Statue Cruises

I enjoyed this cruise to Liberty and Ellis Islands. I’d taken it before in 2010. While it’s true that you can get the same views for free from the Staten Island Ferry, if you really want to see the Statue up close or visit Ellis Island, then this is worth it. The museum on Ellis Island was my favorite part. I’m a history geek, and being up close and personal with such a huge part of American history was amazing to me.
My only complaint was that the café on Liberty Island only served food that was possibly contaminated with shellfish and/​or tree and peanuts. Since I have allergies to all three of those I settled for a banana and a bag of chips. Just a heads up for anyone else with allergies who may be thinking of this tour — eat beforehand or take your own food.

One star for the rudeness and unprofessional attitudes from the security line really pisses you off very rude people in security sat there and yelled at me complete jerk hope he gets fired oh yes I am naming names and sending directly to your supervisor

Statue Cruises is actually accessible from New York’s Battery Park and also New Jersey. According to the
website, they are the only official ferry service to Liberty Island and Ellis Island. After visiting, I noticed that other ferry services will ride past the two tourist attractions, but only Statue Cruises goes directly to the parks and allows passengers to visit the attractions.
The boats are not amazing, but they get the job done. The staff is very friendly and easygoing. The ferries run very frequently, so it is easy to arrive and leave as desired. Solid experience.

I went to Statue of Liberty today and the security woman in green at Battery Park at 9 am around was so rude. She called me road blocker and glared at me all the time. I just wanna finish my last bite of drink and her face looked like I owned her 500 dollars. And she showed that attitude in front of my mother, which is so unacceptable. Probably won’t go again and wish she can treat other customers fairly in the future.

Zur Besichtigung der Freiheitsstatue und Ellis Island ist das die einzige Schifffahrtsgesellschaft, die auf beiden Inseln anlegen darf.
Tickets für die Krone am besten langfristig vor dem Reiseantritt kaufen.
Auf beiden Inseln ist es extrem voll.

The crew was very helpful and nice. We had a wheelchair and they helped us get on and off at every stop. We purchased the tickets with access to the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, which was fun. The nice thing with the pedestal ticket is that you get access to an area at the base of the statue that is one level up from ground level. It is nowhere near as busy as ground level and was a great place to take pictures with the statue without people walking through your picture. Ellis Island was a lot of fun, but I wish we had planned a little more time (we had an hour and a half or so on Ellis Island and you could easily spend three hours there).

From what I’ve learned, there is absolutely no other way to get to Liberty Island or Ellis Island than through Statue Cruises ferry. This is a no-​fuss transport to both attractions. It is a quick 15 – 20 minute ride there and back. Great opportunities to take pictures on the water, have a snack from their snack bars, and relax. Getting off the ferry can be a bit of a cluster-f*ck. They really rush you off (as well as on), and it can get a little uncomfortable with the rocking boat, and all the people shoving their way forward (which is not really their fault as much as our own for being annoying dummies LOL).

I have done this cruise before and all that happened was as expected. A very pleasant time. I am giving five stars because of Elvin. During the trip to Ellis, my eye glass case fell out of my pocket. This was noticed after departing the boat and almost inside the Ellis doors. We quickly returned, and Elvin was AMAZING. He boarded the boat and found the eyeglasses quickly. While this may seem trivial, I am so appreciative of his customer service and pleasant demeanor. Thanks, Elvin. You are a rock star.

Took the Ellis Island/​Statue of Liberty tour tiday from Liberty State Park side… no issues with security at all, less than 5 minutes. Lots of room on ferry, great history at Ellis Island and heading to Statue of Liberty now.

The national monument is obviously amazing, but the service to it is monopolized and just plain bad. Wasn’t a fan of standing in line for security to enter a crowded and dirty ferry. After the first checkpoint a guy kept yelling «keep moving!». Maybe I was just cranky because it was in the AM and super cold, but still, not a great experience. My only other interaction with an employee was at the ticket booth and they were nice.

Stay on the left side they said… It has the best view they said… BALONEY!!! The best place when taking off from NY? Top deck. Rear, right side. Position yourself right by the big black boxes where the life jackets are stored. And no, you don’t have to sit down. You can just stand up all the way to the island. Why rear, right? Best view of Manhattan skyline upon leaving. And the best view of the Statue of Liberty just before you dock on the island.

