Beloved heavy metal cruise sails back in for 2027

Hellbound is back and ready to rock the seas for another voyage

Australia’s first dedicated heavy metal cruise is officially returning. Choose Your Cruise has confirmed Hellbound II will set sail from 17–21 January 2027, following the lightning-fast sell-out of its inaugural voyage.

Hellbound II

• Lineup Announcement: Monday 2 February (registrations open)

• Presale: Wednesday 4 February

• General Sale: Thursday 5 February

• Cruise Dates: 17–21 January 2027

Keep connected to your live music scene here.

 

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The maiden Hellbound cruise, scheduled for October 2026, sold out in under ten minutes — the fastest sell-out in Choose Your Cruise’s 15-year history — prompting organisers to fast-track a second instalment. The next chapter will once again take over Carnival Splendor, delivering four nights of unapologetic heavy metal mayhem at sea.

Positioned as more than just a festival on water, Hellbound has been designed as a fully immersive metal community, bringing together world-class artists, diehard fans and a ship-wide environment dedicated to heavy music culture. Multiple stages, themed nights, curated onboard events and fan-focused experiences will transform the cruise liner into a floating metal stronghold.

While the full lineup remains under wraps, organisers have confirmed it will be revealed on Monday 2 February, with expectations high following the overwhelming response to the first announcement.

Between pit-level chaos and late-night onboard antics, cruisers will also get a chance to decompress with a port call at Tangalooma, offering island experiences including dolphin feeding, sand tobogganing and snorkelling among shipwrecks.

The voyage comes from Choose Your Cruise, Australia’s leading music cruise operator, known for delivering high-quality, genre-specific cruise experiences with loyal repeat audiences. Since their inception in 2009 and first cruise in 2010, they have curated over 40 themed cruises in Australia and Europe, welcoming over 100,000 guests onboard over the years.

If the debut voyage is anything to go by, Hellbound 2027 is shaping up to be one of the loudest and most in-demand metal events Australia has ever put to sea.

Sign up for presale here.