Guest Blogger: A European Perspective

I am excited to have another amazing guest blogger. Her name is Gaby and this will be her first cruise, coming all the way from the Netherlands! She loves all the boys but loves Brian just "a little bit more" than the rest ;) Since I'm a naive American, Gaby is graciously offered to help provide a local perspective on the cruise and share some insight on what we can expect traveling in Europe.

Hey guys! So, Laura has given me the opportunity to write a guest blog for you, and I’m very excited! I love this blog and it’s been extremely helpful getting ready for my first cruise. I would like to give something in return, so I hope you will enjoy my post.

I am so, so happy that the Boys really do listen to us and are giving us the European cruise so many of us have been asking for. I’ve been wanting to go on a Backstreet Boys cruise for years, but unfortunately I could never afford the pricey cruise as well as the additional travel to the USA (even though I desperately wanted to because I LOVE the USA!).

So… Europe. I can imagine that a lot of this year’s cruisers have never been there before. While most of Europe is considered “Western” and isn’t shockingly different from the States, there are some things you should take into consideration, I believe. Hopefully this post will give you some useful information so that you can spend all of your time and energy on preparing for the most important part: cruising with the Backstreet Boys!

The Language
While most people in Northern Europe speak English, this is actually not the case in the Mediterranean. It is my experience that very few people there speak English, and if they do it is usually very limited. I would advise to learn some basic phrases in the languages you need (or carry them with you on paper or your phone). Even if you can’t pronounce it correctly or can’t understand the reply, when people see you are willing to make an effort to speak their language they will be much more inclined to do the same. If you go up to someone and assume they will speak English, you might be in for a surprise.

Also, the majority of the locals in Barcelona speak Catalan. Most of them can also speak Spanish and signs, menus etc. are usually in both Catalan and Spanish.

The Food
These days there are more and more American chains in Europe (McDonalds, Burger King, Hard Rock Café, Starbucks etc.), but most of the food is different. Pretty much every country has its own cuisine, and even different regions have different food. In Barcelona you will find a lot of seafood and, of course, “tapas”. The kind of food associated with “haute cuisine” is usually French. Italy has a lot more to offer than just pizza and pasta! Keep in mind though that most menus will not be in English (there are a few exceptions, e.g. Hard Rock Café), so if you are allergic to something it might be a good idea to look up the translation beforehand.

If you’re staying in a big(ger) hotel, it will most likely serve a “continental breakfast”. This usually includes bread, cereals, eggs, pancakes, bacon or sausages, yoghurt and fruit.

Also, meal times are usually quite late in the Mediterranean – lunch around 2 pm and dinner no earlier than 9 pm is not uncommon.

Also, a little warning: if you're used to very clean & safe tap water, it might be a good idea to only drink bottled water in the Mediterranean. The quality of water can be different and I wouldn't want anyone to spend their cruise on the toilet! 

The Money
Spain, France and Italy all use the Euro (€), but if you’re also traveling to other countries it might be a good idea to check their currency. Most EU (European Union) countries use the Euro, but there are some exceptions (e.g. UK, Sweden, Switzerland). At the moment, €1 is worth about $1,05.
Most hotels and the bigger stores and restaurant will accept credit cards (mostly Visa and Mastercard), but this is not always the case with for instance local stores. It’s a good idea to have at least some cash on you.

The Weather
This cruise is going to be a little different weather-wise… While the Mediterranean usually has the warmest weather of Europe, it is never a guarantee. In early May, it can be very hot and sunny but also chilly and rainy. It will most likely be chilly once the sun goes down, especially on the boat. Be sure to pack a pair of jeans and a warm sweater!

The Siestas
It is possible that some shops and restaurants are closed in the early afternoon for “siesta”. Exact times vary, but between 12 pm and 2 pm is a good indicator. You will probably not find this in the bigger cities (except maybe some small, local shops).

I hope that was helpful! If you have any other questions, please leave them in the comments and I’ll try to answer them.

Good luck with all preparations and I hope to see you on the boat!

Random Tidbits about the Imagination

Since I just got off the Carnival Imagination, well not just, it was already a month ago. Yikes, time does fly! But I tried to gather some information that I thought might be helpful to you all.

Dynasty Lounge Floor plan
I'm not sure this is necessary helpful, but just in case you wanted a more detailed look at the lounge and really plan out every possible seat option. I figured someone out there might find it useful.

Drinks
I feel like the topic of drinks comes up quite often. Particularly drink prices. So I started to type this all out, but figured you could just look at the pictures instead. Save me a lot of trouble!

