Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge on One Midtown Cruise
Eighty minutes from Pier 78 down the Hudson, a pause in front of the Statue of Liberty, then around the tip of Manhattan and up the East River.
This is NY Waterway's middle cruise, and the extra half hour over its 50-minute run buys the East River. The boat leaves Pier 78 in Midtown, works down the Hudson past Hudson Yards and Little Island, and pauses in front of the Statue of Liberty for photos.
Then it rounds the southern tip of Manhattan and heads up the East River, past the Brooklyn Bridge to the United Nations. Nothing on the route is a stop ashore. A live guide narrates in English.
Adults pay USD 35 and children four to eleven pay USD 30. Through December there is one sailing a day, at 11:30 AM, and none on Christmas Day. One booking holds up to fifteen travelers, with at least one adult. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
80-Minute NYC Must-See Essentials CruiseEighty minutes from Pier 78 with NY Waterway: down the Hudson, a pause at the Statue of Liberty, then up the East River past the Brooklyn Bridge. Live English guide, top deck included.www.viator.comDown the Hudson to the Statue
The first half is the west side. Hudson Yards goes by with Edge and Vessel in the same stretch of skyline, then Chelsea Piers and Little Island, the planted park raised on concrete columns over the river. The Empire State Building shows up in glimpses between the towers.
Downtown brings One World Trade Center. The one planned pause is in front of the Statue of Liberty, held long enough for everyone to take the picture. Ellis Island and Governors Island pass in the same stretch of harbor. Neither island is a stop; this ticket is the view from the water.
Around the Tip and Up the East River
This is the part the shorter cruise skips. After the statue the boat rounds the southern tip of Manhattan past Battery Park and heads up the East River. South Street Seaport and the Brooklyn Bridge come up along the way, and the route reaches the United Nations headquarters before the boat heads back to Pier 78.
If the Brooklyn Bridge is on your list, this is the shortest NY Waterway cruise that reaches it. Recent travelers write mostly about the guide. One wrote in October that with little time to spare, it "was a great way to see the sights."
Pier 79 Sells Tickets, Pier 78 Boards
The two piers sit next door to each other on 12th Avenue in the West 30s, and mixing them up costs time. Pier 79 is the box office and the Midtown ferry terminal; booked travelers skip it and go straight to the boarding line at Pier 78, at West 38th Street. Boarding opens 20 minutes before departure, so aim to be in line by 11:10 AM.
Every ticket includes NY Waterway's free buses to and from Pier 79. They run several routes across Manhattan, before the cruise and after it.
Children, Access and What Is Sold on Board
Child tickets cover ages four to eleven, and adult tickets start at 12. Children 11 and under need an adult aged 18 or over with them, and infants ride on an adult's lap. The boat is wheelchair and stroller accessible, and service animals are welcome aboard.
The ticket covers indoor and outdoor seating, the top deck at no extra charge and Wi-Fi on board. Drinks, snacks and alcohol are sold on board, not included.
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund. Cancellations inside 24 hours and no-shows are not refunded, and the cruise can be called off for bad weather.
📍 Board at Pier 78, West 38th Street and 12th Avenue. Pier 79 next door is the box office, not the boarding gate.
Bring a layer for the top deck, get to the rail before the statue comes up, and keep the camera out once the boat turns into the East River.