Check-In and Various Updates

Hi cruisers - We have an update from Rose Tours with some key information! My commentary all the way at the bottom ;)

 

Important Information:

Is everyone ready to leave the Real World behind and cruise for 4 nights with BSB onboard the Carnival Sensation?!?!?

Before the nonstop fun can start we need to take care of some business. All guests sailing on Carnival are required to complete an online check-in no later than 11:59 pm May 2nd, the night prior to sailing. Once the quick and easy 4 Step Online Check-In process is complete you can proceed to print your Boarding Pass and Luggage Tags and book shore excursions and spa appointments.

New for this year – Carnival Staggered Check-in: Carnival has a new staggered check-in policy for their regular cruise guests. You must select a time when you do your online registration. This new CCL check in policy will not apply to us but they do require an arrival time to be filled in to complete your check in. You can arrive any time prior to 3pm.

To begin the Online Check In process, click the following link- Carnival Online Check In

Select Login, Register or Access Your Booking Now and provide the following information:

Your Booking Number: 

Guest Last Name

Date of Birth

Ship Name: Carnival Sensation

Sail Date: 05/03/2018

Step 1 - Provide Guest Information: You will be required to provide personal information such as address, an emergency contact, and your travel documentation information

Step 2 – Select your arrival time.

Step 3 - Onboard Expenses: You will open your onboard expense account by providing credit card information or you can select to provide cash upon embarkation.

Step 4 - Cruise Ticket Contract: You will need to accept Carnival Cruise Ticket Contract (Please note you will not be able to complete the online check in without accepting these terms)

Step 5 - Check-In Summary: You will receive a message you have completed the Online Check In and can now proceed to print your boarding pass and luggage tags.

If you are having technical issues while checking in please call Carnival at 1-866-236-6670 for assistance. If any of the pre- populated information in your online check in is incorrect (example: date of birth) please contact Rose Tours at 1-215-663-8800 (M-F 9am-5pm ET)

Please have proper travel documentation (valid Passport or State Issued Birth Certificate and government issued photo ID) with your Boarding pass with you for check-in at the pier. We suggest you put any necessary medication in your carryon bag since any checked luggage will not be delivered to your stateroom until later in the day.

CRUISE INFORMATION

AUTOGRAPHS: No autographs will be given at the photo sessions. You are more than welcome to ask BSB for their autographs when you see them around the ship, however please respect their privacy if they request it.

PHOTO SESSIONS: We will have groups of 4 or 5 passengers for each picture with BSB. Please respect this group policy. These sessions will be in the Plaza Aft Lounge on Deck 9. Please arrive at the Photo Session with your group of 4 or 5 passengers! NO CAMERAS, MOBILE PHONES, GIFTS OR BAGS WILL BE ADMITTED INTO THE PHOTO SESSION. If you do not have a group of 4 or 5, please go into the Disco to make up your group. Once you have your group of 4 or 5, please get in line. If you do not get a group of 4 or 5 you will be added to random passengers in order to get your photo. The photo session will end when the line ends. A link will be sent about 2 weeks after the cruise for you to download your photo. There will be no mixing of group A & B – this will be strictly enforced.

PERSONAL CAMERAS / VIDEO CAMERAS: Please feel free to bring your personal camera to all events except for the official photo sessions. If personal cameras are brought to the photo sessions, you will have to return it to your cabin. Video cameras allowed only for personal events. They are not allowed at official BSB cruise events. NO PROFESSIONAL CAMERAS ALLOWED AT ANY TIME. (SLR, DSLR, HD VIDEO, ETC)

WRISTBANDS: You will receive your wristband at check-in. Your wristband will have your exact seat assignment and either an A or B, which will denote your dining and event time. Wristband color and seat assignment number was determined by time of booking. Please note that these wristbands are required for all events. DO NOT REMOVE these wristbands until the end of the cruise. The cruise is sold out and the showroom is at capacity. There will be no seating changes.

PERSONAL GIFTS TO BSB: Gifts will NOT be permitted at any BSB scheduled events. Gifts can be left at the Rose Tours hospitality desk located Midship on deck 9. Please consult your itinerary for Hospitality Hours. Your gifts will be delivered to BSB.

SEATING: All seating in the Fantasia Show Room will be reserved. Your wristband determines which zone you are in and your Seat Number. Please look at the seating charts provided at check in to see where you will be seated. Please respect the seating policy and do not switch seats during the events. Please be respectful of others when entering the Fantasia Show Room.

CONCERT: BSB Concerts will be reserved seating. Each group gets ONE concert. NO ONE WILL BE ADMITTED INTO THE OTHER GROUPS CONCERT. Please respect your fellow guests during the concert. VIDEO IS NOT PERMITTED DURING THE CONCERT!

DRESS: Dress during the day is casual (shorts, shirts, skirts, jeans, etc.) Theme nights are as follows:

Thursday 5/3 – Fast Times at Backstreet High

Friday 5/4 – We’ve Got it Goin’ Con

Saturday 5/5 – Millennium Night

Sunday 5/6 – Party Like It’s 1993

DINING ROOMS:

Guests with Early Dining are in Group A

Guests with Late Dining are in Group B

• You will receive dining room assignment at check in. Seating in the dining rooms is open.
• Beach & Swim Wear, Tank Tops are not allowed in the Dining Room.
• Please arrive at your assigned dining room with your party, the Maitre D’ will seat you.
• Other options include 24 hour Room Service (fees may apply), Buffet on Lido Deck or the 24 hour Pizzeria.

Free Day in Grand Turk

You can enjoy your day on shore, no activities are scheduled while we are in port.

