Hornblower Cruises & Events

We wanted something different for our wedding. A venue with something more casual and fun, that also had a simple elegance to it. And we wanted to somehow incorporate the rich history we have here in New York City. We considered quite a few venues, including the New York Public Library, and Greenwood Cemetery Church Chapel, before deciding on Hornblower.
Our wedding hailed from their perir 40 location and did brunch on the water. We kept the planning simple, and wanted it to feel like a party more than a formal wedding. We loved that the packages could be tailored to do more or little as we wanted. We ended up having our cupcakes delivered from Cupcake Market, even though dessert and cake were included in the package. And we did our own table decorations, all of which were set up by Hornblower. We just dropped them off the day before.
The thing that made our choice an easy one was how simple and flexible Hornblower was when it came to planning. Right from the start their attention to detail and quick response time told us that we found a good fit. We were very pleased with the attention to detail and follow through from John at Hornblower. He made planning our big day easy and as stress free as it could possibly be.
Our guest had an amazing time too! And the food menu was perfect with something for everyone. The younger children in our party had an amazing time playing and dancing. It felt very special, exciting and festive to be out in the New York Harber gliding by the Statue of Liberty and kissing under the Brooklyn Bridge!
It is something we will always remember and look back to fondly. Thank you so much John for all your help and planning. You really made our day!

The cruise itself was nice. The views of the harbor, liberty tower, statue of liberty, and governor’s island were interesting They provided may useful and fun facts about the history of this part of New York. Getting to the cruise boat was an ordeal.
Pros:
Not overly expensive
Only an hour or so
Inside comfort
Snack bar
Nice views and
Interesting facts.
Especially good for unplanned visits to the statue of liberty.
Cons:
I did not like their sales model. Sleazing third parties who prey of tourists and provide misinformation.
The pier was a long walk from the subway station. Our salesperson said it was a short walk, but it really is not.
No live tour guide. Essentially a recorded sound track. Especially annoying because it was presented in both English and Chinese. This makes the sound track particularly annoying and long.
The wait for the cruise was unsettling and unfair. We stood in line for 45 minutes (sales told us it would leave every ½ hour which is why we agreed to the tour). 20 minutes before the cruise another line of people appeared from nowhere, so we ended up further back in line then what we were told by the staff.

This is a great cruise for any event, whether it be a bachelorette party or a birthday! Lots of dancing, music, and drinks, so definitely not for those looking for a low key night.
Atmosphere: I went on Saturday night cruise around Manhattan for a friend’s birthday and had such a great time! I was impressed with how smoothly everything went right off the bat. The line to check in moved very quickly, as did the line to board the boat when the doors opened promptly at 8:30 (the cruise departed at 9 and arrived back at Pier 15 at midnight). The bathroom situation was not great. There were only two women’s restrooms which got a bit gross after the first hour. They ran out of the toilet paper and the dryer didn’t work, so the bathroom was a mess. I realize it must be very difficult to keep the bathrooms in spotless condition, but I thought it could have been paid more attention to. Other than that, the deck was kept very clean and the views were amazing.
Food: The food was already laid out on the first two floors below deck when we boarded. The bites offered included pizza, sliders, French fries, pasta, and sausage and peppers. Definitely nothing special, but not bad either. They didn’t refill the buffet that frequently, so when I went down they were out of many options.
Drinks: I had expected the lines to be ridiculous, but the bars on all three floors were open so the lines for drinks moved very quickly. I was impressed with this given the fact that most people on the boat had probably purchased the ticket that allowed them to get unlimited drinks.

Boat was nice, views were nice. Food was HORRIBLE. Appetizers were cold greenbeans and microwaved Spinich rolls. Service was great but you are literally are not getting served much anyways. The «salad» was a slice of lettuce. Chicken was from i dont know where, and the «array» of desserts was just a circular chocolate thing or a circular cheesecake thing the size of a small girls palm. gross. I went to eat out afterwards for a quarter of the price.
views were nice. Never again. Only go if you think that price is only worth riding around for 3 hours to see the city from the water — your better off doing the NY Water Taxi and bringing a basket of food and your Ipod. Their music sucked too. Big time.

Rated this company on the other page from Pier 40. Awesome views, easy boarding process and good experience overall. Bartender was rude and charging different prices for the same drinks, stopped tipping and buying from him!

