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As with All In and the on-sale of New Japan Pro-Wrestling's upcoming WrestleMania Week show at Madison Square Garden, one of the most talked about recent developments within independent wrestling as of late has been Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager. As was the case with those aforementioned events, the Rager was at full capacity before setting sail.
Unique about what many call "the Chris Jericho Cruise" is its attempt to meld together the various entertainment spaces which Jericho has been associated in recent years. This not only includes professional wrestling and music, but also podcasting, yoga (DDP YOGA, that is) and comedy.
While I had been on several cruises before boarding the Norwegian Jade in Miami, I was not fully sure of what to expect from this overall experience. Was there going to be too much wrestling? Would there be enough to do? Was it going to be a welcoming experience overall? Fortunately, those questions can all be answered with a "yes" response.
Presently I have been on the ship for a little more than 48 hours, and one thing that is clear to me is that this has been a wonderful experience overall. In turn, below and on the following pages are five reasons why you should be on board for the next Chris Jericho Rock N Wrestling Rager.
#1 The Talent
In the year-long build-up to this cruise, the participating talent was unveiled in batches. Ultimately the confirmed participants not only included former WWE Hall Of Famers, but also key people involved with Ring Of Honor, Impact Wrestling, New Japan, Lucha Underground, and other buzzed-about indie promotions. ROH may be have been listed as a presenting sponsor of the cruise, but everyone was sharing the spotlight.
While there were three "meet and greet" sessions announced on the cruise, those were far from the only opportunities to interact with some of your favorite wrestlers. Over the course of these two and a half days, I have run into most of the wrestlers at some point. And all but two of them were very eager to sign something and/or take a photo.
The bottom line is that the wrestlers may be on a working vacation -- some of them did comedy or hosted an event in lieu of wrestling -- but almost all of them made themselves readily available to meet fans. In turn, if you were cool to them, you would likely encounter a relaxed individual that was glad to meet a fan.
#2 The Variety Of Activities
As noted earlier, the activities on this cruise were meant to mirror the many interests of Chris Jericho. In turn, it was not just eight hours a day of wrestling. Arguably, you did not even have to be a wrestling fan to enjoy yourself.
Using the first day of the cruise as an example, it kicked off with a sail-away toast hosted by Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler. Next, Fozzy played a full set on the pool deck. After this, I checked out performances by Blizzard Of Ozz (a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne), Phil Campbell & His Bastard Sons (featuring former Motorhead guitarist Phil Campbell) and Papa Buck (the father of The Young Bucks, who was joined onstage by his sons, Frankie Kazarian, Flip Gordon and a few other special guests).
And that was in addition to seeing some Ring Of Honor action and enjoying some food and drinks. Not bad for 10-11 hours, I must say.
Yesterday, the second day, I not only caught some bands (Kyng, Fozzy, AC/DC tribute Shoot To Thrill and The Stir) and some wrestling, but also experienced two live podcasts. This in addition to both official and unofficial meet and greets and a few meals. Today we stopped in the Bahamas, but the day is still young as far as entertainment opportunities go.
#3 Special Experiences
Remember on the last page when I mentioned about Papa Buck playing a set alongside special guests? That included Frankie Kazarian on bass and Flip Gordon on drums. It was realized mid-set that Gordon was a drummer and immediately he joined in without rehearsing.
Last night, Fozzy played an all-covers set with Corey Taylor from Slipknot and Stone Sour joining in for two songs. If the rumors are true, Jericho has a cameo or two planned between now and the end of the cruise, beyond his main event match with the Alpha Club against The Bullet Club. It also must be added that Jericho on the first night was injured during a musical performance yet has not slowed down one bit.
The bottom line is that the cruise has been full of unexpected moments. It is not as if everything was scripted and kept exactly as the itinerary had listed it. If anything, cruisers -- or "Ragers" as the Sixthman team has been calling us -- have been given plenty more than promised by Jericho and crew. In fact, on the first night, Ragers came back to their staterooms with "The List Of Jericho" clipboards at no additional cost.
#4 New Friends For Life?
Usually when you go on a cruise, you tend to suffer from "first day of school" syndrome. Who will you talk to? How will others perceive you? Etc, etc.
Months before this cruise took off from Miami, Sixthman had an official Facebook forum for both prospective and confirmed guests. In turn, for months, Ragers were able to break the ice and communicate. In turn, unofficial meetups and events were planned beyond what was shown on the official itinerary.
In turn, the cruise has not only been full of friendly performers, but also people of shared interests from all over the globe. When you think back to everyday interactions with co-workers, friends and family, you likely have hidden your fandom of professional wrestling. To say the least, that has not been the case here.
At the very least, expect to leave Chris Jericho's Rock 'N' Wrestling Rager with plenty of new friends for life. No fights have been observed by this writer, nor has any one-upmanship been seen.
#5 You Need A Vacation
Finally, the fact is that if you work full-time, you need to take a vacation of some sort. Where and what sort of vacation is your prerogative, of course, but if you are reading this section of Sportskeeda, you clearly find some level of amusement within the sporting world.
When you break down the cost of this vacation, unless you are coming for a remote place with expensive flights, it is entirely affordable. The cruise was announced about 12 months before it sailed, with flexible payment options offered with Sixthman, so you could have literally paid $200 USD or less per month leading up to the cruise -- which has all the usual features of a nice cruise ship, like a spa, pools, and a fitness center -- and covered the "all inclusive" features for you and a guest.
All said, in just 48 hours I have met dozens of wrestlers, comedians and musicians of note, lots of great folks, and have experienced excellent talent. My only question is as to when the next Chris Jericho Cruise will be announced.
