Boat Tours New York

If you search for a boat tour New York offers, you land on dozens of near-identical tickets, so I compared 12 of them on GetYourGuide. They cover the main ways to see the harbor: a 1.5 to 2 hour sightseeing or sunset boat, a classic yacht, a lunch, brunch or dinner cruise, a party boat and the official ferry that lands at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Prices run from $27 to $279, ratings from 4.1 to 4.9, and the operators include Circle Line, Classic Harbor Line, City Cruises, NY Waterway, NYC Water Cruises, Statue City Cruises and Enjoy Cruises.

My short answer on boat tours in New York: if I had one evening and one budget, I’d book the Classic Harbor Line Statue and Skyline cruise. It costs $60, runs 1.5 hours on a classic boat with an indoor salon and an open deck, includes a drink and scores 4.8 from 651 reviews. If you’d rather spend less, the Circle Line Statue of Liberty sunset cruise is $27 and scores 4.6 from 2,888 reviews. Every price, rating and duration below comes from the listings, checked on 17 October 2026, in US dollars.

I’ve grouped this comparison of New York boat tours the way people search for them: harbor cruises, night and sunset trips, boat rides, meal cruises and the Statue of Liberty ferry. Links that open GetYourGuide are affiliate links, and I explain how that works on my about page.

Boat Tours in New York

Boat tours in New York split into two kinds. Most are sightseeing cruises that sail past the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Lower Manhattan towers without stopping. A few are really tickets to an island or a party, with the boat as transport. Knowing which kind of boat tour in New York you are buying is the most useful thing I can tell you before you compare prices.

The top-rated pick for this search is the official Statue City Cruises ticket, and it’s a different product from the others. At $33 it scores 4.6 from 21,151 reviews, which is by far the largest review base on the page. It is the ferry itself: the listing includes the round-trip ferry, access to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, self-guided audio tours of both, and entry to the Statue of Liberty Museum and the Ellis Island National Immigration Museum, with crown or pedestal access depending on the option you pick. It lists two meeting points, and the description names Battery Park in Manhattan and Liberty State Park in Jersey City. The listing gives 5 hours, which tells you it is a half-day visit, not a one-hour cruise. The National Park Service runs the monument, and it’s the place to check crown access rules before you choose an option.

Statue City Cruises

NYC Statue City Cruises: Official Statue of Liberty Tickets

• ★ 4.6 (21,151 reviews)
• 5 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: Not a sightseeing cruise but the ferry that lands on both islands: $33, 5 hours, 4.6 from 21,151 reviews.

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The second card is a leftover, and a seasonal one among the New York boat tours. The Enjoy Cruises Halloween party yacht sails on Halloween, 31 October 2026, with boarding at 7:00 PM, departure at 7:30 PM and a return at 11:00 PM. It costs $36 for four hours, it is closed to anyone under 21, and it has only 10 reviews at 4.3, so treat the rating as thin. The route runs from Skyport Marina along the East River, under the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge, and out past the Statue of Liberty. I’d book it only if you want a costume party, and my page on the party boat scene in New York covers it next to the New Year’s Eve cruise.

Night tour

Enjoy Cruises

NYC: Halloween Party Cruise w/ Live DJ, Drinks, City Views

• ★ 4.3 (10 reviews)
• 4 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: A dated event, not a general pick: Halloween night, 31 October, 21+, $36, thin 4.3 from 10 reviews.

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New York Boat Cruises

When people look for New York boat cruises on a budget, they usually want the Statue of Liberty from the water without a long day. Of all the New York boat tours I compared, the Circle Line sunset cruise is the cheapest way I found. It costs $27, runs 1.5 hours and scores 4.6 from 2,888 reviews. The listing says the cruise starts at the Circle Line and New York Water Taxi Pier 16 box office, then passes South Street Seaport, the Brooklyn Bridge and One World Trade Center before reaching the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and returning to Pier 16.

It includes a downloadable audio guide in 9 languages, which needs headphones, plus a large outdoor deck, temperature-controlled cabins with panoramic windows and restrooms. Food and drinks are sold on board. I’d choose it when the price of a New York boat tour matters more than a live guide, since the listing mentions pop music and the audio guide and not a live narrator. For more sunset options, see my sunset cruise page for New York.

Circle Line

NYC: Statue of Liberty Sunset Cruise Ticket

• ★ 4.6 (2,888 reviews)
• 1.5 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The cheapest sightseeing boat in my list: $27, 1.5 hours to the Statue and back, 4.6 from 2,888 reviews.