To start, no TP in either bathroom at the pier. We were told that it was the Parks Department’s responsibility. Really, you have hundreds of people getting on your boat for the 9pm –12am cruise and it’s not your responsibility to make sure your customers have the basic necessities?
We were there to attend a surprise birthday party. Some tables were reserved for our party, most attendees were 40 — 65 yrs old, however there was also a birthday party for a 20 something yr old. Oil and water. The younger group sat at some of our tables, (they were clueless), they had no regards for bathroom etiquette,(the bathrooms were filthy), and many were very drunk. As a matter of fact, one young man was passed out when we returned on a pier bench with vomit on his shirt. An ambulance had to be called for some of the drunk kids. The bartender should have had the common sense to stop serving alcohol.
Do yourself a favor and eat before going on the «cruise». The food, while mainly finger food, was terrible. Sliders were so over cooked that they crumbled in my mouth like dirt. Sausage and peppers, frozen pizza, okra, something that resembled salad, small dry knishes. The drinks at the cash bar were $ 16 so bring lots of cash if you want to drink.
The DJ played mostly rap music. While I love the party atmosphere, a variety a music would have been nice.
One can not deny the beauty of the NYC skyline. The view is the same whether you’re on a dingy or a 150 ft yacht, however the atmosphere on the boat can make or break the experience.
Hornblower cruise almost broke my experience. Being a native New Yorker, I’ve taken many cruises around NYC. This was by far the worst.
Spend your money wisely and reserve your NYC cruise with another company!

A guy was selling tickets for Statue of Liberty cruises at Battery Park. We decided to go with Hornblower due to our tight schedule in NYC. The tour takes about an hour, which was perfect for us. Bring your walking shoes because Pier 15 is far from Battery Park. The scenery is beautiful during your walk. Hornblower goes by the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge. Guest is able to take some cool pictures of both tourist attractions (be quick). The top deck gets full fast, arrive early so you can pick your spot. The lower deck has seats where you can sit and grab something lite to eat/​drink (refreshments). It gets windy on the top deck, so dress accordingly. Luckily, weather in NYC was beautiful during our tour. Guest pictures are taken before going on the cruise (next to a mini Statue of Liberty). They’re printed out for purchase once the tour is over. Staff was professional and polite. I enjoyed seeing the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge up close. I give Hornblower Cruises & Events a 3.5 rating.

In theory, a GREAT idea. In execution, ³⁄₅ stars.
Ok so, first and foremost. There is more than one pier that Hornblower cruises depart from. So don’t just type into googlemaps «Hornblower pier» and expect you to take you to the correct numbered Pier. Look at your pier number and find that SPECIFIC pier number. Not that this is a complex concept but some of us didn’t do that and had to spend the most stressful 9 minutes of their life in the back of a cab going to the correct pier before the boat set sail…
Went to the «Alive after 5» cruise on a Saturday… and let’s just say the clientele at this event is very similar to what I would expect at a crappy meatpacking club. Tourists, 20something drunk people in bandage dresses, and men in white blazers. Suffice to say, not the classiest crowd. But who cares, because if you’re just there to have a nice evening, totally possible. Stay outside on the top and look at the view, skip the pre-​paid drinks and food and eat/​drink before and after as the food and drinks were concession stand quality.
The boat itself is a little grimey and could use an update, but the DJ plays fun top 40… also know that this cruise WILL be playing LOUD music the ENTIRE time.
Overall, a great view of the city for 2 hours and you can make it whatever kind of experience you’d like… a drunken dance party to cliché music with watered down drinks in plastic cups or a nice sail around the island with great views on top of an old boat.

