Profile

Sightseer XII is a ship with an evolving career. It began its life with the Coast Guard in the thirties, joined Circle Line's small army of green-hulled boats in the late fifties, then was reoutfitted with a state-of-the art sound system in the nineties to serve as the site of the NYC Blues Cruise. Now, the Blues Cruise is known as NYC Rockin’ the River, and its wide array of bands, from alt-country standbys the Old 97’s to Buckwheat Zydecko, cause quite a ruckus in the ship’s airy interior for up to 600 dancing attendees. Beware: Gaining access to the vessel requires navigating the Circle Line dock, which can grow cramped with hordes of tourists misshapen by fanny packs and bedazzled by glow-in-the-dark Lady Liberty figurines. — Candace Taylor