Thanks For Sailing With Us, Backstreet Boys

“This is the best cruise EVER!”

That’s the phrase we heard over and over again in many places on the Carnival Sensation during the Backstreet Boys 2018 cruise and online in the week since we’ve returned. (It’s already been a week?!)

As the cruise came to a close, we’ve spent a week thinking about how to sum up everything that happened. So. much. HAPPENED! How do you put all of the greatest moments into words when you haven’t even had time to process it yourself? We don’t even have time to be over the cruise before we get a new single (and music video) from the Boys next week!

So, we’re starting where we’ve started before — by thanking each of the Boys for the little things… because it seems like the best place to start and something that we can all agree upon.

Kevin…

As always, he gets it. From his commitment to theme costumes to his calm nature that permeates to anyone around him, his sincerity, humility, and zest made every encounter a fun one. He really took the time to make every interaction a good one – never rushed and genuinely concerned about the time you were having and thanking everyone in the meet and greet for being there.

There was honestly no one better to preview the songs we may or may not hear on the upcoming Backstreet Boys album (and Group B really appreciated “3 words…” five times). One of our favorite things about Kevin has always been his storytelling and his attention to detail and he did not disappoint on this cruise.

Did we mention that he went down hallways signing door decorations and knocking on some lucky fans’ doors in his free time? Did we also mention that spent time behind the bar on Millennium night making drinks for fans for hours and that everyone who met Kevin on the cruise left with a little extra love?

It’s not just the other Boys who are so grateful for Kevin’s return.

Howie…

Was there anyone more FUN than Howard Dorough on this year’s BSB Cruise? Not quite.

While selfie lines weren’t really his thing (and that’s okay!), he was more than willing to take a photo if you caught him and 100% down for a good time the WHOLE time. We can’t imagine someone not being entertained by his Cinco De Howie antics or his smooth moves as Howie Z., dressed as Zorro, dancing the night away during We Got It Goin’ Con night. Even Nick admitted that Howie was the star that night!

Entertainment aside, it was clear that Howie wanted everyone in on the party and that he was going to be the one to keep it going, even stopping to do a selfie line on his way out on Saturday night. This cruise wouldn’t have been half as great without Sweet D!

Brian…

This man went hard.

Prior to this cruise, there were many people who said that Brian is the hardest to nail down and he’s the first to retire for the night. Let us be the first to tell you… that was not the case this year. On the first night deck party, Brian came in in his basketball uniform, removed his jacket, and immediately laid down on the stage to take selfies with fans. Every night after would be a similar story because every night, he was reaching out to fans on every side of the stage, whether it be to sign something, take pics, or just shake a hand. We think many people probably missed the fact that he did a selfie line in the hall near his cabin too.

Can we also talk about his vocals?? He. Sounded. So. Good. Again, tears were brought to our eyes with every note he killed during the Storytellers concert.

Like the other guys, Brian was present and wanting fans involved. His Game Night event with family and friends was definitely the most inclusive for all fans present and as he stated, he wanted to give as many fans as possible a chance to play. That was definitely a theme for him throughout the cruise and for sure something to be admired about him.

Oh, and Sporty Spice never looked so good.

 

 

AJ…

 

AJ is a constant entertainer and such a kind soul. Much like Kevin, his gift of conversation puts everyone at ease and the cruise was no exception. The minute he came on stage at the Sail Away party, he was in the middle of the crowd, giving fans further back an opportunity to get in on the action and made the announcement that he would be in the same spot on the last night to do a selfie line.

…And take selfies he did. This man stood outside until 5am to take selfies with any fan who wanted one. If that isn’t commitment and follow through, we don’t know what is. It is SO appreciated by so many of us. We also love that he was all over the place! In the pool, in the halls taking photos, at the DJ table, on the stage… AJ is, as always, where the people are. He even had an extra event – playing in a Black Jack tournament with a few lucky fans.

We’re also so excited for more of his solo album, simply based on what we heard at his event. Fingers crossed he’s finally moving toward a solo release!

Nick…

You know what the most striking thing about Nick was on this cruise? The fact that he was everyone’s biggest cheerleader. While his performances were stellar as usual and his Baby Spice impersonation was on point, the thing we loved most was the fact that he was such a fan of the other Boys. From cheering Brian on for nailing a note to getting sentimental about how much the Boys missed Kevin to encouraging Howie to take on his Zorro dance moves, he seemed genuinely refreshed and happy to be onstage with the other four.

It wasn’t just for the other Boys either though. From the moment he walked on the ship, Nick was ready and willing to hang with fans. While everyone’s wifi was still working, he played a game of hide and seek with everyone via Twitter (in which everyone found him because Backstreet fans can sniff out a BSB from miles away – even if he is wearing a Rose Tours staff shirt with a mustache). Then, in the middle of Saturday evening, Nick stood in the cafeteria for hours taking selfies with any fan that lined up for the opportunity, only taking quick bathroom breaks. What a gem, right?

There was also that pool situation on Into The Millennium night. Fans jumped into the pool after Nick and he just played along with them, relishing in the good times with, truly, not a care in the world. We loved the time spent with him on this cruise as we’re pretty sure everyone else did too.

Thank you, Backstreet Boys (and their team) for making the 2018 cruise a wonderful, unforgettable one. Each of you had such a huge contribution to it’s success and we can’t imagine it without any single one of you. It was absolutely the perfect kick off to what is sure to be an incredible year for you guys and for us! Thank you doesn’t even begin to cover it. See you soon?

(We will be doing a post with specific cruise moments, photos, and videos, but for now, you can find them on our YouTube channel and all photos are uploaded into albums on our Facebook page. You can also check out some sweet professional photos from the cruise here.

We’re also interested in seeing your funny cruise pics and your selfie fails! DM us on Twitter or email us at whothebackstreet@gmail.com)