Statue of Liberty Cruise: Sightseeing Tour

Beware- We can't say it enough. Even the cab driver that brought us there was part of the Scam! He dropped us off near these guys all in red vests. The cab driver said see the guys in red vests. We saw them all right, they charged $188.97 for 3 people to go on a boat where they don't even let you go onto Ellis Island. Little did we know, they didn't tell us that the ferry only cruises around the island. We waited in line to go on a bus with 100's of people, this is what good scammers they are. All these people thought they were going onto the island. After a while people started talking in line saying out loud to each other I think we got scammed. After waiting in line for over an hour to get on a bus that took us all across town to get on the ferry. We were only in NYC for 3 days and wasted precious time. This was so disappointing, because this was one of the reasons that we did visit NYC. We found out too late that the only original tour is actually run by Statue City Cruises - if only we knew.

Please please avoid! Bought tickets for 1pm 1hour sightseeing tour -Ushered to a queue for a coach transfer -Waited for over 45 mins before getting on a coach - asked one of guys who actually shushed me - then told we could only get on 4pm trip which we can't do due to other plans - spoke to lady who told us she was only there to greet people Paid over 65 dollars each. No sightseeing trip I did not even trust the trip would leave at 4pm Lots of people around us complaining and unhappy. An older lady and kids included. Shame on them! Not the best way to spend our final afternoon in NY. An absolute con. We did not even get on the boat but considering the lies told I would also worry what safety measures are taken. I hope this review helps to warn other travellers.

We were walking to the Staten Island ferry when we were approached by a man, selling us the dream for this sight seeing boat tour. Usually we don’t fall for this kind of thing but nothing seemed weird about it but little did we know… Firstly we were told $40 each but when we paid it had came through as $110 for two. We then were told the boat would be at 12:30pm and to queue for the bus to get to the boat which was around a 20-25 minute journey. Once we got to pier/port we were told to walk into the building and wait on the right so we followed what we were told to do. It got to around 12:30pm and we were starting to question where the boat was and so were others also waiting for this boat. It then got to around 1pm and still no sign of the boat, so we then spoke to a staff member questioning why the boat had still not arrived. We were then told the boat was going to be at 1:30pm which was another red flag. We then decided to check the reviews on here and saw how bad reviews there were so we then decided to not go on this boat tour as we had seen the reviews. Many reviews saying too many people on the boat, horrible staff, boat not going exactly where you get told it does and how the whole thing is a scam. We have now had to request a refund through our bank as we had paid card, if we had paid cash we could of had a refund there and then. Please whatever you do, DO NOT GO ON THIS BOAT TOUR!!! IT IS A TOURIST TRAP!!!!

This company is really good at scamming! They stopped us outside the park and claimed they worked for the actual park service. Promised us a tour of 10 different sites. Took us to the shuttle to wait 5 minutes but the wait was over an hour. Got to the boat, floated out to the Statute of Liberty where we had to use the zoom feature to even get a picture, then straight back to the dock. PLEASE don't book with this company if you want a real Statue and Ellis Island experience. TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY!!

Absolute scam. Do not buy tickets from the people in blue vests outside Staten Island Ferry. Lied to us about so many things - did not mention 30 minute bus ride - told us we would make the 12.30 ferry when we bought tickets at 12.20! Didn’t even arrive in time for 1pm ferry. So when we arrived at the port we just got a taxi straight back. Waste of time and money and ruined the last day of our trip.

Disaster... 2 hours waiting, they tell you they charge you $39 h then 53 to do the same with a public ferry It's a scam!!!!

Do not book!!!!😡😡😡The vendor cancelled and we didn’t find out until we arrived at the departure point point on the day of the tour. In addition to the cost of the tour $73 we spent $88 in car services that we wouldn’t have spent had Viator or their vendor notified us in advance that the tour/cruise had been cancelled,😡 🤬🤬😡

The boat is overcrowded and staff were yelling at passengers during the boarding process. If you purchase the regular ticket, you will be standing in wall-to-wall people, or sitting inside on the lower deck. There limited seats offered for the standard ticket in the front of the boat. If you upgrade to the premium, you can sit on the upper deck, and they rope this off so only the premium passengers can be in this area. We chose to upgrade for an additional $20 per person, and we ended up having a wonderful time. But, I would never recommend this company based on our experience.

First the employees at the Staten Island Ferry location were complete scamming tourists. They wear blue vest and say the are associated with Liberty cruise. They tell you how long the wait is and you will never see the statue. They then sell you a cruise around the Liberty. Before you get on the boat you take a overcrowded bus, no ac, for 40 min to get to the boat. Once at the pier, which is almost uptown, you get on a boat with 216 other people with no room to sit and you cant see anything as everyone is cramped. Complete waist of time, money, and experience. I highly recommend using anyone other than this company

My Statue of Liberty cruise was a memorable 1-hour journey from Pier 40, offering stunning views of Lady Liberty and the Manhattan skyline without stops at Liberty or Ellis Islands. The ferry was clean, spacious, with indoor and outdoor seating perfect for photos, and the guide Allen provided fascinating historical context that enriched the experience. The staff were friendly and efficient, though crowds can be heavy in peak season, so arriving early is wise. Snacks on board were limited, so I’d suggest bringing your own. For ~$29, this cruise is a fantastic, affordable way to see an iconic landmark up close—highly recommend for a quick, scenic NYC adventure! 5/5.