The Rock Boat is an annual rock music-themed music festival aboard a cruise ship. It badges itself "the world's greatest floating music festival". It takes place in different locations each cruise, with several dozen bands performing in each cruise.The Rock Boat: Booze, Battles and 32 Bands NY Times, 14/03/14
History and description The Rock Boat concept was born in 2001 with a joint venture from Gainesville, Florida alternative rock band Sister Hazel and Atlanta, Georgia travel company Sixthman in a partial charter aboard the Carnival Jubilee. Sister Hazel was joined by the band Dexter Freebish and approximately 400 of their fans. The bands performed once on the ship, which sailed from Tampa, Florida to Cozumel, Mexico.
The concept has grown to become an annual event. Destinations have included locations such as Mexico, Nassau, Bahamas, Jamaica, and Turks and Caicos. The event is always hosted by Sister Hazel and includes musicians from all over the nation. Past performers include: Tonic, Red Wanting Blue, Carbon Leaf, Gaelic Storm, Collective Soul, Cowboy Mouth, Pat McGee Band, Zac Brown Band, Michael Tolcher, Vertical Horizon, David Ryan Harris, Ingram Hill, Better Than Ezra, Marc Broussard, Wideawake, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, NEEDTOBREATHE, Matt Nathanson, and many more. There are generally four or five performing stages constructed on the venue, and performances are scheduled from noon until 3 AM. However, many bands have been known to continue performing well beyond their scheduled set times and often collaborate on stage with other artists until dawn.
The cruise has been described by Ken Block (lead singer and guitarist for Sister Hazel) as "Spring Break for people with jobs", and with the memorable description "If you're on the outside looking in, it's hard to understand. If you're on the inside looking out, it's hard to explain."
Event details
The Rock Boat XXVI Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line Jewel Sail Date: February 2, 2027 Ports: Leaving from Miami, Florida to Key West, Florida and Cozumel, Mexico Performing Artists:
The 502s A Brother's Fountain† American Authors Barns Courtney Better Than Ezra Bombargo Brian Fechino & The Risky Beavers Brother Elsey Carrie Brockwell Graham Good & The Painters Hero The Band Jettee Kids in America Kristy Lee Kyndle Wylde† Lovesweat Mother Road Sons Nicholas Petricca‡ The Paradox Raynes† Red Wanting Blue Sister Hazel Stopgap Solution The Strumbellas Switchfoot Tobacco Road Walk The Moon
† soundcheck artist winners ‡ billed as a "Special Performance"
The Rock Boat XXV Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line Pearl Sail Date: January 29, 2026 (for 7 days) Ports: Leaving from Miami, Florida to Sint Maarten and San Juan, Puerto Rico Performing Artists: Lineup - The Rock Boat - Music Festival at Sea
Allen Mack Myers Moore* The Alternate Routes American Hi-Fi Amy Gerhartz The Band Feel Bowling For Soup Bradley Rhodes Brian Fechino & The Risky Beavers Carl Wockner Carbon Leaf DE'WAYNE Don't Panic Eric Hutchinson Fantastic Cat Garth. Graham Good & the Painters† Hailey Steele§ John Tyler Wiley & His Virginia Choir Matt Nathanson Meaghan Farrell Megan Slankard Me(a)g(h)an‡ (the return of) Melodime Michael Haney Nathan Graham† Nicotine Dolls NEEDTOBREATHE Parris Mitchell Red Wanting Blue RoseColoredWorld Sister Hazel Stephen Kellogg and The Twenty-Twenty Sixers The Struts Surfing for Daisy† Switchfoot** The Trews* Welshly Arms Will Hoge
* stowaway artists ** replaced Judah & the Lion † soundcheck artist winners ‡ collaboration between the Meaghan Farrell and Megan Slankard § on board with Stephen Kellogg but did one solo show
Artists who were announced but withdrew for any reason:
Judah & the Lion The Paradox
The Rock Boat XXIV Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line Gem Sail Date: January 26, 2025 Ports: Leaving from Miami, Florida to Harvest Caye, Belize and Roatán, Honduras Performing Artists:
