NY Waterway
NY Waterway
3.6
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
The area
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
7,603 within 3 miles
Attractions
2,676 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
3.6
141 reviews
Excellent
54
Very good
38
Average
13
Poor
5
Terrible
31
psudino
Weehawken, NJ4,531 contributions
Oct 2019
My son had a day off from school so I took the day off from work and got us tickets to the Intrepid so he wasn't home all day staring at a screen. I never take the ferry across the river because the train or the tunnel (if driving) are much more convenient and cheaper. The downtown stop is a better stop closer to the action but the midtown stop is only good if you are going to Javitz or the Intrepid.
The cost is too much, the journey is on a less frequent schedule than the train and the parking at Port Imperial is also too much.
So yeah, if this is your first time or if you are a local showing someone the city, this is a nice journey. If you want in and out quickly, take a train.
The cost is too much, the journey is on a less frequent schedule than the train and the parking at Port Imperial is also too much.
So yeah, if this is your first time or if you are a local showing someone the city, this is a nice journey. If you want in and out quickly, take a train.
Written September 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Traveller & Foodie
Montreal, Canada4,351 contributions
Oct 2018 • Family
We took the NY Ferry from Hoboken Station at 9:48am on a Sunday morning and it brought us not far from the World Trade Center Memorial. The price was 12$ for two people, no traffic, quick and less than 17 minutes. I highly recommend this way of going into the city. The only negative was the times the ferry goes into the city on the weekends and the last ferry to come back to Hoboken was 7pm, a bit too early when you are a tourist and want to see the city however it was still better than going over the bridges and be stuck in traffic.
Written October 10, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
K0alaBears
Washington, NJ1 contribution
Nov 2011
NY Waterway Tickets from NJ to NYC were free with purchase of Radio City Christmas Spectacular show tickets. My fist experience with NY Waterway, basically wonderful....until finding the Bus back. Getting info before we left the house, I was told that at the end of the show, just go "across the street" to find the Waterway bus back to the Ferry. There is a LOT of "across the streets" from Radio City.
Before I left the house, I called to find out where I would need to be to catch the Bus back. I was advised that it would be across from Radio City, but be sure to get the West bound bus. We attended the 2 pm show & it got out at 3:30. This is where the trouble started as there are "several across the streets" from Radio City. I asked several attendants at the show if they knew where the Bus would be and they had no idea. Several NY Policemen gave me the same answer. I called the NY Waterway phone number & the girl advised me to go to 51st & 5th. (At this time we were at the corner of 51st and 6th Ave-which was stated to the woman) So the 4 of us walked there & waited, and waited, and waited. I called 2 more times advising of my location across from St. Patrick's on 5th Ave and again was told yes, the Bus should be there in 5 minutes stating it would come on 5th Ave. We again waited, waited, waited. After and hour & half, my Daughter called & spoke with "Diane" who FINALLY advised that no, we were in the wrong place & needed to go to 49th Street & 5th Ave. If our trip only included my Daughter, Granddaughter & myself, that would be one thing....even tho I also have a problem with my knee & scheduled for total knee replacement surgery in April. "Trying" to have my 84 yr. old Mother who has problems with her legs & knees & uses a walker, having to do all this walking around only to find out we were in the wrong place was a nightmare to say the least!! By the time we FINALLY got on the Bus, it was about 5:10. Getting out of the show @ 3:30, we should have been half way home by 5.
Today after processing our walk, looking on a map of the blocks and realizing where the bus stopped on our way back to the pier; when we first called at the corner of 51st and 6th Ave...someone should have said to go to 6th Ave and 49th St. (instead of walking the whole long block up 51st to 5th....since it was much closer ("across the street" "diagonally" to the corner of Radio City Music Hall) Hope this helps others NOT to have a bad end of an otherwise GREAT experience!!
