Cruising with Brian

Last, but certainly not least, in my miniseries on cruising with the Backstreet Boys- Mr. Brian Littrell. He brought his amazing sense of humor and surprising inner party animal to the ship.

Gotta love Brian's Smile

Favorite Brian Moment #1:

Hands down my favorite Brian moment was the first lunch on board I was able to get a picture with him.  My mind was running a mile a minute that whole lunch because I was still in shock of finally being on the cruise. I felt like a little kid in Disney World. What do you do first? I wanted to catch up with my brother whom I hadn’t seen in months, meet all my friends that I had made online prior to the cruise, take in the fact that Howie and Brian were eating a few feet away from us, tell everyone I knew from back home that I was practically eating with the Backstreet Boys, and actually eat lunch because I was hungry. My brain was on overload lol.  Just when I didn’t think it could get any better, Brian decides to hold a mini photo session with his fans. It was just too much to take in but I loved every second of it.

Favorite Brian Moment #2:

In between events, I had ventured to the pool deck to get some fresh air and check out what was going on. The Carnival staff was hosting a game of bingo, so I decided to stick around as a few of my friends were playing. I would've played but 1- it cost money. And 2- seeing as how my brother often hosts bingo, I didn't think it would be a good idea for me to play in case I actually did win. Anyway, as the sky darkened and a few rain drops started to fall, I noticed a rather bright orange shirt on the deck above me, which was Brian. He was surrounded by his friends and family. This was definitely another time I did not feel appropriate to rush up to him and ask for a picture or hug or anything of that nature. I just found it really neat to see Brian on a vacation. Its definitely not something you see every day. I felt like what I was seeing was a picture you'd see in the tabloids.

Favorite Brian Moment #3:

Masquerade night was awesome. I’d argue that Brian made that night extra special for me. I didn’t meet him or get a picture with him or anything. I think what made this night crack into my top 3 Brian moments was that it was just very unexpected. He’s notorious for not showing up to after parties, so I really didn’t have high expectations for him at the deck parties. But he completely surprised me and turned out to be the life of the party. I really enjoyed seeing him in this different light. He was in the spotlight for most of the night, singing, dancing, and goofing around. He also had Leighanne with him, who also seemed to be enjoying herself that night. You can’t help but smile when you watch these two. The Brian highlight of the night was when he threw some beads into the audience and my brother grabbed them for me. I know its not that big of a deal to most of you folks, but I NEVER seem to have luck catching anything from them or being picked to go up on stage for whatever reason. So you may laugh at me, but I have those beads draped over a picture frame of me and Brian from the cruise.

Other Brian Highlights

Let’s not forget about any of these classic Brian moments as well:

• Dance off with AJ during international night where neither of them can seem to remember the dance steps
• Basically anything that came out of his mouth during the Q&A had me laughing hysterically

 Brian imitating Kevin. Just one of the many hilarious things he did during the Q&A

• Brian doing the limbo.

 How low can he go?

• During the Shes a Dream Dating Game, I liked when he snuck over to the girl's side and was feeding them answers.
  
  
  
  Even when its not his turn, you can't keep Brian off stage.

Favorite Brian Quotes

• “What is your favorite position? Awww….It wasn’t me. G-d forgive me"
• “I can never watch extreme home makeover without crying. It’s like being on Oprah. 
• “We walk around with Nick all the time and we’re like say no to crack ”

What I’m looking forward to most from Brian on cruise 2011?

I'm very excited to see what he wears for the theme nights. After all, he has to outdo himself from last year. I also am looking forward to his sense of humor bringing all of the events alive. He especially surprised me during the deck parties, and I hope he brings the same level of excitement to the deck parties next year. I also seemed to have the most luck running into him around the ship. Not sure if it was just pure dumb luck or he was truly out more than the other Backstreet Boys. Whatever it was, I'm hopeful that will be the case for next year as well.

Brian looking good at the Beach Party

Cruising with AJ

 

 AJ at the beach party

Part 3 of my miniseries on cruising with the Backstreet Boys. Time for AJ! I mean, what’s not to love about AJ? This sensitive “bad boy” stole quite a special place in my heart after last year’s cruise.

