circle line tour nyc reviews

Circle Line Best of NYC Cruise Review

Cross under 20 bridges and see all five boroughs of New York City

Godsfriendchuck/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 4.0

Since 1945, Circle Line has shown visitors New York City from the city's major waterways. The three-hour Full Island Cruise offers visitors a chance to circumnavigate the entire island of Manhattan, and see many of New York City's popular attractions , including the Statue of Liberty , Ellis Island , South Street Seaport and the Empire State Building .

About Circle Line's Best of NYC Cruise

Circling Manhattan on the Full Island Cruise is a great way to get an overview of the layout of Manhattan and New York City. It's no wonder that over 60 million passengers have ridden on Circle Line's various cruises -- they offer a unique and manageable way to get an overview of New York City's many attractions.

Throughout the three-hour cruise, a tour guide narrates through the boat's speaker system, pointing out important landmarks, sharing trivia and highlighting some of the history of New York City. The trip includes a closeup pass of the Statue of Liberty -- perfect for picture taking, and for many visitors on a short visit this is a great opportunity to view the popular attraction as part of a larger tour. Seeing downtown Manhattan from the water is truly remarkable, as is discovering the northern reaches of Manhattan, which are surprisingly lush and green.

Three-hours is a bit on the long side to be on the boat -- though there is plenty of space for walking about, children might be happier on the shorter 2-hour semi-circle cruise.

Attractions Featured on Circle Line's Best of NYC Cruise

• Jacob Javits Center
• World Financial Center
• Battery Park
• Ellis Island
• Statue of Liberty
• Wall Street
• South Street Seaport
• Brooklyn Bridge
• Empire State Building
• Chrysler Building
• United Nations
• Roosevelt Island
• Gracie Mansion
• Yankee Stadium
• Palisades of New Jersey
• George Washington Bridge
• Grant's Tomb
• Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument
• Passenger Ship Terminal
• The Intrepid

Essential Information about the Circle Line's Best of NYC Cruise

• The sightseeing cruise leaves from Pier 83 between 42nd and 43rd Streets at 12th Avenue
• Mass Transit to Circle Line Pier : A/C/E, 1/2/3, N/R/Q, 7 or S to 42nd St./Times Square - change to the M42 or M50 Bus running along 42nd Street which will take you to the 42nd Street Pier
• Circle Line's Full Island Cruise is available with The New York Pass and CityPass for a $5 upgrade.
• Circle Line Payment : Cash and Major Credit Cards
• Circle Line's Full Island Cruise Schedule - cruises are offered daily throughout the year, with more options during the summer and just a single sailing during the colder winter months
• During peak times tickets sell out, especially if you have your heart set on a particular cruise, so plan to arrive early to buy your tickets or be flexible about the cruise you go on.
• The ship is not designed to accommodate handicapped people -- there are narrow stairs down to the bathrooms, etc., but the crew will do what they can to accommodate you.

Helpful Tips for Circle Line's Full Island Cruise

• Concessions, including beer and wine, are available on board, but you can bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks. The souvenir mug with free refills of soda is a good value.
• They begin boarding the boat about 30 minutes before departure -- you'll want to arrive in time to buy your tickets (which could take 15 minutes, especially on weekends and school breaks) to be near the front of the line. The most desirable seats are along the left-hand side of the boat, as that is the side closest to Manhattan throughout the ride.
• Wear sunscreen if you plan to sit outside or stand at the bow of the boat -- despite the breeze, you can get quite a bit of sun.
• After the cruise departs, they open up the bow of the boat for standing room only -- it's worth checking out the view from there, despite the crowds.
• Bathrooms on board tend to be cleanest early in the trip -- plan accordingly.
• You can book tickets online . You also will need to exchange the ticket voucher for a boarding pass in the ticketing line once you arrive, so there's really no advantage to buying your tickets online.

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Circle Line Cruises

• See all photos

Circle Line: Complete Manhattan Island Cruise

Circle Line: New York City Landmarks Cruise

Circle Line: New York City Harbor Lights Cruise

Circle Line: NYC Liberty Cruise

Circle Line: NYC Beast Speedboat Ride

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Circle Line Cruises - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

Circle Line Cruises

• See all photos

Circle Line: Complete Manhattan Island Cruise

Circle Line: New York City Landmarks Cruise

Circle Line: New York City Harbor Lights Cruise

Circle Line: NYC Liberty Cruise

Circle Line: NYC Beast Speedboat Ride

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

CIRCLE LINE CRUISES (New York City) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Circle Line Cruises

• See all photos

Circle Line: Complete Manhattan Island Cruise

Circle Line: New York City Landmarks Cruise

Circle Line: New York City Harbor Lights Cruise

Circle Line: NYC Liberty Cruise

Circle Line: NYC Beast Speedboat Ride

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Circle Line Cruises - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Circle Line Cruises

• See all photos

Circle Line: Complete Manhattan Island Cruise

Circle Line: New York City Landmarks Cruise

Circle Line: New York City Harbor Lights Cruise

Circle Line: NYC Liberty Cruise

Circle Line: NYC Beast Speedboat Ride

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

CIRCLE LINE CRUISES: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Circle Line Cruise in NYC: The 6 Best Tours in 2024

Circle Line in New York is the oldest and largest provider of boat tours, giving tourists a grand view of the city since 1945. With their distinctive green and white paintwork and red accents, the boats can be seen from afar and are an integral part of the harbor of New York City. There are several boat tours from Circle Line that you can choose from while visiting New York City.

You should also read these articles

• The Best Cruises in New York
• Classic Harbor Line Tours

In this post, I will show you all the Circle Line tours, tell you about my personal favorites, and share budget tips, with which you may be able to go on a Circle Line cruise completely free of charge.

I have taken all the boat tours several times during my many visits to New York City, so if you have any questions, feel free to contact me!

Table of Contents

A Comparison of the Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises

I love experiencing New York City from a boat; there’s hardly a better way to enjoy New York City and its iconic skyline. Except for one tour, Circle Line cruises depart from Pier 83 on the Hudson River and take you at least as far as the Statue of Liberty . Along the way, you’ll see the Hudson Yards with The Edge, the Empire State Building , the new SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, the Chrysler Building, and the incredible One World Trade Center.

Be sure to plan a boat tour in New York City – it’s worth it!

If you want to get a quick overview of the different boat tours offered by Circle Line New York, just check out my chart. Here I have linked not only the duration of the trip, but also the tickets. You can find the schedule for each Circle Line tour below (important for your travel planning!).

My budget tip: many of the Circle Line boat tours are included in the New York Sightseeing Passes! With this article, you will be able to compare the different New York City passes.

Which is The Best Circle Line Cruise of NYC?

First , all routes have their charm and each one offers you a unique view of the New York City skyline. If I were to recommend two, it would be the Harbor Lights Cruise and the Best of New York tour. Why? On the first tour, you will experience New York at night with all its illuminated buildings and reflections on the water – I never get enough of that!

On the Best of New York tour , which takes you all the way around Manhattan, you will see many familiar sights and even more unexpected sides of New York – it’s totally worth it!

The best thing about these tours? They are both included in the popular New York Sightseeing Passes. With them, you can easily save up to 60% on tours & attractions!

Another tip: check out Classic Harbor Line’s boat tours – they’re also some of my favorites!

Sightseeing with Circle Line Cruises

The different boat tours take you along these attractions; as you can see, the routes of the Landmarks Cruise and the Harbor Lights Cruise are identical. One of them is operated during the day and the other one during the evening.

Routes of the Landmarks Cruise, Harbor Lights Cruise and the Statue-Cruises

Route of Best of NYC Full Island Cruise

These are the Best Circle Line Cruises in New York

I have compiled all the boat tours, including the 2023 schedules here:

01 Harbor Lights Tour

The Harbor Lights Tour by Circle Line is one of the most popular tours on a boat. You will experience New York from its most beautiful side: when you leave at dusk, the city changes bit by bit and shines. The harbor cruise gives you a great view of the New York skyline at night.

Duration: 2 hours

Departure: 7:00 pm

02 Circle Line Best of NYC Cruise (2,5h)

Following three rivers, passing seven major bridges, and all five boroughs of New York, this tour will take you completely around the island of Manhattan so you can see more than 25 of the city’s world-famous landmarks. Because this Circle Line boat tour is one of the most popular tours, you should book the tickets online in advance.

Be sure to sit on the left – that way you’ll be on the Manhattan-facing side!

Duration: 2.5 hours

03 Circle Line Landmarks Cruise (2,5h)

This 1.5-hour boat tour is one of the most booked tours and is simply called “The Best of Manhattan” tour by the operator “Circle Line”. Here you can enjoy the skyline of the city with its striking skyscrapers and get very close to landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty or the Brooklyn Bridge.  By the way, this boat tour of Circle Line NYC used to be called “Semi-Circle”, because it only goes around half of Manhattan Island.

Duration: 1.5 hours

04 Statue of Liberty Cruise (Liberty Midtown)

If you can’t spend much time in New York, this tour is perfect for you. It starts in Midtown Manhattan and takes you to the most famous landmark of the city – the Statue of Liberty. On the way to the statue, you will learn many interesting stories about the city’s landmarks and get a lot of information about its history.

Duration: 1 hour

05 Circle Line: Liberty Super Express Downtown

The New York City Statue of Liberty Super Express Cruise is the fastest way to see Lower Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty, and the only Circle Line tour that doesn’t depart from Pier 83 on the Hudson River. If you’re short on time or you’re just cruising downtown Manhattan with the Financial District and want to decide on a boat tour on the spur of the moment, this boat tour is perfect!

It starts at Pier 16 at the South Street Seaport on the East River not far from the Brooklyn Bridge. From here, the Liberty Super Express Downtown will take you to the southern tip of Manhattan and then to the Statue of Liberty. There you stop just before Liberty Island, so you can take the perfect photo of the Statue of Liberty.

