PAUL STANLEY Confirms KISS Will Perform At 2026 Edition Of 'KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas': 'We Can't Wait To Play'

During an April 11 question-and-answer session at the Indy KISS Fan Expo at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Indianapolis, Indiana, KISS frontman Paul Stanley confirmed that there will be a 2026 edition of the "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" event.

Over the years, KISS had hosted 11 branded "kruises" that have departed from Los Angeles, Miami and New Orleans, but for the twelfth installment of the event, KISS announced that the "KISS Army Storms Vegas" event would "transform" into "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" and would be Sin City's Virgin Hotels complex last November. This special KISS Army fan event, co-produced by Pophouse, Topeka and Vibee, celebrated the band's five-decade career and the 50th anniversary of the KISS Army. In addition to KISS "unmasked" performances — the band's first live appearances in two years — the weekend included appearances from QUIET RIOT, Stephen Pearcy and Warren DeMartini performing the music of RATT, Bruce Kulick, Sebastian Bach, BLACK 'N BLUE, KUARANTINE, School Of Rock and more.

Speaking to the audience at Indy KISS Fan Expo on Saturday, Stanley stated about "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "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."

The first details of the 2026 edition of the "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" will be officially announced later this month.

The legendary rockers kicked off the 2025 edition of the "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" with an outdoor unplugged performance on November 14, 2025 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. At the beginning of the concert, Stanley asked fans in the audience to lift the electric candles which were handed out to everyone prior to the gig in honor of founding KISS guitarist Ace Frehley, who died in October 2025 at the age of 74. Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer also played an electric "unmasked" show the same weekend, marking the first time KISS had performed together since retiring from touring in December 2023.

Simmons told Rolling Stone in a November 2023 interview that the second Madison Square Garden "End Of The Road" concert would mark "the final KISS-in-makeup appearance."

Ace co-founded KISS with Paul, Gene and Peter Criss in New York City in 1973. Frehley appeared on KISS's first nine albums, and returned for the band's 1998 reunion album, "Psycho Circus", only to leave again. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the rest of KISS's original lineup in 2014.

Frehley first left KISS in 1982. He rejoined in 1996 and parted ways with the band once again in 2002 after the conclusion of KISS's first "farewell tour." Since his departure, guitarist Tommy Thayer had assumed the role of the Spaceman.