It was that time of year again…a chance to “Vacation Harder”! ShipRockers waited all year to go on the Carnival Magic for the most epic getaway!
ShipRocked 2024 was off to a rainy start and due to severe weather in Miami some of the scheduled performances were changed. The dates for each scheduled port also moved due to expected weather in the Caribbean but ShipRockers were just rolling with it and enjoying being together! This year boasted somewhat of a heavier lineup with headlining bands such as Killswitch Engage, I Prevail, Beartooth, and more!
Day 1: Severe Thunderstorms & Setting Sail with Beartooth, Cookie Returns, Killswitch Engage and More
As the skies cleared in Miami, the smell of Guy Fieri’s burger station surrounded the Deck. One of the most fun moments of the cruise on the Deck Stage was a surprise by the beloved (former Carnival cruise director and personality) Cookie! Cousin Cookie who donned a red leather jacket and danced his heart out to “Thriller” by Michael Jackson with the Carnival Cruise staff!
It was also announced that ShipRocked 2025 will take place from January 19-25 and it will leave from Miami to go to Half Moon Cay and St. Thomas with three days at sea with time for extra musical performances.
As difficult as it is to follow Cookie, Beartooth held their own! For the Sail Away show, the Columbus-based band took the Deck stage for a high-energy set! The vocals of Caleb Shomo echoed through the seas and the ferocity of the band was infectious. ShipRocked was off to one hell of a start! It was absolutely one of the best Beartooth shows we have ever seen.
Over in the theater, fan favorites Crobot performed a funky set for fans! Singer Brandon Yeagley is known for his groovy moves and style. No matter where he is on the boat he flashes a smile with fans!
Out on the deck From Ashes To New lit up the stage with their first performance of the festival at sea with a packed house. They played hits like “Broken,” “My Fight” and “Through It All.” Danny and Matt also made fans pick a side for a crowd contest to see who could cheer on the band louder.
Next up were the talented ShipRocked newbs The Warning. The trio of sisters hails from Monterrey, Mexico. Each member was incredible vocally and throughout their captivating performance. It was also ironic that they have a hit song “Mayday Mayday” that they played on the ship!
Killswitch Engage ended things on the Deck Stage with a vibrant note as they rocked baby blue hybrid Hawaiian shirts while delivering a crushing setlist. The no-holds-barred setlist kicked off with “My Curse,” “Rise Inside,” and “This Fire.”
Did we mention the movie “Jaws” played throughout their entire set? Fans appreciated the dark humor. During “Hate By Design” frontman Jesse Leach hopped down and made his rounds to sing up close and personal with the crowd.
Theme night was the 7 Deadly Sins where ShipRockers dressed to the nines….or sevens. There were many bloody priests and nuns on the boat!
See what we do on Day 2!
Day 2: Seaday Meet & Greets, I Prevail, Sleep Theory and More
Seadays can arguably be some of the best cruise days for some ShipRockers. It’s a chance to sleep in, enjoy that yummy brunch, and meet your favorite artist throughout the day.
The morning meet and greets included Nonpoint (who replaced Code Orange in the line-up), Dorothy, Dayseeker, and Point North. While afternoon meets included Black Stone Cherry, Fire From the Gods, Killswitch Engage, and Highly Suspect.
Over in the Music Experience lounge guitar enthusiasts got to geek out with The Warning’s Daniela Villarreal Vélez and I Prevail guitarist Dylan Bowman about Paul Reed Smith (PRS) guitars. They chatted about the first songs they learned and guitar influences like Mark Tremonti who also plays PRS guitars. They went down the gear rabbit hole as they spoke about rigs with host and music experience founder and owner Squiggy DiGiacomo.
Other fun Seaday extracurricular activities included “Bloody Bingo,” “Frightfully Fun Trivia,” Drunk Spelling Bee, Tarot Card Readings, and other ghoulish great activities.
With R&B fused melodies, Sleep Theory wowed ShipRockers with a harmonious set at the Theater, which was packed. Who could resist their cover of NSYNC’s “Bye, Bye, Bye”? These ShipRockers couldn’t deny their inner popstar! Dayseeker and From Ashes to New also performed in the Theater later in the evening.
Badflower tried to perform in a torrential downpour but unfortunately, after three songs their set was cut short outside. Due to the same severe weather, I Prevail’s Deck Stage sets had to be rescheduled. There were lots of rocky waters on the way to our first port stop!