The 3 Absolute Best Lunch Cruises in New York

Enjoy a lunch on a cruise!

If you don’t have time for a dinner cruise in the evening, a brunch cruise or lunch cruise is a wonderful alternative. This way, you can easily combine sightseeing and lunch and have your guide on board tell you everything you need to know about the city’s buildings, bridges and landmarks.

Are you in a hurry? Here you can 👉 compare all lunch cruises and here you find 👉 all details of the lunch cruises.

But what are the best lunch cruises in New York? We will now present them to you in detail. As with the Dinner Cruises and Lunch Cruises, tickets are very popular and often book up quickly. Therefore: if there are still tickets available, you should book quickly!


The Best Lunch Cruises in NYC

Here you find my comparison of all lunch cruises in New York. You’ll find everything important including dinner options and routes:

My Favorite
Most Popular

Lunch Cruise Around Manhattan

Bateaux Lunch Cruise NYC

Spirit Lunch Cruise NYC

Rating
Rating

Duration
Duration

2,75 hours

2 hours

2 hours

Pier
Pier

Chelsea Piers

Chelsea Piers

Chelsea Piers

What to expect

What to expect

What to expect

What to expect

What to expect

Hudson River

Hudson River

New York Harbor

New York Harbor

East River

East River

Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge

Manhattan Brigde

Manhattan Brigde

Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island

George Washington Bridge
George Washington Bridge
Price
Price

$158

$118

$118

Food & Drinks
Food & Drinks
  • 4-course brunch
  • 3-course plated lunch
  • buffet lunch
Departure
Departure

11 am

12 pm

12 pm

Steffen Kneist Loving New York
My recommendations

Which lunch cruise in New York is the best?

The Lunch Cruise Around Manhattan is by far the most beautiful lunch cruise in NYC for me. Why? First of all, it’s the only boat tour that takes you completely around the island of Manhattan. On this tour you will see a lot of what you expect from NYC and what NYC is all about. And you will also see a completely different side of New York that will surprise you (I won’t tell you more!).

Another plus is the lunch menu, which includes 4 courses. And last but not least, the ship is beautiful!

Lunch Cruises NYC in Detail

  1. 01

    Lunch Cruise Around Manhattan

    Cruise in Chelsea
    Our Highlight
    Around_Manhattan_Brunch_Cruise_NYC
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    The Lunch Cruise Around Manhattan is the only boat tour that takes you completely around the island of Manhattan. You will pass under more than 20 bridges and see all the important buildings that form the skyline of New York.

    The ship is the Manhattan, which was built in the style of the yachts of the 1920s. You’ll feel right at home on board! On the Lunch Cruise Around Manhattan you can look forward to a 4-course lunch with fresh fruit, frittata, bagels with cream cheese, croissants and much more!

    By the way, this lunch cruise is perfect for families!

  2. 02

    Bateaux Lunch Cruise

    Cruise in Chelsea
    Our Highlight
    New York Premier Lunch Cruise
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    This boat tour with lunch on board the Bateaux New York will take you from the Hudson River to the East River, which means you will see all the major buildings of the NYC skyline. And of course, the Statue of Liberty is included! Since the atmosphere on the Bateaux Lunch cruise is a bit more formal, guests are asked to wear long pants and no shorts or hot pants or flip flops.

  3. 03

    Spirit: Lunch Cruise

    Cruise in Chelsea
    New York Spirit Lunch Cruise
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    Relax on a comfortable boat as it cruises around New York Harbor and Manhattan on this relaxing 2-hour afternoon cruise that includes an all-you-can-eat buffet and DJ’ed music. Get great views and a different perspective on the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center, and the Empire State Building. And indulge in the delicious buffet lunch while doing it. Upgrade the afternoon to receive a welcome glass of champagne in a souvenir glass, a table for your party size, and access to a platinum open bar.

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 lunch cruise in NYC is the cheapest?

The cheapest lunch cruises start at around $98.

Where do the lunch cruises depart from in New York?

The departure point depends on the operators: the two main ones depart from Chelsea Piers on the Hudson River at Pier 61/62. However, there are also Queens and Jersey City as departure locations.

Are there lunch cruises for special events?

Yes, especially the holiday lunch cruises, christmas day lunch cruise, the fall foliage lunch cruise and the New Year’s Eve lunch cruises are very popular. If you are in New York at this time and plan to have lunch on a boat, you should book quickly. The tickets are very popular and the tours sell out quickly.

Is there a dress code?

No. Only the Bateaux lunch Cruise requires an elegant or dressy-casual attire (cocktail wear or dressy-casual attire is appropriate and dressy jeans are acceptable although casual jeans, t-shirts, athletic shoes and foam flip flops are discouraged).

Profilbild Steffen Kneist
About the author

I'm a true New York fan! Not only have I visited the city over 25 times but also have I spent several months here at a time. On my blog I show you the best and most beautiful spots of the city, so that you have a really good time! You can also find lots of insider tips in our New York travel guide. Also check out my hotel finder for New York!

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