Duration: 50 minutes

06 BEAST Speedboat Ride

In summer, it’s “Hold on tight!” time again. The fastest racing boat with turbine drive accelerates to over 70 kilometers per hour in just a few seconds and is guaranteed to make your stomach tingle. This fast-paced experience takes place in front of the New York skyline and is great fun. ATTENTION: Children must be at least 1 m in height to ride. “The Beast” does not ride in the rain!

Duration: 30 minutes

Circle Line boat tours for special events

In addition to the classic sightseeing tours, there are boat tours for many special events. I have compiled the most important and most beautiful of them in individual articles, in which you will find boat tours for the 4th of July in New York, Christmas Cruises , and New Year’s Eve boat tours .

What is Circle Line in New York?

Circle Line is the best known and largest provider of boat tours in New York. Most of the boat tours start at Pier 83 on the Hudson River. On board, you will see sights like the Empire State Building, the One World Observatory, or the new SUMMIT One Vanderbilt.

What can you do near Circle Line NYC 42nd St?

After your boat tour, walk south along the Hudson River. After 15 to 20 minutes you will reach the Hudson Yards. Either walk along the High Line or visit the observation deck named The Edge.

How long do Circle Line NYC boat tours last?

Circle Line boat tours last between 50 minutes and 2.5 hours:

Where can I buy the tickets for the Circle Line boat tours?

You can buy tickets for the Circle Line boat tours here.

Where do the Circle Line boat tours depart from?

The boat tours depart from Pier 83 on the Hudson River. You can’t miss the building with its distinctive green and white coloring. The best way to get there is to take the subway A C E N Q R W to “42 St – Port Authority Bus Terminal” or 7 to “34 Street-Hudson Yards Subway Station.” You can also walk from Times Square, which takes about 20 minutes.

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I'm a true New York fan! Not only have I visited the city over 25 times but also have I spent several months here at a time. On my blog I show you the best and most beautiful spots of the city, so that you have a really good time! You can also find lots of insider tips in our New York travel guide . Also check out my hotel finder for New York !

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BEST SELLER

Best of NYC

PIER 83, MIDTOWN

The only cruise that completely circles Manhattan. Breathtaking views of NYC, Lady Liberty and more! Click for details.

Book Now For April 13th, 2024

• 10:00AM See purchase options for the 10:00AM cruise.
• 1:30PM See purchase options for the 1:30PM cruise.

Liberty Midtown

The fastest way to see Lady Liberty from midtown including amazing views of downtown landmarks.

• 10:30AM See purchase options for the 10:30AM cruise.

Fastest way to Lady Liberty!

Liberty Super Express Downtown

PIER 16, SOUTH ST. SEAPORT

The fastest way to see the Statue of Liberty from Downtown NYC!

• 11:00AM See purchase options for the 11:00AM cruise.
• 11:30AM See purchase options for the 11:30AM cruise.
• 12:00PM See purchase options for the 12:00PM cruise.
• 12:30PM See purchase options for the 12:30PM cruise.
• 1:00PM See purchase options for the 1:00PM cruise.
• 2:00PM See purchase options for the 2:00PM cruise.
• 2:30PM See purchase options for the 2:30PM cruise.
• 3:00PM See purchase options for the 3:00PM cruise.
• 3:30PM See purchase options for the 3:30PM cruise.
• 4:00PM See purchase options for the 4:00PM cruise.
• 4:30PM See purchase options for the 4:30PM cruise.
• 5:00PM See purchase options for the 5:00PM cruise.
• 5:30PM See purchase options for the 5:30PM cruise.
• 6:00PM See purchase options for the 6:00PM cruise.

See Lady Liberty and many other landmarks, plus the best views of the NYC skyline. Click for more info!

Most Daily Cruises

See NYC, Lady Liberty, 140 Landmarks

1, 2 or 2.5 hour cruises from Pier 83, located on the west side of Manhattan. Plus, 50 minute cruises departing from Slip 6 in Battery Park

Our most famous cruise and the only sightseeing experience that completely circles the island of Manhattan.

Guided tour

See the most famous NYC landmarks on both the Hudson and East Rivers, plus breathtaking views of Manhattan’s downtown skyline.

Harbor Lights

See downtown Manhattan, Lady Liberty and all the landmarks along the East River including the Brooklyn Bridge and many more!

An express cruise to the Statue of Liberty from our Midtown pier plus views of downtown NYC, Brooklyn, Ellis Island and more!

Enjoy our daily Statue of Liberty cruise departing from our Downtown locations at Pier 16 South St Seaport

Statue at Sunset

See the Statue of Liberty & the magnificently illuminated NYC skyline at sunset. Departs from our Downtown location at Pier 16!

Music cruise

NYC Summer Nights

See downtown Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty & all the landmarks along the East River including the Brooklyn Bridge and more!

July 4th Fireworks Cruise

From Pier 83 on the Hudson River, we'll cruise down to the Statue of LIberty and around to the East River for the Firework show!

Special event

MIDTOWN ON THE HUDSON & DOWNTOWN PIER 16

How To Find Us

Two convenient locations.

We happily operate 364 days a year from our Midtown location! Our Downtown location operates the 50 minute Liberty Super Express cruise and Statue at Sunset cruise only.