15 Boat Tours in New York City, Ranked by What You Get

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

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

Settle into Circle Line’s large indoor or outdoor seating for a two-hour evening ride past Lower Manhattan, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, DUMBO, and three major bridges. English-speaking guides such as Alexis, George, David, and Andy add humor and city history, while an app provides commentary in eight additional languages. Arrive early for an outdoor seat.

“Alexis our tour guide was very humerus and gave out a lot of detail about our destination and sights along the way. It was very windy and trying to get a photo of the Statue of Liberty was difficult as we were getting blown around as were our phones. This made for a great bit of humour. A lovely hot chocolate was purchased on board. It was a great way to see the city lit up and learn some facts about certain sights. A good couple of hours spent on this trip.”

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2.Circle Line 2.5 Hour Best of NYC Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7,268 reviews · from $39

Circle Line’s 2.5-hour cruise shows you Manhattan from the water, passing three rivers, seven major bridges, five boroughs, and more than 100 sights. Expect clear English commentary, indoor and outdoor seating, close Statue of Liberty views, and guides such as Alexis, Jordan, and Andy on some departures. The full island route can change with tides or river conditions.

“Very nice boat tour, comfortable boat and spacious, well worth seeing all from the river. the digital pictures they make its worth buying as well as it have many of them with a variety of backgrounds.”

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3.Statue of Liberty Express Skip-the-Box-Office Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 4,873 reviews · 50 min · from $24Best value

This 50-minute Circle Line cruise from Pier 16 takes you past the Brooklyn Bridge, One World Trade Center, Ellis Island, and Governor’s Island before pausing near the Statue of Liberty for photos. English-speaking guides such as Debbie, Nathan, George, and Michael keep the ride lively, while indoor cabins and an outdoor deck work well in changing weather.

“Debbie you are simply great - sensational trip - highly recommend.”

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4.Circle Line 1.5-Hr Landmarks Skip-The-Box-Office Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 4,778 reviews · 1h 30m · from $34

Take a 90-minute Circle Line cruise from Pier 83 past Lower Manhattan, Lady Liberty, Ellis Island, Midtown, and three major bridges. A live English guide narrates the ride, while audio guides cover eight more languages. Choose the outdoor deck for photos or a temperature-controlled cabin when wind, heat, or fog gets in the way.

“The tour guide or MC on the boat was very informative with a great sense of humour. He was easy to understand and gave very interesting facts.”

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5.Starship Landmark 90 Minute Sightseeing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,666 reviews · 1h 30m · from $34

Cruise New York Harbor and both rivers from Pier 78, with views of Hudson Yards, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, Lower Manhattan, DUMBO, and the Brooklyn Bridge. English-speaking guides such as Molly, Darius, Al, and Ryan add facts and humor. You get indoor and outdoor decks, restrooms, a snack bar, and a digital photo service.

“The cruise was amazing very memorable and the guide was brilliant with the information he gave out. I would highly recommend this cruise.”

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6.Circle Line: 2.5hr – Complete Manhattan Island Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,488 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $34

Circle Line’s 2.5-hour cruise circles Manhattan from Pier 83, following the Hudson and East rivers past more than 130 landmarks. Guides such as Alexis, Postcard Tim, and Postcard Tom mix city history with humor. Choose standard or premium seating, use the outdoor deck, and bring headphones for the multilingual app.

“Excellent, great trip, worth paying for premier. Great cafe, awesome tour guide. Great views, its the best way to see all of the things to see around New York.”

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7.Circle Line 1-Hr Statue of Liberty Skip-The-Line Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,342 reviews · from $27

Cruise New York Harbor from Pier 83 for one hour, passing the Empire State Building, High Line, One World Trade Center, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. Live English commentary, nine-language audio, indoor cabins, Wi-Fi, restrooms, and a large outdoor deck are included. Guides such as David, Michael, and Andy have earned praise for lively storytelling.

“Staff was friendly. Ride was soo beautiful. Definitely recommend. Good price and great views”

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

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

Board at Pier 83 for a two-hour evening cruise with live English narration, indoor and outdoor seating, onboard Wi-Fi, restrooms, snacks, and drinks for purchase. You’ll pass One World Trade Center, the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty, often from surprisingly close range. Arrive early for the best seats.

