Aptly called the Summer of ’99 Cruise, we got the chance to cover the first of two back to back cruises. During week one Creed were headliners with special guests 3 Doors Down! Fans who went to week two got the combo of Creed and Daughtry. Sixthman and NCL are experts in the business of putting on music and entertainment themed cruises and this week was no exception. The sold out Creed Cruise took passengers from Miami to the Bahamas for a trip that fans will not soon forget.
Sixthman transformed the ship into a Creed lovers paradise. The band’s logo adorns the napkins and was emblazoned across the blackjack felt at the casino tables. The bar’s TV screens played a near-constant loop of Creed’s performance at Woodstock ’99. The onboard library was been transformed into a merch store, offering Creed hoodies and shot glasses. The music in the corridors was a 2000’s remix of Creed classics, Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel,” Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy,” and 3 Doors Down’s “Kryptonite.”
Covering the first sailing of the Creed cruise aboard the Norwegian Pearl from April 18th-22nd was memorable for so many reasons. Below is a recap of just some of the incredible moments we have experienced on the first week of the Summer of ’99 Cruise!
Creed
Fans waited 12 years for the return of Creed! And on the first day of the first cruise, the band gave the sold-out crowd exactly what they wanted outside on the Pool Deck Stage. The sail away show began with “Are You Ready?” and of course we were! Throughout the set, vocalist Scott Stapp put every ounce of energy and sweat into the performance. His voice sounded impeccable and it was clear he and the rest of the band was waiting for this set as much as the fans were.
They performed “Weathered” for the first time since 2002 and it was the first time bassist Brian Marshall played the song live. It was also the first time fans heard “Overcome” live since 2010!
It was an extra special performance because it was also guitarist Mark Tremonti’s 50th birthday! After thousands of fans sang “Happy Birthday” after the band delivered their notable hit “Higher.” Their first set ended with “One Last Breath” and “My Sacrifice.”
The second Creed headlining performance came as we returned from a stop in Nassau Bahamas. The incredible night show had all of the favorites fans know and love from night one but there were quite a few hidden gems and changes to the set!
Fan favorites such as “Pity For A Dime” and “Inside Us All” was a delight for the crowd! Throughout the cruise I heard many fans talks about wanting to hear “Rain” live and that’s exactly what they got!
Each member of the band had so many incredible activities onboard (later on that) and they also came together to meet, greet and take photos with the first 500 cabins who booked their cruise!
If this is the prequel to their 60+ date tour, we can’t wait to see what the rest of this year has in store for Creed!
3 Doors Down
Co-headliners 3 Doors Down performed two back-to-back sets. The first set was on our way to Nassau at night. And their second set was when fans returned to the Norwegian Pearl after a day in the sun!
Both sets included hits that fans know and love such as “Kryptonite” and “Be Like That.” “Away From The Sun” is one of Brad Arnold’s favorite songs to perform and this year marked 20 years since the track has been released.
“My Friends” is how frontman Arnold addressed fans throughout both sets. It would be ongoing fun as fans addressed each other this way throughout the cruise! Also to the delight of fans, the band also had an autograph session onboard.
Buckcherry
It has been 25 years Buckcherry released their self-titled debut and they began their sets with their first hit “Lit Up.” The song was (and still is) edgy, unapologetic and rebellious, exactly like the band.
With decades of music and 10 albums under their belt, they cranked out other hits such as “Sorry,” “Crazy Bitch” and numerous others that we love. Once you’ve seen Buckcherry live, it’s hard to deny their swagger, soul and rock and roll with frontman Josh Todd leading the way! The band performed a whopping three times throughout the cruise.
Fuel, Tantric & Vertical Horizon
Fuel, Tantric and Vertical Horizon are such different bands musically and live but they delighted fans every time they graced the stage! Fuel has a newfound energy with new frontman Aaron Scott who belted out melodic favorites “Shimmer,” “Jesus or a Gun” and “Hemorrhage (In My Hands).”
Speaking of energy, seeing Tantric live is a wild ride! Known for their hit “Breakdown” fans were amped up throughout their entire sets. Vertical Horizon might be more subdued in energy but the band brings charisma and humor onstage. It’s also the 25th anniversary of their Everything You Want album and fans heard bops from that record throughout their sets!
Dishwalla, Nine Days & Tonic
What do Dishwalla, Nine Days and Tonic have in common? They rocked their sets in every space they played. Whether it was the Deck stage, the Stardust Theater or The Atrium, the dynamism of each of these bands brought was undeniable and a lot of fun to see!
The Verve Pipe & Louise Post (Veruca Salt)
The Verve Pipe performed dreamy and soulful sets in the theater space on the ship. If you weren’t familiar with the band before the cruise, they quickly became a fan favorite throughout the trip!
Founding member and guitarist of the iconic band Veruca Salt, Louise Post graced the cruise with her presence. Post rocked intimate spaces on the ship but her massive sound was undeniable as she cranked out notable tunes like “Closer,” “Straight” and “Don’t Make Me Prove It”!
Extra Curricular Activities!
While all of the bands had meet and greet and autograph sessions onboard, fans also got to see their favorite artists in a different light with a variety of activities! The entire band of Creed hit the deck not only for performances but for a Q&A under the sun with host Eddie Trunk.
Each member of Creed had special activities for fans, lead singer Scott Stapp had his “Stapp Up and Throw” Basketball Tournament. Guitarist Mark Tremonti had a special painting lesson for a select group of fans. Brad Arnold and Tremonti also hosted an epic fan karaoke tournament!
Bassist Brian Marshall (who doesn’t play with picks) had a fun pick throwing contest. Drummer Scott Phillips (also known as Flip) had a fun Flip Cup challenge. Tremonti wins as the musician we saw the most on board. When he wasn’t onstage he was at other activities, all over the ship meeting with fans or at late night karaoke belting out a Frank Sinatra tune!
From a Belly Flop competitions to swag swaps, there was so much to do! Yours truly even got my first ever tattoo (a floral anchor) to commemorate the many music cruises I’ve been lucky to attend. The incredible people at Liberty Tattoo inked up many guests on board! There were even special Creed tattoos created for the cruise. Shout out to the guy who got a massive Creed tramp stamp despite his wife’s frustration!
Creed fans are preparing for its return in 2025 as the Summer of ’99 Cruise is back in action from April 9th-13th sailing from Miami to Nassau Bahamas! Well we can’t wait for the Summer of ’99 2025! See you there…maybe we’ll get a Creed tattoo.