Scavenger Hunt: Callie & Kristie's Casino Time with Howie D

As promised, Callie is back along with roommate Kristie to share their super exciting experience on winning the Howie scavenger hunt. I absolutely love this story, and part of the reason I love it so much is because I played cruise matchmaker setting these 2 gals up. This is yet another example of what can happen even if you have no one to travel with....I swear after reading this post I thought these girls were lifelong friends. but it was their first BSB cruise! Love these girls!

A little about Callie- Aside from being a huge Brian girl, she's super sweet and the mother of the two cutest boys I have ever seen! So don't forget to follow her on twitter @calliewoodland or on Facebook.
A little about Kristie- She is a huge Nick fan from New Jersey. And by huge Nick fan....even her boyfriend is named Nick (ha! sorry I find this really amusing). She's so much fun to hang out with so make sure to follow her on on twitter @kristie_sacch.

Now that our post cruise depression has FINALLY somewhat subsided, we figured why not relive the memories of one of the best BSB events that we have ever attended-- the BSB Cruise 2014, specifically Howie’s scavenger hunt event. This article is written by cruise roommates, Kristie and Callie, from Callie’s perspective.

This was both Kristie and I’s first cruise, and we were super excited, and had no idea what to expect! While checking in at the port we learned that something new was happening on the cruise this year; a scavenger hunt.  The prize was special time with the Backstreet Boy whose clues you had solved!  As soon as my roommate Kristie and I learned of this information we were determined, we were competitive, and we were certain that we were not going to lose.  In fact, from that moment on we began strategizing. We did everything from looking up maps of the ship online to placing ourselves at a good spot for getting onto the ship early once they started boarding.

The scavenger hunt form and first clues

Scheming in the terminal right before we are about to board

Soon after the Backstreet Boys boarded, the employees released the rope and began general boarding.  Kristie and I flew through the embarkation picture, ran up the ramp and were the first two people to board the ship. With Kristie being a Nick girl and I being a Brian girl, we hoped to find either of their clues. We finally decided that we would start with Nick and then if that plan failed, then try for Brian. As soon as we boarded, we soon realized that this was going to be much harder than we originally thought.

Clue #1 for Nick: “Typically Sunday is a day of worship for many including Nick during the months of September through February. Where would you find Nick and the object of his desire if he were to worship this coming Sunday on the ship? If you are a lucky BUC then you will find the next clue”

From this clue, the first place we wanted to look was a bar, thinking that it had TVs to watch football on Sundays. The first bar we came across on the ship was the piano bar.  We flew into the piano bar and what did we find?  We found Kevin, who was checking out the ship and playing around on the piano.  Although we were frantic, and in quite a rush to find the clue, we certainly found time for a quick selfie with Kevin. 

Kevin and I

Kevin and Kristie

We were not even 2 minutes into our first BSB Cruise, and we already got a selfie with one of the boys- we knew this was the start of something great. However, despite our high hopes, we didn’t find the clue in the bar.  In fact, we didn’t find the clue (or any clue) in the next 257 places that we looked, or those we relooked and then looked again.  We did all of this while carrying our super heavy carry-on bags and running around outside on the Lido deck in hurricane-type wind and rain (I may be exaggerating there slightly, but not much); but really- we almost slipped and broke an ankle many times.

After what seemed like an eternity, we still had not found the next clue for Nick, the Backstreet Boy we were searching for. We also came across a group that had already found the majority of clues for Brian, so we knew that us winning was a lost cause. We retired to our room to begin hanging our door decorations and pout in the fact that we didn’t win.  When we emerged, Kristie had gone to the bar to get the rum punch drink in the souvenir Carnival glass [this is actually an important detail to the story which you will find out later], and we also learned that some of our friends, Chrissy and Cory, had won the AJ event.  Other friends of ours, Laura, Annemarie, and Ana, had won the Kevin event.  We were also told by the Rose Tours employees that both the Nick and Howie prizes had not been claimed.  This reignited our fire, and we began searching again.

Kristie and her rum punch drink

Since we were not having any luck finding clues in places we thought they were, Kristie and I came up with a new strategy of just going somewhere completely new that we had not yet been. We entered a random restaurant/nightclub and found a clue envelope taped to the wall. Hoping and praying that it was for Nick or Brian, we opened in in great suspense. It was clue #3 for Howie.  Even though it was not one of our top choices, we were ecstatic that we even found one clue. This meant we were one step closer to winning SOMETHING!

We currently have misplaced clue #3, so we do not remember exactly what it said, but bottom line is that it lead us to the lounge to search for clue #4. We ran into Laura, who had just won the Kevin scavenger hunt, and helped us find clue #4. Thankfully, she was with us, because we were so close to having it stolen by someone else. This was found taped to the backside of a speaker in the lounge. Thanks Laura! Clue #4:

“On the 2013 BSB Cruise, Howie hosted an event based on his favorite alcohol to drink. Soon yours and Howie’s glasses will be able to clink. Go to the nearest bar and buy this type of alcohol, and bring it to Rose Tours Hospitality Desk. We are on Promenade Deck by the car.”

So, remember that drink that Kristie brought before and was carrying around in her hand? Well, it just so happened to be RUM, Howie’s favorite drink!

Kristie's winning rum drink

It was fate, and Kristie must have fortune teller tendencies! So we brought it to the Rose tours desk with all of our other clues, but we were still missing clue #2. They informed us that we must have ALL the clues to win the prize, therefore we we were required to find clue #2. They sent us on our way to find clue #2, and told us to come back with it AND with some of the drink left. So there went Kristie’s idea of drinking on the job! Of course, we looked over the first clue again.