Just when I thought I’d finished up all of my New York reviews,… I noticed this one lingering around within my «Bookmarked» to do list.
Recapping on the NY — New Years experience, NO VACATION TO THIS TOWN IS COMPLETE — without taking a cruise around the harbor.
So…with respect to embodying the «essence of New York», we took a cab,…or maybe it was Über — hell, I don’t know, but somehow we managed to make our way to Ground Zero. For what it’s worth, I’d highly recommend a stop off there. It’s gorgeous and remembering our fallen ⁹⁄₁₁ victims served as all the more a special segment within our trip out.
Knowing in advance that we wanted to see the entire island of Manhattan and/​or check out views of the statue, somehow or another we made way to this harbor area, where it appears that ALL of the boats dock.
Word to the wise: WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES!!!
Ready to «party like a rock star», somehow my dumb behind managed to depart our hotel in boots and a blazer… and well, let’s just say that the foot massage the next day was quite well benefited from.
In any case — while en’ route to purchase tix, we were met by a few ticket scalpers along the way. Was it that obvious we weren’t locals? Against my better will — «HE» purchased 2 tix for all of $ 20.00 and with one raised eyebrow, we were given the rundown on where to go and advised to walk to Pier 15.
For what it’s worth yall’, this pier should come with its own cab service! Perhaps it’s the Cali’ boey in me, but we don’t walk like this!!! The trek over to this pier, located between Timbuktu and BFE at the intersection of WTF and Oh-​hell-​nawl’, made it all the more obvious why I love LA! We drive to neighborhood block parties out here and such is CLEARLY not the case in NY!!! — -
I know for a fact that we put in at least 2 miles worth of walking only to arrive at this darned pier and have to forego waiting in a DMV-​esque line!
It was at that time that I began my prayer…
«Lord, …let deez’ folks recognize our tickets as being valid. Please prevent me from having to catch a case on somebody’s azz… in another state… within this 20 degree tempered weather. Lawd… Help a brutha’ out. In yo’ name… Amen.»
Well ask and thou shall receive!
Our tickets were authenticated and thereon, we were on our way. The line went by somewhat swiftly and photos are taken (and sold thereafter for $ 20.00) as «soon to be» cruisers patiently await boarding.
Bestowing 2 tiers, we found the boat to be quite a bit dated. Seating was cramped to capacity and despite the snacks and beverages offered, we couldn’t help but dwell on the concept of undergoing «wedding chair seating» alongside fold outs… for an hour, at best. Cue the Preparation H commercial.
The tour itself circles Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and lower Manhattan.
The ship traversed slowly enough that everyone was enabled to depart with a great pic’ of some sort yet I can’t by any means fathom doing any of this again… I suppose the only REAL reason I can give would be because, «some thing’s are best experienced just once.»
Worth the money?
Well I suppose that’s pretty debatable. The vantage points from each direction were nothing short of spectacular however my HORN was FAR from BLOWN — -

The view is decent. Other than that, these guys suck. Here’s how their system works. Every day, their vendors buy tickets from them and sell them for as much as they can by the Staten Island Ferry. They talk you out of the Ferry because it passes further from the Statue of Liberty than their boat does.
We argued with the guy selling the ticket and got the price down to $ 20. Still a ripoff. We stood in line for more than half-​an-​hour. When the line started moving, I was so excited. Whoops. Shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up. We moved inside the gate and waited for 45 minutes while they unloaded the boat. The line didn’t matter either. They crammed everyone into a tiny area. After we loaded the boat, we sat for another 30 minutes while they waited for new customers to straggle in. We got off the boat three hours after we bought the tickets. Seriously, screw these guys.

Came for an Alive After Five cruise, which was a two-​hour cruise with a cash bar, DJ and views of the cityscape and Statue of Liberty. Thankful that I found tickets on Goldstar for $ 8 tickets; otherwise, I’m sure it wouldn’t be worth it.
Many of the guests just came here for photographs, but nothing was done by the ship’s workers to make this an enjoyable experience. It was a very average cruise, and nothing exemplary by any means.

Came here for the Alive After 5 dinner cruise — for the first hour, I was struck down by the beginning pangs of sea sickness, when every roll and tilt of the boat felt like I was sliding closer and closer to vomit kingdom. But I finally wised up and spent the second hour awkwardly shuffling and shimmy-​ing along to The Weeknd. To anyone else who’s thinking about going on this cruise but who suffers from even the mildest motion sickness: looking away from the windows, dancing, and generally moving about helps a lot. The rocking smooths out once the cruise begins.
Based on the other reviews, I was not expecting the food to be anything more than cold cuts and potato chips but the spread was impressive — freshly baked multigrain rolls, baked turkey, potato knishes, parmesan crisps, potato salad, cole slaw, and my favorite, black and white cookies. They take away the food about an hour in, so eat up.
I didn’t end up catching the views up close because it was freezing out, but I did notice that the boat takes everyone close to the Statue of Liberty. The route begins on the southern end of the East River, around the tip of Battery Park, and then a jaunt back around.
During the first half of the cruise, everyone was too shy (and sober) to be doing much dancing, but points to the DJ for playing some good Top 40 hits and the cruise waitstaff for boogie-​ing down. I was having so much fun that I didn’t even notice the ship docking.
Not sure I would do it again, given my propensity towards motion sickness of every kind, but color me pleasantly surprised by (1) the food; and (2) the dance floor.

