I got this topic last week when I did the call for stories, and I've been trying to figure out how best to address it. The short answer is: none outside the photo op. Your photo is the only guaranteed New Kids encounter while you're on the boat. It's just enough time to say hi to your favorite Kid and tell him you're having a good time.
Other than that, I guess it's half timing and the other half's luck. You likely will run into at least one NK over the course of the weekend -- in the elevator, near the pool, walking down the hall -- but that doesn't mean they'll be able to stop and chat. When Joe walked past several of us Saturday afternoon, he said he couldn't stop because he was on his way to an interview. Earlier that day, though, girls ran into him next to the pool and got photos.
The other factor is how bad you want it. Each night (and probably during the day), there was a small contingent of girls that followed the guys around like puppies. I wouldn't recommend that.
I saw everyone except Jordan at some point over the weekend, and I did not talk to anyone. If you are more forward than me, I'm sure you could have progressed to some form of conversation. I tended to act the same way passing a NK as I would passing our room porter: just said "hi" and kept walking.
Of course at the other end of the spectrum was the Katie we all saw in the DVD Easter Egg. Which makes the final answer "somewhere between saying hi in the hall and making out in the casino."
2009 cruisers: please post your face time stories!
What was the Katie we saw in the DVD Easter Egg??? I think I missed something....
ReplyDeleteMy friend and I were REALLY lucky last year! We ran into Jon by the elevators and said barely a hello. During the first night JOrdan and Donnie walked past our table and Donnie grabbed my cigarettes helped hmself to a few (and my lighter which I never saw again) and gave my friend and I both a kiss. We saw Joe at the pool Saturday last year but weren't close enough to speak with him. However, riding up to Promenade to buy cigarettes our elevator doors opened and JOrdan joined my two friends and I on the elevator. We did not hound him for photos..didn't even take one!! Made some small talk about his birthday and how white he was (LMAO) and, basically, had a staring contest with him. They were all very sweet and gracious. Yes, ours was luck and timing. I hope to have a similiar experience this year, but not even close to planning on it! I hope everyone can have at least one good encounter, but don't plan your weekend around it! Thanx for the blog, Katie, you have been right on in each article! Hope to meet you there this year!
ReplyDeleteWe ran into Jordan, Joe and Jon in the spa and they all took pics. Think we got lucky we were the only girls there. I wouldn't suggest stalking their hall it didn't seem to work for most last year. I think its really just luck.
ReplyDeleteThe best incounters are the unexpected incounters.
ReplyDeleteLike running into Donnie in the cosino and getting a hug for just saying Hi.
Or sitting and relaxing on the deck only to have Joe and a friend sit and have lunch at the table next to you. For the most part people were very respectful and let him finish his lunch in peace. But there were a few you just had to shake your head at.
People were asking for pictures and he had to politley decline pointing out that if he did it for one person that would start a chain reaction. So people figured they'd try and sneak pictures by sending one person over to say hi while the other stood back and snapped the picture. (they were so obvious Joe even mentioned it during our groups gameshow.)
I met Donnie when I was coming off an elevator and he was nice enough to stop for a picture and talk with me. And I saw Jon on the Lido deck. It is all about luck.
ReplyDeleteI was told the exact same thing by a friend who went last year. Just tell yourself that the photo op is your time and the rest is just extra. I will not follow them around, this is my vacation for goodness sake! I figure if I set my sights low in this catagory then I won't be disappointed.
ReplyDeleteGosh Katie, that's not helpful at all! ;-) LOL But really, I think it is luck-of-the-draw for the most part. I never ran into anyone anywhere. But I still had a blast.
ReplyDeleteAs a first-time cruiser, this blog is really helpful, especially this entry. I'm really torn regarding who to talk to/stand by during the photo op, and I think this is helping my decision. Gotta pic your fav/the one you think you will be least likely to run into anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get a lot of facetime until the final night, and then only with Donnie. At the photo op, I went for Donnie but there were like 2 other Donnie girls so I didn't even get to say hi in those 30 seconds, lol. Throughout the weekend, I never really saw them around much when I was just around the boat.
ReplyDeleteThe final day, I lucked out to get in the poker tournament, somehow the NKOTB gods were on my side and had me win my table when I had no idea what I was doing, and ended up at a table with Donnie - which ultimately resulted in getting a good 10 minutes of extra good facetime, part of which ended up on the dvd.
That said, even before the poker game, I was planning on going on the next cruise if they had a next cruise. So even if you don't end up with a lot of facetime, it's still a lot of fun.
-Katie
/waving at DVD Katie
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you're going to be able to beat last year!
Last year, my friend and I got some luck and got some face time. During the PJ party Friday night, Jon was roaming the lido deck and my friend asked him for a pic, and he was happy to do it. Then later, Donnie was walking the deck and my friend had him autograph her Band of Brothers DVD, and I got a pic with him. We didn't see them again other than at scheduled events, but we were so happy with what we had on Friday night, that it didn't really matter!
ReplyDeleteI was on the cruise last year and bumped in to Donnie twice in the casino, he's so lovely. Missed Danny and Donnie by half an hour knocking on our cabin door which they signed :) shame i was out shopping!. Also saw joe on dress up night he passed by and i said hi, he said hi back, i didn't think to take a photo. Got plenty of them on deck :). It is just chance encounters. I am going again and can't wait. They are all lovely.
