What really goes on in VIP?

Based on the results of the latest poll on this site, 23% of you plan to get into the VIP party area of the cruise "by any means necessary." But what really goes on up there? Is it worth it?

The truth is, I'm not qualified to say because I never went up there. But I can share with you what I saw. Actual results may vary, and if you had firsthand experience, please share it in the comments.

The first night of the cruise was the PJ party, and the only night the guys were actually scheduled to attend the deck party. Jordan, Donnie, and Joe came out and security pushed them through the crowd to the stage in the center of the deck. There they stayed, drinking and talking to other people on stage. Some party-goers were allowed to go up on stage as well. I'm not sure how they were selected or who chose them. After a while, Donnie and Jordan climbed up onto the railings of the stage and started singing with the crowd, effectively ignoring those on stage. Joe left first, then the other two departed later (I want to say around 1:30 a.m.?). Since all the action was happening on stage, I don't remember what, if anything, went on upstairs in the VIP area.

Friday night:


Saturday people seemed to expect another on-stage showing, and they were camped out in deck chairs around the stage several hours before the party. Group B had their concert that night (started at 10:30 p.m.) so much of Group A was chillin on the deck. Shortly after Group B got out and made their way to the deck, the VIP party started on the deck above. Behind the rope, a large crowd of women waited at the edge of the party hoping to be let in. Some stayed there all night, and to them it was worth it because sometime around 4:00 a.m. I know Donnie came over and got them all vodka. (This is what I heard secondhand at least, so hopefully I'm remembering it correctly.)

Everyone but Danny made an appearance Saturday night. The highlight, of course, was Jon singing Happy Birthday to Jordan, which was around 3:00. Jon made his way to the stage area for that, so at least the girls who had camped out by the stage for hours got a little something. The pictures I have of the VIP area show it very open (they're all super dark and out of focus though). I see lots of guys but not many fans. Maybe they got in after I left? The telling part is that I only have a few pics of the balcony, but 20+ pics of my friends and me having a great time downstairs.

Sunday was white night. Group A had our concert, but it was at 9:00 so we were all on the deck earlier. That afternoon, Donnie had made announcements on the ship's PA that we were all going to party till the sun came up, that everyone should get on the deck, and that after 2:00 a.m. we should all try to grab the ass of our favorite Kid.

Once again, there were a bunch of people camped out around the stage and more waiting behind the rope to the side of VIP. Since it was the last night, my friends and I decided to see if we could get in. We went inside to where another group was lined up in front of a security guard. After standing there for about two minutes, I felt pretty grossed out because I could see the guy looking us all over (surefire way to send your self-esteem to the basement). But, we were told we could go in. After going through the hallway though, a female guard at the deck entrance told us to leave. So we looped around, were told to go in again, and again were told by the woman to get out.

That was the end of our VIP experience. It was PACKED on the upper deck, both in the holding area and in the VIP area. People were tripping over each other and shoving in all directions. Trying to get in was, even more than waiting in lines, the least fun part of the weekend. (For one, there's no bar in or near the security line!) We had a far better time Saturday ignoring the VIP area all together. But we didn't waste much time Sunday either.



I have heard people who were in the VIP area say they had a fantastic time up there, and I'm sure if it had been me I would have too! But my advice is, don't waste valuable party time standing at a rope watching other people party. And don't make yourself feel like a piece of meat while some part-time security guard looks you up and down. You'll have the best time if you get down with your girls and just blow a few kisses upstairs.

Wait listers now relying on cancellations

Just got the latest from @JordansPearl, who spoke to Rose Tours this morning.

The inventory of rooms from bad credit cards and double bookings is now gone. They are done going through everything. All the wait listers now are relying on cancellations to get rooms. That explains why the calls have dropped off.

Pearl also asked what happens if a single person cancels but the next on the wait list is a group of two people. Rose Tours said that if only a single is available, they will offer it to the duo first before offering it to the next person. The duo then has the option of splitting up or waiting for a double to open.