My experience with Statue Cruises left a lot to be desired. First let me explain how Statue Cruises works from its security procedures to its various start and stop locations. There are two start locations for Statue Cruises, one in Battery Park in Manhattan and the other in Liberty State Park in New Jersey. Make sure you get to your location at least half an hour before your cruise is to depart because there will be long lines, and it is better to be in the front of the line rather than the back. The security procedures for Statue Cruises is essentially the same as TSA with metal detector scanners, having to take off your belts, coats, scarves, and hats, and your bags are scanned. There are three stops with Statue Cruises and they only go in one direction. The first stop is to Liberty Island which is where the Statue of Liberty is located, and this is basically the only stop most tourists care about. The second stop is to Ellis Island which has a museum where you can learn about the history of immigration to the United States from Europe during the early 20^th century. This is a very educational stop, but definitely not the main reason why tourists book through Statue Cruises. The third stop is back where you started, so either Battery Park or Liberty State Park.
How Statue Cruises works is that you can get off at any stop and take a ferry, which comes every 15 – 20 minutes, to you next stop, provided that it is the ferry route which you started with (so if you left from Battery Park, you would need to take the NY ferry shuttle). Statue Cruises is pretty good about marking clearly where you need to stand and wait for the appropriate ferry. But this is where the good points stop for me.
The ferry boats have three floors, with the bottom and second floor being encased and the top floor being completely exposed. Aside from the top floor, the seating arrangements are practically non-​existent except for around the windows of the floors. For the rest of the space, people are crammed in and have to hold onto the supporting poles to maintain their balance. Considering that the ferry boats are not very steady, this can be dangerous if people are unable to keep their balance while the boat is in motion. The boats also have no central heating, but the boat rides are fairly short so this is not really much of an issue.
My biggest issue with Statue Cruises is the wait time between ferry boats. As I stated earlier, boats come every 15 – 20 minutes, but there is no guarantee that you will be able to get on the first boat that comes because they can only let on as many people that get off. This doesn’t really become much of an issue unless you are at Ellis Island waiting for a ferry boat to get back to your starting destination. Ellis Island isn’t a popular stop for many people, so most people don’t get off the boat when they reach this stop. What this means is that if you are one of the unfortunate souls waiting to get on the ferry boat, you may have to wait for a second or even third ferry boat to come and pick you up. This means that you would have to wait outside in the cold for more than an hour to be taken back. Statue Cruises should take wait times into account so their customers aren’t made to wait for incredibly long times between stops, and they should put out more boats.
I wouldn’t use Statue Cruises again if I had another choice, but here’s the thing: Statue Cruises is the ONLY way you can go to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, which makes it that much more frustrating to book with them because there really is no incentive to improve the conditions of the ferry boats or the wait time for passengers to get on the boats. Take my advice, don’t get off at Ellis Island because it really isn’t that interesting and you’ll avoid a potential wait time of over an hour if you did happen to get off.

I came here as part of the Statue of Liberty tour. I don’t know if it was my first tourist attraction or what, but dang they have every language you can think of at the ticket booth (really a nice touch). There are also some interpreters to help you out on the dock. Buy your ticket online or in person and board the boat to see Lady Liberty. If you roam around the Island and take a lot of photos that’ll suffice. I went up to the crown of the statue and I was disappointed. There really isn’t much you do at the crown. You go up, look outside, take a photo (of nothing really) and that’s it. But once you’re inside you go up a small, spiral staircase that could be a claustrophobic to some. Overall a must at least once in your lifetime.

Hey, Statue Cruises security screening staff, why is it necessary to make a 3 year old take off his jacket and scarf to go through a metal detector? Not even TSA from LAX to FDR and back.

