Circle Line: NYC Liberty Cruise
4.5
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About
Enjoy unobstructed views of the New York City skyline on this Hudson River cruise to the Statue of Liberty, a great overview of top NYC sights in Midtown and Lower Manhattan. Leave from a Midtown pier, and snap classic photos of Manhattan, One World Trade Center, Empire State Building, and Ellis Island. On this one tour, avoid the hassle of booking separate tours and transit to each destination.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 3-99, max of 200 per group
Duration: 1h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Audio guide: German, Korean, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, French, Spanish
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Written guide: German, Korean, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, French, Spanish
Print or digital reading material such as a guide, map, brochure, etc.
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Highlights
- Hudson River cruise gets you on the water for the best NYC views
- Leave from a pier on the Manhattan waterfront and Hudson River Greenway
- See the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island close up from a boat
- Get your bearings in New York City—this is a great way to kick off a trip
- Live narration by Circle Line’s guides (in English)
- Download the Circle Line App for tours in 9 different languages. See below for more details.
- 1-hour Sightseeing Cruise
- Indoor & Outdoor Seating
- Bathrooms on board
- Complimentary High-Speed Wi-Fi onboard
What's not included- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food & Beverages (Available to purchase on board)
- Gratuity
- Make your way to the pier on Midtown Manhattan’s west side. Arrive with plenty of time before your desired departure. Keep your camera ready as the cruise pulls into the Hudson River, and pass the landmarks that define the New York City skyline, from the Empire State Building to Lady Liberty. There’s a tour guide onboard for commentary on passing sights. Get up-close views, within 100 feet (30 meters) of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and take advantage of snacks and drinks available for purchase on the boat. As you make your way back up the Hudson River, take in the city skyline, as well as the bustling boat traffic that links Manhattan with Jersey City. The tour concludes at the original departure point.
- Start:
- Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, 83 North River Piers West 43rd Street and, 12th Ave, New York, NY 10036, USAPier 83
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Wheelchair accessible
- Pushchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 2800SLR- Most travellers can participate
- For children/infants under the age of 3, please ask at the box office for an infant ticket; it is free of charge.
- Please arrive at least 30-minutes prior to the departure time for boarding.
- Food and drinks are NOT allowed to be brought on board
- Non-English-speaking guests can now make the most of their cruise with the free Circle Line Sightseeing app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. The app lets you follow along with a guided tour in your language, including Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. Be sure to bring your own headphones, as headsets aren’t provided. Download the app today and enjoy exploring New York City like never before!
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 200 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- What is the departure point for the Circle Line: NYC Liberty Cruise?
- The cruise conveniently departs from Pier 83 @ West 42nd Street and the West Side Highway, in Midtown Manhattan.Answered Jun 2021
- Is there parking near the departure for the Circle Line: NYC Liberty Cruise?
- Parking available at Circle Line Sightseeing, Pier 83, W 42nd Street. $30 before 3 pm weekdays and $35 after 3 pm weekdays and all weekends. (Prices subject to change.)Answered Jun 2021
- Can I take the subway to get to the Circle Line: NYC Liberty Cruise?
- Yes - Take the 1, 2, 3, 7, A, C, E, N, Q or R train to Times Square 42nd St; train B, D, F to 5th Ave and 42nd St, or 4, 5, 6 train to 42nd St Grand Central Station. Take the M42 bus west or walk 5 avenues west to Pier 83 (about 1 mile or 1.6km).Answered Jun 2021
- Can I take a bus to get to the Circle Line: NYC Liberty Cruise?