To sum it up though:

• Icy concoctions- $7.25 or $4.75 with no alcohol
• Smoothies- $4.75 
• Soft drinks- $1.95 (Or you can just buy the soda card for unlimited soft drinks)
• Energy drinks- $4.75
• Bottled Water- $1.95-$4.75
• Beer- $4.95-$6.75
• Cocktails- $8.75
• Martinis- $8.95
• Cordials & Liqueurs- $5.75-$6.50
• Straight up drinks- $5.25-11.95
• Wines- $5.75-$10.75
• Cognac & Brandy- $5.75-$12.25

Professional Photos
You can buy professional photos in the photo gallery. They also sell extra memory, batteries, cameras, novelty goodies and such. I just grabbed a snapshot of the main picture prices though.

• 'Fun Snaps'- Includes 2 5x7s or 1 5x7 and 4 wallet sizes. $9.99
• 'Fun Candids'- Includes a 6x9 photo $11.99
• 'Fun Photos'- Includes a 8x10 (landscape) $19.99 
• 'Fun Portraits'- Includes a 8x10 (portrait) $21.99  

Medical Center
Lets hope no one needs this information, but just so you know....

Doctors Hours: 8-11am & 3-6pm
Miami Port Hours: 3-6pm only
I believe the medical center itself may be open for a longer period of time though.

Doctors Fee: $90
After Hours: $170
*Medical services are charged to your sail & sign card

For aspirin, tylenol, band aids & seasick tabs- call 7777

They do NOT have the sea sick patch. They made that clear on the sign outside their door (located deck 3)

Behind the Scenes at Carnival

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

What lies behind these curtains?

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

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

My bro's cabin

Bathroom in crew cabin

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

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

What do they eat?

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

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

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

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

What do they do for fun?

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

Crew bar

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

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

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


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

Early vs Late Dining

Odds are most of you have already figured out what time you want to have your dinner. But in the event you haven’t, here are a few ways to figure out which may be better suited for you. If you select early dining, you will be eating around 6:30, and if you select late dining you can expect to eat around 8:15.

You should choose early dining if:

• You are traveling with children who are used to eating earlier
• You are used to eating earlier
• You plan on going to bed early
• You don’t want to go to bed feeling full
• You would rather spend more time after dinner enjoying the casino, lounges, or other areas on board

You should choose late dining if:

• You’re a night owl
• You don’t mind finishing dinner at 10pm
• You do not want to be rushed during our time at Nassau, giving you more time to spend in port
• You like to indulge in a late afternoon nap
• You are used to eating later
• You like to enjoy a leisurely dinner and coffee at the end of your meal

The Backstreet Boy cruise will be a lot different than your normal cruise. But in general you will find families and elderly people opt for the earlier seating. Additionally you could expect to see more Americans choose the early seating while Europeans and South Americans who are accustomed to eating later, will go with late seating. The last thing to note is that the late seating is considered to be a little bit more romantic because it is less rushed than the early seating.

As an FYI for you new cruisers, last year the Backstreet Boys ate with the fans during the late seating. As I've mentioned before, I doubt they will be eating with us again just due to their hectic schedule. But you never know. This is merely my speculation.

I also want to point out that you do not have to choose either dining option if you'd rather skip it. It is your vacation and no one is forcing you to eat against your will. You can always order room service or do a quick dinner at the buffet. But you'll find most people do eat dinner in the main dining room.

I'm sure you are at the edge of your seat wanting to know what I have selected. Personally I have opted for late seating, mostly for the reasons listed above. But also because I feel like I'm so full from eating a larger breakfast, lunch, and extra snacks that I'm not ready to eat dinner at 6:30. I've always been one to choose late seating, regardless of whether or not its a Backstreet Boys cruise.

Happy eating!

10 Things You Must do Before you Leave the Cruise

There are a ton of fun things you will want to do on board, most especially BSB related things. However it's easy to get caught up in all the excitement of the BSB hoopla, that you sometimes forget to step back and enjoy all that the cruise itself has to offer. Here are just 10 things you might not think about but should definitely do before you leave the cruise:

1. Try the chocolate melting cake.
2. Take a stroll around the promenade deck. One of my favorite things to do. Its usually very peaceful there and you are a lot closer to the ocean than up on the pool deck.
3. Take time to explore the ship. I find cruises to have so many neat features that are definitely worth checking out.
4. Relax! This is your vacation so take the time to enjoy it.
5. Take a moment to take in some natural beauty. And no the Backstreet Boys don’t fall in this category. Well they do, but that’s not what I’m referring to. Watch the sunset or sunrise. Its not too often you get to experience being in the middle of the ocean with nothing but water surrounding you.
6. Have ice cream in the afternoon as a snack, just because you can.
7. Meet at least 3 new fans.
8. Dedicate at least 30 minutes to looking at door decorations. Though you really need more time than this.
9. Have a fruity drink on the beach or by the pool. Nothing screams paradise like a pretty pink drink with an umbrella in it.
10. Thank the Rose Tours and/or Carnival staff for making this trip possible.