---

Carnival Ban Carry-On Bottled Beverages

Carnival Cruise Line is prohibiting its passengers from bringing bottled beverages onboard

You are allowed up to 12 unopened cans of water, sodas and non-alcoholic beverages per person to be brought on board during embarkation. You can now purchase a 12-pack of bottled water from Carnival at a price of $4.50 plus tax online prior to the cruise or on board.

Passengers age 21 and older can bring aboard one 750-milliliter bottle of unopened wine or champagne in carry-on baggage on embarkation day. If you choose to consume it in a restaurant or bar, you will be charged a $15 corkage fee.

All liquor, beer, other forms of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages outside of these exceptions are prohibited in both carry-on and checked luggage and will be confiscated and discarded with no compensation provided. All alcohol purchased in ports of call or onboard shops will be returned on the morning of debarkation.

Guests also are prohibited from bringing large coolers onboard since it’s an impediment to the boarding and security process. They can bring onboard personal-sized coolers, no larger than 12-by-12-by-12 inches to store small quantities of non-alcoholic beverages and/or medications.

Door Decorating Contest: Please note that while we are having a door decorating contest, Carnival has changed their policy on what is permitted to go on the door. You can decorate your door if it doesn’t present any fire hazards; such as plug-ins or decorations over the lighting features that may overheat.

My Interpretation
Most of this seems pretty standard. The thing that jumped out at me is of course that we're not having a beach party this year. Definitely a bummer as that is always a highlight for me and we missed that last time in Europe. I also personally prefer the vibe at the beach party as opposed to the theme parties mainly because they are daytime events and not late night parties. But on the bright side, it gives us the day in Grand Turk to explore. I do encourage you to take advantage of the day...there's no need to stay on the ship and stalk the guys. In the past, the boys have taken advantage of the port and gone off to explore. Thus you should too! You never know if you might run into them in Grand Turk.

Another point to note is that they did officially announce a door decorating contest. While they always seem to have one, they don't always make an official announcement. So that's exciting. Hopefully they'll have some good prizes this year.

Other than that, we are officially 18 days away! As we get closer to set sail date, if anyone has any questions, always feel free to email me.

Recap 2014: Day 1 (Part 1)

How I wish I could snap my fingers and be back to the morning of the cruise. But I suppose I'll settle for reliving it through my blog. So here goes...

Boarding
I always like to arrive at the terminal pretty early, mainly because I can't sleep much anyway and I like to be there when the boys arrive. So my friends and I made our way to the terminal and waited in the chilly Florida rain.

Chrissy and I in the rain outside the terminal

As soon as they let us inside, we opened up our goody bags to find that they were doing a scavenger hunt this year. Well, I'm a fan of scavenger hunts, period. Let alone a Backstreet themed scavenger hunt with some really awesome Backstreet-themed prizes. So I was all over this like a fly on honey!

Scavenger Hunt Rules

After reading through the rules, I saw that you have to work together as a cabin and pick one of the boys to go after. Well, I was rooming with 2 Kevin girls, so there really wasn't much deciding that needed to be done haha. We knew we'd be going for Kev!

We waited, for what seemed like forever, for the boys to finally make their grand entry. I was not so patiently waiting for the elevators doors to finally open and reveal the 5 men I had been waiting to see. Of course the Carnival staff was having fun with us and kept popping out pretending to be the Backstreet Boys.

The boys finally arrived and we got our first taste of the the fun and screaming that was to ensue. Oh, and I totally had a fangirl moment when Nick walked by and grabbed my hand!

Me giving Nick a high-five of sorts

Kev arriving

Now it was time for us to board. Yippee!! I anxiously skipped up the gangway in anticipation of the 3 days ahead. I absolutely love that feeling of stepping on the ship for the first time, greeted by the big ole BSB welcome sign and the cardboard cut outs. Even Howie has fun with them!

"On board the BSB Cruise. Getting ready for a fun party weekend. Funning thing is one of the guys in the group looks like me. I think I'm better looking.... ;)" - Howie D

Things like this are why we love you, Howie. And I'm not even counting the fact that you just made up the word 'funning'.

Anyway, it really is like a kid walking into a candy store. I don't even know what to do first. I want to explore, eat, check out the cabin, catch up with friends, meet up with new friends, get my door decoration up, call my boyfriend back home before my cell service goes away, find the Backstreet Boys, watch Backstreet TV. The list is never-ending.

Scavenger Hunt
This year one of the first things I did after getting settled was play the scavenger hunt because I was just so excited!

Clue #1: Kevin may still think he is the captain from last years cruise, but he's not in charge of the Carnival Ectasy. Kevin left his Captain's hat from last year's cruise onboard and they sent it here for safe keeping. Go visit the Maitre'd and the hat could be near.

My roommates and I figured it had to be in one of the two main dining rooms. We probably spent a good 20 minutes looking through both of those dining rooms, asking clueless Carnival staff, prying open what I can only assume to be confidential cabinets, and scanning every possible area where this hat could possibly be hidden.

It was on our second visit back to the Wind Star dining room where I finally spotted that darn hat! I felt so stupid when we finally saw it, because we literally had to have walked past it like 15 times. In my defense, the white hat blended in very well with the table. Tucked under the hat was the next clue...

Clue #1: Kev's Captain Hat

Clue #2: Kevin hails from the state of Kentucky and is a huge supporter of the University of Kentucky teams. When trying to relax onboard you can find him wearing his UK Tshirt in the back of the ship which is the more SERENE area.