AJ during the She's a Dream Dating Game

Favorite AJ Moment #1:

Most of the Backstreet Boys were seen in the casino at the tables, but normally you could walk by them without even noticing they were there. After all, they are all just regular people like you and me so they do blend in to the crowd. However the one exception to this was AJ. People 3 decks below him would know where he is. He has such a unmissable presence. That's why on the third night after karaoke, I very quickly spotted AJ in the casino. When the other Backstreet Boys were playing, the most I did was steal a quick look and continue on through. However when AJ was playing that was nearly impossible to do. He was probably only sitting down 10% of the time because he was so animated telling stories, interacting with the fans, and just having a good time. It was almost as if he was inviting you to come join him because his vibe was just so friendly and warm. He is the only Backstreet Boy I really got that feeling from which is why I decided to stick around and just watch him play poker. There were maybe 20 fans around the table, so it was just a really neat experience. I wouldn't classify it as "meeting AJ", it was more like I was hanging out with him as a friend. So even though I didn't work up enough courage to actually say anything to him, I still rank this as one of my top moments of the trip.

Favorite AJ Moment #2:

Another instance where I would really say I was more so hanging out with AJ opposed to just running into a celebrity was in the club that very same evening. After the casino was closed, AJ moved the party into the club. By this time it was 4am, so while there were still a good number of people awake, there were also a lot that had retired for the evening. At first AJ stuck to the VIP area, but it didn’t take too long for him to come join us on the dance floor. That's right- no stage acting as a barrier, no ropes or barricades to keep you back, and even no security to push you away. There was nothing between you and AJ, except for maybe a bunch of other girls trying to dance with him as well. I loved this moment because it truly felt like I was clubbing with AJ.

AJ in the Club

Favorite AJ Moment #3:

One of my favorite AJ memories from the cruise occurred towards the end of International Luv night. The crowd had tapered off slightly as the night progressed, but I was on an adrenaline high and wasn't about to go to bed as long as the Backstreet Boys were still on that deck. At one point AJ decided to come down to the pool deck, but unfortunately he was on the other side from where I was standing. I grabbed my friend Anne Marie and we bolted to the other side of the deck to get a good view of him on the bar. We somehow ended up with a great spot and closed out the evening just listening to him ham it up with his microphone. He just made silly banter with the crowd- asking us questions like "Who went on the New Kids cruise?" and "Who thinks the Backstreet cruise is better?" Even though I didn’t go on the New Kids cruise, I still find myself screaming at an incredibly high decibel.

AJ hamming it up with the mic

Other AJ Highlights

And a few other awesome AJ moments from cruise 2010 that you other cruisers may remember:

• AJ making a valiant effort to knock on cabin doors in the middle of the night.
• AJ and his friend Mark singing Like a Virgin:
  
  
  
  Gotta Love AJ Singing Madonna
• AJ wearing a kilt for international luv night
• When he danced with my friend, Jessica, during dinner one evening.

Favorite AJ Quotes

• “I would love to go to Greece….We should go down there and put on a concert by the Colosseum”
•  “Sorry, they gave me a mic, what do you expect?”
•  “Is anyone else feeling nauseous right now? Im sitting here trying to listen to you talk. Just go straight man! Straight! Who’s driving the boat?”

What I’m looking forward to most from AJ on cruise 2011?

Everything! Most of my favorite moments from cruise 2010 involve AJ in some way. I literally can’t wait to see what he’s going to come up with for cruise 2011 because I don’t think I can even fantasize the amazing moments that are sure to come. I really hope he decides to go around and knock on doors again, but I could see him doing something even more special. Ironically he is the only Backstreet Boy I didn’t really run into in the elevator, at the buffet, or around the hallways. I hope that changes this time around.

I want lots more of this on cruise 2011!

Best Cruise Quotes

Acoustic Show

Fan- “What do you want to accomplish?”
Nick- “We haven’t finished this cruise yet, or even started it, that’s a goal baby.” *Said with terror in his voice*

Brian (during Siberia)- “If you want to talk…you can send me an email.”

AJ (Referring to Christmas Time)- “Is that like the official H&M Christmas song because I hear that in every H&M around the world.”
Howie- “At least some places play our songs.”

