FAQs

May I bring food aboard?

Yes. However, we only allow light snacks. 

May I bring alcohol aboard?

No. It is unlawful to bring alcohol aboard. Many of our cruises include a complimentary first beverage, and additional alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are available for purchase by credit card throughout the fleet.

Is the boat safe?

Yes. Each boat in the fleet is certified by the U.S. Coast Guard, meaning that all related federal regulations are fully adhered to, including having the correct safety equipment and meeting safety training standards for the captains and crew.  

Am I likely to get seasick?

It is uncommon for our guests to experience seasickness in the protected waters of New York Harbor, but those who are prone to it are advised to consider preventative measures of their choosing.

What is the seating like?

Seating styles vary across the fleet. On all boats, there is outdoor seating available, but only the sailboats have outdoor seating to accommodate all guests. On the motor boats, indoor seating in covered areas is also available.

The Manhattans have large, enclosed, climate-controlled spaces for year-round comfort.  This cabin seating includes cushioned benches that wrap around tables as well as chairs that can be arranged to accommodate groups of various sizes.  Guests tend to share tables with other guests. It is a very social seating style. For most departures, seating on the Manhattans is assigned. In these cases, guests are asked if there are any other bookings with whom they would like to be seated.

The seating on the schooners (sailing yachts Adirondack and America 2.0) is unassigned. It is “open-deck” style seating on benches or cabin tops, and guests are exposed to the elements (i.e. wind, sun, or cool conditions) throughout the sailing experience.

Kingston features cushioned, wrap-around seating in an enclosed cabin as well as bench seating on the open deck at the bow. 

Full Moon is divided into an enclosed cabin with a sofa as well as cushioned chairs and benches, a covered aft deck with open air viewing that includes cushioned benches, and an open bow with yacht-style lounging chairs.

What type of ticket should I buy? 

A ticket must be selected for each person in your group, including infants. Some of our cruises and sails have child or student tickets and infant tickets. Generally, our evening time cruises and sails or heavily-narrated cruises (such as the AIANY Architecture Tours) do not have infant or child tickets available. If that is the case, each individual must have the general admission ticket purchased for them.

The recommended excursions for families with children are the Statue & Skyline Cruises, the Day Sails, the Brunch Cruises, and the Cocoa & Carols Cruises. Infants are not really recommended for our activities, but infant tickets are available on some of the more family-friendly events such as those listed above.

May I smoke aboard?

No. Smoking is not allowed on our boats at any time.

Are the boats ADA accessible?

Please see full detail regarding accessibility with the Classic Harbor Line fleet.

What is the route, and what do we see?

Our routes vary slightly. The standard cruises and schooner sails provide views of the Financial District, Governors Island, Upper New York Harbor, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty, with the exception of some seasonal and specialty cruises that travel North on the Hudson River (such as our Fall Foliage Cruises and Sails). Our standard route on the motor yachts typically approaches the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges and may pass under them, but we do not guarantee this experience as it varies with boat traffic, tidal conditions, and other factors. The sailboats do not often cruise under the Brooklyn Bridge because we try to maximize trip time under sail with the engines off, but on rare, windless days some captains may choose to add this to the route.

Any cruise that circumnavigates the island of Manhattan will additionally traverse the East River and the Harlem River, will pass under 19 bridges, and will include views of the Brooklyn waterfront, Queens, the United Nations Headquarters, Roosevelt Island, Queens, the Bronx, Yankee Stadium, the Cloisters, the Palisades, the George Washington Bridge, the Upper West Side of Manhattan, parts of Times Square, and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

Special tours may have additional sites on their routes or deviate slightly from the above. Those details may be found in the activity descriptions specific to each tour.

Do you ever cancel due to weather?

Yes. Occasionally we have to cancel due to weather.

The open decks of the schooners (sailboats) make them more susceptible to a cancellation due to rain, particularly if the weather is chilly or breezy as well as wet. However, some of our most memorable sails have included rain on warm days because these trips sometimes provide incredible cloud formations and photo opportunities. Ponchos are available for guests on sailboats that experience rain. Sails may also be shut down due to extremely high winds.

The motor boats feature enclosed salons and can operate comfortably in wet conditions as well as snow and fog, but we do cancel these trips for extreme weather on rare occasions.

If any of our trips are canceled due to weather, you will be contacted as soon as possible using the contact information you have provided, and you will be given the opportunity to reschedule, convert to gift certificate credit, or take a full refund. We also offer Trip Cancellation Protection for tickets purchased with us directly that allows for flexibility if weather is a concern.

Are life jackets available?

Yes. Each of our boats operates with the required number of life jackets that is specified by our U.S. Coast Guard certified documentation. Each life jacket is a “Type 1” life jacket. They are rigid, bright orange life jackets that are designed for emergency use and are designed to keep your head afloat at sea. For the most part, they are not comfortable to wear while sitting on a boat. The life jackets for children are also “Type 1” life jackets. If you would like to comfortably wear a life jacket or have one for a child to wear while cruising or sailing with us, we suggest bringing your own.

Is gratuity included with my ticket?

When purchasing tickets for parties of 8 or more on Food Cruises there will be an additional gratuity charge of 15% applied to your tickets. For groups of 10 or more on all other cruises, there will be an additional 10% gratuity added. Gratuity is not included in the ticket price for smaller parties than the above.

Do your cruises sell out?

Often times, they do, so it is highly recommended to book early, especially for a sunset or weekend excursion.

Can I get a refund for my ticket?

**Refund/Rescheduling Policy**

An option to reschedule or convert to a gift certificate is available up until 24 hours prior to departure for bookings of 1 to 9 guests. Bookings of 10 to 16 guests must notify us 1 week in advance to reschedule or convert to gift certificate credit. Bookings of 17 or more must notify us 2 weeks in advance to reschedule or covert to gift certificate credit. We are not able to offer refunds unless our Trip Cancellation Protection has been purchased with your tickets. Trip Cancellation Protection provides the option to reschedule, convert to a gift card credit, or receive a full refund if written notice is provided no later than 1 hour in advance of trip departure. Requests for cancellation, rescheduling, or conversion to gift credit must be sent by email to [email protected].

*Unique cancelation terms can be offered upon request. Please call 212-627-1825, option 4.

Is the boat available for Private Charters?

Yes! Each boat is available for private charter. Please contact [email protected] or fill out a Private Event Inquiry Form to inquire.