Early To Bed, Early to Rise

If for some reason you are not a night owl, and no matter how hard you try, you will still wake up early…this post is for you. I find the ship is rather quiet before noon and on the surface it may not seem like there’s a lot going on, but don’t worry there is in fact plenty to do.

First thing you should do is grab a cup of coffee and watch the sunrise. I think I’ve only managed to see this once on a cruise ship. But I remember it being absolutely stunning. If you have a balcony, that’s a great peaceful place to sit and watch the sunrise. And if you have a balcony, you should also grab the robe out of your closet to cozy on up. If you don’t have a balcony like myself, I’d recommend heading to the back of the ship to get a more panoramic view. And I say the back instead of the front, because the front will be too windy. But you’ll still need that coffee to stay warm no matter where you decide to watch. It will most undoubtedly be chilly no matter where you’re watching.

After you watch the sunrise, it will still be ridiculously early and hours away until any potential BSB event. We’re talking like 7:15AM. The good breakfast isn’t even out yet its still so early. Just the continental stuff. So what you should do next is get some exercise. Yes, you heard me right. I'm not suggesting anything strenuous. Though the fitness center seems to be the only thing open at this ungodly hour. But they do usually offer some sort of yoga, pilates, or stretch and relax class first thing in the morning. Another less strenuous activity is to go for a brisk walk along the jogging track.

After you burn some calories on the high seas, time to head to breakfast and consume probably triple that amount of calories you just burned. Sure you could go to the lido buffet, but since you’re up so early, why not do go to the dining room for breakfast. Order eggs benedict and spice it up with a mimosa if you’re feeling adventurous. After all, you are on vacation. If you do decide to do the formal breakfast, it is open seating. You just tell the maitre d what size table you want and they will seat you.

Yummy breakfast mimosas!

So now you’ve killed a few hours and at this point it’s probably around 9AM. There’s at least some sign of life on the ship but all your friends are still sleeping and I assume most of the Backstreet Boys are as well. Now what? If you’re a nerd like I am, on a normal cruise I would probably go to the library and snag their daily sudoko and crossword puzzle then take them to a nice spot overlooking the ocean. On a Backstreet cruise I might go try to meet some other early risers and make a few new friends. If you’re less nerdy, you can go take a dip in the pool. It should be a lot less crowded at this hour.

One last thing you can do before the rest of your friends start to wake up…go play putt putt mini gold on the sun deck. Why? Because apparently the Imagination has a nine hole mini golf course on deck 14. May as well take advantage.

I also have a confession to make...I am most definitely not an early bird. Though I did find it difficult to actually stay asleep knowing the Backstreet Boys are on board. So maybe, just maybe you’ll catch me roaming the lido deck at 7am. That’s a big maybe though.

Cruising 101

For many of you this is not just your first Backstreet Boy cruise, but this is your first cruise period. So I wanted to put together a list of my most important cruise tips, tidbits, and recommendations. For many of these categories I’ve already given a full run down in previous posts, but here is the cliff notes version of the tips I think are most important. Plus a few new ones as well.

Planning

• If possible, arrive a day early. Too many things can go awry with flights so it’s nice to give yourself a little buffer. That ship will not wait for you if you’re late.
• Make sure you have all your passports/visas/ID/documentation all set to go as soon as possible.
• Approximately 2weeks prior to boarding you should get an email from Rose Tours instructing you to “check in” for your cruise and print out your Fun Pass, which acts as your boarding document for the cruise. Don’t forget this!

Packing

• Plan for all sorts of weather. Yes, you’re in the Caribbean but you’re on the water thus it gets chilly at night on the deck or in the main theaters.
• Think about what you want in your carry on. Similar to a flight, you have the option to check some of your luggage and Carnival will deliver your suitcases directly to your room. If you choose this option, make sure you pack items in your carry on that you will need those first few hours aboard. For example, if you want to get your door decoration up right away, make sure you have everything you need with you. Or if you want to take a dip in the pool right away, take your swimsuit.
• Despite my massive packing list, my biggest tip is to not over pack. Consider exactly what you will need and want you want to wear for each event. Pack no more, no less.
• Finally, don’t stress too much about packing! There are shops on board that will contain some of the essentials you may have missed. Plus there are tons of other friendly girls who would be more than willing to lend you a hair dryer should you forget.
  
