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!

Days at Sea

I find I’m in the minority of cruisers who actually enjoy the days at sea. I’d venture to guess most people prefer the ports. But after having been on 8 cruises, I’ve come to find sea days to be my favorite. I think it’s partially because I’ve been to most of the Caribbean ports at this point, but mostly laziness.

So while we will hopefully have lots of fun Backstreet events going on, I wanted to share how I spend my days at sea. I think the greatest thing about that time is that you can do as little or as much as you want. For me, I don’t feel obligated to get up and rush ashore to sight see or shop, so I tend to sleep in a little longer. I also have a nice leisurely breakfast overlooking the ocean, making sure to grab all the food I don’t normally enjoy at home.

After breakfast, anything is fair game. You can either relax at the pool all day, or take part in any of the various activities taking place all around the ship. If you go the pool, I’ve found the pools in the back tend to be quieter and have fewer children. So depending if I’m in the mood for a belly flop contest or just some R&R, I’ll switch up my location. I also spend a good deal of time at my favorite part of the ship. No, it’s not the bar, but actually the promenade deck. I find it so peaceful to just sit looking out at the ocean. It’s nice and quiet as not too many people hang out there, with the exception of the occasional runner.


If I’m not poolside, I also enjoy taking part in the activities put on by the entertainment staff. Again, I’m slightly biased here, but I still like playing the games and trying to win some prizes. My goal is to win a ship on a stick! One other thing that I would do on a sea day that I might not do on a port day is catch a movie. Plus it’s a lot more enjoyable when you don’t have to pay $11 to go see one.

Last thing I’d recommend for a sea day is to take advantage of the casino. While I personally am not a big gambler, it’s definitely a good time to hit the tables or slots because they’re only open when we’re at sea.

What to do Beyond the Backstreet Boys

For you first time cruisers, there are tons of activities that will be going on around the ship outside of our BSB bubble. I wanted to share a little bit more on what to expect during any lulls of Backstreet activity, though I hope there aren’t too many of those.

I also don't know if they will cut back on some of these activities due to us being there. However since it is only a partial charter cruise, the other half of the ship still needs to be entertained so I imagine they will still offer the majority of what they normally do.

Shopping
Lots of opportunities to shop on board from souvenir shops to art auctions.

Spa/Gym
If you want to keep in shape, the gym facilities are available to you along with various exercise classes such as body conditioning, indoor cycling, or yoga. They also have health seminars such as Burn fat fast, Puffy Eyes Seminar, or Eat More to Weigh Less. You may see me at that last class...

Casino
The slots machines and tables will be open as long as we are not in port, however they also have events such as Poker challenges, slot tournaments, or Hold’Em tournaments.

Pool
The Destiny has 2 pools and several hot tubs, which are open until it gets dark. During the day they may have fun events such as a hairy chest contest or belly flop contest. Always good for a fun time and some laughs.

Games and Other Activities
I’m slightly biased on these, as this is what my brother does, but I love participating in these events. Here is just a small sample of what you might expect:

Trivia games- And lots of them throughout the day including general trivia and special themes such as movie music trivia.
Bingo- Lots of good prizes here, but you have to pay to play.
Digital Scavenger hunts- Don’t forget your camera!
Name that Tune- Different themes such as 80’s. Maybe they’ll do a BSB themed one, though I think that might be too easy for us.
Karaoke- Just the place to have a few drinks and belt out some I Want it That Way!

Feature Shows
Now I’m not sure how this will work since the Backstreet Boys will be our entertainment. But they do have two production shows that are normally scheduled on the night of Key West and Cozumel. My brother was looking over the schedule and it currently lists “Partial Ship Charter, show changes” Thus we may not get a chance to see these shows, but you can typically expect singing and dancing.

They also have comedy shows, both PG and adult versions, but according to my brother they are pretty low key on the Destiny.



So much to do in so little time! I don't think I'll be getting any sleep for those 4 days.

Random Tip of the Day

My parents are currently on the Destiny and reported back long lines for breakfast at the buffet. However my brother advised that you can find most of same food at the aft pool. There will be no crowds and the added benefit of a gorgeous view.

Thus if I can drag myself out of bed for breakfast, I’ll see you at the aft pool!