New York 4th of July Evening Cruise

New York City, United States of America

Make your summer in New York City extra special with this festive 4th of July Cruise! Admire the spectacular view on board as the glow of the setting sun shines upon the spectacular Manhattan skyline.

Enjoy a ride along the Hudson River on this New York evening cruise. You'll get close-up view of Lady Liberty and watch the awesome Macy's fireworks display light up the night sky. Make this 4th of July a night to remember as you dance the night away to the beats of the DJ. Deliciously prepared food and drinks are available on board for purchase to make this Independence Day celebration in New York complete.

USD $78.99

Traveler Reviews

Review by: Chad H	August 2011
The overall cruise was awesome, we had a great time. The line for food was really long, I waited over an hour, so make sure to eat before you go.

Review by: raymond i	July 2011
It was a disaster.The bow of the boat was turned toward the fireworks rather than the stern where there was a view of the sky and where most people had settled themselves.. Very few, none of the elderly and very few of the chilldren saw anything. We did not. The lucky people were on the front of the bow itself. Since the bow deck is canted, only the tall people just behind them could see over them to the fireworks._br/_ In addittion, the music was painfully loud, and there were few places on the boat where it was tolerable. The disc jokey was asked several times to lower the volume, and would do so for one or two songs, then return it to intolerable levels.

Review by: danielle f	July 2011
Watching the 4th July fireworks along the Hudson River on a boat with beautiful scenery all around had to be one of the biggest highlights of what was to be the best holiday I have ever had._br/_ These really are best seats of the house on what can only be described as the best firework show I have ever witnessed. With great company sat beside me this should have been an easy 5 out of 5 experience hands down. So where did it all go wrong?

Review by: Tresa D	July 2011
We were very disappointed in the Cruise on the Hudson for 4th of July. We had such great expectation for a fantastic fireworks show! _br/_ The cruise was poorly organized (passanger loading) and you had to stand in line for over 1 hour in order to get drinks and food...before they ran out! So instead of being out on deck enjoying the DJ (who was good); you were on a lower deck in line._br/_ The most disappointing however was the distance from the fireworks and the fact that the boat had us facing away from the display. People were very unhappy and some were going to ask for their money back._br/_ I would not take this line again in the future; however I do recommend the experience of cruising the Hudson and watching the fireworks - just try some other line!

Review by: Karen M	July 2011
The cruise was great and very well organized even though there were tons of people

Review by: annamaria b	July 2011
horrible horrible we were miss informed the cruise was supposed go around manhattan and did not. The most important Fire works were not seen from the boat nobody on the boat was able to see them visability was blocked the boat did not move the passengers can't see. Everybody was dissappointed i don't reccommed this to anyone especially to tourists.

Review by: Jessica B	July 2011
The fireworks were amazing...however they were difficult to see as the boat was facing an awkward direction. Could have been better positioned so that everyone could see. Drinks and food on the boat were expensive.

Review by: carole e	July 2011
We thoroughly enjoyed the disco and the fireworks were just superb.

Review by: S E R	July 2011
Good overall - due to fireworks. Taxis cannot drop you at the pier as roads closed off, also no chance of taxi back as so busy so be prepared to walk. Disco on board was unbearably loud. Had to stand at other end but view from there was good. Dress code very casual. I was overdressed as I thought it would be "posher".Bar service terrible - mostly as a till was playing up. Queued 40 mins. Eat before you go is my advice. However the fireworks were fab and the view unbeatable. Go for that if nothing else. It is all that recommends it.

Review by: JAMES F	July 2011
disappointing the captain pointed the bow to the fireworks display so the bulk of customers could not get an adequate view of fireworks...he was asked to turn broadside but did not comply...very disappointing...also , way too much latin type music blaring

Review by: Gene L	July 2011
I wont even give this one 1 star. It was a nightmare. The captain of the ship wouldn't turn the boat to let everyone see. We spent way too much money and didn't really get to see anything. Even the crew members were talking bad about it. We should have saved our money and sat on shore. At least then we would have gotten to see the fireworks. We were all (8of us) very disappointed.

Review by: Megan A	July 2011
The boat was suppose to go to the Statue of Liberty and it did not. We actually sat idol for 2 hours. It was a beautiful night so it was nice to get to see the sun go down over the the Hudson river. It was nice, I thought it was going to be better.

Review by: Jill M	July 2011
We were not happy with our boat ride. We had to stand in line for 40 min. to get our food at the snack bar. They ran out of different items early in the evening like nachos and cheese. When we first got on the boat they would not let us put up the folding chairs so that we could sit down. We could see the other boats were letting the people sit down right away. After much complaining from the guests we were allowed to sit down When they stopped the boat to watch the fireworks the main part of the boat was positioned away form the displays of the fireworks. Most of the people could not see. I would not recommend this trip to anyone.

