After a year’s absence, the Vivid Sydney drone show is back for 2026 with a new location and a record number of shows – and Northern Beaches locals can get a prime spot on the water with a cruise leaving directly from Manly Wharf.
Captain Cook Cruises is running its Vivid Sydney Lights and Drone Show cruise from Manly Wharf 3 again this year, positioning passengers directly in Cockle Bay, the drone show’s new home in Darling Harbour, for the 7:30pm performance.
The drone show has relocated from Circular Quay to Cockle Bay in Darling Harbour for 2026.
An image of Darling Harbour and drones presented on the 2026 Vivid website.
The cruise, which kicks off from 24 May, departs from Wharf 3 at Manly Wharf at 6:15pm and returns to Manly by approximately 8:15pm. The two-hour round trip covers the Vivid precincts of The Rocks and Circular Quay, with views of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and city skyline, before the vessel positions in Cockle Bay for the 7:30pm drone show.
“Guests are right in the middle of it rather than watching from a distance on the foreshore.”
For many Northern Beaches families, the logistics of getting to and from Vivid Sydney (and through it) are a significant part of why they skip it. Peak-hour ferries to the city during the festival are crowded and unpredictable, and the return trip late at night puts a lot of people off. The Manly departure removes the city leg altogether, and it’s been a huge success for the local cruise operator.
Captain Cook Cruises Director of Sales and Marketing Holly Vaughan said demand for the Manly service had grown steadily since it launched. “Northern Beaches locals are one of our most loyal Vivid audiences. They want the full harbour experience, but they also want to be home at a reasonable hour, and this cruise is built around exactly that. We have also once again secured prime position for the drone show, which we know will be a hit.”
The headline event is “Star-Bound”, the Vivid Sydney Drone Show for 2026, which features 1,000 illuminated drones forming shapes inspired by nature, the cosmos and Sydney.
“The Cockle Bay position is one of the best vantage points on the harbour for the drone show,” Ms CVaughan said. “Guests are right in the middle of it rather than watching from a distance on the foreshore. It’s a really unique perspective.”
The cruise operates on a twin deck catamaran. Vivid Sydney 2026 runs from late May through mid-June, with the Manly drone show cruise operating across 11 nights.
An image provided by the NSW Government to promote Vivid 2026
Drone Show Cruise Dates
May: Sunday 24, Monday 25, Tuesday 26, Wednesday 27, Sunday 31
June: Monday 1, Tuesday 2, Wednesday 3, Monday 8, Tuesday 9, Wednesday 10
Tickets start from $49 per person. Bookings at captaincook.com.au/whats-on/vivid-sydney-cruises/vivid-lights-manly.
Booking through the link above? There’s an added reason to do it this year: 5% of ticket sales made via this link goes directly to supporting local independent news.
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