AJ- “How do you guys know what hotel, floor and what room we’re at before we get there?!”
Brian- “AJ! AJ! I’ve got an answer to that….I put my location on my twitter.”


Family Feud

AJ- “Sorry, they gave me a mic, what do you expect?”

AJ- “Dude, what did you guys think Howie used to look like?”

Brian- “Did you say long and hard?”

Howie (In response to fans thinking he wore a dress)- “It wasn’t me, you got the wrong Backstreet Boy!”

Name something Nick does on tour.
AJ- “Remember this is FAMILY feud”
Howie- “I know the real answer but this is a family show…Be honest Nick”
Nick- “NO, you're not going to get it from me!”

If not a musician, what other career path would AJ have chosen?
Brian- “A porn star.”
Howie- “A driver of the short bus.”

Dating Game

Brian- “What is your favorite position? Awww….It wasn’t me. G-d forgive me”

Fan- “Te Amo Howie”
Brian- “She said I love you Howie for those of you that need a translation”

Howie- “What is your treasured position and why…Possession!”

International Luv Night

AJ- “How many of you guys want to see Nick naked?”

AJ (in Scottish accent)- “I like my ladies thick, and I like my ladies drunk. But most importantly, I love all of y'all."

AJ- “I mean shit, I’m in a fucking kilt”

AJ- “Now Im gonna go to bed….No I’m not going to bed. But I’m going to be naughty with the wifey. Is that OK? Do you wanna see pictures?!”

Q&A

AJ (on forgetting the lyrics)- “For some reason undone, because I started right before the verse comes in What are the words? What are the words? What are the words? What are the words? What are the words?.....Your words but…. Thank G-d”

Howie- “My autopilot is off. I don’t know what happened. It went off somewhere. Off track.”

Brian- “I can never watch extreme home makeover without crying. It’s like being on Oprah.”

Jenn- “If you were drag queens, what would your stage name be?”
Howie- “We need to talk about this, its not a good question.”
Nick- “I would dress like Elvira… I would have some big you know what’s right here”

Howie- “With these tight pants you gotta wear nowadays and everything, I can’t wear no boxers. They don’t feel good anymore. I’ve gone back to briefs. Its crazy. Tighty whities are my friends.”

Brian- “ We walk around with Nick all the time and we’re like say no to crack ”
Nick- “I’ve got a high crack, man”

Brian (referring to buying 2 cars)- “I was like I’ll take it. The guy was looking at me like, is your dad here?”

AJ- “I would love to go to Greece….We should go down there and put on a concert by the Colosseum”
Brian- “She said the Colosseum is in Rome, AJ”

What do you miss more about the early part of the BSB years?
Howie- “I miss Lou Pearlman’s house”
Fan- “Yeah, but you paid for it!”

Brian- “You cannot take AJ anywhere”
AJ- “Yeah, Brian doesn’t like going to the mall with me.”
Brian- “He walks in like ‘Hi im AJ!’”

Howie- “I actually invited Brian and Nick to the Atlanta Falcons Bucs game the other day.” Brian- “And then you were a dog because you were sending me pictures of field side. And he’s going ‘Wish you were here. Thinking of you’ No you're not! And you're rubbing it in”

Howie- “Actually my house payments depend upon on you guys so I can’t live without you guys.”

AJ (on his regrets)- “My hairstyles period. The one that looked like a dog with the braids. What I was thinking, I have no idea. “
Howie- “Chris Kirkpatrick”

AJ- “Is anyone else feeling nauseous right now? Im sitting here trying to listen to you talk. Just go straight man! Straight! Who’s driving the boat?”
Brian- “I think Kevin is.”

Howie (telling us that they will be in NY for the ball dropping but clarifies)- “I’m not saying dropping our balls. In New York city!”

When a Backstreet song comes on the radio do you sing along or change the channel?
AJ- “It depends on what song it is. If its one that we haven’t heard in a while. Like All I have to Give came on the other day. I listened to it. I didn’t sing along. Looking like a dork…Cant pull up next to a car with your windows down and singing your own song”
Nick- “It’s so funny because I don’t ever hear it on the radio. I hear it in an elevator or grocery store. And its freaken elevator music half the time so I have to listen to it while I’m buying milk”
Howie- “I actually get excited when I hear it in the grocery store. I like want to tell people ‘Hey hey, that's me! In LA especially nobody cares there. Whatever dude. Do your thing. You crazy nut.”