Howie’s clue #1: “Oye! Howie loves to catch sun in his mother’s native land. He loves laying out, splashing in the pool and shaking his culo (booty) to the music. You can also do all that at the ship’s party headquarters. This is where you will find your next clue, and hint, it’s red white and blue. Dale!”

We searched and searched where we thought for certain it must be based on the clues given and still could not find it.  My roommate and I were convinced that someone else had found the 2nd clue, taken it and just not been able to follow it to the 3rd clue.  After returning to the hospitality desk AGAIN and talking to the Rose Tours employees, we were told that they would chat with higher ups and determine what to do and that we should check back.

When we checked back we were told that we absolutely had to have the 2nd clue, because someone had not already found it.  By this point, we were slightly bummed that our first day of our cruise was not spent relaxing like everyone else’s, and we felt like we were wasting our time. It was almost time for the sail away party, and we were exhausted from running around the ship, and soaking wet from the wind and rain. Although all of these feelings were occurring, we felt like the end result was worth it, and we would do whatever it takes for BSB!

Therefore, we dissected that first clue and looked some more.  Eventually, miraculously, we found the clue hidden inside a plant next to the “Blue Iguana” bar on the Lido deck.  Clue #2 obviously would have led us to the random restaurant to find clue #3 (where we started). Kristie and I were overjoyed as evident by Kristie screaming to me across the Lido deck, “I FOUND THE LAST CLUE! IT WAS IN A PLANT!” As you can imagine, everyone on the deck, both BSB fans and Carnival employees, were staring, in confusion, at the girls screaming waving a drink and piece of paper around in their hands. But we had NO shame; we knew that we had just won a once in a lifetime event with a Backstreet Boy.  

We ran to the hospitality desk, for what felt like days, but was really hours, the last time, and we were given an envelope with instructions to meet Big Pat (the security guard) in the atrium at 5:45 the next day. The ladies at the desk told us that we will be having a special event with Howie that he chose for us to participate in together. Kristie and I spoke about that since Howie and Nick are best buds, MAYBE there will be some way that Nick would be involved; but it was a HUGE stretch, so really it was discounted as a possibility. However, the more real this notion became that we are actually getting one-on-one time with a Backstreet Boy, the more excited we became, and those worries started to fade. With anticipating what our special Howie event would entail, some of our guesses included salsa dancing or bartending [based on Howie’s drinking track record LOL], but we really had no idea; we were just excited and ready for some fun with a Backstreet Boy!

And here it is - the prize of a lifetime!

The moment had finally arrived. I cannot even explain to you the excitement that we felt in anticipation of our Howie event.  While getting ready, we literally went back and forth between jumping up and down from excitement and feeling like we were about to throw up from the anxiety! We headed down to the atrium with Chrissy and Cory who won the AJ scavenger hunt, to find out that Big Pat was not waiting for us, and we were confused.

From L to R: Chrissy, Cory, Callie, Kristie

Therefore we paid yet another visit to the hospitality desk to ask what was happening. They had informed us that, in true Backstreet fashion, the event had been pushed back until the next day, but they did not know what time it would be; just that it would be at some point after the beach party. We were so disappointed and extremely nervous that our event would not occur. So what do we do when you can’t hang out with real BSB?? Take pictures with the cardboard BSB (a must-do on a BSB cruise)! We made a quick stop there first before participating in the other events of the night.

Kristie and Nick

Callie and Brian

So the next day at the beach party, we figured that just to be safe, we would leave early, so that we had enough time to get ready for our Howie event. Once we felt that nothing else important was happening at the beach party, we decided to leave. Later on, we found out that our friends who we were hanging out with found a hidden spot where Brian and Nick (our two favorites) were playing beach volleyball, and they got to play with them! We were super bummed, but hey, at least we got a private event with Howie. We got back to the room and started getting ready. We finally got our call from Rose Tours to establish a time that our event would take place- 5:30PM. So then it finally hit us—it was REAL and it was ACTUALLY going to happen! Time to fangirl!

FANGIRLING.

We were ready early, so we decided to wander around. As we left our cabin, Kristie, the “fortune teller”, said “I just have this funny feeling that Nick is in the casino; I don’t know why, but I feel like we should go and check it out.” Well, as fate would have it, we walk into the casino, and there is Nick, looking as good as ever, playing craps. Kristie and I had a drink, and walked around the casino for about 15 minutes. Knowing that you can run into the boys on the cruise at any point was still such a cool feeling that we could not get over, and now we got to hang out near Nick while he gambled in the casino. But little did we know, the best was yet to come.

About 15 minutes before our Howie event, Howie comes up to the table and starts playing craps with Nick. Our first thoughts were- “Oh I guess Howie is playing craps for a few minutes before he has our event with us?” As it became 5 minutes until our event, the progression of our thoughts became “Is Howie going to ditch us? Our event is so soon- what is he doing?! What if we’re playing craps with him? No way, we would die. We’ve never gambled before!” Then of course Kristie’s out-loud thoughts became- “But Nick is there- what if we’re playing with him too?!” With Kristie’s track record of her somehow knowing the future, it was all too much to handle and it was impossible to contain our excitement. So with those thoughts in our head (and some said aloud), we headed to the atrium.

Arriving at the atrium, Big Pat was waiting for us.  After verifying that we were in fact the winners he asked us a question: are you ready to play craps with Howie?  Kristie, the “fortune teller” and I just stare at each other open mouthed, and we both scream “no way- we were just up there, and thought that!” Kristie I freaked out a little bit, as we had never played craps before, but Big Pat assured us that Howie was going to be there to teach us how.  On our way up to the casino, Pat said, “Nick is going to be mad because we’re going to have to kick him off the table.” I could almost hear Kristie’s thoughts in her head and it went a little something like this: “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!” Kristie asked if maybe he could stay, and Pat said no, so Kristie’s dreams then became slightly crushed, although she was still excited that she was the one girl on the cruise going to get to kick Nick off the table, so that she could play craps with Howie.

