SOOOOOOON, a word70000tons of Metal cruisers know all too well, love it or hate it. Since the end of the2025 voyage, the destination had been set for Labadee, Haiti, sitting on the site for months. However, on June 30, Andy Piller, the Skipper, made the ultimate decision to change course. Due to ongoing safety concerns in Haiti, a brand-new location with fresh excursions has been confirmed for 2026.
Of course, the announcement came just as many of us were away after waiting all year for it. But hey, that’s how it always goes, right?
So here’s what we missed:
70000tons of Metal, The Original, The World’s Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise, returns for its 2026 edition from January 29 – February 2, 2026, setting sail from Miami, Florida to Nassau, The Bahamas aboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas. Yes, the fake palm trees are back on the pool deck!
Originally planned to return to Labadee, the destination change was made out of an abundance of caution. While the port has changed, the core 70000tons experience remains the same, especially for us, since we rarely leave the boat, catching all 60 bands (and then some) for our annualArtist Spotlight column leading into the next cruise.
Booking is already underway for Black, Gold, and Silver Card Holders, with more details available on the officialwebsite. And don’t forget to check out our essential packing guidehere. The first wave of bands has been announced: 28 out of 60.
Before Metal Insider kicks off ourArtist Spotlight 2025 series, leading to the 2026 voyage and lineup thus far, we’ll be sharing testimonials from several 2025 artists on their cruise experience and why you should join the next one.
Testimonials from 70000tons 2025:
Cabrakaan’s Marko Cipäktli, drummer/band co-founder
“Performing at 70,000 Tons of Metal was an unforgettable experience, surreal in the best way. It’s hard to put into words how much it meant to us to be part of such a massive, multinational gathering of metalheads, united by a shared passion for heavy music. This festival gave us an incredible opportunity to not only share our music but also bring a piece of Mexican culture to diverse new audiences. Meeting fans—both longtime supporters and new listeners—and hearing firsthand what our music means to them made everything feel more real. After years of creating music without many opportunities to perform live, that direct connection was very meaningful to each of us.
We’re also deeply grateful to the festival organizers for embracing diversity and ensuring representation for both emerging bands and artists from Latin America. It’s inspiring to see a global stage that welcomes voices from all corners of the metal world.”
The Mourning’s Alex Nasla
“Playing 70,000 Tons of Metal is the experience of a lifetime. Over 3,000 people from 80 different countries. By the time the 5 days on the sea are over, you have made dozens of new friends from all over the world. It was our first live show ever as a band, and what a special way it was to kick things off.”
Super Monster Party’s Rei Sega
“Playing 70k was like reaching the final boss stage, and the audience was our XP, constantly leveling us up with pure insanity and unmatched energy of moshpits, walls of deaths and conga lines. Together, we marched into a battle we were destined fo win together.”
Striker’s Dan Cleary
“Once again we hit the seas for the 70000 tons of metal cruise. As always, we had a blast. Late night/early morning set times don’t seem to faze a boat full of metal maniacs. Damn, they even let us play beer pong with the fans. It was an incredible experience as always. Shout out to Andy for putting together another unforgettable experience.”
Striker’s Timothy Brown
“This was our 3rd time playing 70000 tons of metal, and it just gets better every time. Sailing the seas of shred never gets old. Beaches, beers, boat, what more do you need? Buffet? They got that too! One of the best festivals in the world, and we look forward to coming back and partying with our metal family again soon”
Warfield
“The 70000 Tons of Metal Cruise was one of the greatest adventures we’ve ever had as a band. The opportunity came up at extremely short notice – and luckily we were able to seize it! From the journey to Miami and setting sail at sunset across the seemingly endless Caribbean Sea, to the unforgettable trip to Jamaica: the conditions were so extraordinary that we had to grab our heads a few times to stop them from spinning.
We were also extremely satisfied with our two gigs and very happy that we were able to win some new fans with our Teutonic thrash metal. It has to be said that we were also very lucky with our playing times – respect to all the bands who had to play at 4 or 5 in the morning!!! All in all, the cruise was a big party with lots of exciting experiences, incredibly friendly staff and extremely cool bands, so that in the end we can only say: it was an honor – we’d love to do it again!”
Dirkschneider
“70000 Tons Of Metal is an absolutely unique experience — playing in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by passionate metalheads from all over the world, creates an atmosphere like no other. The energy, camaraderie, and the pure love for heavy metal make it unforgettable. We’ve had an amazing time being part on this journey and can’t wait to do it again!“
Seven Kingdoms’ Camden Cruz
“70000Tons was an amazing time this year. The boat is probably our favorite event simply because it’s just so unique with the whole cruise factored into it. You play a show then go right to your room, clean up and then you are back on vacation basically which is a wild thing to experience. This year specifically we had so many of our friends on the boat it was truly a memory we will never forget! It’s a Gigantic Highlight for us every time we get to play!”
Beyond Creation bassist Hugo Doyon-Karout
“Returning on board the 70000 tons was definitely an awesome way to start the year for us. Other than playing shows for our sailors, meeting and greeting our fans, watching dozens of band performances and enjoying as much of the boat’s amenities as possible, we were also super stoked taking part of an ATV adventure in Jamaica along with a bunch of other thrill seekers! We are now currently preparing for our upcoming European Tour with Rivers of Nihil, Cynic and Daath before we head back home and work on new music. Stay tuned and we hope to have another great trip on the cruise sooner than later!”
Benighted vocalist Julien Truchan
“We really experienced something completely unreal at the 70 000 Tons of Metal! You can’t compare it with any other festival, it’s impossible to realize how long you’ve been on the boat ! Jamaica’s beach was just magical too! We had 2 amazing gigs on the boat with a crazy crowd, a lot of fun with the other bands and the fans, and we have to admit that ending a show with a beer in a hot tub is something pretty cool !”
Pessimist guitarist Kelly McLauchlin
“It was an absolute honor to perform on 70,000 Tons of Metal, among many legendary bands and a metal tradition, a giant floating heavy metal festival on the high seas! We are full of gratitude to the fans, the crew, the bands, our friends, old and new. We can’t wait to see you all again next time!”
Flotsam and Jetsam’s Ken Mary
“We had an amazing voyage on the ‘70,000 Tons of Metal’ cruise! We saw some old friends and had an incredible time playing our Flotsam and Jetsam sets, as well as performing with some other incredible musicians at the All Star Jam. The ship’s crew was amazing, the venues were spectacular, the food was great, the crowd was phenomenal, and everyone seemed to have an amazing time. If you’ve never gone on one of these cruises, be sure to catch the next one. You won’t regret or forget it!!!”
Flotsam and Jetsam’s Michael Gilbert
“Still one of my favorite gigs that we do! This is the third time we’ve sailed on 70,000 Tons of Metal and it never fails to be one of the funnest, craziest adventures on the planet. The crew on the ship is amazing and the excursions are super fun. The fans this year were absolutely fantastic, polite, full of smiles and happiness and of course rowdy as hell! I can’t express how much fun it is for us and how grateful we are that we are asked to sail on this adventure every few years. It’s the trip of a lifetime and if you haven’t done it yet , definitely put it on your bucket list. Thank you 70,000 Tons of Metal!”
70000tons 2026 Lineup 28 out of 60:
Amorphis Beast in Black Dark Tranquillity Dødheimsgard Eluveitie Ereb Altor Firewind Gama Bomb Groza Haggard Harakiri For The Sky Heathen Hiraes Hirax Hour of Penance Insomnium Kamelot Orden Ogan Persefone Rhapsody of Fire Satan Saturnus Seven Spires Skeletal Remains Tyr Vio-lence Wind Rose Xandria
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