This puts a different light on the vacancies posted on ning. I'm guessing some will not appreciate the handpicking of offers to fill spots instead of letting Rose Tours fill the vacancies in order of the wait list. Just a guess.

Thanks @JordansPearl for the info!

Cancellations are starting

We knew it would happen when payments were due, but other cancellations are already cropping up. A few weeks ago, I heard of the first cancellation due to pregnancy. Now I saw #2.

Keep an eye on this thread on ning if you are looking for a spot. As the poster with a vacancy said, she would rather choose her own roommate and do a name change than have someone selected by Rose Tours.

I'd suggest following the thread so that you can be sure to respond instantly if a vacancy is posted. (And let's hope she did not choose the person who offered to pay for her part of the room too.)

Good luck!

Have the priority wait list calls stopped?

I've been doing a lot of searching today but haven't seen a single person claim to have gotten a call from Rose Tours today. The calls certainly seemed to have been slowing down this week. Are they done for now? Or is it just a case of "out of the office" again? I have trouble believing people are heeding Mary's "don't tell anyone we called you" warning.

Has anyone gotten word through the grapevine of any calls today?

News on the wait list . . . isn't much

For the past few days, I've been getting a lot of inquires about the wait lists, priority and otherwise. I haven't posted about this lately because there's not much to report. Here's what I can dredge up:

• From several sources: Rose Tours has been asking people NOT to post when they are contacted, because every time someone posts that they got a call for a cabin, RT gets a million calls, making it harder for them to continue down the list.
  
  
• Some have reported returning calls from RT this week, at which point they were asked only to confirm their information.
  
  
• @elizamallari said her friend on the priority wait list received a call yesterday (Monday, 8/24) from RT confirming she is on the boat, so some calls are still being made.
  
  
• There are at least 32 people on the priority wait list. Some are just now finding out they're priority status; instead of phone calls, they received letters in the mail. For those in Europe, that took quite a while.
  
  
• Information from RT is conflicting. Says Karen: "My last call with RT the woman said they were now finding it hard to find cabins for those on PWL and were relying on people dropping out. I'm confused! She then said in her next breath that they were still sorting through double bookings?"

So that's what I know. Sorry it's not much! If I hear anything new I will keep you posted.

And please, as you are confirmed, send a follow request to @NKOTBCruise so you can get involved in something really special we're planning for onboard. (Since this is a surprise for the guys, they are not involved in this account.)

What? Really?

User KimmieK left the following comment on one of my posts and I was really surprised to see it.

I didn't see anyone like this on the boat, but I'm known for being pretty oblivious. Past cruisers, did you see these near-stowaways on the boat? Know anything more about it?

kimmiek291976 said...

My mom & I booked for the last cruise at the end of March. Once we were on the boat we saw people who were MUCH older and they didn't look like NKOTB fans. Turns out they had so many EXTRA rooms that the same trip we paid $2000 PER PERSON for, people got to book as a last minute trip special for $200!!! They were senior citizens who lived in Miami and because they saw the "deal" booked themselves! So people pd $200 for everything we did. They even had the color coded wristbands...so the way I see it..I think plenty of rooms will open up. The way I looked at it? I was pissed that people got to book days before and pay $200! That's the people everyone should be bitching about!!

MIA vs FLL

Already looking at flights? You may have noticed that fares into Fort Lauderdale (FLL) tend to be cheaper than those into Miami (MIA). Rose Tours lists FLL as one of the airports to fly into, so it seems like a no-brainer to take the cheaper flight, right? Not always.

FLL is about 20 miles from the Port of Miami. MIA, on the other hand, is 6 miles. So what you save in airfare may be much less than what you spend to get to the port from FLL.

In a later post, I'll cover transportation options from either airport to the port, but in general, FLL is only a better option when the flight is more than $50 less than one into Miami AND you are traveling with a group. If you're traveling alone, it would need to be more than $100 less to save you money. Shuttles from FLL are available but many require at least two people to make a reservation. (You then have the added step of finding/waiting for your shuttle.)