Entering the casino, Howie (and Nick) were still at the table.  Big Pat went to him and said, “These are your winners.” He then pointed us towards Howie.  I walked up first, hugged Howie said “Hi I’m Howie, what’s your name?”  At the time I thought this was hysterical-here a Backstreet Boy was introducing himself to me!  Of course I knew he was Howie!  Howie of the Backstreet Boys!  Then Howie said “Hi” to and hugged Kristie, and it was time to play craps. Right away, Howie pulled a wad of money out of his pocket and said, “We are going to be playing craps courtesy of the Backstreet Boys.” Then he threw $150 on the table-$50 for each of us.  He also ordered us a drink.  When asked what I would have, I said I would take a rum punch as I knew rum was Howie’s favorite.  Kristie ordered a rum and coke. As you can probably imagine, the only thought that fulfilled our brain at the moment was “We are playing craps courtesy of a Backstreet Boy, AND he just bought us a drink?! IS THIS REAL LIFE?!” Furthermore, Kristie had an extra thought in her head: “NICK WAS STILL HERE!” And here’s an important fact- Nick never left the table! Kristie, the Nick girl, (and “fortune teller”), was dying inside. Our arrangement around the table went myself, Howie, Kristie, a bodyguard and then Nick.

And there we were, with Howie AND Nick (and Nick looking angry because he was watching the football game on TV)

Howie taught us to play the entire game of craps.  Although he did a great job of walking us through the game and explaining things, I was so nervous that I basically just did whatever Howie did.  At one point I could feel myself rubbing shoulders with him (we were standing in pretty close proximity next to each other at the table). My first instinct was to step away give Howie some space.  But then I realized that I was rubbing shoulders with a Backstreet Boy-there was no way I was going to move!

Kristie and I concentrating on How teaching us how to play

We continued to play, chatting the entire time.  The three of us talked about everything.  We discussed how Kristie and I had met, the concert the night before and even whether there would be another cruise. Howie also asked where we were from. I said I was from Kansas City, and Kristie said that she was from Central New Jersey. Howie then asked Kristie if he had met her before. Kristie was shocked because although she had met Howie many times, a few years ago, she had an in-depth conversation with him about New Jersey and how both she and his wife’s family live in the same vicinity, etc., and she could not believe that he remembered! So this was a turning point for Kristie in being completely 100% satisfied that we won the Howie event. It was really cool to see that Howie finds meaning in conversations that you have with him.

 
A few of our favorite moments are as follows:

• Howie blowing on my dice for luck before I rolled them!
  
• Talking about our kids.  This was a big one for me.  I have 2 boys, as does Howie.  They are around the same age and it was lots of fun to tell him about my children and share stories of our kids. 
  
• The casino had been one of the places on the ship where Backstreet Boys music was playing constantly.  At one point while we were playing Howie looked up, listening to the music.  He looked over at Nick and said, “Nick, is this you singing?”  Nick gave Howie a funny look and said, “Yeah, this is ‘The Answer to Our Life’-one of our songs.”  In response to which Howie was like, “Oh yeah-that’s right.”  I found it so absolutely funny that Howie didn’t even recognize one of his own songs! 
  
• While talking about the concert the night before I mentioned to Howie that it really was just like the Homecoming Live in Orlando concert.  In fact, I told him that it was one of my favorites and that I had just watched that concert 5 days before in preparation of the cruise.  (Did I admit to too much fangirling here in front of a Backstreet Boy?!?  Haha!!) Then, for laughs, Kristie said, “So, Howie- want to know how old I was when Homecoming was released?? Fourth grade.” Howie laughed, and said “Whatttttttttt?! Thanks for making me feel old!” Making a Backstreet Boy laugh- let’s check that one off our bucket lists!
  
• Snapping a selfie with Howie during the game
  

  

  My selfie with Howie while playing craps

After about 30 minutes one of Howie’s bodyguards tapped him on the shoulder and let him know that he would need to start wrapping it up as he needed to get to the question/answer session. We finished our round. Howie thanked us for playing with him and gave us each a big hug.  He told us that the money, including any winnings, was ours to keep.  He also told us that later that night, if he was playing again he would be happy to continue coaching us.  Unfortunately this never happened, as it was the final night of the cruise and after the deck party, the casino was closed.

At this time we (Howie, Nick, my roommate Kristie, and I) all got into line to cash in our chips. Again, was this real life?!  Originally, Howie was behind Kristie and me, but we encouraged him to go ahead of us, as we knew he needed to get to the event quickly.  Nick was at the cashier cashing in his chips and I began thinking to myself that it would be awesome to get a photo with him commemorating our time playing craps together.  I pulled my cell phone out so I would be ready if I had the opportunity.  Nick’s bodyguard, Mike, saw me with the phone and said, “No pictures.”  I was like, “Oh, okay” and put my phone away.  When Nick was finished cashing in his chips, I thought I would at least try to say goodbye.  I stepped up to him and said, “It was fun playing craps with you today.”  Nick said that he had fun too and then said something totally unexpected.  He said, “Would you like a picture?”  Nick Carter was asking ME if I would like a picture with him?!?  Well, of course I do!  We snapped a selfie, he gave me a hug, and I was in heaven! Kristie was looking on trying not to die and only hoped that he would ask her the same. Sure enough, he walked over to her, and said “Would you like one too?” and they took their picture. Oh Nick, what a gem. This was more than Kristie could have ever hoped for a Howie event.

