New York, USA cruise holidays

A New York cruise holiday puts you right in the heart of the Big Apple; Manhattan. From the trees and lakes of Central Park down to New York’s now tallest 104-floor One World Trade Center building, it’s a very walkable island, about half the size of London. However you want to explore, we’ll help you tick off your bucket list highlights here on an incredible stay in what is without doubt one of the world’s most memorable cities.

 

Browse the boutiques and restaurant-lined streets of sophisticated SoHo and the TriBeCa district. Enjoy the laid-back bohemian Greenwich Village vibe. Admire masterpieces at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art. Shop on Millionaire’s Row, Fifth Avenue, or find a bargain at Century 21, the world's largest discount warehouse.

 

Whatever you choose to do on your New York cruise holiday, you’re bound to be dreaming about the city that doesn’t sleep for years to come.

Top sights and attractions

Times Square

Times Square is the epicentre of New York. It seems to have bottled the New Year’s Eve party atmosphere year-round. It brings together all the energy and magic of 42nd Street, the most famous block in New York City. Originally a place of cabaret and peep shows, it’s now known for the gigantic advertisements that surround you in a forest of skyscrapers. Dancers, DJs and musicians perform live on stage while hundreds hurry by and some stand amazed. Pop in to shops like Swatch, Disney, M&Ms and Hershey’s Chocolate World. Discover endless eateries, bars and Broadway shows all in easy reach – if you can tear yourself away from the magnetic pull of Times Square.

Statue of Liberty

You’ll get to see Lady Liberty from the water on board your ship but she’s worth a much closer look. Discover how she was gifted to the USA by the French in celebration of America’s independence. Ellis Island museum has quite the story to tell too. As the immigration centre for the United States from 1892 until World War II, more than 12 million immigrants were ‘processed’ here. That means over 40% of Americans can trace part of their ancestry back to Ellis Island. On the ferry, enjoy views of Brooklyn Bridge, Staten Island, New Jersey and the Manhattan skyline.

Empire State Building

For a stunning view at any time of day or night, head up to the 86th floor of the Empire State building. Take in the beautiful Art Deco Chrysler Building, the Rockefeller Center, the Woolworth Building and, in the distance, the magnificent Statue of Liberty. People come from all over the world for this view of New York. Whether it’s your first or your tenth time, you’ll never tire of this experience. At night, the city comes alive with the lights of dazzling Downtown.

Things to do in New York

Visit Central Park

Take a walking tour to Uptown Manhattan’s pride and joy, the beloved Central Park. Any time of year, this must-see has a sense of deja-vu as you cross familiar bridges from so many famous movies and series. Wandering the winding pedestrian pathways, you can learn of the Park’s history and design. Spend time at the landmark Loeb Boathouse Express Café, the Conservatory Garden, the zoo and the ice rink (in winter). You may want to seek out John Lennon’s humble memorial, the black-and-white-tiled word that reads, simply, ‘Imagine’. Birdwatchers love The Ramble for spotting drumming woodpeckers, boisterous grackles and many more animals who’ve made Central Park their home.

Rockefeller Center

Seventy floors up from Rockefeller Center’s Top of the Rock observation deck in midtown Manhattan the city skyline is yours, including the Empire State Building. You share this vantage with the Irish, Italian and Native Americans who built this attraction. Remember them in the ‘Lunch Atop a Skyscraper’ black-and-white photograph taken here in 1932, sat along a steel suspended high above the city eating their sandwiches? Today the Center’s 12-acre complex includes Radio City Music Hall and NBC studios where Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show are filmed. It’s also home to The Rink ice-skating and giant Christmas tree whose lighting ceremony has become a huge annual highlight.

Visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum

Of all the things to do in New York, it’s hard to find words that describe what a visit here can do to those who choose to come. Capturing a day that changed our world forever, this is a memorial over the foundations of the fallen Twin Towers where water flows silently and infinitely around almost three thousand names of lives lost, engraved in bronze. Once seen, it can never be forgotten. And the likes of it should never need to be built again. Take some reflective time out at this sobering sight to pay our respects and practise gratitude for all that we are lucky enough to hold dear.

Food and Drink

Grab a hot dog or nip into a friendly deli like the locals do and pick up a giant pretzel to snack on the go. New York-style bagels are popular filled with pastrami, cheese and more before you set off exploring. If you do decide to sit and stop, why not pop into a lively pizzeria for a ‘pie’ as pizza is called here in Little Italy? New York’s cheesecake may surprise with its soft, non-biscuit base. Go in search of namesakes like the Manhattan clam chowder or sip a Manhattan cocktail with a view in the revolving Marriott bar and restaurant. From five-star to street stalls, New York has everything for everyone to eat and it’s sure to make your bite of the big apple delicious!

Discover 21 unique food concepts at the expansive, curated Time Out market in New York featuring the highest-rated local restaurants and some of the city’s most-revered chefs.

Shopping in New York

New York is a shopper's paradise with world-renowned names like Bloomingdale's waiting to be discovered. See how the nine floors of Macy’s contrast with Saks Fifth Avenue’s super chic department store. Look out for celebrities and designer shops such as Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton on Fifth Avenue (aka Millionaire’s Row) where the diamonds sparkle at Tiffany & Co and Cartier gold watches catch the light.

Culture and history of New York

Originally New Amsterdam founded by the Dutch, the British captured and called New York by the name the world has used since 1664. The ‘hilly island’ of Manahatta kept its American Indian name. So familiar are the streets and sights featured in countless iconic novels, films and famous TV series, that you’re likely to feel strangely at home here. With landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park and world-class museums, it’s a city you can visit again and again and never feel you’ve seen it all.

New York port facilities

Your ship will arrive at Manhattan cruise terminal, Midtown Manhattan, between piers 88 and 90 on the Hudson River, putting you in prime position to discover one of the world’s best-known western cities. Being based at the New York port makes exploring attractions easy. Will you choose the view from the Empire State Building or the Rockefeller Center? Do you want to feel the buzz standing in high-tech Times Square or escape to Central Park? Let us show you the famous landmarks on guided city adventures and themed experiences, or explore independently with skip-the-line admission.