Boat Tours Around New York City
The best boat tours around New York City including Circle Line Boat Tours and World Yacht Dinner Cruises
Circle Line Boat Tours
Pier 83, Hudson River at West 42nd Street
212-563-3200
Circle Line Sightseeing cruises have been providing guided boat tours of the New York waterways for more than 50 years. The most comprehensive cruise is a three hour tour, which makes a complete circle around the island of Manhattan. Known as “America’s Favorite Boat Ride”, this tour covers 35 miles of coastline and travels past major sights and attractions. The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, World Trade Center Memorial, the United Nations Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge are just a few of the attractions viewable from the boat during the tour. Accompanying the tour, is a lively commentary as you pass the sights. This cruise sails daily from early March through late December and is also available in an abbreviated two-hour version. The Harbor Lights Cruise is a romantic two-hour cruise that sets sail at dusk – providing both sunset and nighttime views of Manhattan. It sails around the tip of Manhattan and out to the Statue of Liberty as the sun sets. It runs from late March through November. In addition to sightseeing tours, live music cruises are also scheduled throughout the year 2 1/2-hour cruises you can enjoy jazz while taking in skyline views. Reservations are necessary on all music cruises. Other custom cruises sail throughout the season including two-hour Family Cruises and the Circle Line Captain’s Club – a series of cruises organized for seniors. The Big Day Rate promises a free cruise for anyone celebrating their 50th Birthday.
World Yacht Dinner Cruises
World Yacht Marina Pier 81 at West 41st Street & Hudson River
212-630-8100
There are quite a few restaurants in New York that offer great views of the city. None of them, however, can rival the ever-changing view of Manhattan offered by a cruise which circumnavigates the island. World Yacht has combined an excellent meal with a luxury cruise, for an unparalleled entertainment, dining and sightseeing experience. The fleet of ships is comprised of five luxury dining yachts, all climate-controlled for year-round cruising. From the stately glass-enclosed dining areas, every table offers spectacular views of New York’s famous skyline. Operating from midtown on the Hudson River, the yacht sails past sights such as Ellis Island, the South Street Seaport, United Nations and the illuminated Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges before turning around to complete its three-hour tour. The highlight of the trip is when the boat sweeps right under the Statue of Liberty, allowing you a close-up view of this floodlit monument.
A four-course dinner is served at a leisurely pace so that diners are free to explore the various decks or head to the dance floor where an orchestra plays.
All meals are prepared fresh on board and are known for their quality. World Yacht is a member of organizations such as The Culinary Institute of America, Commaderie des Cordons Bleus de France and the National Restaurant Association. Reservations are required for all cruises and proper attire is necessary. Jeans and sneakers are not permitted and gentlemen must wear a jacket.