

No time to waste after the blackjack tournament, I had to find my group for the picture! As I was looking for my photo group, I heard a lot of mutterings about the group sizes changing. Ugh- I knew it! But in another history-making Backstreet moment, they were actually cutting the group sizes down to 4-5 fans. I seriously couldn't believe it! After all that preparation & drama, I just had to laugh. Certainly not complaining though!

The gang waiting to take our picture with the boys

So I inched my way up to the front of the line and honestly didn't have anything prepared to say. I went down the line and thanked them all for everything and for a good cruise. Last minute I decided I wanted to say something to Nick about his book, but before I could get the words out of my mouth he already moved on to the next person in line. And I felt too awkward going backwards. I really do need to start taking my own advice- I should've been more assertive! But no biggie- I'm happy with how the picture turned out. The only other thing I remember was that Mr Brightside by the Killers was playing, and Nick was like scream-singing along with the song in my ear. I guess he has to keep meeting 2,000 girls exciting somehow, right?

Meet & Greet in the Sailor Costumes!

After the meet & greet I had time for a super quick lunch but then we had a packed afternoon. Seriously, no time to relax on this cruise.

Wylee Fashion Show

The Wylee fashion show was running late, making me awfully suspicious that perhaps Brian is the real culprit behind backstreet time? Hmmm. Though I know the pictures took a while so I suppose I should give him the benefit of the doubt.

I was a little skeptical going into this event, but honestly I think it turned out well. Brian and Leighanne hosted a fashion show of the Wylee product line, as worn by fans. I thought it was good that Brian opened up the event stating it was his idea to do the event and that he had to convince Leighanne to do it. Whether that's true or not, it needed to be said since the event was met with a lot of criticism. Essentially the event was a bunch of fans modeling her clothes/accessories and Brian making funny commentary throughout.

Brian & Leighanne hosting the Wylee Fashion Show

One of my favorite Brian commentaries was when he was talking about a tshirt that's shaped so you cant see your bra. I started to type out the quote and realized that it loses all of its pizzazz unless you hear it in Brian's voice. The clip I'm referring to starts around 6 minutes in...

6 minutes in Brian goes on about one shirt and how its designed not to show a bra. Quite comical

All in all, a good time. I think I most enjoyed the fashion show because I knew a couple of the girls on stage, modeling. I loved that he incorporated fans in his event. I thought he did a great job of hosting and bringing life to the outfits and models. I also thought it was really nice of them to throw out some of the items into the audience. So it really did have all the pieces to make a successful event. But would I want him to do it again next year, no, probably not. I think it was something unique and fun as a one-time thing but I'd love to see him try something else next year.

Rum DMC with Howie
 

After Brian's event was Rum DMC with Howie. This is one that I had no idea what to expect going into it but was soooo happy when I realized he'd be singing some of his solo songs. Such a nice surprise! I personally love his solo album and was bummed he never went on tour with it in the US. So for anyone who may have missed it, his concept was to mix his 2 favorite activities- drinking and singing. So he'd sing a song and then do a round of rum-based drinks with some fans. For those who want the visual....

Howie Singing

+

Howie Drinking

= Rum DMC

During the event he sang 100 Kisses, Back to Me, Going Going Gone, This is Just What I Needed, and Lie to Me. So it was like a little mini concert. I also had to laugh when he emerged wearing a long sleeve black shirt in the middle of the Caribbean, had 5 drinks, and then commented on how hot he was. Well, gee, Howie, not really sure what you were expecting there? haha  Here are some clips of a few of my favorite moments. Though I honestly think the whole thing is worth youtubing.

  

Howie drinking with fans...love his reaction afterward

 

Howie mixing up his own song, Back to Me...guess it was all the rum

Overall I loved Rum DMC! I really liked how he incorporated fans into the event, but they also weren't the focus. It was the perfect mix. I also really liked it because I thought it suited him well. I loved that we got another little concert and corny Howie jokes mixed in throughout. I would be 100% content if the did the same thing next year, maybe just pick different songs or something. My one and only complaint about this event was that he didn't sing my favorite song- Dominoes!

OK, Im going to take a pause here since day 3 was so action-packed with events. The rest of day 3 coming soon in another post soon!

Wylee Fashion Show

Looks like we're going to have a fashion show, ladies!

@WyleebyLL
Bon Voyage! Wylee will be on board the @backstreetboys Cruise! Now is your chance to be a part of the fun. Details: pic.twitter.com/mBMpWmXU3k

Based on their flyer, Brian and his wife will be hosting a fashion show. I'm quite excited for this! Glad to see at least one of the boys doing a solo event. Hopefully indicative of the others doing something as well. This should also be neat because it hasn't been done before; and we'll have Brian hosting! So you know he'll turn into a comedy show for us.

