If you are considering taking one of the ultimate vacations, a rock cruise, you may want to get on the ball and make your reservations. These fun-filled non-stop concert cruises are becoming more and more popular, with many of the cruises you may be dreaming about selling out already.
One of the first cruises of 2014 will be 70,000 Tons of Metal, embarking January 27th for five days on Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas, one of the nicer ships offering these cruises. There will be 40 bands performing on this ship, including Fear Factory, Dark Tranquility, D.R.I., Death Angel, Overkill, and Finntroll. There is something very unique about this cruise – ticketed passengers decided upon the destination of the cruise. Out of five possible destinations, Costa Maya, Mexico was voted as the site cruisers wanted to visit. There are a limited amount of cabins still available, priced from $1199 to $1599 per person. If you need someone to share a cabin with, you have the option of being matched with other same sex single travelers.
2014 will be the 11th year of the annual KLOVE Cruise. This will be the first five night cruise offered, sailing January 25th – 30th out of Miami on the Carnival Victory. Some great ports will be visited – Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Grand Cayman Island.
Shiprocked 2014, billed as the Ultimate Rock Music Cruise Vacation, will set sail from Miami January 26 – 30, 2014 on the new spectacular Norwegian Pearl, cruising to the tropical paradise of Great Stirrup Cay in The Bahamas for two full days of beachside concerts. Cruising with you, and performing will be Five Finger Death Punch, Three Days Grace, Sevendust, Papa Roach, Candlebox, Living Colour, The Halo Method, Love and Death, Lacuna Coil, plus many more bands. There are still triple and quad cabins available for this cruise priced at $625 – $766 per person for an interior stateroom and $700 – $833 for oceanview cabins. Children 12 and under may sail as the 3rd and 4th members of a cabin for only $200. All balcony cabins are now sold out. In 2012 Shiprocked had a record-breaking full ship attendance of nearly 2,500 guests from all 50 U.S. states and 20 additional countries. I went on the first Shiprocked cruise, and it was an awesome, non-stop party.
Progressive Nation at Sea will be sailing from Miami to Great Stirrup Cay and Freeport, Bahamas, also on the Norwegian Pearl from February 18-22, 2014. Imagine a couple thousand prog enthusiasts surrounding you on the Pearl. Progressive Nation at Sea will host the musical genius of King’s X, Sheehan, Transatlantic, Portnoy, Sherinian, Jon Anderson, Adrian Belew’s Power Trio, Devin Townsend, Spock’s Beard, The Flower Kings, Pain Of Salvation, Riverside, Tony Harnell & Bumblefoot, Bigelf, The Dear Hunter, Haken, Jolly, Animals as Leaders, Beardfish, The Safety Fire, MacAlpine, and Next to None.
One of the most popular music cruises is the Monsters of Rock Cruise, sailing March 29-April 2, 2014 on the MSC Divina, going to Nassau and “Monster Island”, a private island playground for the most discerning rock & roll enthusiasts. Performing concerts on this cruise will be Tesla, Ratt, Cinderella, Kix, Y & T, Firehouse, Slaughter, Winger, Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, plus many others. I went on the 2013 Monsters of Rock cruise and had a blast. I had planned on going again in 2014, but unfortunately this cruise has already sold out except for a very few luxury cabins.
The MSC Divinia will also host The Moody Blues Cruise with Roger Daltrey (of The Who), which will sail in 2014 on April 2 – 7 to Nassau in the Bahamas and Grand Turk Island, in Turks & Caicos. Joining the Moodies for this 5-day rock & roll party will be The Zombies, Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Lighthouse, Starship, The Orchestra (starring ELO), Little River Band, Glass Hammer, and more. This is a full ship charter that may only be booked through The Moody Blues Cruise. Fares start at $999 per person, double occupancy.
There is the possibility to extend your holiday and double your fun by taking the back to back cruises offered on the Divinia. Sailing April 7 – 12, on this very same ship the very same day that the previous cruise ends, will be Cruise to the Edge with Yes. The destinations for this cruise will be Isla de Roatan, Honduras, and Cozumel, Mexico. Yes is the star aboard this full ship charter that also features Steve Hacket and Genesis Revisited, Saga, Queensryche, Renaissance, Tangerine Dream. This 5-day sailing may only be booked through Cruise to the Edge. Fares start at $799 per person, ranging all the way up to $6,598.
Kid Rock’s 5th Annual Chillin’ the Most Cruise, March 3 – 7, 2014, is completely sold out. Pricing for this cruise, also on the Norwegian Pearl, ranges from $889 per person for a 143 sq ft quad interior cabin to $10,000+ for an Owner’s Suite for two which has a living room, dining room, bedroom, luxury bath, and a private balcony. One of the coolest things about this cruise is that the Norwegian Pearl is rockin’ the night before the cruise sails! This will be a hotel and pre-party that rocks…and floats! This pre-party is a place for you to connect with other Chillin’ the Most guests. You’ll be able to check in throughout the day on March 2nd, and then set sail in the evening, where you will be out on the ocean with live music by supporting bands, a casino, and bars, within stumbling distance from your room. The ship will return to pick up any additional guests the next morning. As an added bonus, you’ll already be unpacked and settled, then get to sleep in while others are boarding! Prices for the pre-party are a flat rate based on room category ranging from $90 to $215. You can be added to a waiting list for this cruise.
The first cruise starring legendary band Chicago will take place November 8 – 12, 2014, again on the MSC Divinia. Chicago will be joined by more than a dozen of your favorite artists from the 70’s and 80’s for this 4-night full-ship charter to Nassau, and a private island in the Bahamas. Fares begin at $899 per person, double occupancy.
NAHA has announced the Rock Legends Cruise 3, scheduled to take place February 19 – 23, 2015. Yes, I do mean 2015, as there will be no Rock Legends Cruise sailing in 2014. Rock Legends 3 will sail out of Fort Lauderdale on the Liberty of the Seas. All of the details in place yet, but considering the bands that have performed on this cruise in 2012 and 2013 – Foreigner, Paul Rodgers, Creedence Clearwater Revisited, Kansas, Bachman & Turner, 38 Special, and The Marshall Tucker Band, this has got to be a great music cruise! Believe it or not, about half of the cabin categories on this cruise are already sold out. Prices range from $900 TO $6,000.
The cruises mentioned here are definitely not the only musical cruises available. KISS, Rick Springfield, Lynrd Skynrd, Matchbox Twenty, Weezer, and Train all have their own cruises. New cruises are being added frequently, so don’t give up hope if the exact cruise you had hoped to go on is sold out already.
Is there a cruise featured here that would be your dream vacation? If you don’t want to miss the boat, make your plans today or you may be sorry tomorrow. The ship of your dreams, with many of your favorite bands, may be getting ready to sail away!