Who is your favorite Backstreet Boy?
Nick- “Um, I kinda like Howie man. Howie’s a cool guy. But…”
Howie- “Stop right there. Howie was cool.”

Brian (advice on marriage)- “Its not 50 50. Its 100 and 100. That was the advice given to me by a friend of mine. I gave it to Howie and I was saving it for AJ. Still saving it for AJ…Because some days you’re only going to have 85% and some days hes going to have to have 125. And some days you're going to have 150... Listen I ain’t doing math for ya’ll”

Nick- “My favorite home cooked meal now is dill salmon, in a poached type of salmon with some really cool complex carbohydrate vegetables. Sorry I'm getting scientific with you. With maybe some brown rice on the side instead of 2 high starch type of stuff. I love veggies so I make sure that its about 20% animal protein…”
AJ- “ I don’t want to follow yours because that sounds really weird.

Beach Party

Brian- “OK ladies and gentleman, the Backstreet Boys are starting their twitter game, Uh twitter..Twister game.”

Brian (hosting twister)- “Anything on anything”

In the club

AJ- “I am the only Backstreet Boy that is awake right now.”

AJ- “So do you guys want to hear some naughty music? I mean really freaky. Like seriously I feel like this is girls gone wild. Everyone keep your clothing on.”

AJ- “C’mon ladies, I wanna see all ya’ll work it like you’ve never worked it before. Work it like you stole something.”

Black & Blue Night

Brian- “Howie was coloring back in the back with his little crayons."

Brian- “You hear it here first…..We’ll see you next year on a cruise near you!”

AJ- “This has been an absolutely amazing cruise. We definitely want to do this again and again and again.”

AJ- “It’s really windy out here isn’t it? We just came from Mexico and now we’re in Chicago”

AJ- “I do like my shirt. We are not Backstreet Boys we are Backstreet men!”
Nick- “You reversed that buddy”

Nick- “Hey, everybody seriously be safe. This boat is rocking. Don’t get too close to the edge. I don’t want to be diving in after you all naked and shi…stuff. But if you want to fall in the pool…well they’re empty.”

Concert
Brian- If they mess up “Forgive us, we’ll call it the boat is shifting”

Top 14 Moments of BSB Cruise 2010

I tried to narrow this down to my top 10 memories of the cruise but I just couldn't pick as there were too many great moments, so you get 14 of them.


14. Meeting the Backstreet Boys for the second time during the PDA Photo Session and being able to get a picture with AJ. It was the perfect culmination to my trip.


13. Having a wonderful dinner with Jessica and her mom on the second night only to be interrupted by AJ asking her for a dance.

12. AJ and his friend Madonna Mark singing ‘Like a Virgin’…then AJ seductively crawling on the stage and imitating Madonna.

11. Nick getting up in the middle of the Q&A session to pee and bringing his microphone with him.


10. Seeing AJ in person wearing a kilt. Too funny.


9. Brian during the dating game “What is your favorite position? Awww….It wasn’t me. G-d forgive me”

8. During the Q&A: When a Backstreet song comes on the radio do you sing along or change the channel?

AJ: “It depends on what song it is. If its one that we haven’t heard in a while. Like All I have to Give came on the other day. I listened to it. I didn’t sing along. Looking like a dork…Cant pull up next to a car with your windows down and singing your own song”
Nick: “It’s so funny because I don’t ever hear it on the radio. I hear it in an elevator or grocery store. And its freaken elevator music half the time so I have to listen to it while I’m buying milk”
Howie: “I actually get excited when I hear it in the grocery store. I like want to tell people ‘Hey hey, thats me! In LA especially nobody cares there. Whatever dude. Do your thing. You crazy nut.”

7. Nick came down to the bar during masquerade night and was handing out shots.

6. Catching AJs ‘one-man show’ in the casino. Totally unexpected but one of the best parts of the trip for me. It was great watching him goof around and be himself while playing some blackjack with only a few fans nearby. He made us feel really welcome.