If you're interested in being a model, make sure to email cruise@wyleebags.com! Good luck to those entering.

Your Favorite Memories

You may have noticed that I asked everyone for their favorite memory in my Backstreet Cruisie survey but didn't give any awards for that category. I know I'm being cheesy here, but everyone is a winner! I had so much fun reading everyone's response so I felt it deserved its own separate post.

Here are all of YOUR favorite moments from the cruise. If you didn't get a chance to take the survey or you may have skipped that question, feel free to post your favorite memory in the comments section below or email me and I'll update this post. You can also email me if you want me to link your memory to your blog/twitter/etc. Enjoy!


Chrissy

Brian remembered me during the photo session from the Wylee Party and the Pre-cruise event and called me "Kentucky Girl" as we had been discussing the University of Kentucky at the Wylee party.  I was taken aback when he remembered me.

Anne Marie

Getting a picture with Kevin on prom night.

Erin

I got to swim with Nick in Nassau & got a group hug from him, that was the best.

Anonymous

Every second was so amazing to me! I have so many memories and friendships that I have made that I know will last forever!

Melissa Duncan aka @melissa8313

Nick: running into him in the hallway deck 6 at 330am.  Having a moment with him during 80's night.  "look at that hair,  omg nick,  that's hot,  touches hair,  he grabs my hand...
Brian: talking to him during sail away about nicks pants,  getting him to sign my flag of him,  yelling at fans to get out of the way at the beach party so he could pass.  Watching him be free on pj night,  brian taking my camera and taking a pic of us on 80's night. 
Aj: getting a picture with him o.  80's night when i went in for group photos he says nice to meet u... Im like wtf nice to meet me then i grab his ass.  Lol.  Seeing him in the hallway deck 6 at 6am acting a fool with others.  Grabbing his butt multiple times on pj night and getting a pic.  Lol. 
Kevin : getting a pic with him,  saying ty so many times. 
Howie: pic on 80's night and at the beach.  Enjoying his other side... The machine who parties all the time.  And with nick and aj,  the private conversation on the lido deck that was funny and memorable.

Silvia Machielsen

Meeting Howie at the Bahama's on my Birthday

Venus

Walked up the stairs and saw Nick. I said Hey Nick and he motioned to go give him a hug.

Desiree (SingleMomDes)

At lunch the first day Howie walked past me just as I was starting to eat, I asked for a photo and he said sure and waited patiently with his arm around me as we got my camera turned back on...waited 14yrs for the best photo I took all weekend, I'll always be thankful for that

Melissa

NY best friend Danielle rocking out pinks raise your glass at karoake & being with my BSB fam

Melissa

Getting picked to play truth or dare.

Anonymous

Partying with HOWIE alllllll night!!!

Ashley

Winning door dec!!!!

Chelsea Smith

Being with nick and AJ up on the deck after the pj party. Hearing AJ talk about his wedding, nick (drunkenly lol) talk about his life and about the fans, was just a really special thing to be a part of. It was a smaller group of ppl, everyone put their cameras away, it was just really nice.

Kristen

I have to pick just one? Impossible!

Jennifer Blackwell

I just met brian littrell at the same hotel that i was stay for the night... i met aj mclean at the beach for the first time and they are the best people that i really want to meet for a long time since i was 14 years old... I really want to said thank them to be nice to me to take a pic with me because i was their awesome fan in the world....

Brandy

We randomly ran into Brian twice in the hall...just me, my friend, him and his bodyguard...the night of prom night. It was awesome because he just talked to us for a few minutes without any other fans being around.

Anonymous

Meeting new and other BSB friends.

Natizb

"I just said ""Hi AJ"", and he said ""How you doing sweet"", and my brother recorded!"

Kathryn

Has to be Brian crowd surfing! Right before he started I thought to myself JOKINGLY, "I should touch his butt!" I decided to be good & not grabby though. But lo & behold, that is the part of him that was passed to me! I also ended up holding his legs because NO ONE else around me was. When I couldn't move any further, I had to let go of him & that's when he fell on that girl! I am super glad though that no one around me knew what to do, though! It was so awesome & it made the trip for me!

Cynthia Irani

Being Nick's prom queen.  He made me laugh and it was an amazing experience :-D

Babybsbgrl

Kevin on prom night turning around to take a pic with me specifically! Awesome.