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New York Harbor Cruise

A New York harbor cruise is usually the sightseeing loop around the Statue of Liberty and the Lower Manhattan skyline, and the City Cruises luxury brunch, lunch or dinner cruise turns that loop into a sit-down meal. It costs $115, runs 2 to 2.5 hours and scores 4.5 from 1,058 reviews. You meet at Pier 61 at Chelsea Piers, and the itinerary passes the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the Vessel at Hudson Yards, One World Trade Center, Battery Park City, Governors Island and the Statue of Liberty, then the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges.

The listing includes a 3-course meal, live entertainment, live narration, and unlimited coffee, tea and iced tea. Unlimited mimosas come with the brunch option only, and alcoholic drinks are extra. Gratuities are not included. Of the New York boat tours in this comparison, it’s the one I’d book for a birthday or an anniversary, and I explain how the meal cruises compare on my dinner cruise page.

Night tour

City Cruises

NYC: City Cruises Luxury Brunch, Lunch or Dinner Cruise

• ★ 4.5 (1,058 reviews)
• 2 - 2.5 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The sit-down harbor cruise: a 3-course meal and live entertainment for $115, 4.5 from 1,058 reviews.

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Boat Tour New York Harbor

If your plan is a New York harbor boat tour after dark with food, one of the New York boat tours with a plated menu, the NYC Water Cruises gourmet dinner is the one I’d look at second. It’s $156, runs 3 hours and scores 4.2 from 1,716 reviews, which is the lowest rating of the meal cruises but the largest review base. The listing gives a cruise window of 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM and a meeting point at Pier 36, Slip 9, with the slip varying by day.

The ticket includes a 5-course plated dinner at a private table if you choose that option, unlimited soda, juice, coffee and tea, live music by off-Broadway performers, and one beer and wine drink ticket or two VIP tickets that include cocktails, depending on the option. Tips are included. The itinerary has a 15-minute photo stop at the Manhattan Bridge before the Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and Governors Island. Pier 36 is about 2.7 km from The Battery by my calculation from the Google Maps coordinates.

Night tour

NYC Water Cruises

Gourmet Dinner Cruise with Live Music

• ★ 4.2 (1,716 reviews)
• 3 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The plated 5-course option: $156, 3 hours, live music, 4.2 from 1,716 reviews.

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New York Boat Tour Night

For a New York boat tour at night, and the best of the boat tours in New York after dark, the Circle Line sunset and harbor lights cruise is the one I’d pick. It costs $45, runs 2 hours and scores 4.6 from 9,008 reviews. The listing describes golden hour turning into city lights, with a live English guide and an audio guide in 9 languages, a spacious outdoor deck, climate-controlled cabins, free Wi-Fi and restrooms. The route is long: the High Line, One World Trade Center, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, South Street Seaport, the Brooklyn Bridge, Dumbo, the Manhattan Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge and the Chrysler Building.

The listing asks you to arrive 45 minutes before departure and to have your bag open for a security check at the entrance. Because the departure time follows the season, a ticket that is a sunset trip in June is a night trip in December. The sunset times for the 15th of each month are in the table below.

Month	Sunset (local time, 15th)	Month	Sunset (local time, 15th)
January	4:54 PM	July	8:27 PM
February	5:32 PM	August	7:55 PM
March	7:04 PM	September	7:06 PM
April	7:36 PM	October	6:17 PM
May	8:07 PM	November	4:39 PM
June	8:30 PM	December	4:31 PM

I computed these from the city’s coordinates with the sunrise-sunset.org service, using the America/New_York time zone so the daylight saving change is included.

The second card is a leftover, not a night cruise in the usual sense. The Circle Line New Year’s Eve fireworks party cruise is a dated event that sails on 31 December. It costs $279 for 3 hours, is for guests aged 21 and over, and scores 4.1 from 54 reviews. The listing includes an open bar with standard liquor, beer and wine, a champagne toast at midnight, appetizers, a live DJ and party favors, and the boat keeps celebrating for an hour after midnight on the way back. It is non-refundable, which is unusual in this comparison, and you need to arrive one hour ahead.

Night tour

Circle Line Sightseeing

NYC Sunset & Harbor Lights Cruise with Statue of Liberty

• ★ 4.6 (9,008 reviews)
• 2 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: My night pick: $45, 2 hours from golden hour into the city lights, 4.6 from 9,008 reviews.

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$45

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Night tour

Circle Line Sightseeing

Circle Line: NYC New Year's Eve Fireworks Party Cruise (21+)

• ★ 4.1 (54 reviews)
• 3 hours

My pick: A leftover and a dated event: New Year's Eve, 31 December, 21+, $279, non-refundable, 4.1 from 54 reviews.