5. Beautiful beach in the Caribbean. Free drinks. Mexican Buffet. Me chilling with my friends and the bro. Sun setting over the ocean.


4. First lunch on board eating next to Howie and Brian’s table. It was that initial adrenaline rush of knowing we’d actually be hanging out with the Backstreet Boys for the next 4 days, very indescribable.


3. AJ singing London at the masquerade party. Absolutely incredible.

2. Nick and AJ dancing to ‘Low’ by T-Pain in the dining room on the first night. Great vibe and happy to be part of it at the best table in the dining room.


1. Meeting Nick, AJ, Brian and Howie for the first time at the acoustic show. I had major butterflies in my stomach but it was everything I had hoped for and more.

Recap: Day One

I got out of bed this morning from another sleepless night of anticipation for the cruise. Our goal was to get to the terminal early so we would be among the first to board, and hopefully catch a glimpse of the Backstreet Boys. So around 10:00 we made our way to the terminal.


After checking in, we plopped ourselves in front of the VIP check in area. No sooner than we sat down and get settled that I saw Nick sneak into the VIP check in area, followed by girls rushing over. Thus would start the pandemonium of the next 4 days. This poor couple in front of me asked what was going on. They had absolutely no idea that this was a Backstreet Boy cruise and had a look of ‘Oh oh, what did we get ourselves into?’. Though we pointed out to the gentleman that there would be plenty of young ladies on board which cheered him up… his wife, not quite as happy. I still can’t believe they didn’t tell the ‘regular’ cruisers that this was going on.

Anyway, it was nice to see all of the Backstreet Boys along with their family members board.

Howie and his family boarding

My memory is a little fuzzy, but I believe it was around 11:30 that they started to let us board. This was probably the most exciting part of the trip for me- finally to step board the Destiny with the whole vacation to look forward to. However there was no time to enjoy the moment, as we were whisked away to the main dining room to check in and get our wristbands. My assumptions were correct, I was in Row D, which in reality was the 6th row. 6th row sounds great, but I was way off to the side so unfortunately I had an obstructed view for some of the events. But I still can’t complain, just to be anywhere in that lounge was an incredible opportunity.


Once I completed check in, it was time for some much needed lunch. On the way to the buffet, I ran into Nick at the elevator. What a great way to start the trip! He was in a rush somewhere, thus I decided not to bother him. So I continued my journey to the buffet- where I saw Howie and Brian both eating with their families in the corner. I was lucky to have some friends who snagged a table right next to Brian, so I happily decided to join them. The only downside eating next to Howie and Brian is that I was too excited to eat much of anything. Nonetheless, it was nice to catch up with these girls whom I hadn’t seen in a few months. For the most part, people seemed to be pretty respectful of their space, though there were a few girls who were taking pictures and would try to grab a picture with him. I waited patiently for them to finish eating, Howie ran off pretty quickly but Brian stayed for a while and took pictures with the fans. I was one of the lucky few to grab a picture :)

Me and Brian :)

Ok, so I was on the ship for not even 3 hours and I’ve already run into 3 of the guys and was able to take my picture with Brian. I knew this would be the trip of a life time! And with that, I made my way to the lounge for the Family Feud and Dating Game Show.


I absolutely LOVED the family feud event. I thought it was so funny, with quite a few references to porn throughout the show. I could tell you about it, but instead I’ll just show you a few of my favorite clips:

AJs alternative career paths

Name something Brian would bring on tour...

The dating game was also a great time, but I didn’t enjoy this as much as family feud. I just think it would’ve been more entertaining to see the roles reversed where the Backstreet Boys answer the questions, and the girls ask the questions. My favorite part of this show was when Brian asked the girls their favorite position, just because you could see how uncomfortable it made him.

Brian at the dating game...

No time to rest after the show…we quickly ran to the welcome aboard cocktail party, hosted by the Backstreet Boys and drinks were on them! I had a delightful blue fruity concoction. I probably should have grabbed more of those when I had the chance.


