Norwegian Cruise Line tries to rock the cruise industry

Charter cruises, where a company books an entire cruise ship to put on a cruise serving a very specific audience, have become fairly common.

That might be a classic rock band like Kiss or an entire ship full of nudists, swingers, or LGBTQ+ folks celebrating their community.

The breadth of charter cruises run pretty deep. You can find cruises devoted to certain types of comedy and even one put on by the professional wrestler Chris Jericho, which brings a mix of wrestling matches, interviews and rock concerts to sea.

Charter cruises literally take over a ship: All the programming is built around the theme, and that will sometimes spill over to some of the stops.

When you think "this person will be fun on a cruise." "Little Steven Van Zandt may not be the first person who comes to mind. The longtime member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, however, has been a champion for music through his SiriusXM station, "Little Steven's Underground Radio."

The headscarf-wearing rocker will bring his act to the high seas in May for his first-ever cruise celebrating the underground music he has featured on his radio station. That's a mix of bands that's very different than the mainstream acts who usually headline charter cruises.

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Little Steven brings underground bands to sea

Van Zandt has partnered with Sixthman, a leading festival and party cruise promoter to organize what's called “The Coolest Cruise in the World.” The four-day cruise will set sail May 9, 2025, and depart from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas, on the Norwegian Gem.

"Claiming to be 'inspired by the renegade spirit of Pirate Radio,' Van Zandt has booked an incredibly impressive and diverse list of bands to perform during the cruise," Sixthman wrote.

"So far the lineup includes Social Distortion, X, Rocket From The Crypt, Reverend Horton Heat, Old 97’s, Low Cut Connie, Los Straitjackets, Lenny Kaye, Flamin’ Groovies, The Dictators, The Fleshtones, The Chesterfield Kings, Supersuckers, Linda Gail Lewis, Slim Jim Phantom Trio, The Dollyrots, The Woggles, The Coolies, The Untamed Youth, Deke Dickerson, The Neanderthals, The Sound Minds, and Goons."

The cruise will also feature a supergroup of sorts.

"If you consider yourself both a music and a sports fan, you will love The Baseball Project," according to the event website. "The supergroup plays music inspired by the crazy stories of America’s pastime.

"Members include Scott McCaughey (Young Fresh Fellows, The Minus 5), Steve Wynn (The Dream Syndicate, Steve Wynn & the Miracle 3, Gutterball), Linda Pitmon (Steve Wynn & the Miracle 3, Zuzu’s Petals) and Mike Mills and Peter Buck of R.E.M. Members will also participate in performances by The Minus 5 and Miracle 3."

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In addition to concerts, music-related discussion panels, and chances to meet the musicians, the cruise will offer all regular Norwegian amenities.

The Norwegian Gem offers numerous fully stocked bars, restaurants, a pool deck with multiple hot tubs, the Gem Club Casino, Mandara Spa, Body Waves Fitness Center, and a sports court among the many facilities available to cruisers.

Once the Norwegian Gem docks in Nassau, guests can enjoy the beauty and adventure of the Caribbean island. Shore excursions will be made available four to six weeks prior to sailing and made available upon receipt of the guest’s official booking number.

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