During a recent fan gathering in Indianapolis, Kiss frontman Paul Stanley officially confirmed that the legendary rock group will return to Sin City this November to host the 2026 edition of “Kiss Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas.”
Speaking to a packed crowd during a question-and-answer session at the Indy Kiss Fan Expo on Saturday, April 11, the iconic vocalist and guitarist reflected on the evolution of the band’s branded destination events before breaking the news about their upcoming live plans.
“So, the funny thing with the Kiss Kruise — a couple of things. When we were first approached with the idea of doing a Kiss cruise, when we first heard about it, I went, ‘Who is gonna go on a Kiss cruise?’ And we’ve had people from 33 countries around the world for every time we went out. So it was amazing. But the crazy part about it is that over the years everybody started doing cruises, so we can’t get a ship most of the time. So last year we decided, I said, ‘Well, let’s do a ‘Kiss Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas’.’ So we did that, and it was really fun. Having the band play was amazing and seeing everybody was great. And that was the first one. We’ll do it again this coming year. We’ll do it in November. And as good as that one was, this one’s gonna be so much better, because we learn as we’re going. And this next Kiss Kruise in Vegas is gonna be awesome. I mean, we can’t wait to play, and we can’t wait to have the bands we’re gonna have and be with you again. So, pack your bags,” Stanley explained.
Historically, the band hosted 11 traditional seaborne music cruises, sailing out of ports in Miami, Los Angeles, and New Orleans. Facing the maritime logistical challenges mentioned by Paul Stanley, the band successfully pivoted last fall. The originally planned “Kiss Army Storms Vegas” event was rebranded into the inaugural “Kiss Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas,” completely taking over the Virgin Hotels complex.
Co-produced by Pophouse, Topeka, and Vibee, that massive 2025 weekend served as a dual celebration of the band’s 50-year legacy and the 50th anniversary of the Kiss Army fan club. Most notably, it featured Kiss delivering multiple “unmasked” sets, marking their first time performing together since officially retiring from the road in December 2023. The festival environment also included a stacked lineup of supporting acts, including Quiet Riot, former Ratt members Stephen Pearcy and Warren DeMartini, Sebastian Bach, Bruce Kulick, Black ‘N Blue, and Kuarantine.
The 2025 Las Vegas event kicked off with a special outdoor acoustic performance on November 14, featuring a deeply emotional tribute. Before the music started, Paul Stanley asked the audience to raise complimentary electric candles in memory of founding Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley, who tragically passed away just weeks prior in October 2025 at the age of 74.
Following the unplugged tribute, the lineup of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer, and Eric Singer plugged in for a full unmasked electric set. The performances align perfectly with bassist Gene Simmons‘ previous comments to Rolling Stone, where he clarified that the band’s final Madison Square Garden concert on the “End Of The Road” tour served strictly as “the final Kiss-in-makeup appearance,” deliberately leaving the door open for these stripped-down, face-paint-free destination gigs.
Official details, lineups, and ticketing information for the 2026 edition of “Kiss Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas” are expected to be announced later this month.