After a mistaken trip to the spa, we ran back the length of the ship to 'Serenity' and stood out there in the pouring rain trying to find our next clue. We scoured that tiny area for a good 15 minutes, at least, with no luck. I'm sure if any staff was watching us, they must've thought we were crazy, but I didn't care. We were on a mission. We tore up the area, searching every nook & cranny, and my roommate, Ana, finally found our next clue attached to a University of Kentucky t-shirt.

Clue #3: Kentucky might be one of Kevin's favorite places to be when he isn't grooming his eyebrows perfect for the fans to see. You're on vacation and deserve to be pampered too, maybe you need to schedule an appoint for an "updo" to look for the next clue. 

Kevin Clue #3

 
I barely had time to laugh at the eyebrow reference before we booked it over back to the spa, hoping to find our next clue. When we got there, lo and behold, Mr. Richardson was at the spa making an appointment! I actually thought that we had reached our grand prize- a spa session with Kev! Maybe he'd be giving us a facial or would we give him a seaweed wrap?! Ha, if only! But it turned out it was pure dumb luck that he was there as he quickly made his way in the spa....without us. *sad face* I have to admit though, I looked like an utter hot mess from running back and forth all over the ship, sweating profusely, and having been outside in the rain for 20 minutes. Seriously, I was quite the site. So it was probably for the best that he went on without us.

I was obviously distracted with Kevin in front of me, but not that distracted. We were still on a mission. I noticed one of the spa attendants putting together an envelope and sticking it on the wall. So I grabbed the envelope, which was hilariously taped to a pair of tweezers. I see what they did there....too funny!

Clue #4: Kevin tickled the ivories for all to hear on last year's cruise but did you know tequila is his favorite booze?!?! While he was in the middle of a piano recital he left his bottle so its location is vital. That is the last clue to find and that special time with Kevin where you can unwind awaits you.

Ana reading our 4th clue in the piano bar

Holy crap, we're actually almost done and actually doing well. I was so freakin excited and just going off of adrenaline at this point. Next we run to the piano bar and Ana spots a tiny bottle of tequila almost right away. Attached to the tequila was the following note....

We won!!!!

*Does happy dance* I'm in sheer shock and still don't believe we won!! So we make our way to the hospitality desk, and sure enough, they confirmed that we won. I wanted to jump behind the counter and hug the ladies!! Actually... I do think I hugged some Rose Tour staff at some point. And not only that, we were the first team to complete the scavenger hunt. I still can't believe it!

It's not a dream, we really did win!!

It probably took us an hour to complete the scavenger hunt. We were seriously on cloud 9! At this point I was pretty darn hungry, but still too excited to eat. I ran into a couple friends who were still working on the scavenger hunt, and because I had so much fun doing the Kevin one I jumped right in to help. My two roommates, Chrissy & Cory, from last year were working on the AJ scavenger hunt and were stumped on a clue that lead us back out in the rain on the pool deck. Since I was already wet, what's a little more rain? I helped them look for their final clue, and they both ended up winning 1x1 time with AJ. So happy for them!!

Chrissy & Cory winning the AJ prize

After helping the AJ duo, I ran into more friends working on Howie's scavenger hunt. So I figured I'd tag along on their adventures. Why, not? I helped Kristie & Callie for a little while, and they eventually won after hours of searching for their clues. I was equally excited for them as well. I'm planning to bribe them all to be guest bloggers so hopefully you can hear more about their experiences as well.

All the scavenger hunt excitement lasted several hours and when I finally stopped to take a breath, I heard my tummy grumbling. Thus I went to grab some lunch, and by the this point the lines had died down. Nothing eventful happened at lunch- no BSB sightings. Gosh, in what world is it considered a boring lunch if I don't see a Backstreet Boy?! But that's pretty much how it works on a BSB cruise.

Before the sailaway party, my roommates and I wanted to get our door decoration up, though we didn't have a whole lot of time. I already wrote a full post on our FRIENDS themed door. I wanted to thank everyone who came by our door and paid us such wonderful compliments. We are soooo incredibly happy that you all seemed to enjoy it. We heard a lot of giggling and many of you shared that you also told AJ that he had to come see our door. A HUGE THANK YOU to those of you who told AJ about the door. I really appreciate!

Our FRIENDS/BSB Door

Before I go on, I want to share my one and only goal/hope for this trip was that AJ would see our door. I didn't care about winning, didn't care about getting any pictures with the boys, didn't care about much else. This was my only hope. But it was still an incredibly tall order. Not to mention I was going against my own #1 advice- don't have any expectations or you'll leave disappointed. But I couldn't help myself as I really thought he'd appreciate it. Anyway, you'll hear more on my journey of getting AJ to see this door as the rest of my cruise adventure unfolds.......

Ana, me and Anne Marie attempting a selfie in front of our door

Denise's Cruise Review

I'm so excited I have yet another awesome guest blogger for you, one of my good friends, Denise. She is a Nick girl from Chicago and she's been a diehard fan ever since she saw “As Long As You Love Me” on the VH1 countdown. The 2013 cruise was her first and she's excited to share her stories with you. She also has a super fun blog, The Life of a Backstreet Boys Fan, where she shares some of her other encounters. I love being able to share other reviews of the cruise because I obviously can't  be everywhere at once so Denise is going to share her play by play of the cruise. Enjoy!