After the cocktail party up on deck, we headed to the Universe dining room to wait for dinner. They opened the doors and at this point it was still unknown if the Backstreet Boys would be eating with us or not. The dining room was empty, but Cory did catch one of the Rose Tours staff in the corner of the room. So we decided to grab a table by her…..just in case. Boy did we luck into the right table! By the time our appetizers had arrived, all of the Backstreet Boys, their family and friends, crew, etc were all just feet away eating dinner from us. We deemed the table “the princess table” since it was literally overlooking the Backstreet Boys. Unfortunately, they decided to reserve that table the following nights for security, so we were the only ones to have the opportunity to eat at that table. I felt so special.

Me and the gals at the princess table

We were very respectful of their space and didn’t take any pictures except for the one above, thus unfortunately I don’t have any better pictures to share. But I had a great view, great company, and a great waiter- Big D. I was still too anxious from all the festivities, and didn’t eat too much at dinner. By the time dessert rolled around, the dining room erupted with the music of T-Pain and Apple Bottom Jeans. Before I knew what was going on, AJ and Nick were rushing past me to join the waiters to dance on the tables. I’m still heartbroken that I wasn’t able to capture that on film, but lucky for me Cory was able to capture a video. Cory, you saved the day!

Not sure why I enjoyed this so much. Just a lot of fun to be a part of

I was too distracted after this to finish my chocolate melting cake, which was probably for the best.

By the time I got back to my room, I was pleased to find a little goody bag on my bed that contained a rubby ducky, masquerade beads, bubbles, a program, a temporary tattoo, glow in the dark bracelets, and a photo of NKOTBSB. Most of the items were pretty cheap, but I suppose it was a nice touch for all the theme parties. I also realized that channel 36 was my dream channel playing Backstreet Boy DVDs and TV show appearances 24/7. As if I already didn't have enough to do! But I thought both of these were really nice extra touches that I enjoyed. Every subsequent time I was in my room, the first thing I would do is turn on the Backstreet Boy channel.


International Luv Night
What a great way to kick off the cruise! Everyone was in high spirits and I think Brian won the best dressed award. He sure as heck beat me on the US costume

Me in my O's gear

Brian showing his US pride

It was great to see what everyone wore. I played it pretty low key and wore my Baltimore Orioles jersey figuring baseball is about as American as you can get. Brian was obviously showing some USA love, AJ representing Scotland with his kilt, Nick decked out in Japan gear, and Howie with his Portugal jacket (ok this one I dont get lol)

There were so many highlights from this night that I cant possible share them all. AJ and Brian had a hilarious dance off trying to do some of their choreography, but failed after numerous attempts. AJ again referenced how much he loved friends by running through each BSB and deciding which Friends character they were most like. They all came down and interacted with the fans on the deck, or at least tried to before getting mobbed. Nick was handing out free shots. The night was just amazing. This is one of my favorite parts when Nick and AJ were on the bar goofing around:

Shot, Shot, Shot

Figuring the night couldn't get much better, I went to bed probably around 4am or so waiting to see what Key West had in store.

Theme Nights

Theme nights were just recently announced:

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Thursday, December 9^th- INTERNATIONAL LUV NIGHT

Away, Internationally, Away, Eh….

We are all going AWAY together on a four night adventure. Let’s start the cruise off right by celebrating us all coming together from around the world and showing off your Country pride with flags, Tshirts, Countries colors, etc. Let’s see how each country represents!

Friday, December 10^th- MASQUERADE NIGHT

It’s a Masquerade, A Love Parade, So wont you stay and dance with me…

Let’s dress up and dance the night away at our Masquerade ball – feathers, beads and lots of fun!

So all you solider boys and beauty queens better be ready to lose control!

Don’t forget to bring your mask!

Sunday, December 12^th – BLACK AND BLUE PARTY

You were there from the start! We know who you are…and this one goes out to you!

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I’m thrilled with the themes and how they all relate back to the Backstreet Boys. From what I understand, Masquerade night will take place the same night as formal night. Though theoretically you can change into anything you want after dinner.

Another thing to keep in mind when planning these outfits is that I imagine they will take place on the lido deck. At night when the sun goes down and the wind picks up, it can be quite chilly. I plan on incorporating either a shawl or sweater to keep warm for all of these outfits.

I’m most excited to see what the guys end up doing, particularly for the Masquerade night. Perhaps we’ll see AJ as we saw him back in old days: