Parkway Drive leads the charge on Hellbound 2026, Australia’s first-ever heavy metal cruise.
Australia’s first floating metal festival is officially setting sail – Hellbound Cruise 2026 is locked, loaded, ready to brave the high seas.
With Parkway Drive leading a massive lineup of heavy-hitters, the three-night cruise will tear out of Sydney Harbour on Thursday, October 22, and return Sunday, October 25, 2026. The event promises mosh pits under the stars, endless metal, and non-stop chaos at sea.
Here’s everything you need to know about the wildest metal holiday of 2026.
Hellbound Cruise 2026 Lineup
The lineup dropped on April 30, and it’s filled with Aussie icons.
Headlining the madness are Byron Bay legends Parkway Drive, who are also gearing up for a huge show at the Sydney Opera House this June. They’ll be joined by a who’s who of Aussie heavy music royalty:
- Polaris
- Northlane
- The Butterfly Effect
- Make Them Suffer
- In Hearts Wake
- Belle Haven
- Bloom
- Chez
- Diamond Construct
- Future Static
- Ocean Sleeper
- Reliqa
- The Beautiful Monument
- The Gloom In The Corner
- To The Grave
- Windwaker
Whether you’re into metalcore, prog, deathcore or just love a wall of sound, this lineup has every flavour of heavy.
Hellbound 2026: Where and When
Hellbound Cruise 2026 takes place on board the Carnival Splendour, a 13,000-tonne beast of a ship that’ll carry over 2,500 fans across three full days of sets at sea.
The cruise departs from Sydney Harbour at 3:30pm on October 22, returning at 6:30am on October 25, giving you three nights of live music, late nights, and deck-side circle pits.
Check-in on the day will begin at approximately 11am and run for three hours, shutting 30 minutes prior to departure. If you’re planning to board, make sure not to sleep in for this one!
Hellbound Cruise Amenities & Activities
Hellbound isn’t just a gig on a boat—it’s a full-blown heavy metal festival with “14 decks of non-stop madness.” While the acts are the main event, there’s plenty of other activities to get amongst while living the (bougie) pirate’s life.
Expect:
- A main stage on the top deck, so you can mosh under the open sky
- 24 bars and lounges, for all your hydration needs
- Pools, waterslides, and 7 hot tubs
- Mini-golf, arcade games, a basketball court, and more for downtime between sets
- A kids club, making this an all-ages event (yes, you can bring your little metalheads)
The specific ship punters can expect to board is the Carnival Splendour – according to the Carnival listing for the ship, it also contains an adults’ only retreat, if you’re keen to take a break from the aforementioned little metalheads.
The cruise is run by Destroy All Lines in partnership with seasoned Aussie cruise company Choose Your Cruise, who’ve got decades of experience turning ships into music festivals.
Hellbound 2026 Pricing & Cabins
While a full price breakdown is set to drop on May 12, we already have some info about what to expect thanks to payment plan information shared to the Hellbound social pages recently. We’ve done the maths for you so you know just how much your wallet’s going to hurt for this one.
- Interior – From $1,548 with 12x $129 monthly payments (per person/two in a cabin)
- Ocean View – From $2,004 with 12x $167 monthly payments(per person/two in a cabin)
- Balcony – From $2,664 with 12x $222 monthly payments (per person/two in a cabin)
- Suites – From $3,540 with 12x $295 monthly payments (per person/two in a cabin)
As far as payment options for Hellbound go, there’s the option for standard 12x monthly repayments listed above, 4x quarterly payments (every three months), or the ability to pay in full upfront. If you pay in full, you’ll save $250 off cashback per cabin as an incentive.
If you’re wondering what else those prices include, it’ll cover accommodation, access to the standard dining options for all main meals, onboard activities, the actual Hellbound festival performances, and “all general gratuities.” It’ll also include any port charges or government taxes.
However, this price doesn’t include airfares for those needing to trek into Sydney, transfers to the ship, booze and soda, wi-fi, merch, laundry, or any additional premium experiences that might be on offer. It also won’t cover travel insurance – which Choose Your Cruise highly recommends copping.
One other thing to note is that all deposits and payments toward Hellbound 2026 are non-refundable. However, Choose Your Cruise offers complimentary name changes so someone else can take your place – meaning if you’ve got a mate who will grab the booking off you, you’re no worse for wear.
Hellbound Ticket Info: Presale & General Sale
If you want in on Hellbound 2026, here are the key dates:
- Presale opens Monday, May 12 at 10am AEST
- General sale starts Thursday, May 15 at 10am AEST
Demand is expected to be huge, given this is Australia’s first dedicated metal cruise.
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