We went to the Statue of Liberty with Statue Cruises today, departing from Battery Park. I bought crown access tickets 6 months ago — if you want to go on a weekend you must plan ahead.
As soon as we stepped out of the Bowling Green subway station there were employees from Statue Cruises directing you to the ticket booth, a short walk away.
Our tickets were for 1 pm. I called and was told to arrive 45 minutes ahead to go through security. We arrived about 1.5 hours ahead and it wasn’t an issue. I never understood exactly what the 1 pm time meant — is that when my ferry departs or when I can go up to the crown? We ended up getting off the ferry and to the statue at 1 pm — nobody ever said anything about time — I probably would not go late though. The website did not explain this (or anything, really) well. The ferries leave every 20 minutes or so.
The security line was long and «airport style.» The boat ride was pleasant, although very crowded. Once you arrive at the statue you must show ID with your ticket. You are not allowed to bring anything (bags, etc) up to the crown — there are lockers to rent for a few dollars. Then you must go through security AGAIN which was annoying.
They have audio yours available which are reasonably interesting but by no means added anything substantial to the experience.
You can walk or take an elevator to the pedestal. The climb to the crown is tough and steep and I am in reasonable shape from recreational running… I was pretty tired when I arrived at the top. My 10 year olds did it but they were tired too. Going down is also a little challenging. Just mentally prepare and you’ll be ok. And bring water (you are allowed to bring water).
After we went to Ellis Island (included in ticket price) but we were all a little burnt out from the climb to fully appreciate it — you really need a full day there if you want to see the whole island and do the tour.
The National Park Service runs the Statue and Ellis Island. I thought their employees were terrific — very friendly and knowledgable.
It was a very nice day! And going to the crown is very cool.

If you happen to be one of hose that didn’t get a ticket to walk up the stairs in lady liberty then take he time to hop on this boat! It won’t take up much of your day t is around 1 hour cruise time and costs around $ 30 which is pretty reasonable compared to other tourist attractions! Once on board get a space near the side of the deck if you can go on the right hand side which is where you will get be best and closet view of last liberty herself. On board there is a bar to buy refreshments and snacks.
The tour is quick and brief you pull up have time to take a few pics then go on your way back however you will pass Ellis Island and governors island and there is an audio on the speakers that gives historical facts of how lady liberty arrived from France and is made of copper etc. I’d recommend getting on a boat that you can hop off to get a closer view of her however if you don’t have the time this a greatly efficient way of ticking seeing lady liberty herself!

After researching all the different cruises in town to visit the Statue of Liberty, I found Statue Cruises. The offer the best prices. Summer of 2015 I paid $ 18 for a ferry to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and back to Battery Park per person with access to the statue pedestal. It included an audio tour at both islands. You can’t beat the price. The ferry left promptly every 20 min. They have snacks and drinks on board for purchase. The staff was very friendly.
I highly recommend this tour.

As a kid, I’ve been to the Statue of Liberty with my family. Of course I don’t remember it but I’ve seen photos, so now that i have children of my own, while we were in New York, I figured we should do it as a family.
Lady Liberty is a thing to see, even if you don’t care about history, she represents our freedom and at the end of the day, we’re all immigrants (unless you’re Native Americans) so you owe it to her to visit her.
The cruise is very straight forward. Go to Battery Park, get the tickets at the booths, go stand in line, check your stuff in the metal detector, stand in line and hop on the ferry. The ticket includes audio for you to listen to once you’re there and it includes a stop to Ellis Island.
Tickets for the crown is usually a 6-​month wait so if you want to go up to the crown, make sure you reserve ahead of time. Have fun and stay warm/​cool (depending on when you go).

This is definitely the way to go if you want to be a tourist in NYC. The Statue of Liberty and Ellis island are both a must-​see for any one who visits New York for the first time. Ellis island was the entrance for tens of thousands of immigrants and the island museum shows exactly what those ppl had to deal with when entering the USA. I was able to find my great uncle in the log book!
Also — random fact — the cafeteria offers gluten free options! When we went, they were just testing them out and I was able to try the chicken fingers. They were fantastic so I hope they made it to the menu. I’m always excited to not have to explain what gluten free is to people. It gets tiring.
Unfortunately we thought that we could visit Ellis island first and then liberty island on the way back. No such luck as the returning ferry goes straight back to battery park. So we were only able to see it from afar.
We bought our tickets online — buying them in person is a huge hassle!
Also, don’t be late for your ferry. The lineups to get in (for tickets and ferries) is massively huge, and they capitalize on the poor tourists by selling over-​priced food and drinks to the people waiting in line. It’s a fun day trip and I think eventually we will go back to see liberty island up close

If you buy reserved tickets (not going up the pedestal of the statue or to the crown) buy online. We got ours online the night before, went first thing in the morning to will call and had zero issues. It was even a holiday weekend. For some reason there was a reserved ticket line to go through security, and a line for everyone else, so we walked right through and passed a lot of people.
Everything about the ferry was easy. The ferry was a smooth ride with 2 small children, and we had an amazing time at Liberty Island.
Even though there were a ton of people, the ferries run so efficiently and we never had to wait long to board a ferry.