If your friends are flying in at different times, or if you don't want the extra bother of reserving shuttles, taxis are the way to go. Taxis from FLL are about $75 + tip. If you've got 3-4 people sharing a ride, that could still make the FLL fare better. On the other hand, taxi fares from MIA are around $20.

As for me, I've got fare trackers set up on kayak.com so that if a flight happens to drop below $200, it's mine. And if it doesn't, I'll probably book in March.

Good luck booking!

Payment schedule for wait listers

Thanks to amjlee for forwarding me this information on wait list payments. She had e-mailed Jeannie at Rose Tours to ask when payments were due after a wait lister is placed on the boat.

Her e-mail:

"I am on the waitlist, number 2800 something. If I get a call that there is a room available, is the deposit due right away? With that being said, if I get a call after the second payment is due in November, is the deposit plus the November payment due right away?"

Jeannie's response:

"If you get a call, we will be happy to work with you regarding payment. We do require the deposit at time of booking but we can give you a week or so. I know people need to prepare so we are happy to work with you."

Thanks so much amjlee!

Standard footnote: please follow @NKOTBCruise if you are confirmed on the boat. It's not official; it's a way to get in on a special surprise. : )

Still waiting for your priority wait list call?

This post from Heather explains why we haven't heard much about priority wait list bookings the last two days:

Someone told me I should call RT to confirm they had all of our contact info so I regrettingly called them today. They took my phone number and just asked about which room I'd prefer if they had any. So I told them.

Then the woman told me they had just started working on this list. She said that the person who had been handling all of this was out of the office yesterday and today, but they hope to get back to working on it again tomorrow. (Eeeep!)

So, there are no guarantees that you will be getting call tomorrrow, but keep your figners crossed! I also asked her about what we need for when they call, and she said you need everything you needed when you originally attempted to book. Address/birthdate/emergency contact info, credit card info, etc. I would also make sure you know which type of rooms you are intereseted in so if they have a few to offer, you can choose the right one.

I'll keep you updated if I hear anything tomorrow.

In the meantime, several people have asked me what types of cabins priority wait listers are being offered/taking but I haven't seen anyone post this. Do you know the answer? Please post in the comments. Thanks!

Tendering - yikes!

I've been interested in how the tendering process will work at Half Moon Cay - or Key ; ) - so I've been checking out some videos.

This one makes me kind of seasick just watching it, and I don't even get seasick!

And that was in conditions they apparently deemed safe for tendering. If the seas are rough, they can cancel the tendering entirely, like here:

But this blog is not MSNBC; I'm not out to scare you with stuff like "Your flipflops will kill you." So let's all remember that being stuck at sea with NKOTB is not the worst thing that could happen (on the off chance it does) and look at this lovely video of what we can do once we get to Half Moon Cay.

BTW, are you following @NKOTBCruise yet? Guaranteed not to make you queasy! (You know this account is not run by actual @NKOTB, right? I thought so.)

More good news for wait listers

Another e-mail from Jeannie at Rose Tours gives some hope and insight to regular wait listers. Posted on ning by A Knight's Damsel:

I emailed Jeannie at RT yesterday... my question was with the priority wait lister's being placed first what kind of time frame would those of us on the regular wait list be looking at... She would not commit to any kind of time frame what so ever... These are from her reply to me..

"If we go by the past NKOTB cruise, there were many cancellations due to illness, loss of job and pregnancy etc. where we can clear the wait list./ and....

Also, in the past, people fill out the wait list who are really not sure they want to go and when the time comes, they decline which allows to us to go to the next person on the wait list.

Over the months prior to sailing, we expect to clear many from the wait list." (emphasis mine)

So you may not find out for a few months, but don't lose hope!

Priority wait listers getting confirmations!

I'm sure you all saw this morning that priority wait listers were starting to get calls offering rooms! Great news!! Now the details are starting to come out.

