This week's episode is about Risk, Vulnerability, Joy, and Possibility, along with a recap on the NKOTB Cruise. Learn how to find more joy in your life.

Follow @chelo_mx By @Chelo_mx Decorate your door - DO I HAVE TO DECORATE??? Not really... It's up to you and your roomies. It sure takes preparation, time, money and luggage space.. but it can really be fun!!! It's a nice way to display your Blockhead pride and it helps your friends (and even yourself) to find your cabin faster. LOL Is it a contest??? Yes, but there's only one winner, and it gets notified while on board so some only findout who the winner was until we get back home. The process of how is it chosen remains a mistery.... some say that NK crew, bodyguards, Rose Tours or someone films or take pictures of their favorite's for the guys to select the winner. Or that they take into consideration the "buzz" of "have you seen the X door? Prize has varied over the years, but it usually is NKOTB merch, either to be chosen on board or shipped home. The Rule... HAVE FUN !! Let your creativity flow, share your best NK memories, show us how you have fun with your friends, take us back to memory lane, kick it old school style, and proudly represent where are you from. Work as a Team Discuss with your roomies your ideas, divide and conquer! Plan ahead, divide work and agree which supplies each will bring on board. Door Size There are several "versions" of the measurements but for what I've seen posted on different blogs and websites You can find 2'2" x 68 / 20 x 75 inches / (64.7cm)x (2.03 mts) but it depends if they are talking about the door, the whole frame, or the size they have some banners made clearing or covering the notch This is the "popular" pic that has been floating around with some measurements, hope it helps (It's not my pic... so I didn't take those measurements) Handle and lock (notch) Take into consideration that the handle isn't on the same side for each cabin, some have it on the right side and some on the left. Additional places to decorate On previous ships, some rooms had a panel (light) which could be decorated too! (But it changes depending on the ship) Some people use the ceiling or floors. It depends on where your cabin is located, sometimes you can have an empty wall next to your door or across from it with NO cabins at all. SO bring additional props. Before decorating: BE CORTEOUS!!!! Before spreading your domain and marking your territory. Check with your neighbors: share half of the "empty" wall or panel with your cabin neighbors. Or use the right side, or left side accordingly. If they are not decorating ask if they mind if you use their wall before you take over. *** NOT EVERY empty wall can be used. It's a Cruise Ship, a Floating Hotel, so Stewards or House Keeping have special doors for their supplies or "authorized personnel only" entries or passages. Don't decorate those. SAFETY FIRST. Don't cover the ship's signs, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, hoses... etc *** And Carnival has being enforcing some of their policies and removing items that are on the aisles or those thay they consider flamable or hazardous. If I don't know my roommie, or I'm on the match program? Hopefully you can get intouch with your roomie before boarding discuss "the door" If not, make your own stuff, and before placing it ask what did she brought. If she doesn't want to decorate at all, ask her if it's OK with her if you do, and If you should use the door or the side wall. What can I use to decorate? ANYTHING!!!! Some people make some MEGA productions! with lights, music, tons of props and some keep it simple. Here are some ideas: Some have their door decoration printed on a vinyl banner that just need to be unrolled and taped to the door. Use posterprintshop.com or similar site to order a 20x75 inch aprox. Place your pics with a NKOTB member, of them performing on a Concert, of your BH sisters onboard or back home Display your flag if you travel from another country, show your Team colors etc. Paste your pictures on a cardboard so you don't have to place them one by one Make an interactive door (check below) Don't forget to make your twitter handle visible. People may know your virtual self, just from your handle, and you can get some new followers ;) Is it safe to display my favorite memorabilia? Hmmm, I honestly don't know... Crazies are everywhere and although we go around saying we are sisters.. some are "jealous" sisters, or some have big claws. But I have also seen some amazing stuff not being "removed" It's up to you, The rule is: if it is irreplaceable, don't use it. Yes, it might get signed by a NK, but it might get stolen too!!! Use copies or prints of your favorite memories. If it's old school or one of the kind and you want to use it is your decision. Do they sign EVERY door? Unfortunately... NO. It is very random, and it depends on each guy. Donnie, Jordan and Joe sign some doors. Jon usually the ones that he finds funny, or that catches his attention. Danny does his best and goes through almost every door on EVERY deck, signing at least one item, poster or pic. What to use to paste or hang my decorations? Not with magnets, the doors aren't magnetic, the frames are but things won't stay in place Keep in mind the weight of your decorations and that you are using Carnival Cruise Property so don't damage it. It is your responsibility what you choose to use. Scotch tape, masking tape, duct tape, velcro, mounting tape, sticky tack, pritt tak Remember to REMOVE your decorations and what ever stickiness left behind, the ship gets boarded again after docking and even though they have a cleaning crew, it is not part of their "regular" duties to scrub NK memories from the walls. INTERACTING with fellow BH Doors can also be used to communicate with other BH, leave a cute message, greetings, follow me on twitter note, or See you on lido deck at 10 pm lol I love the doors in which you can interact or have fun while visiting. Here are some ideas I've seen or used before Place a POST - IT pad so they can leave you those notes. (with an attached pen) Wipe-off board to leave a quick message for your friends. Visitor's log (place a cardboard or little notepad) for twitter handle sharing or little notes "Business" cards with your twitter, facebook, instagram info so people can reconnect with you, either leave it on your cabin or hand it one on one. Bring Sharpies.... lot's of sharpies (for your door) to carry with you while on deck parties to get things signed (and as a gift to NK, because once they get one sharpie they won't let go..... lol they'll use the same Sharpie to sign different things and return it to a "different" person minutes later) FUN and interactive doors I really like the doors that are "interactive" I've seen doors with different props that you can wear and take pictures with, some people even place disposable cameras for you to snap a shot for the owner to keep, Face in a hole are fun too Doors that with cutout NK members and you can dress or undress them. Jeopardy like games Memory card games Guessing games Some people ask for cooperation from fellow cruisers beforehand to send stuff be used on their doors. Gifts and Goodies Not everyone does this, but everyone loves getting one. You can leave them at your door for others to grab or give them away during the deck parties. Anything goes. You can have them custom made or make them yourself. pins and buttons bracelets beads lanyards keychains pens candy notepads trading cards These are some of the things I've gotten from different years I've been giving away these: buttons, pens and keychains How to pack everything It depends of where are you coming from. I just have a suggestion before boarding the ship, be sure to remove your decorations and supplies from your BIG (check upon arrival bag) and place them on your carry-on. Luggage can take hours to get to your cabin and usually after boarding if your cabin is ready, you can start decorating before the safety drill and the sail away party. If you are flying and going straight to the port, remember that you can't have the scissors or tapes on your carry-on. Pannels and Walls are different depending on the ship Doors and walls between change depending on the ship, some are "walls" others pannels, some are half fabric half wall.. Carnival Victory Walls between doors are half wall half fabric with flat hand rails and doors at the same level as walls not my door, just my pic Carnival Splendor Doors are NOT at the same level as walls, they are inside with lights on the sides of the entrance. Walls between doors are flat surfaces with a small stripe of fabric at the bottom. 2014 Cruise Door pics . This was my door decoration in 2013 (Carnival Victory) I was on deck 7 on a single cabin, I way too lucky!!! Besides my door I had the right wall all for myself because it was next to the steward's closet. My neighbors didn't want to decorate at all, so they told me that I could use the other side too. My neighbors just placed a post-it stating that they didn't want to decorate at all, which JON found hilarious, and he starting banging at their door screamin BOO!!, no one answered so he signed their "door" Here are some pictures and albums from previous cruises with door decorations for you to get some inspiration 2013 Click on the link to see the whole set https://www.flickr.com/photos/chelo_mx/sets/72157642737186905/ You can see the general door layout.... Door and wall pannels . Añadir leyenda 2012 -2011 Click on the link so you can see them upclose https://flic.kr/s/aHsjCTxJrg NKOTB Cruise Doors, a set on Flickr. 2011-10 Click on the link for 70 more pictures Cruise door decorations 2011 by muko78 BACK TO 2015 CRUISE BLOG Follow @chelo_mx

