The 8 Absolute Best Brunch Cruises in New York City for 2024
Enjoy the Best Brunch on a Boat in NYC!
If you don’t have time for a dinner cruise in the evening, a brunch cruise is a wonderful alternative. The selection of good brunch on boat tours in New York City is really good – your options range from large ships to smaller cozy boats in the look of the 1920s.
Are you in a hurry? Here you can 👉 compare all brunch cruises and here you find 👉 all details of the brunch cruises.
The routes of the boats are all fairly similar and take you along the Hudson River to the Statue of Liberty (exception are the tours that start at Pier 36). On the way there you can enjoy a great view of the New York skyline with all its highlights. From the Hudson Yards with the observation deck The Edge to the Empire State Building, the new One Vanderbilt and of course the One World Trade Center, you can see it all. Next stop is the famous Brooklyn Bridge. From there, the cruise returns to the starting point.
Brunch Cruises are the best way to start your day in NYC!
One thing you can already look forward to: there is hardly a better way to start the day with a brunch in a cruise in New York! Drinking coffee, having a delicious breakfast and always having a stunning view of New York City from the water is just great!
But where do you find the best brunch on a boat in NYC? We will now show you the best brunch boat tours in NYC in detail. Just like the Dinner Cruises and Lunch Cruises, tickets are very popular and often sold out quickly. Therefore: if there are still tickets available, you should book yours quickly!
The Best Brunch Boat Cruises in NYC
Here you find my comparison of all brunch cruises in New York. You’ll find everything important including dinner options and routes:
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Rating |
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Duration |
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Duration | 2.75 hours | 2.5 hours | 2 hours | 2 hours | 1.5 hours | 2.75 hours | 2.5 hours | 2 hours |
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Pier |
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Pier | Pier 62 | Pier 61 | Pier 36 | Pier 61 | North Cove Marina | Pier 62 | Pier 62 | Pier 36 |
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Hudson River |
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Hudson River | ||||||||
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New York Harbor |
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New York Harbor | ||||||||
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East River |
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East River | ||||||||
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Brooklyn Bridge |
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Brooklyn Bridge | ||||||||
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Williamsburg Bridge |
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Williamsburg Bridge | ||||||||
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Roosevelt Island |
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Roosevelt Island | ||||||||
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George Washington Bridge |
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George Washington Bridge | ||||||||
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Price |
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Price | from $142 | from $152 | from $89 | from $123 | from $78 | from $164 | from $164 | from $119 |
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Tickets |
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Tickets | ||||||||
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Food & Drinks |
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Food & Drinks |
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Departure |
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Departure | 10 am | 12 pm | 12 pm | 12 pm | 12 pm | 11 am | 10 am | 11:30 am |
Which brunch cruise in New York is the best?
As you can see, we love the combination of boat tour, sightseeing and food. Therefore, we have tried many brunch cruises over the years. Some, unfortunately, were disappointing and way too expensive for what you got (so these are not represented in my best list).
We can personally recommend two brunch cruises: the Bateaux Brunch Cruise and the Skyline Brunch Cruise Around Manhattan. We always had a great time on both!
Brunch Cruises NYC in Detail
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01
Skyline Brunch Cruise Around Manhattan
Cruise in ChelseaOur Highlight
This Manhattan brunch cruise is one of the most beautiful boat tours in New York. You sit aboard a 1920s-style ship with lots of wood and even more glass. The provider has several wonderful boat tours in the program, of which we have already tried four (and all were great!).
Start at Pier 62 at Chelsea Piers – this is where you board. First you start towards the George Washington Bridge, then turn south to the Statue of Liberty, New York Harbor and the Brooklyn Bridge. You can enjoy the view of the New York skyline and have a delicious brunch with New York specialties. The first drink (even champagne!) is even included in the price.
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02
Bateaux New York Luxury Brunch Cruise
Cruise in ChelseaOur Highlight
The boat tours with Bateaux New York are super-popular, especially the Dinner Cruise (which is also one of our favorites). In addition, there’s a Brunch Cruise that takes you from the Chelsea Piers on the Hudson River to the Statue of Liberty in two hours. Along the way, you’ll see many of New York’s famous landmarks; I always find the skyline impressive and beautiful. And because the Bateaux New York is made of a lot of glass, the view from everywhere is really good.
If you are looking for an elegant and luxurious brunch cruise, there is no way around the Bateaux Brunch Cruise: you can expect a brunch menu with a huge selection, there is live music, service on board and all non-alcoholic drinks are included in the price.
