70000 Tons Of Metal, the original, the world’s biggest heavy metal cruise, has announced that public sales for the 2026 sailing will begin on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. EDT / 18:00 CET via 70000tons.com. The festival-at-sea continues its tradition of delivering an unforgettable experience with 60 metal bands from around the globe, playing across four stages — including the legendary pool deck stage, the world’s biggest open air stage structure to ever sail the open seas.
In addition to unveiling the public sales date, 70000 Tons Of Metal is thrilled to confirm the addition of thrash metal icons ANTHRAX to the 2026 lineup. Known for their blistering live performances and genre-defining discography, ANTHRAX will bring their full-throttle energy aboard the legendary festival cruise, delivering two unique sets exclusively for goers.
70000 Tons Of Metal 2026 will sail from Miami, Florida to Nassau, the Bahamas and back from January 29 through February 2, 2026, aboard Royal Caribbean’s luxury cruise ship Freedom Of The Seas. The ship offers round-the-clock entertainment, artist-hosted activities and events, exclusive meet-and-greets, and the unique opportunity for fans to mingle with their metal heroes in a completely immersive environment.
Only 3,000 tickets are available to metalheads from around the globe, continuing the festival’s legacy of cultivating a tight-knit, global metal community. Fans are encouraged to book early to secure their place on this epic voyage on the high seas.
The currently announced lineup for the 2026 sailing, featuring 38 of the 60 total bands who will deliver amazing performances, is:
AMORPHIS
ANTHRAX
BEAST IN BLACK
DARK TRANQUILLITY
DØDHEIMSGARD
DUST BOLT
ELUVEITIE
EREB ALTOR
FIREWIND
GAMA BOMB
GROZA
HAGGARD
HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY
HEATHEN
HIRAES
HIRAX
HOUR OF PENANCE
ILLDISPOSED
IN MOURNING
INSOMNIUM
KAMELOT
ORDEN OGAN
PERSEFONE
RHAPSODY OF FIRE
SATAN
SATURNUS
SEVEN SPIRES
SKELETAL REMAINS
SKYCLAD
SOEN
SOILWORK
SUIDAKRA
TÝR
VADER
VIO-LENCE
WIND ROSE
WOLF
XANDRIA
With ten consecutive sellouts since the inaugural voyage in 2011, this extraordinary and unique floating festival now sails on board some of the largest luxury passenger vessels in the world. Featuring 60 heavy metal bands from around the globe performing across four stages, 70000 Tons Of Metal is home to the world’s biggest open air stage structure to ever sail
the open seas.