This was our first visit to NYC, and we had been warned by many that people would be unfriendly but it wasn’t until our last day, when our ferry and interaction with Statue Cruises did we encounter anyone who was anything but friendly.
The ticket process was very confusing and difficult to understand. We had reserved tickets beforehand and were told departure time was 1:30pm. We went to the ticket counter around 12:30pm expecting to have to wait for a ferry. I was trying to confirm with the ticket counter personnel, but she brushed off my questions (and the person in front of me) and just pointed towards the direction of the security check.
Going through the security check to get on the boat was very confusing. It was incredibly busy and it was like we were being herded through the lines. Once we got the boat, there was a very thin walkway and it seemed like the staff was just barking out to people that they should walk faster or slower. It was confusing.
The boat seemed very busy, and there were no videos or instructions in case of emergency or demeanor on the boat, an employee just yelled at people for standing, etc.
All-​in-​all it was just a very frustrating experience that was extremely cumbersome that led you to be unhappy once you arrived on the island.

This review is for Alexis in customer care. It will be my first time in NY this November. As you know, planning itineraries can be overwhelming for your first visit. Anywho, I accidentally booked my SOL Crown ticket the same day as my Broadway show… the SoL ticket website says no cancelations or changes but I tried my luck by calling in and explaining my situation. I had the privilege of speaking to Alexis, who was very understanding and was able to accommodate my request to change dates!!!
She was very willing to help me and guide me in every way possible. She recommended the train I should take from my hotel and the time I should arrive to Battery Park. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! A huge thanks Alexis!

Trajet rapide et ultra pratique pour se rendre à la statue de la liberté et ellis Island. Très bonne fréquence de navettes.
Tickets très faciles à prendre sur le site internet.
Embarquement a la sortie de l’arrêt de métro Battery Park/​South Ferry.
Petit parc a coté avec des écureuils pas du tout farouches (ils ont visiblement l’habitude d’être nourris).

This is a review of the process for getting to the statue, not the statue itself.
We had the earliest tickets available – an 8:30 a.m. departure from Battery Park. We were told, adamantly, and on two separate occasions, that we must arrive at Battery Park no later than 7:15 a.m. in order to pick up our tickets (which were crown tix, and therefore were will-​call only) and get processed through the security queue.
We arrived at 7:00 a.m. and found the place utterly deserted. A security guard at the ferry building said that Fort Clinton, which is where the statue tickets are sold, wouldn’t even open their doors until 8:00 a.m.
As we wandered around feeling lost, we ran across another family who were told the exact same thing. Together we found an early arriving employee who said that the guard was correct: that the ticket office would not open until 8:00 a.m. What’s more, she said that she has never understood why they tell people to show up so early and that there’s always people wandering around looking lost.
What the heck?!
So, we just ended up waiting in the queue at the Fort Clinton ticket office. They opened right at 8:00. As we waited, many families asked questions of the arriving employees. Most of the employees were not friendly or understanding about the confusion, which had been sown by their employer’s lack of proper instructions.
We got our tickets quickly and then entered the line to get into the security screening area. The security area did not open their doors until probably 8:15 or so. Then we entered a queue to get onto the boat. When you get to the island, you get in another queue to get off the boat, and then another queue to have your tickets checked (all adults must have an official picture ID), and then another queue to get your locker (no backpacks allowed).
A couple of notes:
1. If you are picking up will-​call tickets, you can send some of your party into the security queue. That saves a bit of time.
2. Go early, if you can. We had an amazing time. It was crowded, but not crazy crowded, especially getting lunch at the onsite café. We found seats easily and doubt that it’s the same later in the afternoon. Going early and avoiding crowds and heat was well worth getting up at the crack of dawn.
3. If you want crown tix, by them 3 or 4 months ahead. We bought ours 3 ½ months ahead, and we got some of the last tix available for that day.