Anonymous

My best memory is Brian crying while singing Mary did you know. I cried too, it was very emotional and a very special moment that I'll remember the rest of my life. Also getting a pic with Nick at the beach party.

Salena

Hanging out on the back of the boat with Nick while he was in his ninja turtle pj's having "deep thoughts" :)

Mascia Cantoni

When i took the pic with him!!! i know, it could look stupid but... it was very important to me!

Tati Brayner from Brazil

Nick  giving me his bottle of water at sail away event. an than coming back just to give me the cap.

Cortney

Having Howie sing Helpless when she smiles to me at group A's concert.

Anonymous

Meeting Kevin, it made the experience of meeting the guys this year complete

Jay

Gosh getting a photo with Kevin <3

Anonymous

DJ Yo-C

Anonymous

Seeing Kevin!!!

Sammi Goff

I got to talk to Brian about how much I wanted his pink shoes, talked to Howie before In It To Win It, talked to Kevin about how awesome I thought it was that he was there, Nick liked my tattoo and remembered it the next day, and got to hug AJ 3 times even though I wad too nervous to have a decent conversation with him. Lol. Oh.. and Brian tried to tackle my friend because we were wearing Colts jerseys hahaha. It was awesome.

Janine

I don't think I can pick just one memory, and there isn't enough space or time to even begin on my favorite parts of the cruise.  :)

Anonymous

Nick and AJ said they liked my t-shirt during the meet & greet/photo session

Bethany Drader

Concert, the boys came up to the second level and each of them held my hand while singing As Long As You Love Me to me!

Anonymous

Seeing the concert first row!!

Gaby Zamudio

I have a lot of memories,HOWIE i signed my t-shirt, Nick and Kevin i was greeted, the last day ran into Nick on the boat and we could talk with him and AJ, Howito took my hand when we ran and good of all i got very good moments, the day of the meet & greet brian approached to greet me was in shock and nervous ... everything was awesome

Anonymous

The best memory certainly when we arrive in the boat ...we were at the bar drinking our first drink of the cruise and Howie just appear behind us ! Alot of girls jump on him ...we just stay there and smile to him ...he smile back and say thank you ....Or at the cameo club AJ kinda remember we were from Montreal and on our way down Leighanna spot us and was so happy to see us ! She wave to us like a crazy loll

Debnick

My best time was just when I met Nick in the elevator .. I did too much fun when I made ​​a funny face for me that I was photographing!

Jennifer Hall

When nick held my hand & was looking right at me while singing. I wanted to melt. Lol

Natalie

As I sat down to think about my favorite moment of the Backstreet Boys cruise, I realized two things. First, it’s hard to choose only one. Second, it’s hard to express in words the excitement you feel every single minute on that boat! If I had to choose one thing though, the highlight would have to be the entire concert. Even though I have seen BSB live multiple times, this was by far the best performance I’ve ever seen from them! And the thing is… they didn’t need fancy choreography, new music, or an expensive set to put on a good show. It was so special to see the boys be themselves onstage, getting emotional, joking around with each other, and forgetting a few lyrics here and there because they were too busy partying with us the night before to rehearse.  Like many fans, I grew up listening to them and seeing them sing “Don’t Want You Back” for the first time in over a decade was a dream come true. AJ and Nick seemed just as excited!  “If You Want It To Be Good Girl”… who would have ever thought we’d get them to perform that one?! Kevin coming onstage to perform “Drowning” at the very end of the show was the icing on the cake! Although there were hundreds to choose from, the shared connection I felt with the boys and my fellow fans in that moment tops everything.

Thank you everyone for sharing your favorite memories!

Recap 2011- Pre Cruise Festivities

I guess I'll start from the beginning... 

Disney World/Universal Studios

The fun started for me when I flew down to Orlando to visit Universal Studios and Disney World about a week before the actual cruise started. I remember looking out the window of my plane with a beautiful sunset cascading over the white house. It was a fleeting peaceful moment in all the craziness that was soon to follow.

I'm going to keep the Disney portion of my review very brief because it has minimal to do with the Backstreet Boys. Though I was surprised at how many things throughout my trip I could actually relate to them. I'd see Donald Duck and immediately think of Brian's Donald Duck voice; I see cartoon Aladdin and think how Kevin used to do that; I'd even see leopard print Mickey ears that reminded me of AJ. I even thought that standing in lines for the rides was good practice for standing around waiting for BSB on the ship. I just had too much BSB on the brain. That said I did have time to meet one of my other favorite celebrities:



Mickey and Mickey shaped waffles

Overall I had a great time at Disney World. There was an especially frantic moment when Brian retweeted something Disney related and we thought he might be in the park with us. I was seriously looking at everyone to see if Brian might be in the masses of people. Needless to say, no luck finding him. Meanwhile AJ would later announce at the beach party that he was is fact in Disney World the day before we got there. Really? I have such crummy luck sometime. Granted if he had been in the park, I would've been too busy trying to find him to actually enjoy any of the rides, so I suppose it all worked out.