Nick and Kristie in the casino after playing craps

Nick and I in the casino after playing craps

The event was awesome.  I fully understand that we were so lucky to be able to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime event with not one, but TWO Backstreet Boys.  It was something that we had never even dreamed of, because we never knew it was possible.  My roommate and I had Howie’s full attention for about 30 minutes.  We talked about real life.  Plus, we had the added bonus of playing with Nick as well.

A very happy Kristie back in the cabin with her winnings

As previously stated, this was our first Backstreet Boys cruise, and we chose to make the most of it (luckily, we were fortunate enough). We also found out that we prefer to complete scavenger hunts backwards and that Kristie should have been a fortune teller. Who knew BSB cruises could be so fun AND educational! Our entire cruise, especially the last night was AMAZING. In addition to our Howie event, we celebrated at dinner with part of our large group of friends, who happen to also win the Kevin and AJ events. There was definitely luck running around our group. It was so hard to believe that on a ship filled with almost 2000 BSB fans, our group made up 7 out of the 11 girls that got to spend extra one-on-one time with a Backstreet Boy. Between winning this event and all the other amazing aspects of the trip, including the many selfies we were able to take with the boys, I don’t know that another cruise will ever be able to live up to this one.  Until the next one though, we have many once-in-a-lifetime memories made from this cruise with our boys.

Cheers to the luckiest girls on the 2014 BSB cruise!

Recap 2014: Day 2 (The Howie & Kevin Interlude)

This whole post takes place from 7:45-8:45, and it the craziest hour in my cruising career, so bear with me on this one.....

Anne Marie, Ana, and I went to the piano bar early and saw some staff members getting the piano set up. At this point I really started freaking out, speculating that Kevin is going to play the piano and sing to us. If that happens, I wouldn't know how to handle myself! Seeing them set up the piano made me think "Howie, who?" Ha! We were so excited for our special event that we accepted the fact that the tournament with Howie wasn't going to happen. I was content with the decision.... or so I thought.

Waiting for Kev. Why is that the 2 Kevin girls look so composed and I look like a nervous wreck?

We get chatting with the member of the Rose Tour staff, as we wait for Kev to arrive, and try to glean more info about the event. Basically just make small talk. We also share how we were also supposed to be in the blackjack tournament at that very moment. Well....she cuts us off and then walks away and makes a few calls on her headset. I don't think much of it, but she comes back over to us and says "Alright, girls, we're going to hold Kevin off. You both go upstairs and do the blackjack tournament with Howie."

She barely finished her sentence before Ana and I bolt upstairs to the casino. There was already a huge crowd surrounding the table, so we squeezed through the crowd and then they started going over the rules. The dealer told us how the event was going to run:

• We would pick our seats in order that we placed in the earlier tournament. Meaning I would pick last.
• She would then explain the rules to us.
• Howie would come out and she'd explain the rules again. (I have no idea why she couldn't just explain the rules once)
• Then we play 7 hands
• Whoever has the most chips at the end of the 7 hands, wins. 

I just made it!

Simple enough. So things start happening as she describes. I quickly realize that everyone else at that table clearly knows what they're doing, and I am so freakin clueless. I am NOT a gambler, by any means. I think maybe one of the other girls was in the same boat as me - in that our primary reason for being at that table was Howie. Not the blackjack. But I didn't really care.

After the dealer explains the rules, Howie comes out and takes the middle seat. I had to pinch myself that this was actually happening. Especially because it was almost taken away from me! He makes some small talk, but I sadly can't remember what he talked about because all I was focused on was the fact that I was playing blackjack with Howie. I know, I'm the worst! There has to be a term for this....Backstreet amensia??

So no sooner than Howie sits down and I start getting settled into the game, I see this same lady from Rose Tours pop up in the crowd and she motions "Hurry up, Kevin just got here."...............Oh you have got to be kidding me! We didn't even start the tournament! At this point, I am beside myself. I know we only have 7 hands, but I also know what I'm missing.

The game gets under way and it's going a lot slower than it was previously, which makes sense because its a full table and people are getting fancy and taking time with their bets. And in any other situation, I would've tried to slow down the event and savor my time with Mr. Howie D. But unfortunately, my head was in such a fog. I don't remember what Howie was talking about. I don't remember the cards that were dealt. All I remember is how anxious I was.

On hand #4, Ana had lost all of her chips so she just gets up and leaves. So now I'm really sweating bullets. It's probably been a good 10-15 minutes. And for all I know Kevin could have come and gone. By hand #6, we're now approaching 15-20 minutes. I keep looking over to Hal Roseman, who was watching and knew the situation. But all he did was shrug. Oye! I am literally dying on the inside.

I made up my mind. I can't stay a minute longer. I'm done with this tournament. I don't want to miss Kevin!

Random picture of the BSB-themed blackjack table because I don't have any pics of me at the event :(

So I decide to get up and leave. Little did I know, you're not allowed to leave in the middle of a tournament. The dealer tells me I couldn't go. Seriously, now? Are you kidding me? I feel like I'm on candid camera.

I'm not sure she would've physically restrained me or anything had I continued to try and leave, but I clearly wasn't thinking straight. So I sat back down, and everyone yells, "Go all in!" Of course, why didn't I think of that sooner?! So I go all in hoping I lose...

....and of course I somehow manage to win that hand. So let me just pause here and recap the situation.