American Authors Bermuda Search Party† Brian Fechino & The Risky Beavers The Commonheart Don't Panic† Echosmith Fantastic Cat Happy Landing The Indiana Drones† Lady Bri Les Greene Meaghan Farrell Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts Nicotine Dolls Red Wanting Blue Robert Jon & the Wreck Saxsquatch Sister Hazel The Strumbellas The Talbott Brothers* Todd Carey* Tonic Tyrone Wells Van Bellman The Verve Pipe Walk The Moon Welshly Arms Wild Adriatic Will Hoge Yam Haus
* stowaway artists † soundcheck artist winners
The Rock Boat XXIII Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line Pearl Sail Date: January 30, 2024 Ports: Leaving from Miami, Florida to Key West, Florida and Costa Maya, Mexico (Original Destinations: Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas and Costa Maya, Mexico) Performing Artists:
Allen Mack Myers Moore The Alternate Routes Bowling For Soup Brian Fechino Brother Maven† The Commonheart DNA Drivin' n Cryin' Fever Dolls Gable Price and Friends Gaelic Storm Hotel Fiction Joe Bachman John Driskell Hopkins* Jon Foreman of Switchfoot J.R. Moore KT Tunstall Lit Me Like Bees† Michael Tolcher The Moon City Masters The New Respects Patty Pershayla & The Mayhaps† Red Wanting Blue Sister Hazel The Struts Susto Thomas Nicholas* Young the Giant
* stowaway artists † soundcheck artist winners
The Rock Boat XXII Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line Pearl Sail Date: January 23, 2023 Ports: Leaving from Miami, Florida to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and Nassau, Bahamas Performing Artists:
American Authors The Astronomers† The Beaches Brian Fechino Carbon Leaf Dan Rodriguez* Driveway Floorbird† Green Light Morning† The Heavy Hours Hero The Band Kristy Lee Lady Bri Lit Magic Giant Meaghan Farrell* Megan Slankard Mo Lowda & The Humble Mom Rock Needtobreathe Neon Trees Red Wanting Blue Sister Hazel Southern Avenue Van Bellman The Talbott Brothers Terminus Horns (floating artist) Trousdale Welshly Arms Yam Haus Zach Person
* stowaway artists † soundcheck artist winners
The Rock Boat XXI Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line Gem Sail Date: November 7, 2021 Ports: Leaving from Miami, Florida to Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas and Ocho Rios, Jamaica (Original sailing was postponed due to Covid-19) (Original Sail Date: January 27, 2021) (Original Destinations: Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Georgetown, Grand Cayman) Performing Artists:
The Alternate Routes American Authors Andrew Leahey & The Homestead Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness Animal Years Billy Pilgrim The Blue Stones Bowling For Soup Brian Fechino The Collection Dark Water Elevado * Jon Tyler Wiley & His Virginia Choir * Joshua & the Holy Rollers Kristian Bush Mayday Parade Meaghan Farrell Micky James Mom Rock The New Respects Nick Fradiani Night Without Cars Phillip-Michael Scales† Red Wanting Blue Sister Hazel Swimming With Bears Switchfoot The Trews Vertical Horizon Wildermiss† Will Hoge
Artists who were announced but withdrew for any reason:
Caroline Rose Hero The Band Lady Bri The Last Internationale The National Parks† Southern Avenue Welshly Arms We The Kings Yam Haus
* stowaway artists † soundcheck artist winners
The Rock Boat XX Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line Pearl Sail Date: January 24, 2020 Ports: Leaving from Miami, Florida to Harvest Caye, Belize and Roatán, Honduras Performing Artists:
Allen Mack Myers Moore The Alternate Routes Amy Gerhartz Animal Years The Bones of J.R. Jones Brett Newski & The No Tomorrow The Brevet Brian Fechino Carbon Leaf Carly Burruss Emily Wolfe Gaelic Storm Hero The Band J.R. Moore Lawrence Meaghan Farrell ‡ Melodime Motherfolk$ Needtobreathe Red Wanting Blue Sammy Rae & The Friends SCR Sister Hazel Stephen Kellogg* Switchfoot Tall Heights Tonic Tony Lucca The Unlikely Candidates$ Welshly Arms The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow$ Wideawake featuring The Kin† Will Hoge*
