Three Rivers, One Island: Manhattan's Full Loop by Boat
Two and a half hours around the whole island: down the Hudson, up the East and Harlem Rivers, back to Pier 83.
The route is a circle. The boat leaves Pier 83, runs south down the Hudson past the harbor, turns at the Battery, heads north up the East River, then enters the Harlem River and crosses the top of the island before coming back down the Hudson to where it started. Thirty-five miles, twenty bridges overhead, one continuous lap.
The first half is the New York people recognize from photographs. The second half is quieter and stranger. Once the boat turns into the Harlem River the water narrows, the skyline falls away, and you pass a run of stone and steel arch bridges set low over the channel.
Two seat tiers are sold. Standard is general admission, with the outdoor deck and the climate-controlled cabin both open. Premier adds early boarding and a reserved cushioned section indoors.
Circle Line: 2.5hr Complete Manhattan Island CruiseFull-island sightseeing cruise from Pier 83. Standard or Premier seating, live English narration on board.www.viator.comThe Harbor Half
Leaving Pier 83 the boat runs south along the West Side, past Hudson Yards and Little Island, then out into the harbor where it slows. The boat pauses at several points around Liberty Island. Ellis Island sits just to the north, and Governors Island fills the water to the east.
From there the route swings around the Battery and turns up the East River, under the Brooklyn Bridge and past the South Street Seaport. A guide narrates the whole way, live and in English.
North of the Skyline
The Harlem River is the stretch that turns this into a full circuit. The channel narrows, the banks go green and rocky, and bridges stack up one behind another. The boats built for this route carry a maximum air draft of 22.5 feet, low enough to clear the fixed bridges up here. At the island's northern corner they enter Spuyten Duyvil Creek and wait for a railroad swing bridge to pivot open before passing back into the Hudson.
Tides govern this section. High water can make the full circle impossible, and Circle Line adjusts the route when that happens. The company answers a phone line from 9:30 AM on the day of sailing for anyone who wants to check first: (212) 563-3200.
Deck or Cabin
The outdoor deck is where the views are unobstructed, and it is also where the wind is. Two and a half hours on open water in spring or autumn runs colder than the same afternoon on shore. The cabin is climate controlled and has windows on both sides, which makes it the place to retreat to for part of the trip.
Premier seating buys early boarding and a reserved cushioned section indoors. Premier sits on the second or third level, and Circle Line notes those levels may not be wheelchair accessible. Standard wheelchair access covers the first level, and the gangways at Pier 83 take electric wheelchairs and scooters.
Worth Knowing Before You Board
Narration on board is live and in English. Circle Line also runs a free app carrying the same tour in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Korean and Japanese. Bring your own headphones for it, or buy a pair on board.
A few things worth sorting out in advance:
- One small to medium bag per person, screened at the pier. There is no luggage storage on board.
- Outside food and drink stay ashore. The snack bar sells food, beer, wine and cocktails.
- Certified service animals are welcome. Other animals are not.
- Children under 3 ride free, with an infant ticket from the box office.
- Sailings run rain, wind or snow. The full-island loop takes the deep winter off, with no departures between January 5 and March 5. The rest of the year it leaves twice a day, at 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM.
Boarding is at Pier 83, on the Hudson at West 42nd Street. Circle Line asks for 45 minutes to an hour before departure. Boarding passes and security screening both happen at the pier, and the boats leave on schedule. Booked through Viator, the sailing can be cancelled for a full refund up to 24 hours ahead.
The boat returns to the same pier it left from. Hell's Kitchen begins a few blocks east, which puts dinner about ten minutes from the gangway.