We had tickets for the Yachtoberfest event being held by Time Out magazine this past week.
I arrived at the event with a few minutes to spare before departing it was not the best night to be on a boat since it was a rainy evening but this didn’t seem to be a problem for any one attending.
The event was sponsored by Sam Addams drinks included with our ticket was Octoberfest & Pumpkin beer the pumpkin beer tastes better didn’t really like Octoberfest one it had a harsh after taste.
Hard cider was included not bad along with White & Red wine ok, once the beer ran out which was pretty quickly I tried the white wine it was alright served its purpose.
There was also a cash bar available.
The event also include bites to pick on although this was quite the mission to try & get any man some people just have no consideration for others these serves could barely make it up the stairs & the food was gone one particular guy just waited by the seats & as soon as they came up bam he was all over them so rude although it’s no fault of the serves they should have regulated this better so that at least everyone could get to eat something.
We tried some sort of pastry thing? Think it had mushrooms no idea it was alright we also tried a meatballs these were pretty good.
As for the event itself not bad, nice boat everything was comfy, two bars plus a dancing area below.
Since the night wasn’t the best to be out didn’t get to enjoy much of the views the rain made this pretty uncomfortable but I’ve done these things before & the city views are usually lovely.
Good variety of music was played, the boat was back a little early but basically stuck around another half hour if I recalled docked.
All in all it was a fun event to attend.

I thought the Hornblower cruise wasn’t bad at all. The location of the boat was a little hard to find, but maybe we didn’t listen at what the tour guide told us. I don’t know. But it’s located on Pier 15. (That’s the one to the right when looking at the pier)
Okay so we took one of the bus tours and it came with a free ticket to the cruise. When we got there the staff was sweet. They keep the bottom of the bus ticket. So the bus is unlimited rides for 2 days, but the cruise is only one ride. When they tare off your ticket you take a quick photo and proceed to the boat.
The boat isn’t very modern but it alright. They could use a little updating, but for he price I couldn’t complain.
The boat goes out and passes the statute of liberty, and you can see the the city as well. The boat ride wasn’t long at all. Less than an hour.
They sell snacks and drinks on the cruise as well. If you get the bus ride take advantage of the free cruise that comes with it.

I have a mixed review. The way the line was handled to get on the boat was extremely disorganized a lot of confusion by many passengers the employees seemed to be lost and had no clue where to place passengers before boarding.
The boat itself was beautiful no complaints there the other surrounding boats looked old and rusty.
The food was not good high school cafeteria is better.
The trip itself was good the views can’t be beat and the staff was pretty good
Paid for it with a groupon so it was worth it for that price
Will I do it again? Yes with the right group of people

With summer quickly coming to an end and my love of the water not being sufficiently stoked, an email from Overtime broadcasting a free sunset cruise on Sunday piqued my interested.
Unless it’s a fully tricked out party boat as seen only in movies (in my limited experience), these booze cruise-​type experiences aren’t necessarily my thing. I came for the views, wind in my hair, and complimentary drink. At first, the idea of being stuck on a boat for 2 hours left me with some doubts as to whether or not I would be adequately entertained but it flew by. Seating on the particular boat we were on, which had 2 levels (not including a possible level below deck where I think some Off-​Broadway Pirate show was being performed), was limited on the top deck but don’t fret too much about not snagging one of the coveted tables by the railings. Once the boat gets going, everyone’s moving around trying to get the best views. It’s almost comical/​depressing how everyone was experiencing the cruise through a phone screen.
The boat primarily stays around the lower Manhattan area, first going west, then coming back east. Views include lower and mid Manhattan, Jersey City, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge Park, etc. Even as a native New Yorker, I still appreciate the historical meaning sites like the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island hold, and seeing them up close by boat was nice, although I could’ve personally done it sans party music around that stretch.
What was also nice about the sunset cruise was being able to see the city by day and night all in one ride so that might be something you want to take into consideration. There’s a buffet option available for $ 20 extra. I I didn’t partake it in (except for a plate of food I sneakily managed to grab) but it looked decent. It includes hot, cold, and sweet options. You may struggle a bit while eating if you don’t have a table, and that may in turn dissuade you from eating $ 20-​worth of food, so something else to think about?
Last bit of advice: The front of the boat is where it’s at — less people and the best views.

EXTREMELY UNORGANIZED PROCESS. SALES PERSON WAS MISLEADING. WORST THING I DID IN NYC.
First off, we were originally approached by a sales agent at Battery Park. The sales person said the next tour was leaving in 10 minutes (at 1 pm) and it was a short walk to the boat so we would definitely make it in time. This was a lie… We proceeded to walk a mile to the boat being led by the tour guide. Needless to say, we did not make the boat.
The check in agent that hates her job told us that the next boat is leaving at 2 pm and check in for the boat was at 130. We went to get water and came back to the line at 130 to check in. We then stood in line baking in the blazing hot sun until 215 because the company was running behind schedule. They finally check us in 45 minutes after the scheduled check in time.
The entire line then was sent to another waiting area where the split the one long line of tourists turned into an organized mob as instructed by the Hornblower employees. When it was finally time to board, there was no order in getting the people onto the boat. Also, if we’re one of the first to wait in the initial line, you could have been last on the boat because of unorganized chaos in the holding area.
After we finally boarded, we finally started the tour at 2:45, 45 minutes after scheduled departure.
The actual boat ride was okay. Get on the front left part of the top level of the boat for the best views.
This was the worst thing I did in NYC.

Great cruise worthy of your time and money — especially if you have a lot to see with little time.
Since I only had a day dedicated to sightseeing in New York, I took a cruise with Hornblower’s to see the Statue of Liberty up close and New York from a distance on the water. The tour is $ 28.00 and lasts an hour. It circles Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, and lower Manhattan. The tour was a worth the money and time.
The cruise ship has two levels with some seats, offers beverages and snacks for sale, and does have a restroom. This ship moved slow enough for me to capture some good pictures, and I did not feel any motion sickness.
I didn’t purchase any upgraded tickets for seating or food. I could hardly believe the increase in price could be worth the one hour tour when people stand around seats preventing those sitting from having a good focal advantage.

Bought some tickets from some authorized ticket agents on Wall Street. 30 bucks a person and supposedly came with finger foods and soft beverages for a boat tour around the water. Sounded like a good deal and the guy seemed nice. Overall the boat experience was legit except there was no free food or drinks to be found. They did have refreshments for purchase. Nevertheless, the tour went through by all the picturesque landmarks like statue of liberty, Ellis Island, freedom tower, Brooklyn Bridge, the train station, and I forgot what else. Not bad for an hour cruise to get all the pictures that you possibly want to take.

Because of all the wonderful reviews I have read in the past from the Unilocal Holiday Hangover parties, I decided to go forth and book my 25^th birthday party with this company.
I called hornblower near the end of November to gather all the information about the different packages that were being offered.
I wound up picking the VIP package which included priority boarding, open bar, reserved seats and lite bites which was $ 95 a person.
Elasea was who was guiding me through all the details and was extremely nice, professional and very helpful throughout the entire process. Even on her days off she would talk to me through her cell phone and answers any questions I had. She was also on top of sending and reading all the emails that were going on between us.
I had my cruise booked since November for the cruise for January 10. However, I received a phone call five days before hand stating that they had to move the date because the company did not book enough of people. I pretty much went into a panic because I had to check with the rest of the group to see if the new date was okay with them along with rearranging my job schedule as well.
Because of this mistake the company offered me two complimentary tickets for this cruise, champagne bottles, balloons for my table, a cake and more complimentary tickets in the summer for myself and three other guests. The comps were definitely amazing and made the situation much better especially after that hassle.
The cruise was this past weekend.
The boat from the outside wasn’t exactly what I expected due to what was advertised on the main website but at that point it was whatever.
We boarded the inside of the boat which was nice on the second floor. It was cozy and warm, had tons of lights and a DJ. There was a dance floor and a bar area. The bartender Keith was bomb! Loads of fun and extremely excited to serve. We The other staff members on board were very nice as well. We were brought downstairs to our table.
The lower level was pretty outdated and didn’t look nearly as nice as the second level. Our lite bites included ziti, veggies, beef and chicken. The ziti was kind of cold but besides that the rest of the food was pretty good.
As promised there were two bottles of champagne on my table chilled the whole time. The chocolate cake was OUTSTANDING. The actual cruise was very nice, great views of the city and statue of liberty. All and all we had a great time, we all left the cruise smiling and would be interested in returning. I’m looking forward to cruising with them in the summer, however maybe aboard a different boat.