Lisa shared her experience on ning:

They called at 11:53 CST. They collected all my information again and asked what i was originally trying to book, and I told her in the confusion i didn't remember. She asked if we cared which room we got. I told her i just wanted on the boat. She asked if i was looking for the cheapest option and I told her no and gave her my price range and she said she would be in touch soon with our room assignment. So we are on the boat, just not sure where yet :)

No numbers, but she mentioned they had a lot of open cabins.

In the same thread, they counted up 26 on the priority wait list, not far off of the 22 that responded to the poll on this site last week. I only know of 6 or so who received calls today (obviously there could, and probably are, more).

Good luck everyone! Please let us know how you make out!

And, as you get confirmed, please send a follow request to @NKOTBcruise. (Standard disclaimer: this is an unofficial, fan-run account.)

What's the difference between priority and regular wait list?

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is "what's the difference between the priority wait list and the regular wait list?"

Here's how I understand it:

The priority wait listers were charged the deposit (hopefully refunded by now) but did not get a confirmation number or assigned cabin. In other cases, they received a confirmation number, but the room was double booked. A common problem would be if two groups registered on the same computer. The first group goes through no problem. The second group seems to book okay, but in the end gets the same confirmation number/assigned room as their friends.

Priority wait listers were not given a number, but as @heathermarie79 tells me, will be given rooms in the order their credit cards were charged.

Regular wait listers signed up online after the cruise sold out. They were given a confirmation number (starting at or around 2400). Regular wait listers won't be given rooms until the priority wait listers have been confirmed. Those who have spoken to Rose Tours tell me that they've been told it will be several weeks - probably not until the next payment is due - before they should expect to hear anything.

Clarification from Jeannie at Rose Tours about wait list

A very helpful post from Angela on ning. Thanks @BrandiLin1202 for the heads up!

I emailed Jeannie @ RT's and she would only release that the waitlist started in her words verbatim, "just over 2000". So the girl on here who claims to have #1500, well you've been outed sister...lol I too am very impressed with Jeannie to be so kind to take her time to answer all of our questions. She's so patient, and kind! She said she is happy to help in anyway, just ask!

In addition, I asked Jeannie to clear up some confusion (drama) that seemed to be floating around with the waitlist. Jeannie is so sweet and sd that she thinks that her words might have been twisted! :0) Anyway, here is the thread between us:

My question:

Okay, some girls have stated that they have received emails from Rose Tours indicating that they are on the waitlist but that they might not know if they will be guaranteed a room until just about cruise time. Can you explain please?

Jeannie's response:

I think my words may have been twisted:) I said that we have cancellations all the time, even up to sailing. As a cabin becomes available, we will contact the next person on the wait list and offer it to them, so we will be clearing the wait list all the time. If someone cancels 1 week prior to sailing and we still have a wait list, we will contact them. We will try to get as many passengers onboard as we can. I hope this clears the wait list policy for you.

First news on the regular wait list!

Posted yesterday on ning:

Jeannie rocks!! I e-mailed her just to ask about the waiting list (i am number 2440) and she said they are starting to look at it and they just literally go down the list in number order and contact people. She said vacancies became available last year all the way to sail date so keep positive!

Doesn't look like there is an ETA on when the calls will happen yet, and the last word was that it will take them a few more weeks to get the priority list figured out, but this is good news for wait listers!

Update: From @rmr6677 this morning, "Spoke to Mary from RT today. She said they 'haven't even looked at Priority WL' but "expect it to be dealt with in a few weeks.'"

Update 2: From @JordansPearl:

I spoke to them this morning, and it isn't any good news. They told me it could be a couple of weeks to a couple of months to even until November when they expect the second payment. They are still going through the double bookings and bad credit and stuff. But she remains to assure me that there will be cancellations all the way up til sail date and folks on the priority list will be notified first. I tried to ask how they go through the list, but she said she was not able to give that information out. Someone on twitter said a couple of weeks. Guess they can't or won't give a timeline as to when. Guess at this point assuming that it's still all sold out and nothings available yet. =(. She said that they would give ample time to notifiy people before sale date to availability to cabins.