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Best Boat Tours in New York City

The best boat tours in New York City, and the best New York boat tours generally, are the ones that match what you want to see, and the one I’d put first for most people is the Classic Harbor Line Statue and Skyline cruise. It costs $60, runs 1.5 hours and scores 4.8 from 651 reviews. The boat is a classic yacht with teak decks and mahogany trim, an indoor grand salon and an open outer deck, and a captain narrates. The ticket includes one drink and the gratuity, and food is sold on board.

You meet at the Classic Harbor Line ticket booth at Pier 62 at the north end of Chelsea Piers. The route passes the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Battery Park, the Financial District and South Street Seaport. Of all the boat tours in New York, this one starts farthest from the monument: the Maps listing for Classic Harbor Line puts the dock about 7.2 km from the Statue of Liberty in a straight line, so the boat does a lot of the work. The listing says pets and smoking are not allowed. If you’re comparing a private boat, the yacht charter page for New York covers the yacht options.

Classic Harbor Line - New York City

Statue and Skyline Cruise Aboard a Luxury Yacht

• ★ 4.8 (651 reviews)
• 1.5 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: My first pick for most visitors: a classic yacht for $60, 1.5 hours, one drink included, 4.8 from 651 reviews.

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Boat Tour New York City

The NY Waterway Golden Hour cruise is the best value for people who want a boat tour in New York City with a lot of sights packed into 2 hours. At $38 it scores 4.9 from 565 reviews, the highest rating on the page. The listing says the cruise is timed for the sunset period and includes live English commentary and relaxing music, with a stop in front of the Statue of Liberty for photos.

The route runs One World Trade Center, Hudson Yards, the Vessel, Little Island, Chelsea Piers, Ellis Island, Governors Island, South Street Seaport, the Brooklyn Bridge, the United Nations Headquarters and the Empire State Building. It leaves from Pier 79, where there is a heated terminal and boarding at Slip 2 starts 20 minutes before departure. Free bus transport to and from the pier is included, and food and drinks are for sale. The listing is clear that the boat does not land on Liberty Island.

Night tour

Port Imperial Ferry Corp. dba NY WATERWAY

NYC Golden Hour Cruise (2hr)

• ★ 4.9 (565 reviews)
• 2 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The best rating on the page: $38, 2 hours with free bus to the pier, 4.9 from 565 reviews.

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Boat Ride New York

If you want a boat ride in New York that feels like an evening out, a New York boat tour with a bit of occasion, the Classic Harbor Line sunset yacht cruise is the version I’d choose. It costs $113, scores 4.9 from 502 reviews and lists 1.5 to 3 hours, so check which sailing you are buying. The listing describes 360-degree views from the open decks or the glassed-in back-deck observatory, 1920s style decor and a sail past Lower Manhattan, Battery Park, South Street Seaport, Governors Island, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

It includes a sunset cruise, one drink and optional gratuities, and food is for sale on board. This New York boat cruise costs almost double the Classic Harbor Line daytime cruise because it is an evening sailing with the skyline lit up. I’d pick it for a proposal or an anniversary and keep the cheaper boats for everyday sightseeing. My sunset cruise page puts it next to the Circle Line and NY Waterway sunset boats.

Classic Harbor Line - New York City

Sunset Yacht Cruise

• ★ 4.9 (502 reviews)
• 1.5 - 3 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The yacht for a special evening: $113, sunset, one drink included, 4.9 from 502 reviews.

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Boat Ride New York City

For a boat ride in New York City in winter, and the one holiday boat tour in New York I found, the Classic Harbor Line holiday cruise is the one that stands out. It costs $134, runs 1.5 hours and scores 4.7 from 572 reviews. The listing describes a heated solarium decorated for the season, hot cocoa and cookies, live carols and a jazz trio, and a sail past Battery Park, South Street Seaport, the Financial District, Governors Island, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on Yacht Manhattan or Manhattan II.

This is a seasonal ticket, and the listing gives no fixed dates, so look at the booking page for the sailings in November and December. It includes live entertainment, holiday cookies, one beverage and gratuity, and the boats have a full bar for extra drinks. Meet at Chelsea Piers, Pier 62, across from West 22nd Street. Because the Hudson is cold in December, and a December boat tour in New York is a cold one, the heated cabin matters more than it would on a summer yacht.

Classic Harbor Line - New York City

NYC: Holiday Yacht Cruise with Jazz, Cocoa & Carols

• ★ 4.7 (572 reviews)
• 1.5 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: The festive one: heated yacht, live jazz and carols, $134, 1.5 hours, 4.7 from 572 reviews.