• Playing blackjack with Howie on a cruise in the middle of the Caribbean
• Never played blackjack for money in my life
• Beating a bunch of professional players with a huge stack of chips in front of me
• Also beating Howie
• Howie sees me squirming, and trying to leave the entire time he was there. What he and everyone else must've thought of me....I'll never know
• I'm simultaneously standing up Kevin in that exact moment

Not even in my wildest dreams could I have ever painted this picture. I'm having a mild panic attack just reliving this!

So now we have one hand left and I'm actually doing semi-well so I figure I have to stick it out one more hand. At this point the dealer decides to stop the game and count up everyone's chips. All I was thinking in my head is "C'moooooooooon! Lets gooooo!"

Well, after the 7th and final hand, I quickly scanned the table and saw that everyone has busted out of chips except for Howie, myself, and 1 other person. So I knew I had come in at least third place, but I didn't waste another second to see if I had won. My watch said 25 minutes past and I feared the worst - I missed the entire Kevin event. I sprinted SO fast back down to that piano bar. If you happened to be in my path and saw a crazy girl sprinting from the casino to the piano bar, my apologies. Now you know why. I knew I had this man waiting for me...

Kevin getting his laptop set up for us

I push past a few fans waiting outside the piano bar, and enter the room to find it empty. My heart sank. But then I peered over to the corner and saw Keith sitting there. I asked if I missed it and he motioned over behind the piano. I turn my head around to see Ana, Anne Marie, and Kevin sitting there tucked in the back, corner booth. My heartbeat returned.

I made my way back to join the trio and apologized profusely to Kevin for being late. He seemed to largely understand, but made a comment like they shouldn't have scheduled them both at the same time. I agree!

Catching my breath, I mentally scolded myself to try and forget about the stressful situation, and to just enjoy the time left I had with Kevin. As soon as I sat down he asked my my name and where I'm from, which was nice. One of the things I love about Kevin is how engaging he is and being genuinely interested in what we have to say. That proved to be true this evening as well. No sooner than I shared, he informed me that we would be taking a shot of tequila. I guess it was everyone else's second shot, my first. He went on to explain that this particular tequila was really good quality and goes down nice and smooth.

Kevin pouring tequila and I guess that's me visibly shocked at the thought of doing a shot? Ha - I have no idea what I was doing!

My response to him, "I haven't done a shot since college, only for you!" Which was the truth. He poured us all shots and I couldn't turn down a shot from Kevin! Before I took the shot, I turned around to see if there was anything I could use as a chaser, even water. I'm such an amateur. There was nothing around except for a piano. I just remember mentally telling myself 'please just keep this down.' Luckily, I did. Last thing I needed to add to my night was vomit tequila all over Kevin.

Shots with Kevin

After our tequila, he graciously caught me up on what I missed. He had his laptop there with him and he explained how he was playing songs off his upcoming album, which will be called 'Cover Story.' He played maybe 4-5ish songs? I can't quite remember. He gave a lot of background on the genesis of the album and the meaning behind the songs. You all know Kevin, he likes to talk! So he probably spent 5 minutes on that. It honestly was a lot of what we heard the year prior at his Cover Story event on the cruise. He shared the John Lennon song that was written when he left the Beatles, and how he he could relate with everyone calling him crazy when he left the group.

One of the most special thing about this event was that he played these songs for us that no fan has heard yet. Yes, we heard some of these songs last year performed live. But I don't believe any other fan has heard these recorded versions. For me to sit here and say I've heard his music months before it gets released to the public, is super special. And just the fact that he had his personal laptop out, sharing his music with us. Its very surreal and indescribable how that feels. Its like we were old friends just hanging out and sharing music. It's something I'd do with my friends, scrolling through my iTunes to find a good song to jam to.

Anyway, he basically told us a little background about each of the songs, and then he'd play them. He also shared that he intends to release his album next year as well as tour. He said he wants to do intimate 200-300 person venues. I was so excited to hear this! I really hope that happens, especially with an anticipated slow BSB year. I will gladly take me some Kevvy Kev on tour. At one point I remember Ana looked over at his laptop and requested Back to Your Heart. Kudos to Ana on that one! Before he played it, he went on this mini-technical rant about which key he recorded the song in some of the challenges with recording it. It honestly went over my head.

Group shot with Kevin

So we talked over his music, and chatted about a little bit of everything during our precious time together. We shared how much we love the cruises and hope that they continue to do them in the future. He again confirmed what many of us have heard - that they want to do a cruise in Europe, he mentioned a Scandanavia cruise, but logistically it's a big challenge. He also mentioned that they've kicked around the idea of doing an all inclusive resort instead of a cruise.

Ana, Anne Marie, and I were all fortunate to have seen the full documentary so we wanted to share with him our thoughts on the film. I don't want to get into specifics and ruin any surprises, but we discussed some of the sensitive material that was brought up in the film. So that was another highlight of this event to me. I felt like we were talking about real, personal issues. And in typical Kevin fashion, I think he got choked up twice during this segment of the convo ;)

We also talked a little about his family. He shared a super cute story that Kristen shared with him, while he was away, about their kids. He even said, "My son, Max." To me it shows how humble he is...just because we obviously know his sons' names. Hearing about his kids was another highlight of our time, just because as much as I love getting inside scoop on some of his solo projects and the BSB stuff, hearing him tell stories about his family are things I don't get to hear at a sound check party. It didn't feel like an interview type question, but again, just hanging out with a friend.

I swear we were just getting going, and then Keith came over and said "last song." Boo! Granted we were still chatting for a while after the song ended. You know how Kevin likes to talk, so we milked that for a few more minutes. But sadly, all good things must come to an end. So before we left, we had Keith take a few pictures for us.