If you're confirmed on the cruise, please send a follow request to @NKOTBCruise. (Disclaimer: this is an unofficial, fan-run account. Don't be expecting any tweets from Jon or something!)

A Look at Half Moon Cay

This couple edited together video of their cruise to Half Moon Cay. Includes leaving Miami, a look at their room (which I think is a 6E), tendering, and the beach. I want to go there right now!

Another push back from Rose Tours

Well we went from hearing something about the priority wait list last week to next week, and now apparently they are saying it will be a "few more weeks."

I talked to them today and they said realistically it will still be a few weeks cause they have a lot of credit info, double bookings, and other info to work on. be patient, you will hear from them!

Posted here.

That's the bad news. Now for some good news (posted here).

Spoke with Christy [at Rose Tours] and she was super nice and very helpful. She said she can't guarantee that being on the priority list means we'll get a cabin but she did say that it looks like there should be plenty of cabins for the priority listers after they finish their clean-up. Hope so!

Of course, in the same post, Christy said they would start making priority phone calls this week, so who knows. But it's hope! And I think this is good news for regular waitlisters as well. If the priority wait list is wiped out, you're that much closer to the top. I've already heard of the first cancellation (pregnancy!).

If you're confirmed on the cruise, please send a follow request to @NKOTBCruise. (Disclaimer: this is an unofficial, fan-run account.)

Buy now or buy later?

It's really tempting to start shopping like crazy for the cruise, but I've been trying to hold back because I know that once themes are announced, I may regret it. This year we received the themes about a month before sailing. Maybe since we're so far ahead this time, they'll help us out sooner, but until that time here's what I recommend.

Safe Bets

• Bathing suits
• Beach/day wear
• Flip flops/sandals
• Sunglasses, beach bags, other accessories
• Sail away party outfit (although many wore swimsuits to that)

Somewhat Risky

• Outfit for Danny's party - there's a chance it will sell out and we don't know details yet.
• General evening dress - I'm betting on one generic "dress to impress" night, and even if it doesn't happen, you can probably wear such a dress elsewhere.
• Something to wear for the photo op - Last year I bought a really cute dress before finding out our photo session was at 10 a.m. I felt pretty silly wearing it at that time of day but I did anyway. You don't get the schedule with enough notice to do much.

Don't Do It!

• More than one evening dress - There were a lot of disgruntled cruisers who bought 3-4 hot dresses last year before themes were announced and were stuck buying more to fit the themes.
• Anything with a theme in mind - I've come close to buying another white dress now because it was so hard to find white in April, but I figure as soon as I do, they'll decide to do pink night instead.

Most everyone will tell you that they overpacked for 2009. I only brought a carry on, and I STILL had more than I needed. In general, you'll need swimsuits, a cover-up, a couple tank tops and shorts, and your theme outfits.

(p.s. I've been having a good time on the J Crew Summer clearance site. Their $50 swimsuit tops are down to $19.99. Bad news: sale items can't be exchanged or returned.)

If you're confirmed on the cruise, please send a follow request to @NKOTBCruise. (Disclaimer: this is an unofficial, fan-run account.)

Cruisers follow. . .

If you're confirmed on the cruise, please follow @nkotbcruise on Twitter. I can't say any more here ; )

(Note: I'm not in charge of this account.)

This can't be right, right?

We all know by now Rose Tours rarely gives the same answer twice, so let's hope this answer is really, really not accurate. I'm only paying it any attention because Jeannie is the one who answers the emails.

I emailed Rose Tours about adding a fourth passenger to my 4-passenger capacity cabin and they told me I couldn't just add her to my reservation, I had to put her on the waiting list and hope that they made it to her name before they ran out of room. I don't understand this...why shouldn't you be able to just request to add a passenger to your cabin if you have a vacancy?

To me, this makes no sense. What is she going to do on the wait list? And presumably they wouldn't stick a random passenger from the wait list into this 4-person room with three friends. Right?

