In 2009, Sydney hosted a smart light festival to promote the creative industries and showcase the city as a global hub for innovation and technology. Fast forward to today, it has blossomed into one of the world’s largest festivals of lights, music, ideas and food — Vivid Sydney! A staple in the New South Wales winter economy, Vivid Sydney awes its audience every year with ethereal light projections, electrifying music concerts, empowering workshops and culinary experiences. Are you ready to see the best of Vivid Lights on a cruise?
Vivid Sydney cruises guarantee an edge over other vantage points, by taking you right into the heart of the festivities. From the 'Lighting of The Sails' on the Opera House to Harbour Bridge displays and other installations that light up the waterfront, a cruise treats you the best of Vivid Lights.
Our selection of Vivid Sydney harbour cruises include – private deck cruises for small groups, unique dining experiences, entertainment cruises with live shows and wallet-friendly Vivid Sydney sightseeing cruises. We have cruises operating daily during the 3-week span of the festival; so plan your night out, book ahead and enjoy the lights from a unique on-water vantage point.
Australian Cruise Group is a regular participant in the Vivid Sydney Local Business Program, lighting up select vessels in our lineup alongside the city’s landmarks for a coordinated display of Vivid Lights. Stay tuned for updates on 2026 participation.
Rapidly evolving since its inception in 2009, Vivid Sydney has successfully established itself today as one of the most anticipated annual events in the city. Split into Vivid Light, Vivid Music, Vivid Ideas and Vivid Food, this festival of creativity broke the record for total attendees last year with an estimated 3.28 million people visiting the event. Vivid Lights steals the spotlight every year and people crowd the streets of Sydney trying to catch a glimpse of the boundary-pushing installations.
Please leave your enquiry so we can reach you with complete details and the best options.
Vivid Sydney Cruises © 2025. All rights reserved.
Guest Comments
"Thank you so much to all the staff who made our birthday celebration so memorable. We were really impressed by how helpful, kind and friendly the whole team were, and while we were just one of a number of groups celebrating, they made the time to make it a truly special evening. Vivid and the harbour are of course amazing, always, but its the hospitality that sets this cruise apart from the rest!"
Keryn B"We chose Clearview Glass Boat Cruise when we researched the best VividLight Festival Cruises as the Menu looked fantastic. Thanks for a special evening on the water.The entertainment was excellent and could you please share this with hi,. There was not one pice of music played that we did not like We will definitely be booking again in the future"
Dawn R"Great vivid Cruise for 2025 Staff also very Friendly."
Simon S"Nice Vivid Cruise experience."
Peter Y"It was great to see Sydney from the water sparkling at night. The Vivid lights were an added bonus."
Janet H"Thank you so much. My friend and I came down to Sydney for Vivid. Although we found the lights a bit disappointing, we loved the cruise, food and the show. Sue."
Sue M