Me and Kev

I'd say the event lasted around 25 minutes. I later found out from Anne Marie, that I maybe missed the first 5 minutes or so. Turns out it took a while for them to set up the speakers, and with Kevin being the perfectionist he is, it took some time. I was incredibly relieved that I didn't miss that much of it.

After Kevin left, the 3 of us stood there still in disbelief that this happened. If Justin wasn't there to take pictures, I wouldn't believe it myself. I composed myself, and headed back up to the casino. I was still kinda afraid to go back up there, I felt like I was retuning to the crime scene or something. But I went. The dealer told me that I ended up coming in second place, and won $250. I just sat back and had to laugh. I was not in this competition for any monetary prize. Playing with Howie was the only prize I wanted. Of course I was absolutely thrilled, as I was able to put that back into my cruise fund.

Reflection

That hour was the most hectic, intense, amazing, and special hour of my Backstreet life. I look back on it with such mixed emotions. I'm so happy I was able to do both events, and finally have not 1, but 2 super amazing, unique moments on the cruise with the boys. But at the same time, I feel like I short-changed both of them. I wasn't 100% mentally present at either of them given the situation, especially Howie's. I also feel like I was incredibly rude to both Kevin and Howie - running out on one of them, and being late for the other. I hate that the most. Not that they'll remember. But I will.

I don't regret anything, but I don't think that Rose Tour staff should've told Ana and I to go play in the tournament when there clearly wasn't enough time. It was the one time I really needed Backstreet time, and it failed me! I don't want it to come across that I'm complaining in any way, because I'm so grateful.

Shameless Request - As you probably realized from above, I don't have a single picture of me playing in the blackjack tournament. If anyone out there has a picture of this tournament, or knows someone who might have a picture, I will be eternally grateful! Please feel free to email me or post below. Thank you, times a million, in advance.

Recap 2014: Day 2 (Part 1)

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

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

Buzzfeed type door with top 10 lists

A wall of CD lyrics

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

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

Howie's Blackjack Tournament

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

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

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

Me being the blackjack queen at #5!

Meet & Greet

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

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

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

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

Huggy poses with the boys

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don't Forget the Lyrics

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

The girls and I waiting for the event to start

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

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

  

  Nick being Nick

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

  

  Best. Face. Ever.

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

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

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

  

  Snoop Kevin

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

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

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

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

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

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

What to Expect: AJs Blackjack Tournament

This past cruise was the first year that AJ hosted a blackjack tournament and I went into that event totally lost and unsure on what to expect. So I wanted to let you know how it works as best I can in case he decides to do this event again. Keep in mind I am not a blackjack expert in any way shape or form.

Overview from Rose Tours

Ever dream of playing blackjack on the High Seas? Ever dream of playing blackjack on the high seas with one Mr. AJ McLean?
 
Well, here is your chance.

On Sunday, Oct. 27th, AJ is hosting his first ever Backstreet Boys Cruise - Blackjack Tournament.

For just $25 dollars (payable to the casino host on-board), you can have a chance to play in the grand finale with AJ. The top six chip winners from the qualifying rounds (starting in the casino at 10am) will test their skills against AJ himself.

The three players with the most chips will win cash prizes. The player with the highest amount of chips will also win a very special BSB Cruise prize! 

Submit your name, email address and dining time below. We will randomly select among all entries. You will receive a schedule with your table time in advance.

Commemorative Poker Chip

Should You Play?
In my opinion there were fans of all different levels of playing experience. Some girls had never played blackjack before, but just wanted to chance to play with AJ. And others who clearly know their way around a blackjack table. But  just because you don't know how to play or don't think you're good enough, I still think you should try it if you'd like. Just don't let the fact that you're less experienced stop you, because I guarantee other fans are just as new to it as you are. Blackjack is pretty easy to learn and a quick youtube video can help teach you. I personally consider myself somewhere in the middle. Going into it, I knew the basics, but I needed a refresher on when to split, double down, etc. 

Signing Up
Once you decide if you want to play, you need to sign up to participate. They first announced the event in the itinerary, which was released about 2 weeks before the cruise. In that email, there was a link to sign up for the tournament. So if this is something you'd like to participate in, keep your eyes peeled for that email from Rose Tours and make sure to sign up.

Notification
I was notified via email from Michelle at Rose Tours about 4 days before the cruise. From what I can tell, I think everyone who entered got picked. Lets face it- its easy money for them so I don't know why they'd turn anyone down. In this email, there was a schedule on what time you would be playing and what table you'd be at. 198 girls were selected to play. They had games being played from 10am-1:55pm on the last day of the cruise.

Checking In
When its time for you to play, make your way to the casino. You'll need to visit the cashier in the casino to check-in and pay for the tournament, which will go on your sail and sign card. It costs $25 to participate. At that point find your assigned table and grab a seat!

Even the tables were BSB themed!

Tournament Rules
Everyone will play 7 hands of blackjack and everyone starts with $1500 in chips. You do not compete with just the girls at your table, you're competing with everyone- so all 198 people who signed up and theoretically might play. Granted at my table only 2 of the 7 people showed up. I think a lot of people last minute changed their mind or were preoccupied because the tournament overlapped with the meet & greet. But don't stress, the dealer will go over all of the tournament rules beforehand. I found our dealer very understanding and patient with less experienced players. With 7 hands and only 2 girls at my table- the whole game couldn't have lasted much more than 5-10 minutes.  

Winning
In order to win a spot to play with AJ later in the day, you need to have the most money in chips at the end of those 7 hands. There was a board up front near the cashier that kept track of the top players throughout the day. Just so you have a sense, here were the final scores from the 2013 cruise.