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$134

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Boat Cruises in New York City

The last of my New York boat tours is for people who want a buffet meal and a dance floor. The City Cruises brunch, lunch or dinner buffet cruise costs $115, runs 2 to 3 hours and scores 4.2 from 567 reviews. This card is a leftover: the same operator’s luxury cruise above scores higher at 4.5, so I’d book this buffet New York boat cruise for its price on the day and the fixed table, not for the rating.

You board the Spirit of New York at Pier 61 at Chelsea Piers, and the listing includes a buffet meal, unlimited coffee, hot tea and iced tea, and an onboard DJ. The route passes the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, One World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Governors Island, and the three East River bridges. The description mentions a bottomless mimosa option on brunch sailings, so check which meal you select.

City Cruises

NYC: City Cruises Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner Buffet Cruise

• ★ 4.2 (567 reviews)
• 2 - 3 hours
• Free cancellation

My pick: A leftover for this section: a buffet meal and DJ for $115, 2 to 3 hours, 4.2 from 567 reviews.

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$115

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What You See on a New York Boat Tour

The map below follows the stops listed for the Circle Line sunset and harbor lights cruise, which is the longest sightseeing route in my data. On any New York boat tour, most of the iconic sights sit in two clusters. The first is the Lower Manhattan waterfront, where The Battery is about 1.1 km from One World Trade Center. The second is the Hudson side, where the High Line and Little Island are only 0.8 km apart.

The Statue of Liberty is the farthest point. From The Battery it is about 2.9 km in a straight line by my calculation from the Google Maps coordinates, which is why the monument looks small from the Manhattan shore and large from a boat. Boats that start at Chelsea Piers or Pier 79 add the Hudson Yards towers, the Vessel and Little Island on the way down. Boats that start at South Street Seaport pass under the Brooklyn Bridge first. Not every operator lists the same stops, so the map shows the common route, not one company’s.

Where the Boats Leave From

Boat tours in New York leave from four areas, so every boat tour in New York starts with a pier: the Midtown piers on the Hudson, Chelsea Piers, the Lower Manhattan waterfront at Battery Park and South Street Seaport on the East River. I’ve marked as stops the places that appear in a product’s itinerary.

Statue City Cruises Battery Park is the base for the official island ferry and sits only about 0.1 km from The Battery. The Circle Line Midtown terminal is about 1.7 km from Classic Harbor Line at Chelsea Piers by my calculation, and about 9.0 km from the Statue of Liberty. NYC Water Cruises at Pier 36 is on the East River, about 2.7 km from The Battery. Whichever dock you pick, read the meeting point on the booking page, because several listings have more than one.

Which New York Boat Trip Type Fits You

This table is built from the same listings. Prices are the lowest in each group.

Trip type	Price from	Typical duration	Best for
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferry	$33	5 hours	Landing on both islands and visiting the museums
Sunset cruise	$27	1.5 to 2 hours	Golden hour, photos, first-timers
Dinner cruise	$115	2 to 3 hours	Birthdays, anniversaries, groups
Yacht cruise	$60	1.5 hours	Comfort, small boats, holiday sailings
Party boat	$36	3 to 4 hours	Halloween and New Year’s Eve, ages 21 and over

For a boat tour in New York with the most sights for the money, the sunset and golden hour boats win. The meal cruises list a DJ or live music, so book one on purpose and not by accident.

How I’d Choose a Boat Tour in New York

Here’s the short list I’d use for any boat tour New York has on offer:

• First visit, one trip: the Classic Harbor Line Statue and Skyline cruise at $60 (4.8 from 651 reviews).
• Cheapest sightseeing boat: the Circle Line sunset cruise at $27, 1.5 hours.
• Best rating: the NY Waterway Golden Hour cruise at $38 (4.9 from 565 reviews).
• After dark: the Circle Line harbor lights cruise at $45, 2 hours.
• To land on the islands: the Statue City Cruises ferry at $33, and plan about 5 hours.
• A special evening: the Classic Harbor Line sunset yacht at $113, or a meal cruise from $115.
• Dated events: Halloween on 31 October ($36) and New Year’s Eve on 31 December ($279), both 21 and over.

Whatever New York boat tour you choose, check the departure pier on the booking page, bring a layer because the deck is cooler than the street, and look at the forecast the day before, since 11 of the 12 tickets cancel free up to 24 hours ahead. For other cities, start from the Harbour Advisor home page. Whichever boat tour New York visitors rank first, I’d still match it to your time and budget.