Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Best Of ShipRocked Cruise In Portraits

ShipRocked‘s 2024 cruise is underway and is filled with talented artists and passionate fans!

Over the years we’ve gotten some up-close moments with bands and fans. And some of these moments have been captured on camera! Normally at music festivals, we take informal band portraits between sets backstage.

Being on a cruise ship for a week provides some unique settings for the band portraits. We have used the kitchen, the bars and the beaches to take some crazy shots with the bands that could not be replicated at a normal festival.

Check out a few of our favorite portraits taken on the ShipRocked Cruise in previous years!

2015

Gemini Syndrome on ShipRocked 2015 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

What happens in a cruise chapel, stays in a cruise chapel. After an interview with some (former) members and bassist Chris Kael of Five Finger Death Punch on ShipRocked 2015, they did some interesting poses in the chapel…

Photo Credit: Liz Ramanand

Also on the 2015 cruise, sign language interpreter Kelly Skeuse signed “Bullet With A Name On It” With Nonpoint for a memorable set. (The year before on the 2014 cruise, Skeuse graced the stage with Sevendust as well!)

Photo Credit: Liz Ramanand

ShipRocked provides a unique opportunity to also get bands together to pose for portraits with their long time friends. Below you can see Joey Belladonna of Anthrax with Living Colour.

Best Of ShipRocked In Portraits
Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Anyone who has been on ShipRocked knows the meet and greets are some of the most fun and memorable parts of it. Here’s a throwback to In This Moment’s Maria Brink choking one fan out (playfully!).

Photo Credit: Liz Ramanand
Elias Soriano, Robb Rivera, Rasheed Thomas, B.C. Kochmit, and Adam Woloszyn of Nonpoint on ShipRocked 2015 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Ah the fans. We love the Brits, the Swedes and everyone in between! Many ShipRocked fans are repeats. The newbs usually aren’t new for long…and the theme nights are pretty amazing.

Photo Credit: Liz Ramanand

2016

Avatar fit perfectly into the kiddie pool area that was setup like a circus background in 2016 on the Norwegian Pearl.

Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Unique backgrounds can be seen all over the boat. Stitched Up Heart was placed in front of a stained glass window sculpture near one of the lounges.

Stitched Up Heart on ShipRocked 2016 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Sometimes you can even catch artists in bed together on ShipRocked.

10 Years on ShipRocked 2016. Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

One of the last times I spoke to Vennie Paul before his untimely death in 2018 was during this HellYeah portrait session on ShipRocked after the bands meet and greet with fans.

Best Of ShipRocked In Portraits
HellYeah on ShipRocked 2016 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Fun on a beach in Mexico was had by all with The Dead Deads in 2016

The Dead Deads in Mexico on ShipRocked 2016 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

2017

In 2017, we were able to mix things up on a new ship sailing on the Carnival Victory.

Art of Dying on ShipRocked 2017 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Wilson NEVER disappoints me in a portrait session! They also love a windblown look!

Wilson on ShipRocked 2017 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Very rare Avatar siting without their stage makeup! They look perfect in their at sea Hawaiian Shirt looks!

Best Of ShipRocked In Portraits
Avatar on ShipRocked 2017 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict
Best Of ShipRocked In Portraits
Alter Bridge on ShipRocked 2017 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Sometimes on a vacation boat it is a little bit hard to gather the whole band together but we made it happen for the photo with headliners Breaking Benjamin in 2017.

Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

We can’t wait to see Lacey Strum back on the boat in 2023. Here she poses in the ship’s piano bar for her portrait on ShipRocked 2017.

Best Of ShipRocked In Portraits
Lacey Sturm on ShipRocked 2017 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict
Crobot on ShipRocked 2017 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

I met Louisiana natives Cane Hill for the first time on ShipRocked 2017. We talked all things New Orleans. This meeting led to future stories with them as they traveled to New Orleans on tour.

Cane Hil on ShipRocked 2017 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

2018

Hard Rockers Beartooth had a little fun in the sun with some beach portraits in 2018.

Best Of ShipRocked In Portraits
Beartooth on the Beach in the Caribbean Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Seether could not be more serious and focused on ShipRocked 2018.

Seether on ShipRocked 2018 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Only a few bands could get me to step in the salt water with my camera gear but Kaleido and their gorgeous lead singer Christina Chriss is one of them.