1. $14,000
2. $10,200
3. $8,400
4. $6,900
5. $6,600
6. $6,200
7. AJ :)

The top 6 contestants got to play with AJ in the finals. The first place prize was $500 and the second place prize won $250. Though I personally think playing blackjack with AJ would be a prize enough!

Commemorative Poker Chip

Finals
Unfortunately I don't have any insight on how the finals that were played with AJ went. That event overlapped with Kevin's cover story and unfortunately I couldn't be in 2 places at once. If any past cruisers have an additional info they'd like to share, please post below. I'm curious too :)

Strategy
I am no blackjack expert, so I'm not going to even go down that path. But I will say that's its important to look at the winning amounts from last year. And definitely take a look at that board before you sit down. You need to know how aggressively to play. You only get 7 hands and $1500 in chips. If you only bet $100 a hand, you can do the math and quickly realize even if you got blackjack all 7 hands, there's no way you could compete. My personal MO was "go big or go home." But that's just me. Clearly it didn't pay off like I was hoping.

Good luck!

Recap 2013- Day 1

Here goes nothing...

Pre-Cruise

This year I decided to fly down to Miami 2 days early in order to relax and do essentially nothing before all the festivities began. Initially I was planning to get in extra early in anticipation for a pre-cruise event, but alas, no such luck. But even without the official pre-cruise event, I found I really enjoyed getting there early and relaxing. We went to South Beach, ate some good local food, hit up the beach in between downpours, sat by the pool, got manis/pedis, scrambled to complete our door decoration, and just got excited for the cruise.

I stayed at the Holiday Inn and there were a bunch of fans around the area. It's come to be an annual tradition for me to stay there, and even though its no 5-star hotel, I love seeing all the fans around. We also checked out the Bayside Marketplace and I met some first time cruisers. As more cruisers passed by and found us, our group grew to 12 people as we chatted the night away.

Boarding

I headed to the terminal pretty early as I like to be one of the first on board and start meeting up with all my friends. Plus I like to be there to see the guys board. Lets face it- every second with BSB I can get, I will take. As I've said before, waiting for the boys to show up in the terminal is one of my favorite parts of the whole trip because in that moment I had the entire trip to look forward to. And I didn't have to wait long before the guys trickled and the entire terminal erupted with cheers. I always chuckle watching the Carnival staff laugh at us. But honestly, sometimes I don't blame them.

Anyway, I was right up front where the guys came out and already got a taste of the pushing that would follow the rest of the cruise. Part of me was hoping they'd stop for pictures, hugs, or even a quick handshake. But all 5 of them swiftly moved past me to make their way onto the Imagination. One thing that did immediately catch my attention is that 4 of the 5 guys were traveling without their wives/families. Leighanne was the wife who came. And Howie's brother, John, was also there. Every year the entourage seems to dwindle down.

Brian broadcasting his entrance to the terminal

I was group 2 to board so I eagerly rushed up the gangway to get the cruise started. The atrium was overflowing with BSB decorations including huge banners, cardboard cutouts, and even posters spanning the length of the elevator. I was already impressed!

Next stop- lunch. I was actually a bit nervous to eat, but did manage to get some food down. While I was eating they brought around pretty pink drinks with umbrellas in them. Normally I'm quick to say 'no' but upon closer inspection I saw they were served in a 20th Anniversary BSB cruise cup.  Dammit, Carnival, just take my money already! They really do see us coming a mile away. As I was sipping my fruity drink, I spotted a crowd of girls scrambling near the buffet. I spotted a thick beard through the throngs of girls, which could only mean one thing- AJ grabbing some lunch. Eeeek! I love the random boy sightings. They never get old.

Me and my 20th anniversary BSB drink

After lunch, I wouldn't have to wait long before my next sighting. My roommates and I were headed down to our cabin to put our luggage away and with our luck, and we ran into Brian. He actually shouted over to us, "Starting early?" noticing all of us in tow with our drinks in hand. Oh goodness, as someone who isnt a big drinker, I found it ironic that one of the Backstreet Boys now thinks I'm some sort of lush drinking at 12 in the afternoon. But seeing as how he called us over, I wasn't about to continue walking down the hall to my room. I mean c'mon...its Brian! So we stopped and grabbed pictures with him. Yayy!

Me and Brian!

We eventually made our way to the cabin and scrambled to put on BSB TV, which I was devastated when it wasn't turned out yet. I also had a mini panic attack when I saw we didn't have our goody bags, thinking they were doing them this year. But my roommate, Chrissy, gently reminded me that they would be delivered later. Silly me! Clearly I'm not thinking straight. So we threw our luggage down and started putting up our door decoration. Our concept was '500 Reasons BSB is Larger than Life'. We had a lot of fun with the concept and had a few friends stop by as we were putting it up. Even though we didn't end up winning, I'm pretty proud with how it turned out. I'll also post the 500 reasons in a later entry for your reading pleasure.

Me, Chrissy, and 500 Reasons we love BSB

Sail Away Party

Because we didn't have Backtreet TV in our room yet, we flipped on the channel that had a live stream of the pool deck and noticed that crowds were already forming rows deep around the stage. Uh oh. This cruise was definitely going to be different than the past two cruises. We scrambled to get upstairs to do the life boat drill and then faced the crowds as we waited to sail away.