  
  

Embarkation

• Get to the port early- While they instruct you to get there between 1 or 2 and don’t set sail until 5pm; they will almost always let you board between 11-12.
• Bring proof of citizenship and a credit card/cash deposit. Also make sure your name matches exactly with what Carnival/Rose Tours has on file. I’ve seen newlyweds not able to get on the ship because their documents didn’t match.
• You will be issued a Sail and Sign card which acts as your room key acts, ID while on board, as well as a ship charge card. But like with any credit card, you have to pay it off at the end of the cruise.

Money

• Tipping- Don’t worry about it! Tipping for any of your cabin stewards or dining room staff is already covered in your Rose Tours fees. And if you’re getting drinks at the bar, Carnival automatically adds 15% to your bill. No need to double tip.
• Most everything is included in the cost of your cruise EXCEPT for soda, alcoholic drinks, specialty dining, spa treatments, internet, casino (bingo), excursions, and shopping. 
• Make a budget so you don't overspend.

What to do first

• You can’t go to your room until 3:00 or so thus keep this in mind when deciding what to do because you may have your bags with you.
• Stepping on the ship can be daunting especially if its your first cruise so I recommend you get a lay of the land and take a quick tour of the ship when you get on board.
• Lifeboat drill- You are required to do this the first afternoon, no way around it. Only lasts about 15 minutes though.
  
  
  
  Just as much fun as it looks

Cabins

• Expect a small room, even if you booked a suite. Cruise cabins are not comparable to a hotel room.
• If you have an interior room, remember you won’t have any natural sunlight. I like to change the TV to the channel that is a live stream of a camera from the bridge so I have some resemblance of sunlight.
• Be prepared for the fact that there aren’t many outlets in the room.

Contacting Home

• There are computers/internet available on board but at a very steep rate.
• Cell Phones- Typically you won’t get a signal when at sea, but once we are in port you should be okay. Just check with your cell carrier about roaming rates before you leave, so you are fully prepared. I typically turn my cell phone off the entire trip to avoid roaming charges.
  
  
  
  Internet Cafe on the Carnival Imagination

Food/Beverages

• Food is free and plentiful. The quality is debatable, but personally I enjoy it. I’d recommend you take advantage and try new foods. If you don’t like anything, you won’t be going hungry.
• Take advantage of the free beverages. They include lemonade, ice tea, water, coffee, tea, hot chocolate. During breakfast they will also have cranberry juice, orange juice, apple juice, and grapefruit juice.
• There are usually specialty bakeries or coffee shops that will charge extra, but I find there are plenty of good free options.
• If you drink a lot of soft drinks, buy a soda card. You pay a flat fee for the entire cruise and can get unlimited drinks.
• Room service- Its free on a cruise so why not order some pancakes to be delivered to your room as a wakeup call? I wish I could do that at home.
• Talk to the maitre d if you have any special dietary restrictions.

What to do on Board

• Backstreet Boys, duh! Though I don’t think we really need a tip for this.
• There will also be shops, a casino, a spa, a gym, night clubs, pools and more.

Debarkation

• Ugh, my least favorite part. Be prepared to leave EARLY! They typically want you off that ship around 8am. There is usually time to squeeze in a quick breakfast though.
• Review your bill before you leave. Last year they accidentally charged me for my roommates expenses. It’s easier to take care of when you’re still there.
• You have 2 choices for disembarkation. Self-debarkation is when you bring your luggage off the ship yourself, allowing you to leave when you want. Your second choice is assisted debarkation, which is where Carnival will carry your luggage off the ship for you. With this option, you need to place your luggage out the night before and you are also at the mercy of when Carnival calls your section to leave in the morning. I always do and recommend self-debark unless you need assistance carrying your luggage. And if you have an early flight to catch, definitely do self-debark.

What to Expect- Downtime

Not every second of the trip will be planned out around a BSB event, though I wish it was ;) Thus there will inevitably be some downtime. I did find that a majority of the time was spent either at a BSB event, or getting ready for a BSB event, which didn’t leave all that much time to relax. But I did have gaps of time that I had to fill with something.

During my downtime I would typically grab some food or a drink and just chat with friends. Another thing you can do if the weather was cooperating was to hit up the pool/hot tubs. Both of these activities had a high likelihood of spotting a BSB, which only made it that much more enjoyable. You could also go to the casino and try your luck at the tables or slots. If you like to shop, the cruise has several little shops onboard. If you enjoy sports, there was a basketball court on board as well, where Brian was seen playing with his son.