Before I left the house, I called to find out where I would need to be to catch the Bus back. I was advised that it would be across from Radio City, but be sure to get the West bound bus. We attended the 2 pm show & it got out at 3:30. This is where the trouble started as there are "several across the streets" from Radio City. I asked several attendants at the show if they knew where the Bus would be and they had no idea. Several NY Policemen gave me the same answer. I called the NY Waterway phone number & the girl advised me to go to 51st & 5th. (At this time we were at the corner of 51st and 6th Ave-which was stated to the woman) So the 4 of us walked there & waited, and waited, and waited. I called 2 more times advising of my location across from St. Patrick's on 5th Ave and again was told yes, the Bus should be there in 5 minutes stating it would come on 5th Ave. We again waited, waited, waited. After and hour & half, my Daughter called & spoke with "Diane" who FINALLY advised that no, we were in the wrong place & needed to go to 49th Street & 5th Ave. If our trip only included my Daughter, Granddaughter & myself, that would be one thing....even tho I also have a problem with my knee & scheduled for total knee replacement surgery in April. "Trying" to have my 84 yr. old Mother who has problems with her legs & knees & uses a walker, having to do all this walking around only to find out we were in the wrong place was a nightmare to say the least!! By the time we FINALLY got on the Bus, it was about 5:10. Getting out of the show @ 3:30, we should have been half way home by 5.
Today after processing our walk, looking on a map of the blocks and realizing where the bus stopped on our way back to the pier; when we first called at the corner of 51st and 6th Ave...someone should have said to go to 6th Ave and 49th St. (instead of walking the whole long block up 51st to 5th....since it was much closer ("across the street" "diagonally" to the corner of Radio City Music Hall) Hope this helps others NOT to have a bad end of an otherwise GREAT experience!!
Written November 29, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SfromJersey
Berkeley Heights, NJ91 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
We bought our tickets online to go from Weehawken to midtown for the auto show. We get to the port and waited 20 minutes on line for the boat. When we went to get on the boat they looked at our digital ticket with bar code and told us to go back inside and exchange our digital ticket for a paper ticket. Of course that boat pulled away without us and we had to wait another 20 minutes with our paper ticket along with about a dozen other people who had the same issue. What year is it at the New York Waterway?
Written March 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
traveltheworld012
Rochester, MN17,435 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
On Friday, December 29, 2023, the four of us walked down to the 39th St Ferry from 50th St. where we were staying. Just for fun, we took the ferry to Staten Island. When it comes to taking a ferry in big cities (I had a similar issue in San Diego) informative signage is generally lacking. First to go to the correct building helps.. haha. When found, how do we get tickets, where do we board the correct ferry... signs, signs, not enough signs. Once figured out though, it was fun. This ferry only costs around $2.50/per. It takes you past the magnificent NYC skyline, the Stature Of Liberty (the ferry slows down here for people who want to take photos), Ellis Island, Battery Park where it makes a stop. Then on to Staten Island. Unless you have business there or live there, really not worth going. There is shopping, some stores and fast food. We just hopped back on the next ferry and got off at Battery Park.
Written January 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MondayGirl07020
Edgewater, NJ1 contribution
Jan 2015 • Solo
Horrible horrible business practice! They pushed me away and forced to rip my tix apart when I had a tix that's expired by a day this past winter. I was denied boarding the boat in front of a large crowd and embarrassed by the crew as I was obviously pleading for them to honor me a break but I wasn't getting any where, yes that' s all in front of everyone. think I am a woman they would give me a break, NO, No Way!! not only that, I had to wait for 30 min for the next boat to come. That's last year's winter when it's bitter cold if you remember in the east coast.
They encourage people to buy the 10 tix packages to save a little, not a bad thing but once when a tix is expired, you loose 100% values of the tix. is this even legal that they can do this to customers? has anyone checked? I will look into that.
And now the law prevents the gift cards to expire and loose its values 100% but why NY Waterway tix can be expired and loose its value at 100%??? I have a subway card that expires on me once a while, however, once I replace with a new card, the balance is transferred to the newly issue card. Never had an single issue to use it at all.
Now I choose NOT to ride the ferry whenever possible or if I must, I only buy one tix at a time. I encourage you to do the same until they change their policy. It’s very expense to ride the ferry, $9 each way, $18 round trip. Uber is only few dollars more from westside highway to Port Imperial. if you buy 10 tix and have one or two tix expire on you, besides kills the 7% deal you get, you can get embarrassed in front of everyone and lose 10 to 30 mins of your time. Not to mention, they took your money way in advance to make us look like losers all the way.
They encourage people to buy the 10 tix packages to save a little, not a bad thing but once when a tix is expired, you loose 100% values of the tix. is this even legal that they can do this to customers? has anyone checked? I will look into that.
And now the law prevents the gift cards to expire and loose its values 100% but why NY Waterway tix can be expired and loose its value at 100%??? I have a subway card that expires on me once a while, however, once I replace with a new card, the balance is transferred to the newly issue card. Never had an single issue to use it at all.