DAY ONE: Friday, October 25, 2013

Friday morning, I woke up around 7 a.m. which was really 6 a.m. for me. I took a shower and got dressed and went downstairs in hunt of food. I think there were 31 floors and I was on the 14th floor, but when I got to the main floor I went to the café. It was all pastry stuff. I needed some heavier food that wasn't all sweets. I ended up eating at the buffet at the restaurant in the hotel. It was really good. I couldn't eat a lot though because I kept feeling like I was going to choke because of my coughing. I got a really nice bacon and cheese omelet and some hashbrowns and chamomile tea. I also tried some yogurt and more bacon lol. After I got done eating, I went back upstairs to gather my things and get ready to leave for the ship! I ended up walking to Ashley's room on a different floor to see if she and her roommate still would want to split a cab ride. We met downstairs and I checked out of my room. Then we found out about a shuttle for $6 to get from the hotel to the port and we took that. It took awhile for us to get going because they wanted to make sure that the whole bus was filled to get their gas worth, but we finally left. The whole bus was filled with BSB fans and some were playing BSB music!!! The cruise and BSB sisterhood was officially starting! It was nice to look at Miami on our way down to the port. I found some of the houses to look run down and when Ashley and I were walking outside by the hotel, it kind of smelled bad. If I ever move to Florida to get away from this crappy Illinois weather, I would probably pick Orlando or Tampa to move to over Miami. Anyway, it was still fun to look around.

When we arrived at the port, we got our luggage and made our way inside to the line to get in and for security. I took a picture of the Welcome to the Port of Miami sign and a security lady told me I had to delete it because it had the security men in the picture. I deleted it, but found it odd. After security, we went inside and were able to see BSB make their way to board the ship! That was so cool and I'm glad we left early to see that. It does pay to leave early just for that. All the fans were cheering and I ran to catch a glimpse and almost went passed the guy who gave me an itinerary, but I still got it. After that, we got in line to check ourselves in and then we had to find another person to give us a number to go in after that. When our number was called, which I think was 31, we proceeded inside to get a picture taken. Us three ended up getting our pictures taken together and I ended up buying this one because the guy took individuals of us, but my arm looked fat in the one of just me and I thought it would be nicer to have one of us three. After this, we boarded the ship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I boarded the ship, I looked around and instantly noticed a lot of BSB decorations and the bright, big elevators. I actually teared up a little because I couldn't believe I was actually on the BSB cruise! We tipped to have our luggage sent to our room, so I just had my carryon bag. Us girls parted ways, and I started taking pictures of everything and visited practically every deck. It was fun to explore the ship this way. I was getting pretty tired of lugging my carryon, but I think that was the right way to do it. It took awhile to get the luggage to the room and they just set it outside, but I'm still glad I did it this way because there would have been no way for me to get up close to the guys when they made their first appearance on the ship. I also took this time to find my room. I went into the cabin M124 first before my roommate I had from the match program was in there, but I didn't leave any of my stuff. I took pictures of the room too. My roommate from the match program also had the name of Ashley and she is really nice. We talked via email a few times before the cruise and on the cruise ended up hanging out here and there.

I made my way to the lido deck after getting some more pictures and ate a cheeseburger and fries and pretty soon it was time for BSB to come out! I remember asking some girls if I could sit at their table and they said yes. Then after about 20 minutes, they left and I guess one of their friends came back. This was the first rude encounter I had. She said I was in her seat. LOL I looked at her like she was nuts. There were like four other chairs empty at the same table and she wanted the seat I was in. What a weirdo. Luckily, I was done eating my food so I just gave her a weird look and left.

It was also around this time that I seen Brian and Leighanne checking out the food on the lido deck and got a picture, but the girl's head was in the way. Oh well.

During this time I also got some wine glasses that had the BSB cruise logo on it that girls were just going to throw out. They were selling them for $17, but I didn't want the alcohol and they were selling them without the alcohol but the same price.

Before BSB made their first appearance, AJ was walking by the buffet and I was able to get a picture of him and I, but a rude girl smacked my camera out of the way right when I was snapping the picture so you have half of AJ's face and mine. That was really uncalled for and my second experience with rude fangirls.

When we had to do the emergency drill, I of course ended up being right along the edge of the boat. I'm kind of afraid of heights, so that made me nervous, but that quickly went away and it was time for the BSB to come out!!!!!

For the Hot Hot Hot Sail Away Party, BSB all came out wearing captain uniforms looking VERY handsome. I thought that was such a nice idea. The party begins! I don't remember too much of this except that the guys were interacting and dancing and it seemed to have went by fast.

I also was able to touch Nick's back a couple of times when he got off the balcony during the Hot Hot Hot party.

I thought the music during the whole ship was perfect, especially what Nick played during his Nick at Nite djing. Every song he played I have on my ipod. After the BSB introduction, I ended up going back to my cabin and putting my luggage away. I met two girls along the way that were really nice and we had lunch together. We tried some of that Mongolian food, but it was a bit too spicy for me and I was afraid I might be allergic so I quickly stopped eating it. I actually lost weight on the cruise because there was so much to do, running around, dancing, and the buffet food wasn't that great so I just ate the dinner food. The water was also terrible on the ship. It tasted like rocks were on the bottom of my cup. I couldn't stand it and my roommate was nice enough to let me complain and have some of her bottled water. For the first night's dinner, I got the steak. It was really good and came with a baked potato. I remember getting some strawberry cheese cake that was good too, but nothing compared to the chocolate lava cake. I don't like chocolate at all, but this was so good and was more like a brownie. Also, the wait staff did a dance to Flo Rida's Low which was kind of awkward because one minute everything was so fancy and made me feel like an out-of-place hillbilly (lol) and the next minute they are dancing to a rap song. They also had these weird characters that would come up behind you while you were eating and take a picture of you. I remember a zombie and a pirate. Didn't really care for that.

