New York Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Sightseeing Cruise
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About this tour
This one-hour narrated cruise loops through New York Harbor and pulls to within 100 feet of the Statue of Liberty, so you get a clear, close look without stepping off the boat. A live guide points out the sights as you pass Ellis Island, the Manhattan skyline, and its famous skyscrapers. There's indoor and outdoor seating, so you can settle in out of the wind or head to the deck for photos. The boat pauses near Lady Liberty so everyone gets their shot.
Highlights
- Cruise across New York Harbor with wide views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty.
- Pass within 100 feet of Lady Liberty, with the boat pausing for photos of the monument.
- Live onboard narration points out the sights, from Ellis Island to One World Trade Center.
- Take in Lower Manhattan and its skyscrapers from the water on this roundtrip harbor cruise.
- See why the statue endures as a global symbol of freedom, democracy, and new beginnings.
- Glide past Ellis Island, the historic gateway where arriving immigrants once first landed in New York.
Places You Will Visit
Included / Excluded
- 1-hour cruise
- Live guide
- Indoor and outdoor seating
- Passes within 100 ft of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Good to Know About Liberty Island and Ellis Island
The Statue of Liberty sits on Liberty Island, and a boat is genuinely the only way to reach it, so build the water time into your plan rather than treating it as a quick add-on. There's no bridge or land access. If you're taking a landing ferry rather than a sightseeing cruise, expect to spend a good chunk of your day between the crossing, security screening, and time on the islands, and know that the different access levels (the grounds, the pedestal, and the crown up inside the figure) each get you a different vantage point. Crown access in particular is very limited and has to be booked well ahead. Dress for the harbor too, since it runs cooler and windier out on the water than it does on the Manhattan streets.
Many landing ferries also stop at Ellis Island, the immigration station where more than 12 million people entered the United States between 1892 and 1954. Inside the restored building you can walk the historic Great Hall, where arrivals were inspected and processed, and see exhibits and personal stories from those journeys. Landing ferries depart from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan or Liberty State Park in New Jersey, both reachable by subway and bus, so public transit saves you the parking headache. The monument itself generally runs 09:00 to 17:00 with hours shifting by season and last entry earlier in the afternoon, and it's closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Mornings and weekdays are the calmest, so an early start helps you skip the longest lines.
Weather in New York
Local time 8:44 PM, UTC-04:00
Available Days / Times
- Monday : 11:00, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30
- Tuesday : 11:00, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30
- Wednesday : 11:00, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30
- Thursday : 11:00, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30
- Friday : 11:00, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30
- Saturday : 11:00, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30
- Sunday : 11:00, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:30
Last updated: Oct 22, 2026
Important Information
- This is a sightseeing cruise: it sails the harbor for close views but does not stop on Liberty or Ellis Island.
- There is no bridge or land access to Liberty Island; every landing visit requires a ferry from Manhattan or New Jersey.
- Crown access is a separate reservation, extremely limited, and often sold out months ahead.
- Landing visits that include both islands typically run 3 to 5 hours with ferry, security, and touring time.
- Visiting several NYC attractions? A city pass or combo ticket can save time and money.
- Guided options include narration and often priority ferry boarding for a more structured visit.
- Go early: ferries and security lines get busier later in the day, especially on weekends and in peak season.
- Liberty and Ellis Islands are wheelchair accessible; crown access uses a narrow staircase and is not suitable for limited mobility.
- Infants on sightseeing cruises usually ride on a parent's lap unless a separate seat is booked.
- Security screening is required before boarding the ferry.
- Large bags and certain items may be restricted at security screening.
- Eating, drinking, and smoking are not allowed inside the Statue of Liberty.
- Photography is fine, but tripods and commercial filming need permission.
- Pets are not allowed on the monument or islands; service animals excepted.
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