Now I choose NOT to ride the ferry whenever possible or if I must, I only buy one tix at a time. I encourage you to do the same until they change their policy. It’s very expense to ride the ferry, $9 each way, $18 round trip. Uber is only few dollars more from westside highway to Port Imperial. if you buy 10 tix and have one or two tix expire on you, besides kills the 7% deal you get, you can get embarrassed in front of everyone and lose 10 to 30 mins of your time. Not to mention, they took your money way in advance to make us look like losers all the way.
Written August 19, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gmenz
New York City, NY159 contributions
Jul 2014 • Business
Today, July 15, 2014, I went to the Edgewater terminal to take the 5:15PM ferry to West 42 street. When I arrived at the main building, a repair man had the door to the ticket vending machine open and was servicing it. I asked him if I could buy a ticket and he told me that the machine was not operating and might not be fixed until tomorrow. He suggested that I go online or call. I found a number, (201) 902-8700, and spoke to a very nice lady who told me that this machine breaks down often and I could pay the ticket taker on the boat in cash, or, if I didn’t have the cash, I could ride the ferry to West 42 and I would be escorted to purchase a ticket with a credit card. No problem … I had the $13 in cash for the fare.
When the ferry arrived, I explained the situation to the ticket taker who told me that he could not accept the cash and that I couldn’t get on the boat. I explained to him the conversation with the lady and he said that he didn’t care. He said the last time this happened no one ever come to escort the passenger. The other passengers in line behind me (there were only five of them), all spoke up told him that the machine was indeed broken. He said he didn’t care. I had to get off. At this time the captain of the boat opened a little window in the cabin and screamed at me to "shut up and get the hell off the boat”. I was saved when a Japanese woman who had boarded ahead of me came to the bow and gave me an extra ticket that she had. She generously refused to take any money from me.
During this conversation, I never raised my voice, insulted anyone or used profanity. The way I was addressed and treated by this crew, especially the captain, was totally unprovoked and uncalled for. I can deal with the broken machine and understand that mixups regarding procedures can occur, but there is absolutely no excuse for employees to treat your customers like this. Both of the crew members and especially the captain deserve to be disciplined. Additionally, they should all receive some instruction in the common courtesy and civility that any customer of any business deserves.
When the ferry arrived, I explained the situation to the ticket taker who told me that he could not accept the cash and that I couldn’t get on the boat. I explained to him the conversation with the lady and he said that he didn’t care. He said the last time this happened no one ever come to escort the passenger. The other passengers in line behind me (there were only five of them), all spoke up told him that the machine was indeed broken. He said he didn’t care. I had to get off. At this time the captain of the boat opened a little window in the cabin and screamed at me to "shut up and get the hell off the boat”. I was saved when a Japanese woman who had boarded ahead of me came to the bow and gave me an extra ticket that she had. She generously refused to take any money from me.
During this conversation, I never raised my voice, insulted anyone or used profanity. The way I was addressed and treated by this crew, especially the captain, was totally unprovoked and uncalled for. I can deal with the broken machine and understand that mixups regarding procedures can occur, but there is absolutely no excuse for employees to treat your customers like this. Both of the crew members and especially the captain deserve to be disciplined. Additionally, they should all receive some instruction in the common courtesy and civility that any customer of any business deserves.
Written July 15, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sblv65
Las Vegas, NV23 contributions
Mar 2017 • Friends
Took 4.10 ferry to city to see show from Port Imperial to Midtown. Returned for return journey at 9.30 to find all services cancelked without any warning or notification. Cost $61 to take UBER back to NJ and still have return tickets and had to pay parking. Lousy service, not to be trusted... Crooks. Low passenger volume so cancel service and tough!!! Apalling, need to be some kind of control over these services, they take advantage and cancel as they feel!
Written March 14, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris P
1 contribution
Jul 2016 • Business
I ride NYW as a commuter to/from work. The service is horrible and unreliable. Considrr:
1. They make changes without telling folks.
2. The lines at Pier 11 NYC for evening return home are often incomprehensible with lines crisscrossing with no apparent logic (i.e. the line that always formed for prior visits is suddenly not the line anymore and it's not clear which line is which so you have passengers all asking each other... it's the blind leading the blind).
3. They have some slovenly guy with a megaphone at NYC Pier 11 calling out "slip" locations for arriving boats. This guy's diction and annunciation is terrible and it is often impossible to understand what he is saying. Is my boat at slip "C" or "D' or "E". They all sound the same and it is not possible to know by his poor announcements. Its a joke and despite regular complaints, this guy makes no effort to speak more clearly and once again passengers must ask each other to be sure.