* stowaway artists † The Kin departed early due to family bereavement ‡ on board with Amy Gerhartz but did one solo show $ soundcheck artist winners
The Rock Boat XIX Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line Pearl Sail Date: February 1, 2019 Ports: Leaving from Tampa, Florida to Key West and Nassau, Bahamas Performing Artists:
Alan Doyle Andrew Leahey & The Homestead‡ Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness Andy Frasco & The U.N. Andy Suzuki & The Method Aslyn Atlas Genius Brian Fechino Bronze Radio Return Chris Ferrara & The Common Good Dan Rodriguez David Ryan Harris Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer Ian Moore Katie Pruitt Kevin Devine Magic Giant Matt Nathanson The New Respects Plain White T's Red Wanting Blue Sarah Potenza Simplified Sister Hazel SCR‡ The Talbott Brothers‡ Tim Warren and Eric Donnelly* Trae Pierce And The T-stones Wild Adriatic Young Rising Sons†
* stowaway artists † dropped out due to illness ‡ soundcheck artist winners
The Rock Boat XVIII Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line Pearl Sail Date: January 30, 2018 Ports: Leaving from New Orleans, Louisiana to Progreso, Mexico and Cozumel, Mexico Performing Artists:
Alan Doyle The Alternate Routes Andy Frasco & The U.N. Barenaked Ladies Brian Fechino Choir! Choir! Choir! Christian Lopez Colony House Cowboy Mouth Danny Michel Dan Rodriguez† The Dead South Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors Elliott Brood The Georgia Flood JD Eicher* Kick The Robot Larkin Poe Low Cut Connie Melodime Needtobreathe The New Respects Noah Guthrie Oak & Ash† The Rocketboys Sam Burchfield Sarah Potenza Sister Hazel Stop Light Observations Tony Lucca* Waterdog Welshly Arms Wild Adriatic Will Hoge Wylder†
* stowaway artists † soundcheck artist winners
The Rock Boat XVII Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line Jade Sail Date: February 10, 2017 Ports: Leaving from Tampa, Florida to Harvest Caye, Belize and Costa Maya, Mexico Performing Artists:
All About A Bubble$ Aijia* Amy Gerhartz Andy Grammer* Andy Frasco & The U.N. Andy Suzuki & The Method Ben Rector Better Than Ezra Brian Fechino Caleb Hawley$ Carbon Leaf Connor Pledger The Currys$ Dexter Freebish Firekid Francisco Vidal Gaelic Storm Green River Ordinance Grizfolk Harrow Fair Jared & The Mill JD Eicher Knox Hamilton Lovesweat Matt Nathanson‡ Melodime Parachute Paul Pfau Red Wanting Blue Ripe Sarah Williams† Sasha Aaron Sister Hazel Stephen Kellogg & The South West North East Steve Everett The Trews Walk Off the Earth** Welshly Arms Wild Adriatic WRENN (AKA Pip The Pansy)
* married couple, dropped out due to pregnancy ** replaced Andy Grammer - but also dropped out due to pregnancy † on board with Amy Gerhartz but did one solo show ‡ last minute replacement for Walk off the Earth $ soundcheck artist winners
The Rock Boat XVI Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line Pearl Sail Date: January 26, 2016 Ports: Leaving from Miami, Florida to Costa Maya, Mexico and Grand Cayman Performing Artists:
Air Traffic Controller† The Alternate Routes Andy Suzuki & The Method The Brevet† Brian Fechino Bronze Radio Return Colony House The Dusty 45s Emerson Hart Gavin DeGraw Hey Monea! Humming House JD Eicher & The Goodnights Kristy Lee & Dirt Road Revival Melodime Michael Franti & Spearhead Mike Mains & The Branches Needtobreathe Pat McGee Paul McDonald Radio Birds Red Wanting Blue The Rocketboys Sister Hazel Steve Everett The Trews Welshly Arms† Wild Adriatic Will Hoge
† soundcheck artist winners
The Rock Boat XV Ship: Norwegian Cruise Line Pearl Sail Date: January 24, 2015 Ports: Leaving from Miami, Florida to Cozumel, Mexico Performing Artists:
Amy Gerhartz Andy Suzuki & The Method† Barenaked Ladies Brian Collins Brian Fechino Broken Anchor† Carbon Leaf Chuck Cannon Gaelic Storm Gareth Asher & The Earthlings† Green River Ordinance Hey Monea! Honor By August Kris Allen Melodime Michael Franti & Spearhead The Mowgli's Paul Pfau† Radio Birds Red Wanting Blue The Roosevelts Scars on 45