Cruise the Seven Seas of Heavy Metal!

Pack up all your band shirts and a bottle of sunscreen! That seems to be all you need in order to embark on the latest trend in heavy metal concert-going: the cruise! Ever since 70,000 Tons of Metal originated in 2009, hundreds of metal bands have rocked the oceans with hundreds of avid metalheads headbanging in hot tubs and indulging in 24 hour-access buffets of booze. This year there are multiple cruise lines set to head out to tropical destinations such as the Bahamas. Here we list in minute detail all that the marine metal world has to offer.

On 70000 Tons of Metal, fans take a five-day excursion from Miami to Cockburn Town on Grand Turk Island in the Caribbean. Be sure not to miss the hilarious Metal Karaoke nights as well as the infamous on-ship belly flop contests judged by some of the artists as well! This voyage embarks from Miami on January 28, 2013. 70K Tons has confirmed only about 40% of their lineup thus far: with Flotsam and Jetsam most recently confirmed, here are the only 15 bands of the 40 that have been announced to perform:

ANACRUSIS
DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER
DORO
DRAGONFORCE
ENSIFERUM
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM
HELSTAR
IMMOLATION
IN FLAMES
LACUNA COIL
NILE
RAGE and LINGUA MORTIS ORCHESTRA
SABATON
SUBWAY TO SALLY
TURISAS

The self-proclaimed “most extreme metal cruise,” Barge to Hell promises an epic excursion to Nassau, Bahamas, with lots of luxuries in between. Each of the forty bands will be playing two different live shows in two days, which basically means eighty shows will be exciting the Atlantic Ocean in 48 hours. The voyage embarks on December 3 and there are only THIRTEEN spots available, so be quick about getting your ticket! So far Barge to Hell has announced 27 of the 40 bands to play, which are as follows:

ARTILLERY
AT THE GATES
BEHEMOTH
BELPHEGOR
CORROSION OF CONFORMITY
ENSLAVED
HACKNEYED
HOLY MOSES
HYPOCRISY
KAMPFAR
KRISIUN
LOUDBLAST
MAYHEM
MOONSPELL
MORGOTH
MUNICIPAL WASTE
NAPALM DEATH
PARADISE LOST
POSSESSED
ROTTING CHRIST
SACRED REICH
SANCTUARY
SEPULTURA
SIX FEET UNDER
SODOM
SOILWORK
SOLSTAFIR

Mayhem Cruise may be fairly new to the metal cruise scene, but it will also prove to be a steadfast leviathan packed with five days of metal madness! This cruise embarks on the 7th of December and the following bands are set to play:

LAMB OF GOD (no setbacks from Blythe’s imprisonment)
ANTHRAX
MACHINE HEAD
HATEBREED
KINGDOM OF SORROW
SUICIDE SILENCE
PERIPHERY
GOJIRA
BORN OF OSIRIS
GIRL ON FIRE
OTHERWISE
GYPSYHAWK
BATTLECROSS
Featuring sets by J Devil and DJ Starscream (Sid of Slipknot)

Last but certainly not least, ShipRocked 2012 is going to set sail from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, on November 27. Labeled as the “Ultimate Rock Music Cruise Vacation,” ShipRocked is set to host the following artists