4. The cashiers in NYC Pier 11 are nasty and disinterested in effort and sloppy in appearance. They don't make eye contact, can't answer questions and never ever smile. They treat you like a bother despite fact that you are paying a handsome sum to ride the boat. Zero customer service..
5. Almost all staff treat you as a bother.
6. New boat is loud and functions poorly mechanically and is regularly taken out of service which throws the entire day's schedule into a disarray.. But at least it's clean. The old small boats are like riding some ancient tug boat. They are dirty. They are ratty in materials and maintenance. They smell. We are paying premium prices to ride on a third world boat.
Bottom line: You make your monthly $640 ticket purchase (nearly $1300/month or $15K/yr for me and my wife together) and they treat you like garbage from ticket purchase, to directional assistance, to ticket collection, to level of service, to sloppy poorly maintained boats, to inconsistent ever changing schedules with unannounced adfitional changes. They show no interest in customer service. And they have no desire for change because the way the system works, they have a monopoly with no competition so there is no real threat to their business continuation as a result of all the above. No threat to business results in no incentive to fix problems like these.
1. They make changes without telling folks.
2. The lines at Pier 11 NYC for evening return home are often incomprehensible with lines crisscrossing with no apparent logic (i.e. the line that always formed for prior visits is suddenly not the line anymore and it's not clear which line is which so you have passengers all asking each other... it's the blind leading the blind).
3. They have some slovenly guy with a megaphone at NYC Pier 11 calling out "slip" locations for arriving boats. This guy's diction and annunciation is terrible and it is often impossible to understand what he is saying. Is my boat at slip "C" or "D' or "E". They all sound the same and it is not possible to know by his poor announcements. Its a joke and despite regular complaints, this guy makes no effort to speak more clearly and once again passengers must ask each other to be sure.
4. The cashiers in NYC Pier 11 are nasty and disinterested in effort and sloppy in appearance. They don't make eye contact, can't answer questions and never ever smile. They treat you like a bother despite fact that you are paying a handsome sum to ride the boat. Zero customer service..
5. Almost all staff treat you as a bother.
6. New boat is loud and functions poorly mechanically and is regularly taken out of service which throws the entire day's schedule into a disarray.. But at least it's clean. The old small boats are like riding some ancient tug boat. They are dirty. They are ratty in materials and maintenance. They smell. We are paying premium prices to ride on a third world boat.
Bottom line: You make your monthly $640 ticket purchase (nearly $1300/month or $15K/yr for me and my wife together) and they treat you like garbage from ticket purchase, to directional assistance, to ticket collection, to level of service, to sloppy poorly maintained boats, to inconsistent ever changing schedules with unannounced adfitional changes. They show no interest in customer service. And they have no desire for change because the way the system works, they have a monopoly with no competition so there is no real threat to their business continuation as a result of all the above. No threat to business results in no incentive to fix problems like these.
Written July 7, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Philip K
New Jersey8 contributions
You know you are dealing with a monopoly when a company can be so rude to customers and be proud of it. Clearly customer service is not covered in their training manual as demonstrated by their barking at customers.
Written January 13, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vorrei sapere quanto costa il biglietto andata e ritorno da weeakwen all altra parte de fiume, x Andare a centrale park.
Written June 18, 2019
Over night parking at Bedford / Harbor Way ... for 4 nights? Advisable or not?
Written May 5, 2019
Michelle824g
Bloomfield, New Jersey
Im going to a few stores which i believe are in or close to the village. (Supreme, Bape are 2 of them). If we take the ferry from Weehawken how do I figure out which ferry to take. I dont see a ferry to "the village"....
Written September 4, 2017
I know when I arrive at the 39th St terminal they have buses to 44th/57th, Mid Town and the financial area. Therefore, I don't think it matters much, but there is also a very terminal in the World Financial area, which is closer for your final destination.
Written September 4, 2017
Wir möchten gerne von Manhattan BMB nach Bayonne zum Kreuzfahrtterminal.
Besteht die Möglichkeit bei Port Liberte ein Taxi bis zum Kreuzfahrthafen zu nehmen?
Stehen dort Taxen?
We want to go from BMB to port Liberte and then with a taxi to cruise terminal Bayonne. Is this possible?
Written August 28, 2017
Will we be able to do a boat tour in late February not the statue ov libert the one round the island
Written November 1, 2015
Showing results 1-7 of 7
Related Stories
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing