Statue
of Liberty Ferry
The Statue of Liberty ferry is a must ride for visitors. Tourists
on their way to New York City are often asked, are you going to
see the Statue of Liberty? That is right, thousands brave the inconveniences
just to visit the Statue of Liberty. It is the world's symbol of
freedom and countless others suffering from oppression. Rightfully
so, but how then can we visit the Statue on an island at the mouth
of New York City harbor?
You will have to board the Statue of Liberty ferry to cross the
channel, that's it. Though you actually have two options for the
ferry ride.
Board the ferry from Battery Park in New York City or at the Liberty
State Park at the New Jersey City side. Both ferry rides bring park
visitors to the Statue of Liberty National Monument on Liberty Island
and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum on Ellis Island.
If you are taking one of the supervised cruises, the assembly point
is midtown Manhattan. The licensed tour guide will be with you on
the subway up to Battery Park then on board the Statue of Liberty
ferry across the channel. While on the ferry, the tour guide will
orient tourists about the history of the Statue of Liberty, the
design, the sculptor, the fund raising, the shipment of the different
components and then the construction. At the end of the tour, the
tour guide will help you board the Statue of Liberty ferry on your
ride back.
For those out for sightseeing, with no intentions of disembarking
at the Statue of Liberty, they can take the Staten Island Ferry
at the eastern end of Battery Park, a stone's throw from the Statue
of Liberty ferry docks. The ride takes you across the New York harbor
on to the Statue of Liberty to view the exhilarating Manhattan skyline
and it takes about an hour for the round trip. It is the best way
to experience the view of the Statue and the Manhattan skyline and
it actually would cost you nothing since the ride is free.
When you're taking the regular Statue of Liberty ferry the process
is tedious. Expect a 45-minute waiting time for the tickets because
of the snake-like queues. And then another hour to board the ferry
for security precaution measures. You can book your tickets online,
but you still have to go downtown to pick it up at designated booking
outlets. Lastly, your trip to Lady Liberty must not be scheduled
during weekends and holidays since the crowds will be unbearable.
Due to the complaints aired by park visitors on ferry rides, the
National Park Service is transferring exclusive concession from
Circle Line to Statue Cruises LLC. Circle Line has been the Statue
of Liberty ferry for over 50 years and starting January 1 the new
ferry service provider will begin its operations. Hopefully Statue
Cruises LLC will honor their commitment to reduce waiting lines
in terms of ticketing and boarding.
Everybody has been encouraged to book their tickets online and
for convenience, patrons can even print their own tickets through
their personal computers. Moreover, podcasts will be available for
downloading to ease waiting time especially when boarding.
The Statue of Liberty ferry will still be available 7 days a week
all year long (except on Christmas Day, December 25). Round trip
ferry tickets cost $11.50 for adults and $4.50 for children.
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