This is the ferry to go to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Since we stayed in Jersey and wanted to avoid the usual line up at Battery Park, I thought it would be easier to get on the ferry from Liberty State Park, NJ.
WRONG.
We had a MetroCard which allowed us to ride PATH or MTA/​New York City Transit but not NJ Transit. We had to pay cash in order to take the Light Rail to Liberty State Park Light Rail Station.
After we got off at Liberty State Park Light Rail Station, we couldn’t find a sign leading us to the ferry. I asked a couple of people and figured out we had to cross the street and walk about 1 mile on Audrey Zapp Dr. It was a walk. It would be better if you have a car and drive to the parking lot. The line wasn’t long at Liberty State Park. We went through an airport like security gate rather quickly and got on the ferry.
Luckily we had the option to return to Battery Park or Liberty State Park. We took the ferry back to Battery Park and it was way easier to hop back on the PATH.

For some reason we were allowed to bypass a very long line of people who were waiting in the sun. Nice!
The boat was quick and we found seats no problem. Our passes allowed us to climb to the top of the pedestal which was a great view.
Great history and wonderful views.

No frills ferry ride, and super crowded unless you go really early. If you want to go to Ellis Island and/​or the Statue of Liberty, you have to take this ferry since they are the only contracted and approved ferry to dock at Ellis and Liberty Island. The ferries depart daily from Battery Park in Manhattan or Liberty Park in New Jersey.
Tickets are $ 18 per person and I would recommend purchasing online and printing out your tickets in advance so that you don’t have to wait in line to buy tickets, because you still have to wait in a security checkpoint line before you can board. There is also a concession stand onboard all their ferries in case you get hungry on the 15 – 20 min trip.
We took the ferry from Battery Park, which stops at Liberty Island first and then Ellis Island before returning. You can go to just one or both islands for one price and I would recommend doing so because the ticket was $ 18! The ferries are double deckers and the entire thing gets packed at times. The top deck is not enclosed and is not recommended during cold weather.

Not a bad cruise — I mean they could have been a lot quicker in ‘herding’ people, but really not much they can do. Luckily we were the last ones on too, which was great because we left strait away.
It was part of the Big Bus package so we didn’t have much of a choice in the cruise, but we weren’t too disappointed. Luckily it snowed while we were out on the water which was super cool (for an Aussie).

When we got out of our taxis, there were «employees» waiting to greet us. However, they just wore regular street clothes and I didn’t understand what they were saying about the different kind of tours.
FInally, he just told us to walk over elsewhere. If he was an employee, yeah, no, not a fan of that. It felt like the people who hassle you near Central Park.
We finally found our way and paid the $ 18 (versus the $ 30 the other guy was saying) per person. Then we were on our way. The best is to buy online because you can skip some of the line.
You also have to go through pretty stringent screening almost like you’re at the airport.
The ferry rides were fine. They were easy to find when you’re getting off each of the islands. They’re clearly marked, «To NJ» or «To NYC».
They really try to pack you in because they want to fill up the ferry as much as possible. It takes forever to get on and off because people walk very slowly and you feel like cattle being herded. There is a lot of people going to and from NY.
The employees operating the ferry were pretty loud and rude. One even kept telling people, «WALK FASTER» over and over again. Um we’re walking at the pace the FIRST person allowed us to walk. Also, there are children and older people. They will be slower. Don’t have to be a jerk.
I think the best may be to do the NJ side for sure. Way less people. I also don’t think I had someone yelling at me to walk faster on that side.

If it’s your first time in New York, the Statue o0f Liberty is a must see! Yes — you’ve seen pictures of it sooooo many times but it’s quite beautiful in real life. The ticket comes with access to both Lady Liberty and the Ellis Island. Both of which were a memorable experience, in my opinion.
The boat comes and goes and you can spend as long a you really want in each. Just be careful of the lines as one goes to New Jersey and the other to New York. You do NOT want to be in the wrong boat. You can choose to buy your ticket online or at the site, but the better preference is online as you can guarantee yourself a spot on the ferry for a certain day rather than risking them selling out for the day of. If you do not have a printer, no problem, you can pick it up at Will Call!
There’s a security checkpoint before the ferry and then after if you enter the pedestal or crown, both of which are airport security type. Try not to bring too much stuff!