Update: I think I just figured it out. Here's my theory: The capacity of the ship is something like 2,052. That is probably less than every single available bed on the boat, but the maximum number they can have due to available life boats, etc. So they wouldn't give the extra bed away to someone else on the waiting list, BUT adding another person to that room could reduce how many people from the list they are able to place. That would explain it.

Update 2: @mac_feisty, who works for Carnival and actually knows what she's talking about, posted an explanation in the comments. Thanks!

Thanks to @donnaelle for the heads up.

Original thread: http://newkidsnetwork.ning.com/forum/topics/have-a-vacancy-in-your-cabin

Another week for wait list news?

Last Friday, word from Rose Tours was that it would take them until mid-week (i.e., today) to get things sorted with the priority wait list. Now they're saying they need ANOTHER week.

From ning:

Someone just posted on twitter that they called RT and was told it would take them at least another week to sort out the mess!! UGH I still have $600 charged on my CC with no cabin!

Here's the thread. I'll keep an eye on it.
http://newkidsnetwork.ning.com/forum/topics/its-wednesday-812-peeps-on

Another theme idea

I think I may love this one, but I'm not 100% convinced. Tell me if I'm crazy:

80s Prom
Not just 80s night, but dressy 80s night. Instead of stirrup pants, sequined layered skirts. Or that homemade dress Andy wore in Pretty in Pink! Maybe I am only saying this because I watched Pretty in Pink last night.

What do you think? Totally rad or just bad?

I seriously want to wear this dress:

Are you sensing a theme?

Nine months to speculate! Why not start with ideas for theme nights. Here are mine.

80s

Pros: We started loving NKOTB in the 80s; it's a chance to get creative; it would be cheap since we either have the clothes or could find them at Goodwill; it would be amusing.
Cons: Would need to save room in the suitcase for white pumps and crimping iron.

PJ Night
Pros: PJs are comfy; everyone has PJs; my outfit cost $15 last year; easily the best people watching of the weekend.

Cons: Already been done.

Mardi Gras

Pros: Beads are cheap; it's a holiday for drinking; any outfit becomes appropriate for Mardi Gras with a few feathers added.

Cons: May see more naked boobs than I would like.

Luau

Pros: If you packed a swimsuit, you're set; grass skirts, coconut bras, and Hawaiian shirts are all cute; flip flops beat heels; would work very well with the beach party.

Cons: Are grass skirts comfortable?

Black and White

Pros: A lot easier and more flattering than only white; gives me an excuse to shop at White House/Black Market.

Cons: Pretty similar to white night in 2009.

Toga

Kidding!

What are you all thinking? Share your ideas please!

It's not too early to

It may be too early to plan your time on the boat, but the time is right for some important pieces of cruise prep!

1. Book a hotel in Miami. If you're planning to fly in Thursday night, secure a room in a nearby hotel. The reduced room block at the Intercontinental is sure to fill up at only $149/night. Most hotels won't charge you until check-out (or unless you cancel with less than 24 hours notice), so it won't cost you anything to book now. Note: The group rate with the Intercontinental cannot be canceled after February 13 without penalty (thanks Sarah!).
   
   
2. Get a passport. Technically, you won't need an official passport to travel on a closed-loop cruise, but you'll need at least a passport card or a bunch of official documents (see U.S. State Department entry/exit requirements for Bahamas). An official passport for new applicants is $100 vs. $45 for the passport card, but with all the changes and increased requirements for international travel, chances are that passport card won't be much good to you long before it expires in 10 years. If you do the birth certificate method, you'll be stuck if you need to fly home in case of emergency. Carnival recommends getting a passport.
   
   
3. Set up fare alerts for flights. We have a lot of lead time to book travel, and airfares fluctuate like crazy. Sometimes a flight can be $50 less one day than it was the day before. By setting up a fare alert on a site like www.kayak.com, you can enter a desired max price for a flight and get an email if a flight meets your requirements.
   
