Since 1986 NY Waterway has been providing sightseeing cruises as well as commuter services via their 38th Street ferries. The NY Waterway 90-Minute Harbor Cruise travels to Manhattan's East Side and back, giving visitors a great chance to see many of New York City's popular attractions, including the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building.
About NY Waterway 90-Minute Harbor Cruise
During the 90-Minute Harbor Cruise, visitors can see much of Midtown and Lower Manhattan, including a close-up of the Statue of Liberty. The ship travels from 38th Street on the West Side south around the tip of Manhattan up to the United Nations via the East River and back to the 38th Street Pier.The tour guide narrated throughout most of the tour, helping to identify important New York City landmarks along the route. The tour passes under three of Manhattan's most famous bridges -- the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, and the Williamsburg Bridge. An opportunity to see the Statue of Liberty closeup made for great picture taking. Those short on time will appreciate the chance to view this popular attraction upclose. The guide identified where the World Trade Center towers would have been, and discussed the events of 9/11, as well as the reconstruction plans.
The 90-minute cruise provides a solid overview of Manhattan, and features outstanding views of Downtown Manhattan from the New York Harbor.
Essential Information about the NY Waterway 90-Minute Harbor Cruise
- NY Waterway 90-Minute Harbor Cruise leaves from 38th Street at 12th Avenue
- Mass Transit to NY Waterway: A/C/E, 1/2/3, N/R/Q, 7 or S to 42nd St./Times Square - change to the M42 or M50 Bus running along 42nd Street which will take you to the 42nd Street/12th Avenue -- walk south
- Free NY Waterway Buses: Red, White, & Blue NY Waterway buses run along bus routes on 57th Street, 49th Street, 42nd Street, 34th Street -- hail them down as you would a cab, and they'll bring you directly to the ferry terminal for free[/link]
- NY Waterway Phone: 1-800-53-FERRY
- NY Waterway 90-Minute Harbor Cruise: Adults $23, Children $13, Senior Citizens $19
- NY Waterway Cruise Payment: Cash and Major Credit Cards
- NY Waterway 90-Minute Harbor Cruise Schedule - tours are available daily, year round, with more tours offered during the warmer months.
Helpful Tips for NY Waterway 90-Minute Harbor Cruise
- Limited concessions are available on board, but you can also bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks.
- They begin boarding the boat about 10 minutes before departure -- arrive about 20-30 minutes before departure for time to buy your tickets. Viewing is best from the top deck, which fills quickly, so line up early to get the best seats.
- The upper deck is open, so there are many great picture taking opportunities.
- Bring sunblock if you indend on sitting outside. A sweater is also helpful, as even on hot days, the breeze can make you feel cool.
- Bathrooms onboard tend to be cleanest early in the trip -- plan accordingly.
- You can book tickets online, but they are non-refundable and there's a booking fee, so there's little advantage to buying your tickets online.
- The New York Waterway boats are smaller and faster than those of CircleLine -- which means that you can cover the same ground more quickly, but it also means the boats react more to wakes and waves.
Attractions Featured on NY Waterway's 90-Minute Harbor Cruise
- Jacob Javits Center
- World Financial
- Battery Park
- Ellis Island
- Statue of Liberty
- Wall Street
- South Street Seaport
- Brooklyn Bridge
- Empire State Building
- The Intrepid
- Chrysler Building
- United Nations
- Roosevelt Island
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary tour tickets for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