If you're feeling particularly healthy, you can hit up the gym or go for a nice walk/run around the promenade deck. Take in some of that lovely ocean air.

As for night life- there will be some sort of lounge or club with music. There will also several bars around the ship. Both of these can be a lot of fun. But just be warned that the ratio of girls to guys will be slightly askew. The Backstreet Boys also made frequent appearances at the club.

Another thing to consider is that we will be docked in Nassau for practically the majority of the trip. Another way to kill some time is to get off the ship and explore Nassau. I'll do a future post on things to do in Nassau.

A less fun, but practical idea- since the Backstreet Boys will be doing every event twice, it also presents a good opportunity to take a quick catnap while the other group has their event. Good way to catch up on some sleep while not missing anything.

BSB Related Activities During your Downtime

If you want to make sure eke out as much Backstreet as possible during your trip, here are a few BSB related activities to do during your down time.

• If you have a few hours to kill, I would definitely recommend taking a friend and a camera down the halls of the cruise ship and look at door decorations. Even if you don’t have a few hours to kill, I would highly suggest making time for this because I really enjoyed it.
  
• Another suggestion if you've got some time to kill- swing by the BSB merchandise store. Even if you don't intend to buy, still fun to look around.
  
• If you’re looking for a more relaxed activity, there’s nothing wrong with chilling in your cabin and putting the Backstreet Boy channel on. Normally I don’t like to sit in the cabin during the day if I can help it, but I can’t think of a better reason to stay there.
  
• Meet other fans. Lots of fun, cool people to meet around the ship. So why not meet some fellow BSB fans during your down-time?

I doubt anyone could ever be bored on a Backstreet cruise, but hopefully these ideas will make sure of that. Definitely not a shortage of things to do!

What to Expect- Dinner

A Typical Carnival Dining Experience

Dinner was a lot of fun. I should first point out that you have several dining options for dinner. You can eat at the lido buffet, in the main dining room, order room service, or any other place around the ship you choose. I would say the majority of the people eat in the main dining room so that is what I’m mainly going to cover in this post. If you choose the lido buffet to eat, the entire restaurant is usually not open, but there will definitely be a part of it open. Usually they serve very similar to foods as the main dining room, but it is in a much more casual setting.

In the main dining room you can expect a seated 3 course meal that includes an appetizer, main entrée, and dessert. The early seating begins around 6:00pm and the late seating begins around 8:30pm. Dinner typically lasts anywhere from 1.5-2 hours. They typically have 3-6 choices of each course, and they do cater to special dietary restrictions. You just need to inform the maître d beforehand. I’ll most likely do a more in depth post later about the food.

In the dining room, they have tables of all sizes available ranging from 2 seats to around 10 seats. On the past cruise it was open seating, thus you could pick wherever you wanted to sit. I enjoyed sitting at the larger tables so we would have the opportunity to meet new people. This is always a gamble though, but considering we are all Backstreet Boys fans, ideally there should be less of a risk of sitting with a ‘dud’ than on your normal cruise.

Spirit Dining Room

Once you were seated, you can expect a head waiter and assistant waiter to be serving you throughout the evening. Your head waiter will take your order, make recommendations, and serve your food. Your assistant waiter usually does drinks, bread, and clean up. You will also have a few other people stop by the table including a sommelier- who is in the wine steward. You will have a cocktail waitress come around and take any other specialty drink orders. Sometimes the maître d will stop by just to see how things are going. And then you will probably have photographers making their way around the room to take pictures of you individually and/or the table as a group.

They do offer a variety of different foods, which change daily. They also have some basics that will be available to you every night. I would say the quality of the food is good, not great. But obviously that is subjective because apparently Brian hated the food. I didn’t mind it, but I’m also not very picky. Carnival is also known to be the fun ship so as they are serving dessert, the waiters will typically to do some sort of song and dance number. That’s always a lot of fun. Another thing to look out for is formal night. They typically have 1 night on every cruise designated to be formal night. You will see people get a little more dressed up than normal. Speaking of getting dressed up…let me quickly provide a quick run-down of what you should wear in the dining room.

Dinner Attire in the Dining Room

From Carnival's Website:
Cruise Casual Dining Dress Code: Gentlemen - Sport slacks, khakis, jeans (no cut-offs), dress shorts (long), collared sport shirts; 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 for men and baseball hats.

Cruise Elegant Dining Dress Code: Gentlemen - Dress slacks, dress shirts. We also suggest a sport coat. If you wish to wear suits and ties or tuxedos, by all means we invite you to do so. Ladies - Cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses; if you‘d like to show off your evening gowns, that's great too!
Not permitted in the dining room during the Cruise Elegant dinner for ladies and gentlemen: shorts, gym shorts, T-shirts, beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, jeans, cut-off jeans, sleeveless shirts for men, sportswear, and baseball hats.