Kaleido on ShipRocked 2018 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Red Sun Rising decided to play lifeguards for the day on the beach before the band’s meet and greet with fans.

Best Of ShipRocked In Portraits
Red Sun Rising on ShipRocked 2018 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Starset joined in the fun on ShipRocked 2018 for the first time.

Starset on ShipRocked 2018 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

2019

Papa Roach has been a favorite of mine for almost two decades. I have tons of photos of Jacoby and the band performing live but I was happy to get them all together before their headlining final set on the deck stage.

Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Suicidal Tendencies is always a favorite so it was fun to find a unique location on a lower deck for their portrait session. It was also special since the legendary Dave Lombardo had joined the band on drums.

Best Of ShipRocked In Portraits
Suicidal Tendencies on ShipRocked 2019 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

One of the kitchens proved to be perfect spot for metal core bands Atreyu and I Prevail.

Atreyu on ShipRocked 2019 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict
I Prevail on ShipRocked 2019 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Badflower made their first appearance on ShipRocked for the 2019 edition. Some of the band members struggled with extreme sea sickness during the trip. I was amazed to see them stand as every fan took their turn for a picture with the whole band. I knew how sick they were and they never stopped playing music or meeting fans. They were ultimate troopers as they even finished their press commitments.

Best Of ShipRocked In Portraits
Badflower on ShipRocked 2019 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Islander and Hydro the Hero struck poses on the piano bar.

Islander on ShipRocked 2019 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict
Hydro the Hero on ShipRocked 2019 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Brian “Head” Welch of Korn was a special Stowaway onboard and promoted his documentary “Loud Krazy Love“. This was one of my favorite shots of the portrait sessions.

Brian “Head” Welch on ShipRocked 2019 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

We have more than musicians onboard the boat and one of the best comedians around was on ShipRocked in 2019. I love the Big Bang Theory so it was amazing to photograph Brian Posehn.

Brian Posehn on ShipRocked 2019 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

2020

It’s all fun and games in the arcade for Halestorm portraits in 2020.

Halestorm on ShipRocked 2020 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

I’ve been shooting Dead Sara for many years and love their music. Emily Armstrong always brings the energy on stage. We took over the piano bar on the Carnival Valor in 2020.

Best Of ShipRocked In Portraits
Dead Sara on ShipRocked 2020 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

I was definitely late to the game and just discovered Ra on ShipRocked 2020.

Ra on ShipRocked 2020 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Ded poses backstage before their late night set on the main deck stage.

Ded on ShipRocked 2020 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Ice Nine Kills posed before they turned into Serial Killers on stage.

Best Of ShipRocked In Portraits
Ice Nine Kills on ShipRocked 2020 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Asking Alexandria joined in the fun on ShipRocked 2020.

Asking Alexandria on ShipRocked 2020 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

The arcade on the Valor was my favorite spot for portraits in 2020 with all the colorful games and backgrounds.

Joyous Wolf on ShipRocked 2020 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict
Cane Hall on ShipRocked 2020 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict
SHVPES on ShipRocked 2020 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

It’s always special to spend time with Living Colour!

Living Colour on ShipRocked 2020 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

2023

We were so happy to be back on the ship in 2023 after the pandemic. See some of new portraits below with some of ShipRocked’s first time artists onboard.

Grandson on ShipRocked 2023 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict
Wargasm on ShipRocked 2023 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict
Nova Twins on ShipRocked 2023 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict
Lilith Czar on ShipRocked 2023 Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

We can’t wait to get back on the boat this year and see what fun portraits we can make on the Carnival Magic cruise ship as we set sail for the Bahamas, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands on the extended 6 day adventure for 2024. We’ll be back on the beaches so we hope to get portraits on land and sea.

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Amy Harris
Amy Harris is a writer and photographer who has been traveling for 20 years and flown over 2 million miles to visit over 80 countries on 6 continents. She is a freelance photographer for Invision by Associated Press, AP Images and Rex/Shutterstock. Her work can be seen in various publications and websites including: Rolling Stone, AP Images, National Geographic Books, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Forbes.com, Lonely Planet Travel Guides, JetStar magazine, and Delta Sky Magazine.

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