“Absolutely amazing and refreshing experience. We are first time new to New York and got to see so many things on our list! We 10/10 recommend!”

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9.Circle Line: New York City Statue of Liberty Super Express Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,625 reviews · 50 minutes (approx.) · from $24

Board at Pier 16 for a 50-minute harbor cruise past the Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island, Lower Manhattan, and the Statue of Liberty. Live English commentary from guides such as Debbie and Tim keeps the ride lively, while indoor and outdoor seating, restrooms, Wi-Fi, and a snack bar make this a practical choice when you want close-up photos without spending half a day on Liberty Island.

“It was fantastic, the best thing I did while visiting. The tour was nice. It had a restroom that needed. A bar and coffee/concession area. It makes a loop around the statue of liberty, so you can see it from so many places on the boat.. The tour guide Danielle, I think her name was.. She was really cool.. People really need to know that you cannot have your umbrellas open while you're on this tour, If you decide to sit outside. Also, even though she mentions it a million times, please do not stand on the seats to take pictures that you can obviously get from standing on the…”

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10.Starship Landmark 90 Minute Sightseeing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,073 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $34

Cruise the Hudson from Pier 78 for about 90 minutes, with close views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, One World Trade Center, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, and South Street Seaport. Live guides such as Darius and Molly add history and humor. Seating, window cleanliness, and VIP upgrades can vary by boat.

“Great staff for the boat tour...great people! The tour guide had good comments on all the sights and they played music the whole time.”

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11.Statue of Liberty Sunset Cruise Skip-the-Line Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,397 reviews · from $24

Sail from South Street Seaport to the Statue of Liberty during golden hour, passing the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and One World Trade Center. You get outdoor decks, climate-controlled cabins, music, restrooms, and a bar for drinks. Debbie has been a memorable host on some sailings, though narration is not guaranteed.

“it was an amazing experience which I would strongly recommend to anyone travelling to NYC”

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12.Gourmet Dinner Cruise with Live Music

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 1,074 reviews · 3 hours · from $145

You’ll cruise from Pier 36 aboard Louisa of the Seas for skyline views, bridge passes, and a close look at the Statue of Liberty. A plated dinner, live music from New York performers, private-table seating, and drinks are included. Choose regular or VIP seating, and plan your ride home before returning to the pier.

“Classy, staff were very nice. Loved the live music, “The Barnacles” were lovely and did great crowd work. The dinner and experience were well worth the price. Would definitely come back for other occasions/date nights/family outing.”

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13.City Cruises Luxury Brunch, Lunch or Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 881 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $112

Board at Pier 61 for a 2 to 3-hour brunch, lunch, or dinner cruise aboard a climate-controlled glass vessel. Expect a three-course meal, live piano or band music, harbor narration, outdoor photo decks, and views of the Statue of Liberty, bridges, One World Trade Center, and Manhattan’s skyline. Dinner requires semi-formal dress.

“A very nice experience. Service was great and so was the food. We had window seats and it truly made for an amazing time.”

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14.Niagra Falls, USA Side: Boat, Cave and Shuttle pass Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 653 reviews · 3 hours · from $95

Spend three hours on the US side of Niagara Falls with a licensed English or Spanish-speaking guide. Ride Maid of the Mist, visit Cave of the Winds, see Luna Island and Terrapin Point, and use the park shuttle. Guides such as Jacob, Brian, Cherie, and Billy add history, jokes, photo help, and practical tips.

“A must! A very good experience for price/quality and Joel, our guide was fantastic! He had a very positive energy and interesting facts!”

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15.Holiday Yacht Cruise with Jazz, Cocoa & Carols

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 568 reviews · 1h 30m · from $134

Spend 90 festive minutes aboard the classic yacht Manhattan or Manhattan II, sailing from Chelsea Piers past Battery Park, the Seaport, Governor’s Island, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. Enjoy a heated salon, assigned seating, cookies, cocoa, carols, live jazz, and one included champagne, wine, or beer.

“Fantastic live jazz band on board doing all the Christmas classics. Thoroughly enjoyed! Beautiful to see skyline and Statue of Liberty all lit up! Yummy cocktails and cookies too. Highly recommend.”

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