Since I was in group A early dining, We waited until after 9:30 p.m. for the boys to do Are You Smarter Than a BSB? My seat for this and the concert was all the way in the back in a booth but still on the first floor. For this one, I could see really good but for the concert it wouldn't be that great of a seat. Anyway, the guys were goofing around with the shadow on the backdrop they had and it was so funny. They kept making the microphones look like their members lol and Howie took it to a whole new level when he opened a bottle of champagne lol. I remember AJ saying something about how they get dirtier as they get older and that seemed to be true lol, but it was so funny and just great to see them act like themselves and normal down-to-earth guys. I wish I would have gotten picked for anything on the cruise, but I didn't. Luckily, I got pretty close with every event. (I've been looking at pictures online and it seems like girls were so lucky to have gotten individual pictures with all five guys. Unfortunately, I wasn't that lucky.) For this event, Nick was really determined to win and I thought it was funny when each of the guys had to wear the dunce cap. I thought some of the questions were hard, but it was funny to see the guys being goofy. Nick was using some boxing gloves to punch Kevin in the butt and his hand got stuck in between his legs lol. Brian kept playing with a bouncy ball and it was cute how Kevin still had his captain uniform on and AJ said the rule was we had to salute our captain lol. It was also funny how they each came out and Nick came running out like a nerd and AJ knocked over a chair to show how he was a bad boy. Overall, this was a nice event to see the guys be funny but I wish I could have gotten picked for something, especially the coconut game with Nick, but I didn't even know they did that until after I seen pics online when I came home.

At midnight, the Don't Put Out the Glow Neon Party took full effect! I was so excited about all the themes because all the themes I voted for were picked, but I recommended this theme so I was especially excited about this. I would say that this was probably my favorite of the parties, or at least tied with Bachelorette Night, because it was the first party that started the whole cruise, was the theme I suggested, and was just awesome to see Nick play the drums on the balcony!

I ended up wearing the tie-dye Miami shirt I bought the previous day and the glow necklaces I brought with. The glow stuff I bought from Wal-Mart didn't work that great, but oh well. I actually had the same exact glasses Nick wore that glowed green but didn't bring them because I thought my luggage would be too heavy if I kept adding stuff. Turns out my luggage was only 30 lbs.

After BSB made their way onto the main stage in the middle of the lido deck, I had fun partying. BSB was giving away free drinks and I was given a blue one that had Malibu rum in it. I didn't like the taste, but took a couple of sips. I usually don't drink because I can be drunk all on my own lol, but I had to because it was just a special moment. Once I realized that Nick was up on the balcony, I quickly made my way to right below it. I got a really good spot right in front of him. It was the best moment just to see him let loose and play the drums and sing. AJ was up there with him and Kevin ended up joining too.

I think it was at this party where AJ was teasing Howie because he didn't want to stage dive and AJ said to make sure to grab his balls lol. I was able to help Howie stage dive and Brian.

At one point Nick got a TMNT knit hat from a fan and put it on and then threw it to where I was. I ended up catching it along with two other girls. The one girl gave up pretty quickly and it was down to me and this other girl. I really would like to believe Nick remembered me from Chicago and wanted to throw it to me, but who knows. I'm also a big TMNT fan from when I was a kid so I really wanted this. This girl ended up yanking it right out of my hand really nasty, I mean really nasty, and then laughing and smiling to her friend. Honestly, she is lucky she is still alive. I had to do everything in my power from not smacking her upside the head or ripping her hair out. Kind of an ugly side to me I know, but I didn't do it and I wasn't the one that cockily laughed in someone else's face. Also, I think this girl is on facebook saying how sweet she was behaving on the cruise. Pfft. I really was upset when this happened, but I got the last laugh because I ended up being really close on Bachelorette Night and caught a couple of things Nick threw out. This is when I realized that there were some real bitches on the ship.

I found myself wishing I was up on the balcony, so I asked security how I can get up there. They said that I would need a special wrist band. I asked how you get that and the guy said he didn't know. I ended up going all the way around the other side and got up there, but they had it barricaded. A lot of the girls up there looked skanky, but that's usually how it goes with anything like this, not just BSB. I ended up going right up there after the party was over but no BSBs were there. This was after waiting and resting inside the ship.

The best part of Glow Night was just seeing the BSB be themselves and have fun. I really enjoyed seeing all their smiles throughout the whole cruise and am glad they were having fun too! I really did enjoy Nick playing the drums so much and liked how they had the drums lit up. It was also really cool how Nick was singing to some of the songs, like the new Eminem song.

Because Denise's review is so amazingly thorough, I'm going to point you back to her blog to read the rest of it. Plus it has a ton more great pictures! Day 2; Day 3; Day 4.

Information At Last!

Check your emails, cruisers, we finally have some more information from Rose Tours. In case you missed it....

BACKSTREET BOYS CRUISE
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES/ROSE TOURS INSTRUCTIONS


Dear _____,

We would like to take this opportunity to thank for participating in the
3RD Annual BSB Cruise aboard The CARNIVAL IMAGINATION.

Please review below information necessary to ensure a trouble free, relaxing vacation for all. Your booking number is six characters, three letters and three numbers.

All guests sailing on Carnival are required to complete an online check in no later 11:59 pm the night prior to sailing. Once the 4 Step Online Check In process is complete all guests can proceed to print their Boarding Pass and Luggage Tags. Taking a few minutes now will let you start enjoying your long-awaited cruise that much sooner.

