(Photos and words by Sean Matthews)
From January 25 to 31, Shiprocked traveled from Miami to Half Moon Cay to Celebration Key to the Bahamas for seven days of loud music, good times, and epic excursions. This year saw a new ship, a new class, and most of all… new memories.
The move from the Carnival Magic to the Carnival Horizon meant more Shiprockers could join in on the fun this year — and from the very first chaotic boarding day, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a quiet vacation at sea.
Sunday – Boarding Mayhem & Deck Takeovers
Getting onboard was an adventure in itself! With the Miami marathon in full effect, road closures, construction, and traffic accidents took control today, and embarkation felt like an obstacle course. But once inside, the chaos turned into celebration fast.
Avatar officially launched the festivities on the main deck — first appearing with tropical cocktails and cozy robes as if on vacation, before revealing their stage gear and tearing straight into “Hail the Apocalypse.” Beach vibes evaporated instantly, and Shiprock was officially going.
In the theater, Sleep Theory packed the room tighter than ever, running through their top hits, album favorites, and surprisingly slick covers of NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” and Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer.”
Wage War claimed the deck for their first set, while Archetypes Collide closed out late in the theater. Although Miami’s nightlife had already taken its toll on some Shiprockers who were barely standing, but somehow still persevered.
Photos: The crowd, Avatar, Sleep Theory, Starset, and Wage War
Monday – Walls of Death & Packed Theaters
Meet-and-greet lines stretched for hours, but the deck belonged to House of Protection. Frontman Stephen Harrison climbed the rigging while drummer/vocalist Aric Improta crowd-surfed while singing — and the energy never dipped.
Then came Knocked Loose… and everything one expects from a Knocked Loose show. This came with a slew of Shiprocked firsts: the first mosh pit, the first wall of death, crowd surfers flying… Normally, Shiprocked rules keep things controlled — but security was prepared, medical teams’ ready side-stage. It was intense, but safe. Controlled chaos at its finest.
Meanwhile, From Ashes to New hit full capacity before playing a single note. Theater doors closed. Fans had waited nearly all day to secure floor spots. The theatre doors became a barricade in its own sense, with many waiting for a turn to catch the “Villain” singers live even if for a few moments.
Photos: Knocked Loose and From Ashes To New
Tuesday – Half Moon Cay & Windy Headliners
The first port stop brought Shiprockers to Half Moon Cay. Windier and cloudier than past years, but no less fun. There were beach concerts, circle pits in the water, beach games, and well-earned rest under palm trees.
Back onboard, The Funeral Portrait may have won the award for most interactive band of the cruise. Lead singer Lee Jennings took photos with nearly everyone and organized a last-minute merch signing. During their explosive set, they brought out Amanda Lyberg of Eva Under Fire for “Voodoo Doll.”
As evening fell upon us, Wage War returned to the windy deck with an 18-song set, surprising fans by inviting Eric Vanlerberghe of I Prevail for “Nails.”
The night forced tough choices:
- Starset on the deck with their atmospheric production
- LYLVC in a packed Limelight Lounge
- Emi Grace in Ocean Plaza
No one stayed in their cabins.
Motionless in White closed the night with a powerful deck set, including a surprise cover of Rammstein’s “Du Hast.” Attempts to recreate the Knocked Loose-level chaos were quickly reined in — Shiprocked safety rules firmly reinstated.
Photos: Wage War, Starset, Motionless In White, and The Funeral Portrait
Wednesday – Celebration Key & 90s Nostalgia
The second stop brought Shiprockers to Celebration Key. No beach concerts this time — just quality time under sunnier skies with band members and families. Everyone’s well needed mid-cruise rest stop.
Back onboard, The Stowaway set leaned heavily into 90s punk nostalgia — covers of Green Day, Blink-182, and Good Charlotte brought out full-crowd singalongs.
From Ashes to New delivered a second packed performance on deck, repeatedly thanking fans for supporting their rise.
Knocked Loose returned… and fans gave it their all again. Mosh pits and crowd surfing created a swarm of chaos throughout their hour-long set. Lead singer, Bryan Garris, took it all in, thanking the crowd for the wonderful interactions, and stating they would return if asked.
As midnight lingered close, members of Hollywood Undead (Charlie Scene, Funny Man, J-Dog) turned Ocean Plaza into a party DJ set full of band favorites and early 2000s classics.
Well into the early hours, House of Protection proved unstoppable again, dragging balcony spectators to the floor and creating a circle pit around Stephen Harrison as he played from within the crowd.
Photos: The Stowaways, Knocked Loose, House of Protection, From Ashes To New
Thursday – Games, Surprises & Balloon Animals?
A day at sea meant packed meet-and-greets and fan-favorite non-music events:
- Family Feud: Avatar vs. Motionless in White — hilariously competitive.
- Belly Flop Contest: Judged by Sleep Theory and hosted by our own cruise director, the infamous “Cookie”.
- Love & Marriage Game: Featuring Eric (I Prevail), Brandon (Crobot), and Bobby (Saliva).
- Live Band Karaoke: Always chaos. Always legendary. Band members jumping onstage to surprise fans with their favorite songs
The Funeral Portrait’s final set featured a surprise appearance by Ricky Armellino of Ice Nine Kills — plus a young fan dubbed “Lee Jennings’ Stunt Double” joining them onstage.
Avatar’s second theater set was completely different — darker, less beach-party — with Johannes Eckerström sneaking into the balcony, making balloon animals, and somehow incorporating a trombone into their performance.
Motionless in White returned with a strong but largely identical set — leaving some fans hoping for one last headliner surprise.
Photos: Sleep Theory, Motionless In White, The Funeral Portrait, Avatar
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Friday – Metal Takes Nassau
For the first time ever, Shiprocked and 70000 Tons of Metal docked in Nassau on the same day due to their itinerary being change due to weather. Thousands of metalheads flooded the port — enough to confuse and intimidate neighboring vacation cruises.
Halestorm boarded for a mid-day meet-and-greet before rocking the deck for a one off performance while in dock. Giving fans aboard the closely neighboring Norwegian ship a one-off experience of their own.
Later, rain forced the final Stowaways deck set indoors to Ocean Plaza for a tight spaced communal jam, which brought back memories for some lifers, to the early days of the Jam Band sessions aboard the original Shiprocked cruises.
Suicidal Tendencies battled the Stowaways for attendance in the theater, followed by an impromptu Wage War acoustic atrium set, covering their biggest hits and even slipping in a Nickelback nod that had fans crowding all four balcony levels. The 2026 voyage closed the only way Shiprocked knows how — with a massive Ocean Plaza super jam backed by a live band, and Karaoke.
Photos: Halestorm
Final Thoughts
The weather was definitely better than back home in the Midwest, although chilly for true beach lounging and sun tanning. The overall energy from the fans was relentless, and the crowds were bigger than ever!
While Knocked Loose took the rule book and threw it out the window, Shiprockers were informed during Captain’s Quarters (a one-on-one with the creator of Shiprocked) that it was a one-off event and wouldn’t be a consistent part of future voyages. He wants to continue to keep the ship a safe place to enjoy music without the chance for injury.
Shiprocked 2026 proved that even with a bigger ship, bigger crowds, and even wilder pits, the community remains the heartbeat of the cruise. Controlled chaos. Caribbean sunsets. Circle pits in the ocean.
And somehow… balloon animals.
To get on the pre-sale list for next year, visit the official website at www.shiprocked.com.