Review by: Stephen B	July 2011
We had a great trip to New York except for this event! This was the worst thing we have ever booked bar none. It appeared this Harbor Sightseeing for Fireworks was designed with the focus on how many people could we get onto the baots to make the most money with NO consideration to those booking the trip or any any concern if you would be able to see the Fireworks. Long stands in line on the Pier before boarding and an hour wait on the boat all evening to get anything including a bottle of water and forget trying to see the Fireworks. I was beyond disappointed and if the tour operator and Viator conduct this same event nrext year don't waste your money, times, or a chance to see what I heard was a wonderful Fireworks show.

Review by: Thelma S	August 2010
We went for a July 4th cruise. I assumed, or it appeared from the website, that the cruise was a statue of libertysightseeing cruise ending with fireworks. The boat found a spot just north of the docks in the middle of the river a stayed there the whole time. The DJ was a nightmare. Extremely loud hiphop music which he would not turn down even after receiving requests from dozens of passengers. The music was completely unmatched to the crowd on the boat and the DJ and crew did not care. No music would have been much better.

Review by: DIANA H	August 2010
It was Horrible! the boat did not go down the HUDSON as Promised! it went to one spot and stayed there. while the other Boats sailed around us having fun! i was very dissapointed! & while thinking to myself i over heard another Passanger complaining to one of the workers on the ship that obvi. didnt care & acted as so. I was like Wow! there is no need for me to make any mention ... im bring my Son 82910 for his B-Day & will not use this company for anything Again...... wayfrmlouisiana! !

Review by: Karl K	August 2010
Absolutely the best fourth of July my family has ever had. The view was spectacular! We were right up on the front lines just several hundred feet from the first Macy's barge. I got the most vivid pictures of the fireworks display. I would definitely recommend this event for all to see, however, I have reservations about saying this because I want to go again next year and I feel the crowds will be even larger, but there are many boats available. The only negative point I can mention is that the food available on the boat was limited and some of the selections were sold out before we even got a chance to purchase and we were one of the first groups on the boat. Remember you usually get on the water by 730 pm and the fireworks don't start until around 920 pm so you will have plenty of time to take in the sites prior to the main event. I will be returning with my family next year for another great Fourth of July in the BIG APPLE on the Hudson!

Review by: Timothy D	August 2010
You basically get on the boat and sit idling on the Hudson River to watch the fireworks. It was not worth the expense. The fireworks were nice but no real need for the boat experience.

Review by: Theresa J	July 2010
Was such an awesome experience everything went perfect!

Review by: Erica C	July 2010
It wasn't exactly a cruise. The boat goes out a little in the river and just sits there for a few hours until the fireworks start. The food for sale wasn't much and overpriced. There was a DJ playing current music but it didn't sound too professional.

Review by: Christina L	July 2010
Very unorganized. Waited in the blazing, hot sun for two hours to board the boat. No directions for where we could sit, so we took chairs on upper deck but then 1 hr before fireworks were told to put them away so we could all squeeze into one area with no chairs to watch fireworks. Food service was terrible, all the service-people kept fighting about who was supposed to do what. Also the boat floated in one area for 4 hours.

Review by: Angela N	July 2010
If you are ever in New York on the fourth of July this is a must, just make sure you get there reasonably early at least 1 and a half ours before they are due to leave to avoid the wait in line don't get me wrong the line moved fast but they can be very long with the added heat and humidity make sure you have water while waiting in line. But the experience was amazing, the people, the fireworks and the atmosphere. Make sure you get a bite to eat before you are on as there is not much in the way of meals and find yourself a prime position on top deck from the beginning otherwise you will be kicking yourself.

Review by: Anonymous	July 2010
Celebrating 4th of July and seeing the awesome fireworks display was enjoyable. Be prepared to stand in a long line in the hot sun depending on the weather in order to board the ferry. It would be my only recommendation if improvement in the boarding process can be made a bit more comfortable for the passengers, whether by making use of tents or actually covering the dock area.... the sun was really, really hot that day... Outside of that, the boatride was okay with some good music being played as we waited for the sun to set and the fireworks to begin.

Review by: Henry S	July 2010
We disliked the music and the failure to play good old July 4 traditional music. The "cruise" was much too limied -no GW Bridge and no Statue of Lib. Hours of just sitting a few yards off shore from the mooring. To get some food took well over half an hour. The best thing about the cruise, we both agreed, was the popcorn.

Review by: Keith S, United States of America	July 2009
Glad we got there early as there were a lot of people and it is first come first served for seating, which proved to be baseless cause we had a great DJ who got everyone up dancing. There was food and drink available too, not very cheap though. The sights and sounds were unbelievable. We had a great group of passengers and a crew who really wanted us to have a good time, and the weather was perfect. All of which contributed to a most enjoyable time which I would highly recommend.

Review by: Jean G, United States of America	July 2009
Excellent. We set off onto the Hudson at 6. A beautiful view of Manhattan, DJ, food and drinks on board. Splendid fireworks! My best 4th of July in my 49 years!