 To begin the Online Check In process- Go online to Carnival.com and click on Manage My Cruises

 Or access web page – www.carnival.com/bookedguest

 Click on Login, Register or Access Your Booking Now and provide the following:

 Carnival Booking Number

 Guest Last Name

 Date of Birth

 Ship Name: Carnival Imagination

 Sail Date: 10/25/2013

  Step 1 Provide Guest Information: You will be required to provide personal information such address, an emergency contact, and your travel documentation information

 Step 2 Onboard Expenses: You will open your onboard expense account by providing credit card information or can select to provide cash upon embarkation.

 Step 3 Cruise Ticket Contract: You will need to accept Carnival Cruise Ticket Contract (Please note you will not be able to complete the online check in without accepting these terms)

 Step 4 Check In Summary: You will receive a message you have completed the Online Check In and can now proceed to print your boarding pass and luggage tags.

If you are having technical issues while checking in please call Carnival at 1-866 236-6670 for assistance. If any of the pre- populated information in your online check in is incorrect (example: date of birth) please contact Rose Tours.

 Please remember to bring your Boarding Pass and all Travel Documentation with you to the Pier. 

 Please note, your luggage tag located is on the last page of your documents.

Everyone must check in at the pier. (IMPORTANT - Please remember to fill out your FUN pass/Boarding Pass and Bring with you to the pier for Check In)

It is suggested that you put all medication in your carryon bag. Your luggage will not be delivered to your stateroom until a later time.

Once you arrive at the Pier, go to the Reception Area to check in. **Please have your proper identification with your Boarding pass (valid Passport or State Issued Birth Certificate and government issued photo ID) for cruise check-in.

You will receive your Sail & Sign /Cabin Key/ Wristband and Final Itinerary from Carnival at the pier.

You must wear the wristbands for the entire cruise. Each passenger will receive one wristband, which is non-transferable and will not be replaced.

BEACH PARTY - BALMORAL ISLAND, NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS
Take in the aqua-blue waters of the Bahamas during our Balmoral Beach Party with the BSB!
The luxurious island experience features a plunge pool, and a pristine white sand beach.

Highlights:

    Beautiful plunge pool
    Pristine white sand beach
    Dolphin encounters are available for an additional cost

Try a new luxury destination when your Carnival Cruise calls in Nassau, Bahamas. Transfer from the pier by boat to the private island.

    Transportation, a bottle of water and a boxed lunch are included. (Additional beverages/alcohol are available at an additional charge)
    Your shipboard Sail & Sign card may be used for purchases in Balmoral.
    Bring your own towel.
    Sunscreen and beach gear recommended.

ALL EVENTS ON BALMORAL WILL BE GENERAL ADMISSION

All guests must take their sail & sign card and a photo id  to depart the ship.  If you are going to sight see in Nassau, you must have cash or a valid credit card for purchases.

BSB CRUISE RULES & OTHER INFORMATION

AUTOGRAPHS:
No autographs will be given at the photo sessions. You are more than welcome to ask BSB for their autographs when you see them around the ship, however please respect their privacy if they request it.

PHOTO SESSIONS:
We will have groups of 8-10 passengers for each picture with the BSB. This way we will be able to see everyone, no one will be left without a photo. Please respect this group policy. Group A wristbands begin at11:00 AM and Group B wristbands begin at 1:00PM. These sessions will be in the Xanadu Lounge on Promenade Deck 5. Please arrive at the Photo Session with your group! NO CAMERAS, MOBILE PHONES, GIFTS OR BAGS WILL BE ADMITTED INTO THE PHOTO SESSION. If you do not have a group of 8-10, please go into the Disco to make up your group. Once you have your group of 8-10, please get in line. If you do not get a group of 8-10 you will be added to random passengers in order to get your photo.

PERSONAL CAMERAS / VIDEO CAMERAS:
Please feel free to bring your personal camera to all events except for the official photo sessions. We are providing an official photographer who will be circulating at all official events. Photos will be available thru a website. The link will be provided at a later time. If personal cameras are brought to the photo sessions, you will have to return it to your cabin. Video cameras allowed only for personal events. They are not allowed at official BSB cruise events. NO PROFESSIONAL CAMERAS ALLOWED AT ANY TIME. (SLR, DSLR, HD VIDEO, ETC)

WRISTBANDS:
You will receive your wristband at check-in. There are 6 wristband colors , these colors represent the zones in the Dynasty Lounge. Your wristband will have your exact seat assignment and either an A or B, which will denote your dining and event time. Wristband color and seat assignment number was determined by time of booking. Please note that these wristbands are required for all events. DO NOT REMOVE these wristbands until the end of the cruise.

PERSONAL GIFTS TO BSB:
Gifts will NOT be permitted at any BSB scheduled events.
Gifts can be left at the hospitality desk located in the Circle C Lounge on Atlantic Deck 8. Please consult your itinerary for Hospitality Hours. Your gifts will be delivered to BSB.

SEATING:
All seating in the Dynasty Lounge will be reserved. Your wristband determines which zone you are in and your Seat Number. Please look at the seating charts provided at check in to see where you will be seated. Please respect the seating policy and do not switch seats during the events. Please be respectful of others when entering the Dynasty Lounge.

CONCERT:
The BSB Concerts will be reserved seating in the Dynasty Theatre. Each group gets ONE concert. NO ONE WILL BE ADMITTED INTO THE OTHER GROUPS CONCERT. Please respect your fellow guests during the concert. VIDEO IS NOT PERMITTED DURING THE CONCERT!

DRESS:
Dress during the day is casual (shorts, shirts, skirts, jeans, etc.) Theme nights are as follows:

Friday, Oct 25th  DON'T PUT OUT THE GLOW NEON PARTY.
"Stay here, don't put out the glow..."  Join the party in your favorite neon clothes and accessories. The brighter the better!  Don't forget your glow sticks!

Saturday, Oct 26th BACKSTREETS BACK HALLOWEEN PARTY
There ain't no party like a Backstreet Halloween Party!  In honor of Halloween, we're throwing a massive costume party.  BSB related or not, get creative! After all, what's Halloween without an epic costume?

Monday, Oct 27th BACKSTREET BACHELORETTE PARTY
It's ladies night and it's guaranteed to get wild. Think club attire. Sexy, chic and ready for a good time.  You be the bachelorette and we'll be your eye candy!  P.S. Fellas are still invited too!

Beach & Swim Wear, Tank Tops, Tennis Shoes, Flip-Flops are Not Allowed in the Dining Room.

DINING ROOMS:
Guests with Early Dining are in Group A. (Spirit Dining Room or Pride Dining Room)
Guests with Late Dining are in Group B. (Spirit Dining Room or Pride Dining Room)You will receive dining room assignment at check in. Seating in the dining rooms is open.
Please arrive at your assigned dining room with your party, the Maitre D' will seat you.
Other options include 24 hour Room Service, Buffet on Lido Deck or the 24 hour Pizzeria.

SPA CARNIVAL:
'Everybody' the spa onboard invites you to pamper yourself while sailing on this special cruise.

'Larger Than Life' Relaxation

Choose any combination of three treatments (60 minutes total) - Only $129 - Save $100! 'As Long As You Love Us'

    Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage
    Full Body Brush Exfoliation
    Pressure Point Foot and Ankle Massage
    Scalp Massage
    Hand and Arm Massage
    Hydrating Spa Facial

There's 'More than That…. '
Upgrade your Back, Neck and Shoulder massage to a Bamboo Massage or Aroma Stone Massage for only $25.
Offer may not be combined with other discounts or promotions.

Full itineraries to follow!

Thanks and See you on board!

My Take
Wow, a lot of information to digest! Here are my thoughts

• "We will have groups of 8-10 passengers for each picture with the BSB"
  I honestly have to step back and laugh at this with everyone working so diligently on getting groups of 10. I figured as much they'd throw us a curve ball, but alas, this is a better curveball then them saying 12 people per picture. I think we would've had a mutiny on our hands.
• Beach party sounds AWESOME!!!! The island looks gorgeous! Anyone else want to sabotage the boats back to the ship with me so we can be stuck here with BSB??? Just teasing....kind of ;P But seriously, I'm really happy they're doing the beach party on a private island this year. THIS is what its all about!
  
  
   
• All of the policies are nothing new, at least as a repeat cruiser. But I want to call out for first time cruisers that its very important to check-in and print off your fun pass.
• Spa treatments are always tempting. They're clearly just trying to sell more by throwing a backstreet lyric in front of the existing package, and gosh darnit, I think its gonna work on me!
• Unrelated to this email, but rumors of a Kev solo concert are floating around.... @TheRobGonzales tweeted the following @MikeyBoyCanada @cdubyah76 yes I am!!! Opening for Kevin's solo set and then jamming on the piano with him while he sings! Can't wait!
  That would be super exciting!!! Obviously never seen Kevin really do any solo stuff so this will definitely be a treat. And now we have a Brian & likely Kev solo event....so I'm hoping we'll go 5 for 5 on the solo stuff!
  
• I was looking for the itinerary but caught it said "Full itineraries to follow!" Guess they're trying to finalize a few more items. Rose Tours apparently also runs on Backstreet time....

FAQ

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


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

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

When did they announce the themes last year?

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

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

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

Do you get the meet the guys?

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

What's the deal with the plug situation?

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

How do I buy VIP?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What time in the morning do the events typically start?

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

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

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

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

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

Can you tell me more about the door decorations?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What should a first time cruiser expect?

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

What's the best part of the BSB cruise?

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

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

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

What's the worst part of the BSB cruise?

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

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

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

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

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

How much time do you actually get with the Boys? 

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

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

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

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

Do you have to participate in everything?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Will my cell phone work on the cruise?

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

When do we get the itinerary?

Two weeks before we set sail.

Do I have to tip?

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

How much should I expect to spend?

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

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

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

Are there professional photographers on board?

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

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

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

Will there be time to change for the theme nights?

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

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

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

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

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

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

What do people wear to dinner?

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

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

 

Recap 2011- Day 1

After a long sleepless night it was finally time to get ready and make our way to the port to board the ship. We headed to the port rather early, all looking fabulous in our matching cruise shirts (thanks Danielle!)

OMG We're Back Again!

I not so patiently waited for the time to pass until it was time for us to board. Though I didn't have to wait long before we saw Howie sneak around the corner to check in. The rest of the boys were soon to follow. Eventually AJ and Nick walked past us to the restroom and I stole a handshake from Nick. Though in hindsight I probably should've done it before he went to the bathroom and not after.



Me happy after my handshake with Nick

 BSB boarding

After the Backstreet Boys boarded, it was finally our time to board the ship! Walking up that gangway is one of the best feelings in the world because you have the whole trip to look forward to. Love that moment. Only got better when we were greeted by life-size Backstreet Boy cardboard cutouts on the ship. I decided to hold off on grabbing a picture because my first order of business- get lunch. The restaurant was empty so it wasn't hard to spot Brian eating with his family. I felt odd sitting right next to him so we sat a table away. Otherwise it reminded me of going into a  movie and sitting directly next to the only person in the theater. It was definitely cool eating lunch next to Brian again, I had a slight feeling of deja vu because that's how I started off the cruise last year as well. Though I was significantly more calm this time around.

