Our first New Year’s Eve in the Big Apple, and we didn’t want to brave Times Square, so I found the Classic Harbor Line cruise online. Because we wanted live music, we selected the Manhattan II yacht, which had live jazz. It was a little pricey, but worth every cent. They had a sommelier on board who took us through four tastings of different sparkling wines, all of which were very good. We left the dock at 9:15 pm and got to cruise down the Hudson and up the East River; the view of Manhattan at night was awesome. The accommodations were fairly small, which was good because we weren’t crushed by a group of people, but comfortable, below decks, so we didn’t freeze to death outside. They had various hors d’ oeuvres, some of which were spectacular. Jazz quartet was superb with a small dance floor. Finally, the crew was extremely accommodating and very friendly. We anchored off the Statue of Liberty near midnight to see the fireworks display. Although we had to go out on deck to watch, and it was damned cold, the view of the fireworks was incredible.
The best New Year’s Eve my wife and I ever have ever had. Highly recommended.