Review by: Shraddha K, United States of America	July 2009
This was a great trip. I had planned this as a surprise for my boyfriend, and he absolutely loved it. The best thing about this cruise apart from the beautiful view of the fireworks was that after the fireworks show was over, everyone was dancing to the music played by the live DJ. The food was not expensive, as it usually is on cruises. I absolutely recommend this to all romantics.

Review by: Anonymous, Canada	July 2009
Loved it and would do it again if in N.Y. for July 4th. Everything went smoothly.

Review by: Anonymous, United States of America	July 2009
Too many people on the boat, made it difficult to see the fireworks. Left the dock too early. We sat idling for 3 hours. Boat fumes gave me a headache.

Review by: Snaeha K	July 2009
This was a great trip. I had planned this as a surprise for my boyfriend, and he absolutely loved it. The best thing about this cruise apart from the beautiful view of the fireworks was that after the fireworks show was over, everyone was dancing to the music played by the live DJ. The food was not expensive, as it usually is on cruises. I absolutely recommend this to all romantics.

Review by: William E, United Kingdom	July 2008
Excellent chance to share Independence Day with the natives. Great people.

Review by: Ricardo C, United States of America	July 2008
That was nice, except for the rain!!

Review by: Cynthia M	July 2008
The cruise was too long for only a half hour fireworks ride.

Review by: Dale K	July 2008
They crowd 200 passengers at rear of boat during the display. I was told that the fireworks would be behind the Statue of Liberty and we would easily see them from our seats. Not true.

Review by: Barbara W, United States of America	July 2007
The boat was very nicely appointed and not too crowded. Food and drinks were reasonably priced. The best part, the view of the fireworks was absolutely great!

Review by: Edmund P, United States of America	July 2007
The fireworks and scenery were fantastic. The boat experience left a lot to be desired. Five to six hours standing is a long time for some senior citizens. It was really annoying to see other boats in your chain with seats put out for people to sit in, but on our boat the chairs were for the most part chained together and no one would free them for use. There were attempts to get seating by group chanting "we want seats." No luck. The few seats that were available were taken by the first people on board and others had to stand, try to sit or lean on top of the chained chairs, or hope someone left a chair. It certainly was not safer to have people sitting on top of the seats chained to the side of the boat.

Review by: Regina K, United States of America	July 2007
The cruise itself was great. However, the boarding process was chaotic and very disorganized. Also, during the cruise, the food vendor ran out of lots of key items, like cups for hot chocolate, hot pretzels, and napkins. The women's bathroom ran out of paper towels long before the trip was over. Luckily, the cruise was centered around the holiday, and that overrode the short supplies of onboard amenities.

Review by: Michael W, United States of America	July 2007
Boat did not have the music that went along with the fireworks which was too bad, other boats had it and I could hear a little bit. Otherwise staff was very helpful.

Review by: Lisa H, Canada	July 2007
This was a wonderful fireworks show and view of New York harbour. However, there should be a warning about the prolonged wait between the cruise and the fireworks display. People should bring extra activities along, such as cards or games, to pass two hours of sitting on the water waiting for the fireworks. All said, we would do this again.

Review by: Anonymous, United States of America	July 2007
Watching the sun set and the lights come on in the city from the water was awesome! Then the Empire State Building began lighting up red, white and blue - incredible! We loved the fireworks. It was a great time. Our only complaint was that the music was way too loud. And given the mix of young to old on the cruise, there should have been more oldies in the music mix. Our group ranged in age from 16 to 70. The music was primarily geared towards the under-30 crowd. By the end of the cruise, the older crowd could not take all the loud music.

Review by: R. Michael W	July 2007
Boat did not have the music that went along with the fireworks which was too bad, other boats had it and I could hear a little bit. Otherwise staff was very helpful.

Review by: Irene B	July 2007
The fireworks were wonderful, however the food available was absolutely atrocious. For the amount paid for the excursion more effort should have gone into refreshments. Also, it was far less formal than expected with no decorations of any kind. Additionally, the dance floor turned into a 13-year-old birthday party which was less than idea to say the least. In short would not do this again unless changes were made.

Review by: Laura S	July 2007
I was expecting the trip around the island to be a bit longer and to have food other than junk food available during the trip. There was a lot of waiting around. First for the fireworks, then to get back. I think it would be helpful to let people know about the waiting time, if inevitable, and have different food choices, considering that many people did not have the chance to have the dinner beforehand.

Review by: John O, United States of America	September 2006
Awesome! We had a great time, felt very patriotic and had wonderful views of everything.

Review by: George S, United Kingdom	September 2006
This was a great family night out - would definitely do it again.

Review by: John P	September 2006
Awesome! We had a great time, felt very patriotic and had wonderful views of everything.

Review by: GEORGE S	September 2006
This was a great family night out - would definitely do it again.

Review by: Erin O	September 2006
We thought we would get a tour of the harbor area but instead we went straight to the fireworks and sat for hours. We though it was a bit boring.