ReplyDeletesorry just posted and forgot i did get a picture with Donnie, seriously it is luck. going again and am just going to enjoy myself. Don't expect to bump into any of them again around the ship, but if it happens again its a bonus. :)
ReplyDeleteMy only encounter happened PRIOR to the cruise, the night before at Danny's party. And it wasn't even at the party, it was right before I met up with my gang for dinner. I was walking through the hall, calling a friend to find out if she still needed tickets for the party, when Joe walked past me, looking soooo incredibly tired (poor thing). I just smiled, but it didn't even register WHO I was smiling at until after he was behind me. I almost dropped the phone then. ;o) It was a nice little brush with fame, though!
ReplyDeleteI ran into Danny as he was coming out of the elevator. He was all sweaty just coming from the gym and was nice enough to take a pic with me. Later that day, I ran into Jordan as he was leaving lunch. I was able to hand him his birthday gift even though his bodyguards wanted me to leave it at the gift desk whatever that was. Jordan took it anyway. Moments later, Donnie came out of lunch and took a pic with me. Bodyguards were trying to pull him away but he put his hand out behind him for me. I took his hand and pulled me up beside him. He took my camera and snapped the pic of us. Saw Jon late one night as he was going back to his room. I think I was pretty lucky and very happy with the Facetime I got. Oh, I also got a hug from Donnie in the casino after the Poker tournament. Jordan came into the casino but left when he saw how crowded it was.
ReplyDeleteIt is straight up luck to run into the guys. Best advice is to go not expecting any face time. You will enjoy yourself more. Last year, I ran into Donnie outside of the casino and got a picture with him. That was on Sunday morning. I saw Joe right before but he didn't stop to say hi to anyone. He looked like he was lost. Sunday night Jon walked past me on his way to the stage on the lido deck to sing Happy Birthday to Jordan. But he walked by so quick, I was only able to say hi. I also got my Block CD signed by Joe & Donnie at the PJ party. I was an eye witness to Katie's kiss. I don't think anyone else will ever have that moment. :) No matter how small the encounter or none at all, this trip will be what YOU make it out to be. So have fun! See ya on the boat!
ReplyDeleteKatie,
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm guessing nothing quite so huge/monumental will happen to me this year! :) But regardless...I'm going to have a blast - see you on the boat next week!
OH DVD Katie!! I LOVED that part of the cruise. I had heard about it while I was on the cruise, but didn't see it until I watched the DVD.
ReplyDeleteKatie, the blog is great very helpful for me as a first time cruiser. As for the face time I am going in with no expectations so what ever I get will be a bonus! Would it be possible for you to email me privately? email is moecaron1@yahoo.ca
ReplyDeletethanks again Moe
Hi Moe, can you send me a message on the ning site? http://newkidsnetwork.ning.com/profile/ktsummer
ReplyDeleteI had face time with Donnie twice. Once near the elevator and he gave me a hug. The other time was when I was walking to the laundry room and he was walking toward me down the hall. He said hi and I said hi but he couldn't stop because he had a camera crew following him. I got a pic with Danny when he was down the hall from my cabin and we asked him for a pic. I never saw Jon, Jordan or Joe outside of the scheduled events.
ReplyDeleteWhile leaving the ship to go on the beach we ran into Jon in the Atrium drinking coffee. There were only 2 other girls so we stopped and asked for a picture. He was so sweet!
ReplyDeleteWhile waiting outside their rooms (just to see what it was like lol) Donnie walked by and said hi to us. We weren't paying attention lol and we finally said hi but he was already well on his way to his room. (He seemed a little irritated that we didn't notice him though lol)
Then while at the photo op, we had a ton of Joey girls and only one or 2 for the rest. One girl was a Donnie girl and she was at the end of our group. I was just before her, but was going to keep going towards Joey so she could have Donnie to herself. Donnie put his hands out to me like come on and sit. I leaned over and gave him a hug and started to keep on going lol. He put his arms out again and was obviously annoyed. So I sat down with him and apologized. Then our other girl from the group came over and he leaned far away from me and into her cause he was pissed lol.
While walking out of our photo op, Jon took my hand (I think he kissed it lol I can't remember) and said "Thanks so much for coming sweetie" Then Joey knew one of the girls from our group so he stopped the security guards from kicking us out so he could talk to her for a min. I took that chance to run and get hugs from the rest of the guys. (didn't get to Danny though and Joey's was so "just to please me" he wasn't into it at all)
While singing karaoke Joe walked through and yelled out "Sing Please Don't Go Girl!" (I think that's what it was) lol
I did see Jordan in the casino....but girls started running up to him so he ran off.
I also saw Joe on the Lido Deck while he sat with a girl from down the hall from us. We did stand there for awhile (I mean how could I not?? Joey's my main man lol) and then he had to leave.
While checking out the line for VIP (no, we did not wait in line lol) Jordan came through and my friend told him Happy Birthday. He turned around and said thanks, but his body guards rushed him away.
I think those were our only encounters.