Tourist– Go towards your right. Follow the pier walkway.
What to expect: Once you reach there, there are 2 lines. One for reserved and another for non-​reserved. Note that the lines enter to one door that means it will chaotically merge.
They should do better to regulate the lines. The kids can get lost and possibly injured.
***Statue Cruises*** please resolve this issue before someone smart may file a lawsuit.
As for security, works the same as an airport. The boat takes you to both Ellis Island & Statue of Liberty.
Staff is a hit or miss with hospitality. Always be nice. They deal with rude people all the time. So your kindess could help relieve stress. Reason why I never recieved any rudeness.
The boat is spaced out. So hold on to someone. Upstairs have the best view. (3 tier boat). Food & beverages are fairly priced. The souvenir is worth getting on the islands. Ellis shop is really nice.
Overall a nice ride. Bring your camera for this.

Wenn man die Insel Liberty Island mit der Freiheitsstatue und Ellis Island mit dem Immigration Museum besichtigen möchte, kann man nur mit der Statue Cruises übersetzen. Die Fahrt startet entweder vom Battery Park in Manhattan oder vom Liberty State Park in New Jersey.
Sinnvollerweise bucht man die Tickets im Voraus auf der Statue Cruises Webseite. Hier kann man sich auch seinen Wunschtermin reservieren und zwischen verschiedenen Ticketkategorien auswählen. Mit dem regulären Ticket hat man Zugang zum Statue of Liberty Monument nebst kleinen Museum und mit dem Crown Ticket kann man auch die Krone der Freiheitsstatue besichtigen. Das einfache Ticket kostet 17 $ und das Crown Ticket 20 $. Vorort bekommt man im Battery Park im Castle Clinton National Monument die Eintrittskarten.
Wir sind gegen Mittag vom Battery Park gestartet, da wir die Möglichkeit von New Jersey nicht kannten. Hier geht es durch einen Sicherheitscheck wie im Flughafen bevor man das Schiff betreten darf. Die kurze Überfahrt war angenehm und man hatte die Möglichkeit Bilder von Manhattan und der Freiheitsstatue zu schießen.
In Liberty Island ging es dann an Land und man konnte dort die Freiheitsstatue und das Museum kostenfrei besichtigen. Anschließend reihte man sich dann wieder in die Warteschlange ein, um nach Ellis Island zu fahren.
Auf Ellis Island hatte man die Möglichkeit das Immigration Museum kostenfrei zu besuchen. Für mich war dieser Stop noch weit beeindruckender als die Freiheitsstatue. Sehr interessant welch Strapazen die Einwanderer damals auf sich nehmen mussten. Zum Abschluss ging es dann von Ellis Island mit der Fähre wieder zurück zum Battery Park.
Wer die Möglichkeit hat zu wählen, sollte eher von New Jersey aus die Fährtickets buchen. Die Warteschlangen der Fähren waren deutlich kürzer und man kann dort im Liberty State Park mit dem Auto parken. Ein wirklich fantastischer Ausflug mit der Statue Cruises.

Took my friends through statue cruises and the line is horrific! There is no order for the wait as it was about 1.5÷2 hrs, we had to wait in one line. Then they told us we had to go through airport style security check, people were pushing to get through the lines. Once we got out of security check they had us wait in another line to get on the ship come to find out it was the wrong line the staff lead us to. We finally got on a boat and it was packed. Once we got to the island we didn’t even get off to see the statue as the view on the boat was good enough, the lines on the island to get onto the boat looked even worse then getting on. I would recommend another cruise company or using the water taxi if you want to see Statue of Liberty and do not go on sat afternoon as it was the peak of tourist central. $ 18 per ticket — only for island. The rest of the tickets were all sold out.
It was nice to get out on the water and see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis island from the boat. Lines were pretty bad to get on the boat at all destinations So we didn’t regret our decision to stay on boat entire time!