First Available Program

As the ship fills up, we will sell First Available Staterooms which are used to fill rooms that become available between now and sailing from cancellations or changes in operational needs. First Available Staterooms will be offered in Interior, Oceanview/Porthole, and Balcony as each cabin type fills up. 

The First Available Program also releases rooms after the initial block of First Available Staterooms in the months leading up to sailing. First Available Program releases occur on Fridays. If The Rock Boat sells out in the presale, on release days, guests who had an Earliest Booking Time (EBT) may book them at 11am ET.  At 1pm ET, any still open rooms become available to the general public. Beginning 30 days prior to sailing (December 30, 2025), the program releases opened rooms daily at 1pm ET. Releases are available via online booking only due to limited inventory. 

Some release dates may offer no new rooms for sale while other release dates may offer several.

First Available Details

First Available Program releases can include First Available Staterooms where you don’t choose your own room number or specific staterooms where you do choose your own room number.

• First Available Staterooms are just like any other stateroom; you'll go through the full booking process now, but you will be assigned a specific stateroom number closer to sailing.
  • You’ll still have access to payment plans, travel protection, and the same great onboard experience.
  • First Available Staterooms are offered in Interior, Oceanview/Porthole, and Balcony.
  • Our goal is to assign 99% of these to a room.
  • If we cannot assign you a room number by 30 days prior to sailing, you will be refunded 100% of your payments, including Travel Insurance Premiums. In addition, you will be provided a Sixthman Future Event Credit of $1,000 and receive priority booking on a future event.
• Specific staterooms are released when a recently opened room can’t be filled from our First Available bookings, or for higher categories like Suites if they can’t be filled by booked guests on our Desired Upgrade List. Within 90 days of the event (October 31, 2025), all releases will be specific staterooms.

Sign up for our email newsletter and text updates to stay informed of event updates.

Feel free to reach our Guest Services team with any additional questions or concerns.

• What happens once the staterooms you have allotted for sale as First Available are sold out?

  Prior to 30 days before sailing (December 30, 2025), any newly available staterooms will be released weekly on Fridays. At 11am ET on Fridays First Available staterooms will become available to anyone with an Earliest Booking Time (EBT) for the event. At 1pm ET, any staterooms remaining available become available to the general public. Stateroom availability depends on how many First Available Staterooms have been assigned that week; some weeks there may be no new staterooms available, while other weeks there may be several new staterooms available.

  Beginning 30 days prior to sailing (December 30, 2025), any newly available cabins will be released daily at 1pm ET.

  Sign up for our email newsletter and text updates to stay informed of event updates. Once we have fulfilled all committed First Available bookings to a stateroom, all periodically released staterooms will be available on a first come, first served basis.

• What is the First Available guarantee? What happens if I book a First Available Stateroom and do not get placed in a stateroom by 30 days prior to sailing?

  Our goal is to accommodate 99% of our First Available bookings.

  If we are unable to assign you to a stateroom by 30 days prior to sailing (December 30, 2025), you earn a $1,000 future Sixthman event credit and have two options:

  • You can notify us to process your full refund plus receive a $1,000 future Sixthman event credit (valid for 3 years). Any purchased travel protection would be included in the refund.
  • If you are willing to accept a stateroom less than 30 days prior to the festival, we can continue to try to find a stateroom for you. When we place you in a stateroom, your $1,000 future Sixthman event credit will be automatically applied to your booking. If we are unable to place you in a stateroom before sailing we will automatically process your full refund and issue your $1,000 future Sixthman event credit (valid for 3 years).

  Additionally, anyone we aren't able to assign to a stateroom will be prioritized for next year's pre-sale (registration required) and will be assigned a booking time after guests who sail but before prior year alumni (if any) and before new guests.

  We recommend booking refundable travel (airfare, hotels, etc.) in the event you are unable to sail - Sixthman does not provide refunds for external purchases.

• What options are available to book in this process and what is the cost associated?

  Pending availability, you may book a First Available Interior, First Available Oceanview or First Available Balcony stateroom.

• How do you determine how many First Available Staterooms to sell?

  We utilize historical cancellation data from all our festivals to predict how many staterooms will become available prior to sailing. Life happens and sometimes our guests have to cancel. Plus, while we never intentionally hold staterooms back to release later, sometimes we need fewer staterooms for production/talent/staff than originally planned, allowing us to offer those to guests.

• What will my final cost be for a First Available Stateroom?

  First Available Staterooms are set to the maximum price for a room of that stateroom type. You will be placed in the first available stateroom that matches the category you booked. Should your assigned stateroom be priced lower than the First Available price, you will be refunded the difference. You will ultimately only pay the price of the stateroom you are assigned.

• When will I know my stateroom number?

  You will be assigned to a specific stateroom by 30 days prior to the festival’s embarkation date (December 30, 2025) or be eligible for a $1,000 future Sixthman event credit. 

• When will I receive my Norwegian reservation number?

  All guests receive reservation numbers approximately 4-6 weeks prior to the festival’s embarkation date. Should you be placed into a specific stateroom after this time frame, you can anticipate receiving your reservation number approximately 10 days after your stateroom is assigned. 

• What is the cancellation policy for First Available Staterooms? What if I change my mind and want to remove myself from my first available reservation?

  All reservations, including First Available reservations, are non-refundable. Please review our cancellation policy. If you are unsure about your ability to attend the festival, we recommend you delay booking a first available stateroom until you are certain you can attend.

• What happens with the cost of my non-refundable travel if I am not placed in a stateroom prior to sailing?

  Sixthman does not provide refunds for external purchases, therefore we recommend you book refundable travel. Please read our “What is the First Available guarantee” FAQ for further details.

• How do payments work for my reservation?

  All standard payment options will be available to First Available Staterooms bookings. Review our payment options here.

• How long is my $1,000 Sixthman Future Event Credit valid?

  Your Sixthman Future Event Credit will expire three years from the date of issue. 

• I am interested in a Suite. Why is this not a First Available option?

  If any Suites become available, they will be offered to booked guests through our desired upgrade list. Once you are booked in a stateroom, you may contact us to join the desired upgrade list to be notified if a Suite becomes available. This means you may book a First Available Balcony stateroom and request to be on the desired upgrade list; in this case you may be automatically placed in a Balcony stateroom or offered a Suite (which, if you decline, will keep you in line for a Balcony stateroom assignment).

• Do you fulfill First Available Staterooms before you accommodate the desired upgrade list?

  First Available Staterooms are true stateroom bookings and as such are prioritized over the desired upgrade list. Once all First Available Staterooms have been placed, we will accommodate as many people from the Desired Upgrade List as possible. Note that Club Balcony Suites and Suites are not offered in First Available so any staterooms openings for those types are offered out via the Desired Upgrade List before being released for sale.

• Once I book a First Available stateroom do I get approval over which room I am placed into?

  No. You will be automatically assigned into the next available stateroom that matches the room type that you purchased.

• Am I able to transfer to another festival after booking my First Available reservation?

  Should you wish to transfer your reservation to another festival, you would follow the standard transfer guidelines in place for the festival you are currently booked on.