Not so typical Carnival Dining Experience- Dining with BSB

The big question- do the Backstreet Boys dine with us? On the last cruise, yes they did. I honestly don’t expect that for the 2011 cruise, but maybe we will be pleasantly surprised. Since everyone ate at the same time, the Backstreet Boys were able to join us for dinner during the late seating. They had their own private section in the back of the dining room where they ate with their friends, family, and staff. They would typically show up a few minutes late, but stayed for the majority of dinner. They were known to walk through the dining room past fans to get to and from their table, say if they had to use the bathroom or step out for a moment. Though they seemed to take a backdoor, crew entrance to enter and leave. Security blocked off access to the area where they were seating, but for the most part I thought fans were pretty respectful. I did see a few girls try to sneak in, but not much besides that.

Not all Backstreet Boys were present every night. The number of BSB members present at dinner seemed to dwindle as the cruise progressed. By the last night I believe only Brian and Howie came. From what I understand, Nick and AJ ate upstairs at the buffet. However when Nick and AJ were present, they each got involved during the mini performance at dessert that the Carnival waiters put on for us. That was TONS of fun.

AJ dancing with Jessica at dinner (That's me in the lower left)

Since the Backstreet Boys ate with us and it was open seating, you could obviously guess that getting to the dining room early was important. On the first night, my friends and I lucked out picking a great table not knowing what was in store. As the cruise progressed, fans caught onto the fact that the boys were there and where they were seated. Thus in true Backstreet fashion, it did get rather ugly. Fans were lining up earlier and earlier. I’d say by the last night people started lining up 45 min to 1 hour early. That part did not bother me. But what did bother me was that some fans got very pushy and sneaky. They were cutting in line, pushing, cutting off wheelchairs (which really disgusted me), sneaking in to “ask the maitre d a question” then not get back in line, even sending men from their groups in early to go stake out a table and save seats. I personally got very frustrated by the whole experience. I hope that if the Backstreet Boys do eat with us this year, that Rose Tours brings some order to this process. Whether its assigned seats or having security present in line to monitor people.

Overall, great experience dining with my friends and the Backstreet Boys. Should they choose to eat with us again this year, I would be thrilled, but I’m not counting on it. If they choose not to eat with us, I will look forward to a much more relaxed dining experience.

8 Things I Plan on Doing the Same for Cruise 2011

So I shared with you all what I plan on doing differently for the next cruise, so I figured I’d also share what I want to make sure I do again.

1. Try new foods: This isn’t exactly Backstreet Boy related, but last cruise I tried new foods that I wouldn’t normally otherwise try. After all, its free, so if you don’t like it you’re not out the money. Last year I tried some new stuff which I really enjoyed and I want to make sure I do that again.
2. Get to Miami early: It’s just too stressful traveling the morning of the cruise. Any number of things could happen like the random freak airport fire in Miami. It’s just not worth it, especially in December one would expect potential weather delays. You never know what will happen so I plan on getting there early.
3. Not a lot of alcohol: I did have a few drinks on the last cruise (mainly when they were free) But I found I had an absolutely amazing time without drinking. I didn’t need it and it saved me a bunch of money and a hangover the next morning. So, I don’t think I’ll be drinking a lot on the 2011 cruise either.
4. Take advantage of the Fan Club: I met so many great people on the BSB fan club before the cruise, that I already recognized so many faces by the time I stepped on the ship. I went up to people to say hi (although some I accidentally got wrong…oops lol) and I had people come up to me to say hi. I will definitely be doing that again.
5. Look Presentable: At all times! Maybe I wasn’t great about this last time, but considering how I normally look on vacation I was doing pretty well. You never know when you may run into a Backstreet Boy and if they are willing to take pictures. I happened to luck out that Brian was posing with fans right when we came on board after lunch, before we even had time to get to our cabin. Good thing I wasn’t wearing my usual sweats.
6. No Cell Phone: As soon as we sailed away from Miami I turned my phone off and didn’t really turn it back on until we arrived back in Miami. It was so nice not to have to check in with work and the rest of the outside world. I also didn’t get slammed with any crazy roaming charges. But what I may do is get a larger text plan for that month. I was texting everyone like crazy those days leading up to the cruise and those first few hours on the ship. Mainly because I was in BSB overload.
   
