Monsters of Rock Cruise brings hair metal to the high seas

When most of us think of a sea cruise, we may picture gently lapping waves and pure relaxation on the beach. And then there are the guests of the upcoming Monsters of Rock Cruise, who will be expecting something a little louder. In March 2024, Royal Caribbean Cruises will crank the vacation experience up to 11 with this floating rock festival.

This excursion has been dubbed “The Dirty Dozen,” as it marks the specialty cruise’s 12th year. The Independence of the Seas luxury liner is the venue for the event. It departs the Port of Miami on March 2, 2024, for a five-day, five-night cruise, stopping in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and Nassau, Bahamas, before returning to Miami on March 7.

While those locations are certainly picturesque, the main appeal here is the bands. Headliners include Joe Satriani, ex-Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley, Extreme, Winger, The Darkness, Accept, KK’s Priest, Queensrÿche and Quiet Riot. There are more than 30 bands on the bill, and the lineup reads like a who’s who from the golden age of glam rock and hair metal.

Here’s a recap of 2023’s cruise from On the Blu, the cruise company that produces the cruise, which is dubbed “MORC” for short:

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All the hair might be a little grayer these days, but guests can still expect a raucous time. Cruise admission includes concerts on the ship’s two indoor stages and an open-air pool stage, plus multiple opportunities to mingle with band members and even karaoke with them. The ship also has a spa, casino, arcade, and all the luxuries you expect from a Royal Caribbean cruise.

This is just one of several themed cruises that you can take on the cruise line. In 2024, for example, Trekkies can rub elbows with LeVar Burton and other celebs on a Star Trek cruise, or jam out with Kool & the Gang and other R&B legends on the Old School Cruise, billed as the largest concert cruise in music history.

Events like these mark a full recovery for the cruise industry in general, which is expected to top its 2019 attendance numbers this year after sharp COVID-19-related dips in 2020 and 2021.

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Cabins are now on sale for the Monsters of Rock Cruise starting at $1,899 per person, available from monstersofrockcruise.com. Rock on!