- Yes - From 42nd Street take the M42 bus going West, directly to the Circle Line Pier. From 49th Street take the M50 bus directly to the Circle Line pier.Answered Jun 2021
The tour operator has provided the following answers to customers’ questions.- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 2800SLR
From
£27.49
per adult
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Itinerary
- 83 North River Piers West 43rd Street and, 12th Ave, New York, NY 10036, USAPier 83
- Pass byManhattan SkylineHudson YardsThe VesselJacob Javits Convention CenterLittle IslandOne World Trade CenterStatue of LibertyNew York HarborEllis IslandGovernors Island
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Glenn M0 contributionsVery Enjoyable TourReally enjoyed this tour and a super trip right around manhattan with good sights of the other Boroughs. Fascinating to go right around the top. The commentary from the host was really good, informative and some personal stories to break up the journey. Very good catering facilities on board although we just had cup of tea. I thought the tour was very good value considering the dear prices of everything in NYCWritten 15 February 2025
- williecU4483ZV0 contributionsTOO MUCH TALK TALK TALKEnjoyed boat and visuals...BUT NONSTOP narration w constant corny attemps at humor was almost unberable. The guy never stopped talking for over 2 hrs. Much of his good info was lost in his attemps to perform w lame jokes. Nice man but over the top. Offer subway & bus directions to location. ThanksWritten 12 February 2025
- Potomac_110 contributionsThe Greatest SkylineViewing the world's greatest skyline at night by boat was terrific. Included sailing right up to the Statue of Liberty. Highly recommended.Written 8 February 2025
- Julieh070 contributionsDirty windows so not much photo opportunity!Great commentary from the tour guide but the downstairs windows are filthy which makes getting even one decent picture impossible!Written 7 February 2025
- Julie W0 contributionsNew York at nightBoat was big and lots of room and seats. Clean toilets and cafe was stocked. The tour guy who explained the whole of the New York history was amazing and very informative. Only down side to not getting a 5 was because you couldn't see very well out the downstairs windows so we had to go out on the deck which was extremely cold. We throughly enjoyed the experience.Written 5 February 2025
- bryanfD8616VU0 contributionsTerrified Day on the water!Had a terrific day with Dave as our guide. Good guy, funny and knowledgeable. You could tell Dave loved The City - which is the best way to learn. Highly recommend!Written 2 February 2025
- laurajQ2434MH0 contributionsAn absolute must do!A fabulous way to end our trip. We did this on our last night & it was amazing. A very chatty & knowledgeable guide. The boat was large, clean & tidy. We set off at 6 & were there at 5.30pm. I'd get there around 5 to queue up if you want window seats as they were all taken. However, there is plenty of opportunities for photos both outward & on the return trip.Written 2 February 2025
- AstridWilson0 contributionsFavorite site seeing tourWe had My City Pass tickets for a 3PM Landmarks Circle Line tour @ Pier 8. This was my favorite Site seeing attraction. The tour is an hour and ½ and sails from midtown to dumbo and back. We arrived early as suggested and were able to get great seats along the side. The tour director was entertaining, funny, sang great and the history and details of the sites she pointed out were truly interesting. The highlight of this tour was of course the Statue of Liberty which we sailed by, and each side of the boat got a pass by. I even brought the foam Statue of Liberty hats that I bought in the 1990s when we were last in NYC with the kids. On that trip we viewed NYC from the top of the world trade center.Written 18 January 2025
- family-reviews20210 contributionsCircle line night lights manhattan tour.What an absolutely fabulous experience to view the lower manhattan district at night. Very nice. Rather cold for January but get wrapped up. Once sailing you can move around freely and you have a knowledgeable guide pointing out places of interest. Boat has a bar on board so you can buy food drink, beers wines etc. Staff all very helpful and accommodating. Would defo recommend this tour company.Written 18 January 2025
- jasm0nd0 contributionsMust do!Amazing views and great photo opportunities! I enjoyed the various floors to roam and the heated areas when up top got too chilly. The 3:30pm cruise is perfect for sunset in the winter! The staff and tour guide were also amazing!Written 15 January 2025
- Richard S0 contributionsManhattan at its most majestic and magicalFrom buying the tickets at the pier to stepping onboard and enjoying a magical 90 minutes of magical views of Manhattan, this was a real highlight of a New York vacation. The entire team offer unrivalled customer service… even Banjo (one of the team’s dog who is occasionally present at the pier) to the bar staff and boat band members… it’s remarkable how one company has managed to get such an incredible team together to offer a most memorable experience by day or night on the Hudson. We enjoyed the Christmas boat trip complete with festive tunes, cookies, comfy seats, great views from inside and out along with a fantastic selection of drinks. We’ll certainly do this again on a return trip and only wish we could get the same team to offer such trips on the River Thames in London!Written 15 January 2025
- 875aceb0 contributionsHeard loud totally narcissistic gabble for more than 2.5 hours. Otherwise great sights.Went on the Best Of NY tour. Saturday January 11th. We left the port at 12 noon. We were greeted coming aboard in a courtliest manner.Written 13 January 2025
- dxdt0 contributionsSunset time was beautiful for photos!Great sight seeing at sunset, but the guide was distracting. It was a great boat ride, and the guide had so many interesting facts. However his cheesy lecture was so chaotic, it was hard to pick out the facts about the sights. I get not having a blah blah blah lecture but the over the top meant we missed some of the historical context. Late afternoon tour had beautiful photo ops! Drinks were reasonably priced, pretzels were stale.Written 10 January 2025
- KateEdin0 contributionsDefinitely worth it!We had so much fun! My recommendation is not to have any expectations other than the view of the spectacular NYC skylines. The cocktails were unusual (peanut butter whisky hot chocolate!) and the food basic (hot dogs and pizza) but the experience was out of this world, and the compare, was hilarious and so well informed. Wrap up VERY warm and enjoy this fun trip round Manhattan. We paid for the regular tix and sat on the outside deck for the best views.Written 8 January 2025
- lorrainetR5713AA0 contributionsSightseeing from the waterIt’s a great trip and would highly recommend this was my 3rd time on circle line It gives great views history and information Gives different sights from the water and gives the feet a restWritten 8 January 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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4.5
338 reviews
Excellent
234
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60
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19
Poor
6
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19
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Resort47115639080
1 contribution
May 2024 • Friends
The tour was in May, and our guide, Steve, made the experience unforgettable! He was incredibly funny and kept everyone entertained throughout the trip. His jokes were spot-on, and he had a fantastic way of engaging with the group, making us all feel involved and excited about the sights we were seeing.