I was happy and surprised when the guys finally emerged and they were all clad in sailor suits. I thought that was such a nice touch! The sail-away party lasted about 50 minutes and I thought they kicked everything off well. They played a lot of fun music and some of boys braved the mobs and made their way around the deck. One of my favorite quotes from the event:

 "Hey, we're going to try to photos with everybody as much as possible. But i gotta tell you, is that everyday we're going to be in a different outfit but we're still the same guys. Alright? So if you got a picture the first day, its okay to let someone else get a picture the next day." - Howie

Oh if only people had respected this comment! I thought he made a great point.  Other than that they danced and sang to a bunch of songs. Made jokes about Kevin being a cruise virgin. They went on a long spiel about Gilligan's Island and which boy would correspond to which character. At one point I felt myself being pushed away from the stage...bizarre, right? Well turns out Nick was like 2 feet behind me hugging a coconut tree. That was quite exciting! And the party ended with AJ yelling "Backstreet's back bitches!" as the played Everybody. All in all, great way to start the cruise.

BSB welcoming us aboard in their sailor suits

I just had to share this pic of Brian

Nick sneaking up behind me causing pandemonium

What will be the first of many pictures of Howie with a drink in his hand

Are You Smarter than a Backstreet Boy Game Show (Group B)

This was my first event in the lounge and was slightly disappointed by my seat. I know there were some far worse off, but I was way off to the side and had a pole blocking my view of Nick. *sad face* Luckily Chrissy had the same pole blocking her view of Brian so we switched. It actually works out quite nicely that we don't have the same fave guy.

Honestly, I thought the opening first few minutes of this event were the best. The boys were goofing around behind the screen making funny shadows. I can't really explain well, so just watch....

Sorry for the shaky camera work- i was laughing quite a bit.

Other highlights of the game show:

• Nick actually put gum under his desk. 
• Howie listed 'Grompy' as one of the 7 dwarves
• Howie spelled 'Millennium' wrong (seriously howie, you don't know how to spell your own album??)
• Kevin trying to strictly enforce the rules
• Kevin was the only one who didn't get the memo on them changing outfits so he was the only one who showed up still in his sailor outfit
• Nick constantly trying to convince the other guys to pick the math category so he wouldn't have to do it
• Nick getting incredibly worked up with Brian over which airport IWITW was filmed at
• An incredibly lengthy debate over what time zone Kentucky is in

I have to laugh because I thought Nick and AJ would be the weak links in this game, but in an ironic twist it was Howie!

Howie in his dunce cap

Overall I thought the game show was good, not great. I liked how they brought 2 sets of fans up, to give more people a chance to play. Definitely some funny moments sprinkled in there. I know I shouldn't compare it to the game shows from prior cruises.....but honestly I didn't find myself laughing quite as much as I did for Family Feud and In it to Win It. I think with a trivia based game, it's really more entertaining when they don't know the answers.

After the game show I did a mini photo-shoot with the cardboard cut out backstreet boys. And good thing I did- I heard some fans stole them by day 2. I'm sorry, but really girls? Then we went to dinner and spotted Howie eating off to the side. I'm surprised he had the time to eat! But it was nice stealing a quick glimpse of him. Fans seemed to be respectful for the most part.

Me and cardboard cutout Backstreet Boys

Neon Night

Time for our first deck party- yay! On the way up to the deck party I actually ran into Nick and Howie playing craps in the casino. So I got a little sneak peak of their outfits before the fun began. They definitely aren't as entertaining as AJ to watch, they don't really acknowledge that there are fans around. But that didn't stop me from enjoying myself. I also had to laugh that right over the table was a TV streaming backstreet TV and it happened to be playing the This is Us concert. I found it weird watching them on TV while they were simultaneously right in front of me. But what made it even more entertaining is that every once in a while I'd see Nick or Howie look up and watch themselves in concert. For some reason I found this quite comical. Makes you wonder if they're flipping on Backstreet TV in their cabins.

Nick & Howie in the casino

In a history making moment, the Backstreet Boys actually arrived on time to neon night. I'll give you all a minute to pick your jaw up off the floor and let that sink in. I was super surprised but very happy we didn't have to wait around. I dressed in a "Don't put out the glow glow glow glow glow" tshirt. Thanks Ash for designing that! :) Made my theme night planning that much easier.

Me and my gals

The rest of the evening included Nick playing the drums, which I thought was pretty cool. He hadn't done that at a previous deck party. Nick, AJ and Brian all went crowd surfing. Another nice treat so early on the cruise! I think one of my favorite parts was Kevin's cheesy dance moves....

Exhibit A of Kev's cheesy dance moves

I thought the boys did a great job working the crowd, moving from the upper deck to the lower stage, mingling, taking pictures, getting the crowd pumped, etc. I really just spent the night a bit further back from the crowds and took it all in. I did notice that Kevin had disappeared from the stage for a while. I would later find out from my friend, Anne Marie, that Kevin was actually taking pictures with fans by one of the hot tubs towards the back of the deck. As soon as she told me, I bolted away figuring I should at least try to get a pic with him, right? Worst thing that could happen is me getting pushed in the hot tub by some rabid fans- no biggie. I've experienced worse. So after maybe 15 minutes of waiting I made my way up to Kevin, at which point he decided to turn around and do pictures with girls on the other side of him. So there I am awkwardly standing behind him for like 5 minutes wondering what the hell I should do. And then he stopped taking pictures altogether and just started dancing. Increasing my awkward feeling even more. Should I stay? Should I leave? What's a fangirl supposed to do?! I am most definitely not the pushy type so thank goodness he finally stopped dancing and turned back around for more pics so I was able to snag this gem with him...

Me and Kev. Please note that is NOT my lipstick on his cheek.

All in all a fun evening and fun first day. I was super lucky to get already get pictures with 2 of the boys in the first day so I was on cloud 9. I ended up going to bed a lot earlier than I thought around 4am, but that was probably a good thing because we had another big day in store for us!