New Kids on the Block Cruise 2022, NKOTB Cruise 2022, NKOTB Superfan Blogger

In the theme frenzy, you may have missed the other part of this week's email: info on the door decorating contest. Theme: High School Flash Back - "Locker" Decorating Contest Remember how you used to decorate your school lockers? Here is your chance to really show off your vintage NKOTB collection (old & new memories) - Be sure to include pictures of yourself back in the day. Big hair, acid washed jeans, and lots and lots of neon! Raid your scrap books! We want to see you at your first NKOTB concert, or standing by your High School locker with all your NKOTB pix. This is as much about YOU (and NKOTB of course). Get creative! Best-decorated door will win a fabulous prize. *The cabin door is 22" x 6.8" and is magnetic so we suggest you bring magnets to decorate and hold items in place.The doors are most assuredly wooden. Bring tape. The blue painters tape works well and won't damage the door. As for the decorations, people REALLY got creative last year. The theme was similar, but more focused on merch than personal photos. It was so cool to see all the old memorabilia, artwork, and themes. The girls with the winning submission must have packed a full suitcase of nothing but decorations. The prize was concert tickets. Here are a few others from last year, posted on ning: Obviously not everyone followed the theme, but the winning entry did, so if you are in it to win it, go with the theme in the email. I couldn't really do the theme if I wanted to. I have maybe 4 NKs-related photos of me from that time, and one is worse than the other. See? This is the least embarrassing one. Anyway, Malina and I made our door already and we love it. Plus we really aren't looking to win anything. I can't say more or I'll give it away ; ) What are your plans? Did you design your door already? Are you going to go for gold or make up your own theme? Did you find a secret metal door somewhere on the boat last year?