Steve shared interesting stories and facts about the landmarks we passed, all while maintaining a light-hearted atmosphere. His enthusiasm was contagious and truly enhanced the overall tour experience. If you find yourself in New York and fancy a fun boat tour, I highly recommend requesting Steve as your guide!
Steve shared interesting stories and facts about the landmarks we passed, all while maintaining a light-hearted atmosphere. His enthusiasm was contagious and truly enhanced the overall tour experience. If you find yourself in New York and fancy a fun boat tour, I highly recommend requesting Steve as your guide!
Written 11 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peej M
Oxford, UK301 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
The Circle Line tours are legendary in New York with good reason. They offer great value for money, entertaining guides, and of course the all important photo opportunities for some of the most famous landmarks and sites in New York.
We opted for the Circle Line NYC Liberty Cruise, which sails out past Ellis Island and Liberty Island, also taking in the dockside / shoreside sights as you sail on by.
The boats are fully featured with air-conditioning inside, or if you don't mind the August heat, seats outside on deck (put your sunblock on, your mom called!)
Our guide Dave was very entertaining, and didn't just give us the history of the landmarks but also filled us in on what it's like to live as a New Yorker, and what life was like in and around the time of the first immigrants coming to America for the first time, and also what it was like living in New York around the time of 9/11.
The tour lasts for a good couple of hours and you honestly can't take a bad photo from the boat. Most folk were really polite and didn't get in the way of our photos, which was nice to see.
I would definitely advise pre-booking tickets online or via your phone before turning up (obviously) so you avoid the queues at the ticket booths, but even on a busy weekday we were very quickly boarded and seated, and thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Definitely one of the top things to do in New York.
We opted for the Circle Line NYC Liberty Cruise, which sails out past Ellis Island and Liberty Island, also taking in the dockside / shoreside sights as you sail on by.
The boats are fully featured with air-conditioning inside, or if you don't mind the August heat, seats outside on deck (put your sunblock on, your mom called!)
Our guide Dave was very entertaining, and didn't just give us the history of the landmarks but also filled us in on what it's like to live as a New Yorker, and what life was like in and around the time of the first immigrants coming to America for the first time, and also what it was like living in New York around the time of 9/11.
The tour lasts for a good couple of hours and you honestly can't take a bad photo from the boat. Most folk were really polite and didn't get in the way of our photos, which was nice to see.
I would definitely advise pre-booking tickets online or via your phone before turning up (obviously) so you avoid the queues at the ticket booths, but even on a busy weekday we were very quickly boarded and seated, and thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Definitely one of the top things to do in New York.
Written 13 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Happy s0ng
4 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Had a great time on the 2.5 hour circle line tour. We sat on top and enjoyed the sites. Although hot before we began, once the boat started moving it was lovely, with a nice breeze. We have lived in the area for 25 years but learned so much about so many buildings, landmarks and neighborhoods. Our guide, Andy, was engaging and funny and shared so much information. We are glad we were able to do the full circle (it was unclear if we’d only be able to do part due to the tide) because we found his presentation about the Bronx and the GWB to be fascinating. We’d have been disappointed to miss that part. All in all a great activity, and something we’d recommend for tourists who want to get a feel for many landmarks and neighborhoods in NYC, as well as for locals to learn more about the area.
Written 3 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sharon S
16 contributions
I was travelling with my 17yo daughter and I remembered going this one hour cruise over 20 years ago. It did not disappoint! We paid extra for the premium seats which were more comfy at the front on the first floor deck but you got great views from the whole boat regardless of which seating you had.
The tour guide was amazing. He was so knowledgable and made it really interesting and fun. The trip goes past the Statue of Liberty and then returns back so you get to see everything either on the way there or on the way back so you can sit anywhere and not miss anything.
An hour was enough for us on this chilly December day as we didn’t want a long day on the boat and you get to see so much anyway.
Would definitely recommend this tour company. Very professional.
The tour guide was amazing. He was so knowledgable and made it really interesting and fun. The trip goes past the Statue of Liberty and then returns back so you get to see everything either on the way there or on the way back so you can sit anywhere and not miss anything.
An hour was enough for us on this chilly December day as we didn’t want a long day on the boat and you get to see so much anyway.
Would definitely recommend this tour company. Very professional.