7. Decorate my Door: I had so much fun last time decorating the door and I felt like I came up with a pretty unique idea. It definitely felt nice to have people acknowledge my work, even though the Backstreet Boys themselves didn’t. Plus I felt like this was a great way to meet your neighbors because people were decorating those doors all around the same time.
8. Plan Outfits Ahead of Time: Once we got the itinerary, it was very easy to see what you would be doing at each point during the day so I could determine what I wanted to wear and when I would change. I found this to be very helpful because it helped me pack exactly what I needed- no more no less. I also didn't waste time on the cruise pouring through all of my clothes deciding what to wear for any given event because I had already tried on my clothes and knew ahead of time what I was wearing. It worked out very well for me last time and its one less thing to stress about while on board.
   

Food and more Food...

One of my favorite things to do on board…eating. Here is a rundown of all your food options on board the Destiny with approximate times and locations.

Breakfast
Lido Buffet- Lido Deck, Deck 9. 7:00am-10:30am. Will typically have everything you could think of for breakfast from your normal continental breakfast foods to an omelet station. Note the hours. If you’re out late the night before its quite easy to sleep through breakfast.

Sit Down/Formal Breakfast- Universe, Deck 3. 8:00am-10am. Open seating and a notch above your lido buffet. May also offer foods such as eggs benedict.

Room Service: Your room! More limited selection, but available 24 hours a day and you can be served in your PJs.


Lunch
Lido Buffet- Lido Deck, Deck 9. 12:00pm-2:30pm. Wide variety of foods usually with various different cuisines such as Italian or Chinese.

Grill- Lido Deck, Deck 9. 12:00pm-6:30pm. Hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, veggies burgers, etc. Right outside by the pool.

New York Deli- Lido Deck, Deck 9. 11:00am-11:00pm. Also found in the buffet. You can do made to order hot and cold sandwiches.

Sit Down/Formal Lunch- Universe, Deck 3. 12:00pm-1:30pm. Open seating dining, typically with similar foods you’ll see on the buffet but just served to you.

Room Service- Your room. In case you don’t feel like being out and about, can you do lunch in your room as well.


Dinner
Formal Dinner- Universe Deck 3 and 4. I believe we are all in the late seating which is at 8:15pm. 3 course meal, however they do allow some flexibility with what you order. You can order multiple starters or entrées if you desire, just ask. I've previously alluded to the chocolate melting cake, definitely try it once.


Buffet Dinner- Sun & Sea Restaurant Deck 9. 6:00pm-9:30pm. Typically same foods you’ll get in the dining room but in a buffet setting.

New York Deli- Still open from lunchtime.

Sushi Bar- Promenade, Deck 5. 5:00pm-8:15pm. Being the adventurous girl I am, the most I’ll grab here is a California roll. But a nice appetizer to hold you over to dinner if you get hungry.

Room Service- Its 24 hours so guess what, you can have dinner in your room as well!


Snacks
Pizza Bar- Sun & Sea Restaurant Deck 9. Open 24 hours just in case you want some pepperoni pizza at 4 in the morning.

Late Night Snacks- Sun & Sea Restaurant Deck 9. 11:30pm-1:00am. If you’re still hungry from not getting enough food from the previous 14 options…

Coffee, tea, and ice cream- Sun & Sea Restaurant Deck 9. Open 24 hours.

Watching Your Weight on the Cruise

As I’m struggling to lose these last 10 pounds before we set sail, I thought it would be a good time to do a post on how to watch your weight on the cruise. It can be quite difficult to make healthy decisions; after all, you’re on vacation and want to have a good time. However by making a few healthier choices, it will help ease that inevitable regret once you get home.

I like to take advantage of the beautiful view and fresh air by going for a jog on the promenade deck. By jog, I really mean a brisk walk, but in my head it still counts. I would recommend going as the sunsets because not only will it be a little cooler but also because of the breathtaking view. If you’re more ambitious than I, perhaps you can go for the sunrise as well.

Rather than eating all of your meals at the buffet, try going to the main dining room instead. This will help with portion control since it’s not quite as extensive as the buffet. The other benefit of eating at the main dining room is that you will be eating slower as your meals are served in courses. This will cause you to feel fuller more quickly, and thus eat less. There will also be healthy options on the menu that are designated by a Spa Carnival symbol, which are lower in calories and fat. Check out more on special diets on the Carnival website.

Try grabbing some fruit for dessert to satisfy that sweet craving. There is so much fresh fruit available that it becomes a much easier choice to make. Though I must admit, the chocolate melting cake is to die for, so I recommend indulging at least once on that :)

The main problem that I face is that there is so much food available everywhere you turn, and all day long. While I don’t advise eating 6 meals a day, grabbing a light snack of fruit or yogurt before a larger meal will prevent you from overeating at that meal. Better to fill up on something healthy.

