Key Aspects:
- A rock music cruise, “Anything For Love – The Meat Loaf Story,” will set sail in 2026.
- The 7-night voyage will operate roundtrip from Southampton aboard MSC Virtuosa.
- UK show producer Steve Steinman will host the cruise as lead singer.
It’ll be a hot summer night when a music-themed cruise, “Anything For Love – The Meat Loaf Story,” departs from Southampton on September 5, 2026 onboard MSC Cruises’ MSC Virtuosa.
Organized by UK singer and touring show producer Steve Steinman, the 7-night rock cruise will recreate the music of “Meat Loaf” for fans of the popular American band. Lead singer Michael Lee Aday was the frontman for the group and known by the stage name of Meat Loaf.
He died in 2022, but the band’s bass player, Kasim Sulton, who performed on the top-selling 1977 album “Bat Out Of Hell,” will join the cruise and perform with Steinman, a Facebook post promises.
The cruise’s title is taken from the hit song “I’d Do Anything For Love,” from the band’s “Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell” album.
The 2026 Meat Loaf tribute cruise is the second that Steinman has produced; the first was in 2024.
The “Anything For Love” itinerary is roundtrip from Southampton with port calls to La Rochelle and Cherbourg, France, and La Coruna and Bilbao, Spain.
The music-themed voyage is not a full charter, so those who book the Meat Loaf-focused cruise will share MSC Virtuosa with other guests. The Meraviglia-Plus-class ship accommodates 4,842 guests in double occupancy and entered service in 2019.
Bookings Must Be Made Through the UK Agency
The Meat Loaf cruise, which will showcase Steinman in the lead singer role, can be booked only through Not Just Travel/SeaKing Adventures, a UK-based booking agent. Reservations cannot be made on the MSC Cruises website or on any third-party booking site.
This is likely because special rates are in effect for the themed voyage. For instance, all bookings through the authorized agent include the cruise line’s Premium Drinks package, which covers wine, beer, and spirits, plus non-alcoholic beverages such as coffee, soda, smoothies, and water.
Sample rates are €1,109 per person ($1,475 USD) for an inside cabin; €1,349 ($1,795 USD) for a balcony stateroom; and €3,029 ($4,030 USD) for accommodation in MSC Yacht Club, the restricted luxury section of the ship.
Aside from the performances and events tied to the Meat Loaf tribute experience, guests onboard MSC Virtuosa will enjoy the ship’s four pools, a waterpark, 11 dining venues and more than 20 bars and lounges, and additional entertainment, including concerts featuring the music of ABBA and songs from the hit movie “Dirty Dancing.”
Music-Themed Itineraries: A Growing Cruise Trend
Music-themed cruises are becoming more common on some cruise lines, as production companies increasingly look to the fast-growing vacation-at-sea option as a platform for live performances.
One of the more well-known music cruises is The Monsters of Rock Cruise, produced by On the Blue Cruises. The 2026 voyage is set for April 12 onboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s 3,852-guest Norwegian Joy.
Featured performers include Night Ranger, The Darkness, Stryper, and Lita Ford, plus Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses and Great White. The 5-night sailing from PortMiami calls at Amber Cove, Dominican Republic, and Great Stirrup Cay, the cruise line’s private island in the Bahamas.
Country music also holds a coveted place in the music-cruise space. The Country Music Cruise 2026 will be held aboard Holland America Line’s Eurodam, sailing from Fort Everglades on January 25, 2026.