Written 5 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melissa B
2 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
We did the Liberty Express cruise. It was okay, but nothing amazing like other reviews led us to believe. The biggest highlight was just getting to see the lower Manhattan skyline, Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island, as we wouldn’t have had a chance to see them otherwise.
Our guide was a young guy. He was very informational, but only talked for 20-25 minutes, then music played over the speakers for the rest of the boat ride. I was expecting commentation for the entire trip, so that was definitely a let down. Also, we sat on the top of the boat, and the microphone cut in and out the entire time, so we were only catching some bits whenever he actually was talking. Thankfully it was included with our City Pass, or else I would have been disappointed in spending $25+ per person
Our guide was a young guy. He was very informational, but only talked for 20-25 minutes, then music played over the speakers for the rest of the boat ride. I was expecting commentation for the entire trip, so that was definitely a let down. Also, we sat on the top of the boat, and the microphone cut in and out the entire time, so we were only catching some bits whenever he actually was talking. Thankfully it was included with our City Pass, or else I would have been disappointed in spending $25+ per person
Written 2 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GrantW
Dallas, TX194 contributions
Our whole family enjoyed this great cruise. We did the midtown pier departure (next to Intrepid carrier museum) and the cruise lasted about 1hr. It was just the right amount of time. We got to learn lots of fun and informative details about NYC history, architecture, and then we also cruised right up next to the Statue of Liberty for some nice family pics. We opted to pay the extra cost for the premier tickets and we felt it was worth it to skip the main boarding line and to have a reserved area on the very top deck, with more comfortable seats and a smaller crowd. (Sidenote: the lower levels were packed in liked sardines and looked like a less enjoyable experience.) We recommend this cruise for families or anyone looking for a nice and efficient way to see the city and Lady Liberty from the water.
Written 24 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ciglebur
Caceres, Spain789 contributions
We decided to take this cruise because of the speed and because in one hour, we did two activities in one: see the Statue of Liberty and take a cruise along the Hudson River. This time saving is important in New York where there are so many things to do. The cruises leave from Pier 83, a pier that we reach by walking along 46th Street.
The boats leave very often and the admission process is very fast. It was one of the attractions included in the New York City Pass card and reserved by time.
The walk is a delight. You descend the Hudson River, observing the entire Manhattan skyline on one side and the state of New Jersey, on the other with the city of Jersey City. At the end is the Statue of Liberty. The boat passes very close and slowly, giving you plenty of time to take thousands of photographs. Then the return begins through the same place. In short, a very pleasant and fast ride that I recommend.
The boats leave very often and the admission process is very fast. It was one of the attractions included in the New York City Pass card and reserved by time.
The walk is a delight. You descend the Hudson River, observing the entire Manhattan skyline on one side and the state of New Jersey, on the other with the city of Jersey City. At the end is the Statue of Liberty. The boat passes very close and slowly, giving you plenty of time to take thousands of photographs. Then the return begins through the same place. In short, a very pleasant and fast ride that I recommend.

Written 26 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deepak the traveller
Mumbai, India352 contributions
There are many options of cruise in NYC, however Circle Line is one of the best to go around the city. There are multiple options which are available from a 50 minute cruise to a 2.5 hour cruise around the city as well as a night Cruise. Go for the 2.5 hour cruise which starts at Piere 83 and ends there ! Tuesday boats are fantastic and the guides are too good. There is food available on cruise and very well maintained rest rooms ! Great photo oops!
Written 18 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stacey M
9 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
We took the 1 hour liberty cruise which was great fun. David the Tour Guide was hilarious, interested in the passengers and so informative on the area. This is a great way to see Lady Liberty without having to get off and visit the island. We really enjoyed getting to see NYC from a different perspective and learn new information about the city.
Written 9 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sat S N
Reading, UK5 contributions
Aug 2022
If your objective is to see the statue of liberty from a boat then this tour is fine, boat will go around the river and back within an hour. However if you want to visit the statue on the island and get to see the lady liberty up close and personal then book a ferry from the official statue tours roughly $25 adults $12 kids. Which is what we did after learning circle line didn't stop on the island. We spent about half a day on the island and got to visit the museum on the island for free too, you could also visit elis island within the same ticket.
Written 15 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sorry how do you cancel a tour for june 30 at 1:30 pm husband had hip surgery and we cant go.
Written 8 June 2021
No they didn’t when we went
Written 25 September 2019
They offer a 50% discount for active and non-active duty United States Veterans on all of our regular Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises. Just present your military I.D. at our ticket office when you come to purchase tickets.
Written 22 August 2019
Yes, there are bars on the deck and inside the cabin.
Written 19 September 2019
Do the vouchers reserve a specific day/time?
Or are they exchanged when you are at Pier 83 for a specific day/time?
Written 21 September 2018
I bought mine on line with a specific date and time. try and do early morning otherwise queues can be horrendous.
Written 21 September 2018
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