Second order of business- door decorations. This year it took us a little longer to put up but I'm really happy with how it turned out. Our theme was based on the song 'Color my World' so we did coloring book pages around our door and even put crayons up for people to color as they walked by.  To be honest I'm surprised we didn't get more vandalism because I knew we were asking for trouble putting crayons out. Our bonus giveaway was a little mini coloring/activity book that you could take home.

Color My World

Yet again I didn't win, but we had a lot of fun with it. I had a blast putting the decorations up with my roommates, meeting our neighbors, and blasting the BSB channel in the background. And the experience wouldn't have been complete without getting repeatedly run over by the luggage carts going up and down the hall. Note to self- don't put up door decorations while they are still delivering luggage to the cabins.

Sail Away Party

Next activity on the agenda was life boat drill. That's boring so let's move right along to the Sail Away party. Soooo much fun! I particularly enjoyed this because I was in the front row for this event. At least I started off that way, I'm really not sure how I ended up in the third row by the end. But I still enjoyed every moment of it and was able to take some great pictures and fun videos. I love being so close when you hear them talk without the microphone (and of course because they're so close you can reach out and touch them) 

    The boys kicking off the whole cruise with a bang

Lots of fun banter and interactions with the guys. I had a few favorite moments from the Sail Away party. I liked when AJ dedicated Nsync's song 'Tearin Up My Heart' to Nick and they did spoof dancing to it. Apparently Nick like's that song.

I love Brian's ridiculously bright shoes. They're barely in this shot and you still can't miss them.

Also enjoyed Nick and AJ playing with those streamer shooter thingies.

Another favorite moment was getting our first taste of Howie wiggling it up.

Cruise 2011 Anthem

In it to Win It (Group B)

After the sail away party there wasn't too much time before we headed to the Dynasty Lounge to get ready for our game show. I was so happy to see my seats were more centered this year, so I actually had a decent view. Since the boys were running on Backstreet time, I decided to take some pictures while we waited, in typical Laura fashion. I take way more pictures than necessary. Let's not even discuss what my final picture tally came to at the end of the cruise.

Me and Natalie. Im also wearing my dress that I bought when I thought we'd be having white night.


The boys finally came out and the games began. Lots of funny moments. I really enjoyed this game show. Anyone else notice how competitive the boys are? I liked how they did lots of little mini games because it stayed fresh the entire time. The games got progressively more entertaining.



This doesn't have much to do with the game but I couldn't NOT post it

I laughed so much that all of my videos came out shaky. I just like seeing the boys be themselves. We saw Brian goofing around singing to a tiny Christmas tree, Howie ironically not so good at flip cup, Nick excel at kissing a coconut, and AJ really out of shape after Nervous Nelly.

Coconut Smoochie

My only minor issue is that I wished they switched the girls up in between the games as to give more people a chance to get on stage. But again, a minor complaint in an otherwise really fun event. I think they learned their lesson by Group A.

After In it to Win It, we tried to make our way to the merch booth but it was just way too crowded. I peaked my head in at the overpriced merchandise and spotted a few items I'd pick up later. But I have to ask why everything in that shop had a picture of a naked mermaid on it? I really don't know what they were thinking when they designed this logo. That's going in my recommendations for next cruise.

I made my way to the dining room and was quite pleasantly greeted by my friends sitting off to the left and Brian sitting off to the right. I was truthfully shocked to see Brian eating in the main dining room, but no complaints from me. I felt like I was getting spoiled eating near Brian for both lunch and dinner. Why can't all my meals be like that? Plus it would make a great diet. Called the 'Too nervous around a BSB to eat diet'.

Me and the gals at dinner

It was so nice to sit down to a relaxed dinner and catch up with my friends, whom i haven't seen in a while. A moment where we came together after months of anticipation and just enjoyed each others company with Brian only a feet away. It just doesn't get much better.

80's Night

After dinner it was time to tease up the hair and put on those neon bracelets to get ready for 80's night. I had a lot of fun getting ready for this night and seeing how other people dressed up.

Me and Cinzia rocking our side pony tails.

I was pretty excited for 80's night because it was our first deck party and I thought it would set the tone for the rest of the cruise. I ended up having a lot of fun dancing with friends and not getting smushed in the front row this time. The boys were running on Backstreet time, per usual, and showed up around 12:30am. I was so excited to see them all decked out as sphynkter. They looked fabulous! I was so impressed with how much effort they put into the costumes.



Sphynkter!

As for the deck party itself, I thought it was good, not great. I don't mean to sound negative, but the boys did such a good job of spoiling us last year. Though they did a good job of making their way around the deck and using the stage up top, the stage in the middle, the bar, and making their way through the crowds. So it seemeed everyone had a front row at some point. I really only was close as they walked around the deck, which was fine by me. I just wish they had done more activities or went on the mic a bit more to entertain us. I did enjoy seeing Nick struggle with his hair.

By 3:00 my tummy was grumbling so my roommate, Chrissy, and I hit up the pizza place and stole a glimpse of Nick at the bar inside. I swear I'd never get sick of watching him. Even standing around doing nothing I'm in awe of his hotness. We were surprisingly energized and were far from ready to go to bed. Lucky for us Howie shared the same mindset. Seriously though, where has this Howie been hiding all these years? He was up partying until 6 or 7 in the morning. We didn't make it quite that long, but close to it.

I was even able to snag a picture with the wiggle king himself. And the great thing is I finally broke my Howie curse! Finally able to get a picture with him :)


Chrissy, Howie, and I

Realizing that the night couldn't get any better after this, we hit the cabin to get a few hours of sleep and prepare for Day 2 of our Backstreet adventure.