The one lesson I learned from going to Disney World before the cruise is that I wouldn't advise it in the future. I had an absolute blast but I ended up getting sick. Not sure if it was because it was cold and rainy one of the days, I was over-exerting myself, or because it was the thousands of germy kids surrounding me. I'm guessing the latter. So if you saw me the first day or so of the cruise and I couldn't speak to you, it's not because I didn't want to, its because I had no voice. I do sincerely apologize!

Arrival to Miami

My friends and I drove 4 hours down from Orlando to Miami and as the road signs indicated we were getting closer and closer to Miami my nerves started building more and more. As much fun as I was having at Disney, I knew the real vacation was just beginning. This is what I've been waiting months for.

We finally made it to Miami and before I had even walked into the hotel I spotted a friend lounging outside by the pool. It was so nice seeing her and it made me feel like I was returning home. It sounds cheesy, but I had such great memories from last year that had all originated at that hotel, so it was a nice feeling to be back and already see familiar faces even before going inside.

Wylee Party

It wasn't long after I arrived that we turned right around and headed for the Wylee party. After a ton of traffic and ironically swapping New Kids encounter stories in the cab ride over, we pulled up to the Eden Lounge. This was a far cry from my previous Wylee party that was on the side of the road because I thought the lounge was very nice and upscale. Girls started to gather inside and we could peak through the doors through to the other side of the club and see Brian and Leighanne setting up. Eek- my first Backstreet sighing of the trip! Nerves building up even more. As I waited for them to let us in, I glanced around the room and saw so many familiar faces of girls I had never even met before. I recognized people from the fan club, twitter, facebook, etc. It was strange feeling of knowing these girls, but not really knowing them at the same time. Anyone else experience that on the cruise?

They finally let us in to the outdoor patio which was just beautiful, especially as the sunset above us. Apparently I wasn't aggressive enough when the doors opened because from the second they opened to the second they closed, the table of merchandise was packed with fans. I couldn't even make my way up front to shop had I wanted. It was kind of frustrating because the same girls were up front the entire time, not allowing others the time to shop. Thus I shied back from the crowds, which was also partly due to the fact I still wasn't feeling 100%. I still made the most of my time there. Snacked on free hors d'oeuvres, met some new friends, and hung out with old ones.



The girls at the Wylee party

The staff also kept assuring us that Brian would come around and mingle, but as the night progressed I knew that wasn't going to happen. But just before I was about to give up hope, I saw a haphazard line forming around the patio and assumed Brian was getting ready to take pictures. Jackpot! I hopped in line and before you knew it I was up front chatting it up with Brian.


Me and Brian :)

Now, I need to back up a bit. Before I left for the event, I told my friends that if Brian took pictures to please make sure I looked okay and that my bra strap wasn't showing. I think I saw into the future because my bra was most definitely showing for the picture. There's just too much to remember before you meet a Backstreet Boy and my bra wasn't top of mind as I was just feet away from Brian. I even forgot to hug him and he was giving out hugs! Duh, how could I forget something so obvious. I was totally out of it. Oh well, I'm still really happy with how the picture turned out.

I was also thrilled because I had a mini conversation with him. I was teasing him how he hasn't gone blind from all the cameras flashing and he said it was because he had super retinas. I'm not even sure what made me say that, but I'm pretty sure whoever took their picture before me was talking about something with cameras that made me segue into this. My memory is already a little fuzzy on the details.

After I scored a picture with Brian, we tried to hop in line to meet Leighanne but security kicked us out. So it was time to move onto the next activity- Cameo Night club!

Pre-Cruise Party at Cameo

Meet & Greet

The long day of traveling and excitement was most definitely catching up to me before we even made our way into the club. I was quite exhausted and my cold wasn't helping matters. So I was less than thrilled when they finally did let us into the club to discover it felt like an icebox in there.



Me and Chrissy freezing our booties off

We stood around a bit waiting for the boys to show up. I may have gotten a drink to keep warm but $8 for a cheap beer and $18 for a mixed drink was just beyond ridiculous. Its not in my DNA to allow myself to pay that much for a drink. (Even though paying $150 to meet the backstreet boys for 5 seconds is perfectly acceptable) Finally they started letting people through and once again those darn nerves started kicking in. I've now met the boys several times but I still can't seem to shake those butterflies you get in your stomach right before meeting them. I don't think that will ever go away. The line moved swiftly along and before you know it I was in Backstreet heaven.