   
4. Get started on that cruise fitness plan! If you're like me and wish you could get in shape just by watching people on TV exercise, you need a very good reason like this to hit the gym. Nothing else could make me stay for two classes in a row, that's for sure! I'm no expert and far from super fit, but what worked for me was joining an all women's gym (bye bye self-consciousness) and committing myself to 3-4 classes/week. If I don't have a giant ripped guy yelling at me to get up the stairs NOW, I won't. By May, we'll all have the leanest meanest baddest bodies!
   

Update from Rose Tours

Just read this very helpful post from "a knights damsel" on ning. Gives a good view of the status of both waitlists. Also saw that several people signed up for the waitlist twice (once with each cabin option), so the list may be shorter than the numbers make it appear.

My understanding from Rose Tours is that it will take them until at least Wednesday (according to the man I spoke with) to sort through the mess with the online reservations. They are clearing credit cards (many incorrect #'s/exp dates/declined nsf etc), cleaning up multiple bookings and cancelling those bookings, and then they have to check the cabin inventory in general to be sure it actually is a complete sell out.....

They will also need to organize the wait lists into categories according to what people have requested on their forms... ie -- inside/outside/#of people per cabin etc.... then there will be incorrect info on that list as well and people who have wait listed themselves numerous times... Rose Tours has their work cut out for them.......

There will probably be cabins available before November. I have a feeling this is a bigger mess then any of us realize.

Original post:http://newkidsnetwork.ning.com/forum/topics/has-anyone-from-wait-list?page=1&commentId=2242441%3AComment%3A8586838&x=1#2242441Comment8586838

Update: The thread on ning was deleted as a duplicate.

How many are on the priority wait list?

This priority wait list seemed to be getting pretty long. I counted in the thread on the topic on ning and found about 22 people who said they are in this situation. Of course, there are undoubtedly others who did not comment in that thread or on that board at all. I have my fingers crossed for everyone in that situation. If you have to wait for cancellations, it may be quite a while before you find out. When the next payment comes due in November, I'd expect a wave to drop out.

No Upgrades This Year

Hoping for a 6E when you booked a 4B? It will be tougher this year to get there. Rose Tours has said they are not doing upgrades this year. The only thing they are offering is rebooking to another room at a 25% penalty.

That means if you booked a room that is $999 and by some miracle a 6E comes available (after the wait list is gone), you would have to find and book that room on your own, then pay a $250 penalty for the change. Ouch.

NKOTB Cruise in the News

A few media outlets picked up the cruise story this week. Did you miss them?

New Kids on the Block to Cruise Again on Carnival

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3352

It's official: New Kids on the Block plans second cruise for 2010

http://blogs.usatoday.com/cruiselog/2009/08/new-kids-on-the-block-plans-second-cruise-for-2010.html

New Kids announce new ship trip

http://blogs.usatoday.com/entertainment/2009/08/new-kids-announce-new-ship-trip-.html

Wait List Updates

Not guaranteed a spot on the boat yet? Here's where things stand on the wait list.

The wait list went online around 12:15 a.m. Friday, August 7. Assigned numbers seem to have started at 2400. However, according to someone who spoke to Rose Tours, just because you have number 2425 does not mean there are 25 people in front of you.

What does that mean? Well, for one, many people seem to have signed up more than once. More importantly, these numbers only represent the regular wait list. Ahead of this group is the "priority" wait list.

Those on the priority wait list had money taken from or charged to their accounts but did not receive a confirmation number or vice versa (got a confirmation number but weren't charged). I don't have a count on how many people this includes, but it seems to be more than 15. Most seemed to be getting calls Saturday.

Did this happen to you? Leave a comment and let us know.

Why this blog?

How do you keep track of all the information about the NKOTB Cruise 2010? If you don't watch Twitter 24 hours a day, you miss all kinds of stuff. The forums have some good bits of information, but it's hidden among lots of complaining and conflicting answers. So I'm starting this blog to put it all in one place. Everything you need to know minus the fluff and drama.

If you have ideas on what to include, please leave a comment! I'll try to post at least one blog a week from now till May 14!