Road trip USA – Cruising on the Circle Line

To see most of Manhattan in one go, the Circle Line is the perfect choice. The boat circles the island, as the name suggests, while the tour guide shares stories about each landmark. It is one of the easiest ways to take in the city’s highlights.

Looking back, booking tickets in advance might not have been the best idea. The day turned out overcast and grey, with drizzle setting in during the cruise. It was actually the coldest day of our trip and I was glad I had packed a long-sleeved shirt. The boat was not full, probably because of the weather, and although it would have been nicer to go another time, that simply was not possible. Manhattan framed by a blue sky is far more impressive, but instead we had grey skies and my photos all look rather uniform. Still, the tour was enjoyable albeit long.

When we arrived at Pier 83, the home of the Circle Line, the boat was already waiting. We picked seats on the outer deck, which are available on a first come first served basis. Since we were there early this was not an issue, but it is something to keep in mind when booking the cruise.

The ‘Best of NYC’ cruise was a chance to sit back and relax while listening to the guide talk about the many landmarks along the way. As the boat left Pier 83, we had a clear view of the Intrepid Museum at Pier 86, a fascinating flight museum housed on an aircraft carrier.

Right after leaving Pier 83 we passed the Vessel, which would have been about a twenty-minute walk away on foot. It looked like a fascinating structure and definitely something I would have loved to explore, but there was only so much time. I know my photo does not do it justice, so perhaps next time I will get to see it up close.

Next we passed the Empire State Building, which we had already admired during our walk along the High Line. It is a truly beautiful building, soon to celebrate its 100th birthday in just a few years. Despite its age, it has not lost any of its charm.

Next came Little Island with the High Line visible in the background. By then it had started to rain and visibility was poor. Our walk along the High Line in sunny weather the day before had been a far better experience.

A regatta was taking place just as Ellis Island came into view.

One of the highlights was, of course, the Statue of Liberty. There was already quite a bit of traffic around it, with other tourist boats circling the monument.

Although I had already seen it up close years ago, it was still exhilarating to see the Grande Dame again.

Looking back at the southern tip of Manhattan was impressive. It was from here that the massive evacuation took place on 9/11, an operation even larger and faster than the evacuation of Dunkirk. Of course, the two events were sixty-one years apart.

In front of the Brooklyn Bridge, we passed a sister ship of the Circle Line. I have always loved this bridge, especially since it played such an important role in Kate & Leopold. As a fan of Outlander time travel has always fascinated me.

More bridges were ahead, along with the United Nations Headquarters and the Chrysler Building. The Chrysler Building is almost hidden in this picture behind the UN building on the right side.

I was, however, more fascinated by the building that looked like an H.

By that time, I was already getting tired of the cruise, and we were not even halfway through. Two and a half hours on a boat can feel long when the weather is not great. As much as I appreciated seeing so much, it did start to get a bit monotonous after a while. At least we got a glimpse of Yankee Stadium.

We were nearing the northernmost point when I looked back at these three bridges behind us.

When we rounded the northern part of Manhattan we passed this amazing swing bridge. It was already open, so no swinging for us.

The old monastery we saw after rounding the northern tip is actually a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Met Cloisters were never a monastery in reality.

I was glad when the skyline changed again from wooded areas to high-risers. At least there was some variety in the scenery.

It also meant that we were mercifully nearing the end of the cruise, with more interesting buildings to see along the way.

I cannot tell you how happy I was to see the Intrepid Museum again at Pier 86. On a beautiful day, this cruise must be amazing—sitting outside, enjoying a bit of sun, and capturing wonderful photos against a blue sky. On this grey day, most buildings reflected the overcast sky, making everything appear even gloomier. Still, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Circle Line Cruise. Just be sure the weather is on your side. Yours, Pollybert