I have to thank Chrissy profusely for being able to get me a VIP ticket for this event. I can't thank you enough! The whole thing happened in a flash. I remember going down the line and saying hi to all of the boys and shaking their hands. 

I'm really happy with how the picture turned out

After the picture I headed out and Howie told me 'thank you'. I'd like to believe he digested what I told him about his album and the comment was in response to that. So I replied "it was worth the wait". I later realized he says thank you to everyone who meets him. But I'm choosing to believe the thank you was in response to my comment. Side note- I really do love Howie's album. A lot more than I thought i would too. My favorite song is Dominoes- Love it!

So another successful meet & greet down without me making a fool of myself in front of the boys. I'm also so thrilled with how the picture came out. I usually consider it a success if no one is blinking or blocked, and the cherry on the cake was that my bra wasn't showing this time. My only minor complaint is that AJ's hat is slightly blocking my face. But if my biggest problem in life is that AJ McLean was too close to me in a picture, I think I can manage ;)

The Club

Now I'm not a clubbing girl. But if there are any circumstances which I find it more bearable, its with the Backstreet Boys. I started off on the floor which proved to have a spectacular view. I'll let the video speak for itself. If you were there, you know which one I'm talking about:

No words

The best part of this was that it gave me such high hopes for the cruise. It seemed like the boys would be just as much fun, if not more fun than last year.

I didn't stay on the floor for long, as my friend Kim motioned me upstairs because it had a better view. Yet again it quickly paid off because Nick made his way upstairs and was about 2 feet away from me. Felt like my luck was taking a turn for the better. Only problem was that I was too distracted by Nick's hotness up close that I wasn't paying attention to the fact that AJ was premiering a new single of his US album release. Nick is such a good distraction though so I'll let it slide this time.

As the night continued, there wasn't much else going on from my perspective. Howie made his way out to the dance floor for what seemed to be an eternity. I was so surprised how long he stayed in the crowd. Lucky group of girls near him. But aside from that, the boys were sticking to the stage area, leaving the rest of the club with not much to do. For most girls its not a problem if you're drinking, dancing, and having a good time. Though I was feeling worse and worse as the night progressed so I had to break my golden rule of not leaving before the last Backstreet Boy left. My poor throat just couldn't take any more. So i left around 1:00am and understood I missed some excitement later that evening but nothing too major. I'd say I saw the highlight of the evening with AJ dancing on the stripper pole.

After a quick trip to CVS to load up on meds, I went back to the hotel and tried to get some sleep. 'Tried' being the key word there. Between my cold and excitement, not much sleep to be had that night.

Next stop- SS Backstreet!

Wylee Party in Miami

Brian tweeted today that there will be a Wylee party in Miami the night before the cruise.

RT @WyleebyLL: Ok no Wylee party on the ship so how about in Miami the night before? Who's in? I'm in! chirp

So far I haven't seen any other details and I don't suspect we'll get any until the day of. So in the meantime, make your way to wyleebags.com and start your shopping.

I definitely want to go and will try my best to get there but it depends on timing, location, and how I'm feeling.

Hope to see you there!

Brian Chats About the Cruise

Brian did one of his famous live chats last Friday. I love tuning in to get a dose of the crazy Littrell antics. I generally find that his chats can be broken down in the following manner:

• 70% him doing various shout outs to different countries
• 10% him goofing off, making funny sounds like his infamous donald duck voice, etc.
• 10% Bailey running in front of the camera and goofing off. He really is a spittin image of his dad.
• 10% answering actual, good relevant questions.
  
  

Of that last 10%, someone asked them what they were most excited about for the cruise.

Brian and Leighanne Talk about the Cruise

I get so giddy hearing the guys talk about the cruise! When you hear Brian say that he doesn't plan on getting any sleep, you know to pack some extra red bulls.

Brian divulged that we may also get a Wylee fashion show, which could be a lot of fun, especially if they do take volunteers to model the clothes. That gives me even more incentive to drop these last few stubborn pounds before the cruise. And what would make the whole event even better is if Brian does in fact host it. Then again, he could even make a root canal fun if he hosted it. But as long as their isn't another official BSB event going on at the time, you can definitely count me in.

But even if they can't get the fashion show together as they hope for, I think it would still be great to have a Wylee party on board. Just another fun activity enjoy in between the main BSB events.