My conclusion: The Bateaux Brunch Cruise is one of the best brunch cruises in New York!
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03
Bottomless Brunch Cruise in NYC
Cruise in Lower East Side
This 2-hour brunch cruise starts at Pier 36 very close to the Manhattan Bridge in Manhattan and takes you first to the Statue of Liberty. Afterwards you will sail up the Hudson River to the Meatpacking District, so you can also see the new Little Island at Pier 54. From there, the route takes you back to the southern tip of Manhattan.
There will be a live DJ on board to keep you in a good mood.
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04
Brunch Cruise onboard Spirit of New York
Cruise in Chelsea
Relax on a comfortable boat as it cruises around New York Harbor and Manhattan! On this relaxing 2-hour brunch cruise, you’ll enjoy an open-air brunch buffet and music from a DJ. You’ll see the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center and the Empire State Building from a different perspective. Just great!
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05
Champagne Brunch Sail Aboard The Classic Schooner Shearwater
Cruise in Battery Park CityOur Highlight
At the Champagne Brunch Sail you will start the day in a very relaxed way with the historic tall ship “Shearwater”. The two-ship is located in the probably most expensive marina in Manhattan in direct proximity of the One World Trade Center. You start directly at the Hudson River, from where you sail towards the harbour. From the Shearwater you can relax and admire the skyline – best with a glass of champagne in your hand!
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06
New York City Fall Foliage Brunch Cruise
Cruise in ChelseaOur Highlight
The New York City Fall Foliage Brunch Cruise is one of the best boat tours you can take in New York in the fall. You’ll see an incredible amount of nature as you make your way up the Hudson River – that was something that really surprised me personally. On top of that, this Fall Foliage Brunch Cruise takes place on a very beautiful 1920’s style ship. The atmosphere is really great!
The ship takes you from Pier 62 towards Palisades Park and the George Washington Bridge. You will pass the last part of Manhattan on your right with the Upper West Side and Harlem and go under the impressive George Washington Bridge, the only bridge that connects the state of New Jersey with the state of New York. And on your left you will be able to admire Palisades Park in New Jersey.
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07
Weekend Holiday Brunch Cruise
Cruise in ChelseaOur Highlight
This tour is my tip for a lovely brunch cruise in NYC during the holiday season. You will be on board one of the most beautiful yachts in the style of the 1920s in NYC. The boat tour takes you around the island of Manhattan, so you can see all the major attractions. The atmosphere is wonderfully relaxed and definitely worth the price!
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08
NYC 4th of July Brunch Cruise
Cruise in Lower East Side
This 4th of July brunch cruise is one of the newest boat tours where you can celebrate the Independence Day of the USA in a wonderfully relaxed way. The ship has three different decks where you can combine sightseeing with brunch. The icing on the cake is the live DJ on board who will entertain you on this tour from George Washington Bridge to Brooklyn Bridge.
What is the Best Cruise in New York for you?
There are over 40 boat and sailing tours in New York and it’s not easy to choose the best one. That’s where our Cruise Finder comes in. It will help you find the best boat tour for you!
FAQ
Which brunch cruise in NYC is the cheapest?
The cheapest brunch cruises start at about $80 per person. Often fees like taxes etc. come on top of that. In addition, many boats have different price categories. The brunch cruise on the sailing ship Shearwater starts at $78 and is one of the cheapest. You can book it here.
Where do the brunch cruises depart from in New York?
The departure point depends on the providers: The two main brunch cruises depart from Chelsea Piers on the Hudson River at Pier 61/62, and some also depart from Pier 36, but there are also brunch cruises that depart from Queens or Jersey City. The exact meeting point will be given to you in advance with your booking confirmation.
Are there brunch cruises for special events?
Yes, especially the holiday brunch cruises, Christmas day brunch cruise, the fall foliage brunch cruise and the New Year’s Eve brunch cruises are very popular. If you are in New York at this time and plan to make a brunch boat cruise, you should book quickly. The tickets are very popular and the tours sell out quickly.
Is there a dress code?
No, in most cases there is no prescribed dress code. Only for the Bateaux Brunch Cruise the dress code is elegant or casually elegant (cocktail attire or casually elegant attire is appropriate and elegant jeans are acceptable, but casual jeans, T-shirts, athletic shoes and foam flip-flops are discouraged). However, you will find more information about this in your booking confirmation.
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