And I can't take the day without you by my side...

**BSB Cruise 2011 - Embarkation Day**

if you've missed my previous cruise reviews, check them out:

**2011 Pre-Cruise Wylee Party**

**2011 Hey Sailor Pre-Cruise Party VIP Package**

It seems like so long ago that I was waking up to get on a Carnival Cruise Ship with the Backstreet Boys, when in reality it was only 6 days ago.  At least last year, we suspected that we would only have to wait one year to cruise with the Backstreet Boys again.  Now it seems like we will have to wait a year and a half instead.  Some of my other friends are going to Europe and will see NKOTBSB while over there.  At this point, I want to go to a Nick concert but am waiting until he releases more dates until I made a final decision as to which one.  Other than this, I don't see any more Backstreet in my near future.  Here is to hoping that they record and get their next album out quickly!  Until then, I will have to use my photos, videos, and this blog to help ease the Backstreet Boys depression I often get after an event.  

So we woke up early on Friday, December 2nd so that we could eat breakfast and get to the port a little earlier so that we would not have to wait in lines to get checked in.  We would rather have sat and waited than stood in the lines.  Plus we hoped we might catch a glimpse of the Backstreet Boys going into the VIP check in.  Our group was together and I was meeting some of them for the first time after months of exchanging e-mails.  There were going to be seven of us all together hanging out because we were in the same group and I was so happy to finally be able to meet these girls that I had grown so close to.  There was usually not a day that had gone by that one of us was sending a photo, video, news, etc. of the Backstreet Boys.  Three of us had even competed in a weight loss competition to lose weight for the cruise.  

As we were waiting, we saw the Backstreet Boys trickle in one by one.  AJ, Nick, and Howie walked right by us to get to the VIP check in.  I saw Brian but he had gone in through the back way.  Soon, Nick had come back out so that he could use the restroom.  Several girls stopped him for photos and Laura was able to shake his hand on his way back.  I don't even think it mattered to her that we had learned last year that Nick doesn't always wash his hands after using the restroom.  Howie also eventually walked by to use the restroom.  We had gotten a good spot to see the Boys come out of the VIP room and board the ship but were shoved over so that the staff could make a barrier for them to walk through.  Last year this had already been set up.  We had front row as they walked by us to board.  By this time most of the fans had gotten there and were able to see this as well.  It was nice to have that little bit of time before hand to see them with not a lot of fans there.  But don't think I'm going to give the secret away as to what time we got there!

This was it!  It was time to get on the ship with the Backstreet Boys.  The waiting was over.  I was with a great group of girls and had promised myself that I was not going to hold anything back this year.  I was going to stay up later, relax on the beach more, and use the time to make some great new friends as well as see some old ones that I had not seen in awhile.  Everyone in my group had ordered the Cruise shirts that one of the fan club members had done and we decided that we needed to take the embarkation photo together.  It turned out so great that several of us had to buy it.

Front Row (Left to Right):  Cortney, Cory, Ashley
Back Row (Left to Right):  Chrissy, Anne Marie, Laura, Jen

We grabbed some lunch and I had the perfect view of Brian in the buffet as I was eating.  It was becoming more real by the second.  Soon we would be sailing away and the Backstreet Boys would be trapped on the ship with many fans with no where to go.  I have to admit that these guys are very brave.  After lunch, we went back to our room to see if it was ready to put our luggage in. It was and we still had some time to put up our door decorations before the Lifeboat Drill.

Cabin M46 Door Decoration - "Color My World"

Our door, entitled "Color My World" after one of the Backstreet Boys unreleased songs,  used photos of the Backstreet Boys that you could color with the crayons that we provided.  We also had coloring/activity books for fellow fans to take home with them. We got a lot of compliments on the door from other fans and we only had slight vandalism of people drawing inappropriate things.  That I just do not understand, as we were a ship full of fans.  Why would  anyone do that to a photo of a group that they love?  While I had never expected to win, I hoped to at least get an honorable mention because I thought that the door was quite creative.  When we originally thought of it, we thought that it would very much appeal to Brian and Howie because of their sons.  I heard that Rose Tours didn't even make it down to the lower decks to look at the door decorations but I am not sure how true that is.  There were some other doors on the lower decks that were great as well so I think that there might be some truth in it.  We did notice that Rose Tours does seem to like doors that are 3D in some way so we may have to remember that for next time.

We were lucky enough to get our door decorations up before the Lifeboat drill so we headed to our station.  We knew we wanted to get back to the Lido deck as soon as the drill was over so that we could get a good spot for the Sail Away Party.  Luckily our lifeboat station was not too far from the Lido deck and we scored front row for the Sail Away Party.  I made sure I had my Umbrella Drink in hand and I was ready to get the party started with the Backstreet Boys!

Almost as soon as they got out to the stage, Brian jumped up on the chairs in front of us and started shaking hands with the crowd.  At some point most of them came up on the chairs.  When that happen sometimes I just have to pause and think about how lucky I am to get to do stuff like this and how when I first became a fan I never thought I would ever be that close to them.  The Sail Away Party was filled with the Boys just being them...there was singing and dancing and Brian jumping all over the place.  The Boys would play songs for one another.  They played "Masquerade" for Brian because they know he hates it.  They played Britney Spears for Howie since he has been touring with her and he showed us some moves he had learned...at least he thought he was.  

This video pretty much provides a great overview of some of the shenanigans that went on during the Sail Away Party.  Some singing, dancing, rapping, and other silliness are all included.

However, one of my favorite parts of the deck party was the following (sorry about the camera flip at the end but I thought my camera automatically corrected it)...

I'm not sure why I liked this so much but I did.  I think it is because he is just crazy off the wall fun.  You never know when he is going to do something, which is why I am always so upset when I miss something on video or with a photo.  And it is why I am almost always focused on his with my camera.

I just realized that if I continued reviewing this day, this post would be SUPER long....so I'm going to break for a bit and come back later with my review on the In It To Win It Game Show and Sphynkter 80s Night Deck Party.  Until then be sure to check out the rest of my BSB Cruise 2011 Videos and Photos.  

Next:   **BSB Cruise 2011 - Day 1 - Part 2**