Sixthman Cancels All Remaining 2020 Theme Cruises and Festivals At Sea

(2:30 p.m. EDT) -- Oceangoing festival organizer Sixthman has announced it is canceling its global theme cruises for the remainder of 2020 as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The company, which frequently charters space on cruise ships owned by Norwegian Cruise Line, announced that some seagoing music festivals have already been rescheduled. These include "Joe Bonamassa's Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Mediterranean II" voyage, which will now set sail on August 17, 2021 aboard Norwegian Pearl in the Greek Isles; "The Broadway Cruise" which will now depart from New York to Bermuda aboard Norwegian Gem on November 13, 2021; and "Knotfest at Sea", hosted by Slipknot, which moves to August 2021 from Athens, Greece aboard Norwegian Pearl.

Kesha's Weird & Wonderful Rainbow Ride 2 will now set sail from Miami in November 2021, with exact dates and ship details pending.

The "Melissa Etheridge Cruise IV", "Coheed and Cambria's S.S. Neverender", and "The KISS Kruise X" will also be rescheduled for October and November of 2021, with exact ships, itineraries, ports and dates to be announced at a later date.

The full lineups for each event will be announced for next year once they are secured. Sixthman notes that invitations have been extended for all artists currently booked on 2020 voyages to return for the rescheduled 2021 sailing dates.

"Going above & beyond to create moments and memories that last a lifetime is why we do what we do," says Sixthman CEO Anthony Diaz. "We see something incredibly special happen when communities come together to celebrate shared passions. Serving them on vacation is what has driven us for the past 20 years and 145 immersive events on land, sand and sea. We recognize we're in the midst of uncertain times right now—times that call for extra flexibility, special value and an absolute assurance that the health and safety of our guests is being closely looked after."

Sixthman has also developed enhanced protocols and measures to ensure the safety of its guests, including working closely with Norwegian to determine the appropriate shipboard measures to enact when cruising and festivals at sea can resume.

The company has also introduced a flexible refund and transfer program. All passengers currently booked on a 2020 festival who wish to keep their reservation can transfer their booking to the rescheduled 2021 sailing.

Booked passengers who cannot participate in the rescheduled dates can elect to receive a credit for a future Sixthman festival or a Future Cruise Credit with Norwegian Cruise Line.

Travelers who do not wish to exercise either option can receive a full refund of all funds paid provided reservations are canceled by August 31st, 2020.