If you go to the buffet, scope out the entire room first and then decide what you want. I then like to grab a dessert plate because they are smaller, and thus I will put less food on them. And don’t forget to put some veggies on the plate!

Cruises generally have really nice gym facilities and a plethora of classes to take. I like trying a new class that I generally can’t do at home. It’s a great way to try something different and keep the workout fresh.

My motto on a cruise or outside of one is that I would I would rather eat my calories than drink them. Thus the majority of what I drink is water and the occasional lemonade. All those sodas and cocktails will add up on the calorie count and you won’t even realize it.

If all else fails, maybe the idea of running into a Backstreet Boy at the gym and watching him lift weights will get me motivated enough to actually work out... Yup that will do the trick.

What to do First on the Ship

It can be quite overwhelming to step onto a cruise ship, particularly if it’s your first time. Meanwhile, you won’t be able to go to your cabin right away. The cabin stewards are still getting your room turned over from the prior cruise that just left a few hours before. Definitely keep this in mind when deciding whether or not you want to check your luggage or carry it on with you. So you can either lug your bags around for a few hours, or risk not getting them until several hours later. But seeing as you can’t go to your room, here are a few things that I like to do when I first get on board until they let us to the cabins:

1. Breathe a sigh of relief. All of the planning and traveling is done so start the festivities by grabbing a pretty drink with an umbrella and let the vacation begin!
   
   
2. If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably be hungry if you’ve been waiting in the terminal for a while. Why not grab either a quick bite to eat at the buffet or make your way to the main dining room and enjoy your first meal. Just remember that you will not be the only one with this mindset, thus I can guarantee the buffet will be crowded. Make sure you scope out a table with your friends BEFORE you go get your food. Otherwise it can get quite chaotic. This first meal will be the most crowded, but it should only get better after that.
   
   
3. Make your way to the concierge desk in the main lobby or a lounge and grab your copy of the Fun Times, Carnival’s itinerary of activities for the day. You can figure out what you want to do for the rest of the day and ensure you don’t miss out on any fun activities!
   
   
4. While you’re still in the main lobby, you may want to check out the excursion desk and book any excursions if you haven’t already done so. Depending on what you had in mind, your chosen excursion may fill up quickly, so it’s best to book early. However if you still haven’t decided, you may want to hold off as they will likely have an excursion talk which you can attend and ask questions.
   
   
5. Ok, so you had lunch and figured out what you want to do for the rest of the day, but since you still can’t get to your cabin- why not take a tour of the ship? You can either go exploring on your own, or participate in an organized tour. Carnival will typically offer tours of the ship, which is a good opportunity to see all of the ships highlights.
   
   
6. While you’re making your way around the ship, be sure to check out the spa/gym and see if there are any treatments/classes you may be interested in. The popular time spots (ie before dinner on formal night) and popular classes will fill up. So if you wanted to get your hair done for masquerade night, I’d recommend you book early.
   
   
7. When you hit the main dining room, check out that night’s dinner menu. Maybe it’s because all I can think of is food…but I actually like to do this every day. Knowing that I’m having prime rib for dinner will keep me in check the rest of the day. Now I’m not sure if we will have assigned seats for the BSB cruise or if its open seating. From what I understand, I just know we all have late seating. If we do have assigned seats, you may want to scope out your table so you know where to go later that evening. Otherwise it can be chaotic having 1,200 people not knowing where they’re going. I also like to check out my table in the rare event that the location or table size isn’t what I wanted. You can always speak to the maitre’ d and put in a request for a seat change. This is also a good opportunity to speak to the maitre’ d if you have any dietary restrictions.
   
   
8. While the shops and casinos are typically closed until later that evening, you may want to take advantage of the fact that all of the children’s areas are open to adults those first few hours. If you are bringing children or are considering taking them on a future cruise- swing by Circle "C", Club02, or Camp Carnival depending on your child’s age. You can get a sense of all the activities that are available and more specifics on the programs. Or you could not have kids, like myself, and just like exploring. Word of caution- luckily the ships designers are aware that not everyone wants to be around children on the cruise so these areas are typically tucked away in more remote parts of the ship and can be tricky to get to.
   
   
9. Get in those last few phone calls before we set sail. Your phone should still be fine when we’re at port, though don’t quote me on this. I just know my brother will always call me from Miami on the ship. And since I get those phone bills, I can be pretty sure there are no roaming fees, just bad reception when he is on the lower decks.

Hopefully by you the time you get through all of this, the cabins will be open. If not…you can always try sneaking in ;)