The 12 Best New York Harbor Cruises

1.Circle Line 2h Harbor Lights Cruise Skip-The-Box-Office

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 8,222 reviews · 2 hours · from $45Our pick

Spend two hours on Circle Line’s Harbor Lights Cruise, with indoor cabins, an outdoor deck, onboard drinks, and live English commentary. You’ll pass One World Trade Center, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, DUMBO, and three bridges. Guides such as Alexis, George, David, and Andy bring the skyline and its stories to life.

“David was absolutely amazing, he was so knowledgeable and made the whole thing very fun. This is a must do on your holiday, you get the most beautiful views. Staff are great and so is the food for a snack !”

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2.Circle Line: 2hr – New York City Harbor Lights Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,859 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $45

Sail from Pier 83 for two hours past Manhattan’s glowing towers, the Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. A live English guide adds New York stories, while indoor and outdoor seats, restrooms, Wi-Fi, snacks, and drinks make this a comfortable evening outing. Arrive early for the best seats.

“Felt like I was being belittled by your person who was narrating the cruise wrong.They seemed to be not happy to be working there”

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3.60 Minute Statue of Liberty Sightseeing tour-New York Harbor

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 269 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $22

From Pier 36, the Majestic Princess cruises New York Harbor for about an hour, passing South Street Seaport, Governors Island, Ellis Island, and Lower Manhattan before reaching the Statue of Liberty. You get close photo views without a long island visit. Bruce is one guide praised for clear, personable commentary, though recent departures have raised serious reliability concerns.

“It was great! We love it so much and we saw the liberty statue super close and we had the chance to see wall street and plenty of history surrounding NY”

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4.New York City: Harbor Speedboat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 238 reviews · from $99Top rated

Ride a military-style speedboat from North Cove Marina with a Coast Guard-licensed captain. In one hour, you’ll see the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, South Street Seaport, Governors Island, Ellis Island, Hudson Yards, and more, with photo stops and live English narration.

“Would totally recommend this one of the highlights of our trip, Eric was our guide great fun and very informative. We were lucky enough to have the boat to ourselves too definitely one for the bucket list…”

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5.New York Harbor Brunch Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 106 reviews · 2 hours 45 minutes (approx.) · from $139

Spend nearly three hours aboard a classic yacht cruising from Pier 62, with a three-course brunch, one included drink, and views of the UN, Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. Indoor climate-controlled seating keeps you comfortable, while the open bow offers the best photographs.

“The peace of mind is unreal. The food was magnificent! The hospitality of workers was amazing. We are coming back!!”

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6.New Year’s Eve Buffet Dinner Fireworks Harbor Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 37 reviews · from $552

City Cruises gives you three hours on New York Harbor with a reserved table, climate-controlled dining room, buffet dinner, open bar, live DJ, and a sparkling wine toast for guests 21 and older. Expect skyline views of Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Statue of Liberty, and fireworks, weather permitting.

“-meals and drinks not very interesting, despite a fairly high price -servers a bit overwhelmed -very long start, about 45 minutes after the announced departure time -the circuit seemed truncated to us, we expected to go to the Hudson side of Manhattan, but we didn't go further than the Statue of Liberty. -return also strange, we returned to the departure dock (PIER15), and we stayed about 30 minutes opposite before docking, as if it was to use up the time planned for the cruise.. -too bad for these negative points, because the views of Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty were very beautiful, as well as the fireworks for…”

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7.Liberty Cruise on New York Harbor with Live Guide

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 35 reviews · 1h 15m · from $19Best value

Take a 75-minute cruise from Pier 40 around New York Harbor. Your English-speaking guide shares facts about Lower Manhattan, Ellis Island, Lady Liberty, and the Brooklyn Bridge while you take skyline photos. Seats are first come, first served, and the schedule can change with weather or harbor conditions.

“Kept getting cancelled due to weather conditions and messages to reschedule however needs taking down temporarily if it’s due to frozen water because I could have gone from somewhere else. Come to New York and missed the opportunity to see Liberty island. 😩💔”

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8.Christmas Eve Gourmet Brunch or Dinner Harbor Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 31 reviews · from $158

Spend Christmas Eve on the glass-enclosed Bateaux New York yacht, choosing a casual brunch or semi-formal dinner. Your reserved table comes with a three-course plated meal, live music, and views of the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, One World Trade Center, and the Manhattan skyline. Drinks and gratuity cost extra.

“What an amazing cruise, everything was gorgeous and so well organised. Highly recommend.”

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9.Christmas Day Buffet Brunch or Dinner Harbor Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 29 reviews · from $146

Board the Spirit of New York at Pier 61 for a Christmas Day brunch or dinner cruise with a reserved table, seasonal buffet, live DJ, games, and skyline views. Brunch includes unlimited mimosas. You will cruise the Hudson and East Rivers past the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, One World Trade Center, and more.

“We did the Christmas evening cruise with hot buffet. Really enjoyed it. Food was good and the music was entertaining. Something different to do whilst visiting NY over the holidays.”

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10.Christmas Eve Buffet Lunch or Dinner Harbor Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 26 reviews · from $199

Board Spirit of New York at Pier 61 for a 2 to 2.5-hour Christmas Eve cruise on the Hudson and East Rivers. You get a reserved table, seasonal buffet, coffee, tea, iced tea, live DJ music, and views of the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, One World Trade Center, and more. Drinks and photos cost extra.

“El servio de la tripulación, la comida y las vistas, un paseo espectacular!!! mi agradecimiento por la experiencia y lo recomiendo ampliamente.”

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11.Sightseeing Harbor Cruise on the Grande Mariner

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 23 reviews · 1h 30m · from $23

Board the Grande Mariner at Pier 36 for a 90-minute English-language cruise past the Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island, Governors Island, and the Statue of Liberty. You can move around a large outdoor deck, buy beer, wine, cocktails, snacks, and soft refreshments, then return to Lower Manhattan with easy access to the Seaport and Financial District.

“Huge outside deck that allowed everyone space to see the skyline views. Great bathrooms, onboard bar and food service.”

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12.Thanksgiving Gourmet Lunch or Dinner Harbor Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $130

Settle into a reserved table aboard Bateaux New York for a 2 to 3 hour Thanksgiving lunch or dinner cruise from Pier 61. You’ll enjoy a plated three-course meal, live music, climate-controlled dining, and views of the Statue of Liberty, bridges, One World Trade Center, and Manhattan’s skyline. Choose lunch for a family-friendly outing or dinner for a dressier evening.

“Excellent: it would be 6 stars!! Very good food and great ride. Everyone very kind”

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