"A positive point for the team. We were seated next to a very noisy group… The boat staff agreed to move our table."
Pier 36 · 3 Hours · Live Music
Dinner Cruise NYC
Three hours on New York Harbor after dark: a table of your own, live music from off-Broadway performers, and the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and the downtown towers lit up outside.
Top pick
From
$141
per person (regular option with a charcuterie board and one drink ticket; the 5-course dinner costs more; checked October 2026)
Free cancellation
- 4.2 / 5 1722+ Reviews
- 3 Hours Evening Sailing
- Live Music Private Table
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Pier 36 Dinner Cruise Includes
A private table, unlimited soft drinks, a drink ticket, live music, and the 5-course plated dinner as an option.
Highlights
- Statue of Liberty passes closely by with breathtaking sunset views
- Experience live music performances featuring the finest New York talent
- Relax at a private table with a 5-course plated dinner
- Enjoy a full bar featuring premium beer, wine, and cocktails made by experts
- Watch the sunset behind the Statue of Liberty with NYC skyline reflections
What's Included
- View of Statue of Liberty, Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, and many more landmarks
- 5-course plated dinner at a private table (if option selected)
- Unlimited soda, juice, coffee, hot tea, and water
- Live music performances from New York off-Broadway talents
- 1 drink ticket (beer and wine) or 2 VIP drink tickets (beer, wine, and cocktails) (depending on the option selected)
Good to know: - We can accomodate gluten-free or vegetarian requests if put clearly on the reservation · - Dress to impress! · - Contact us directly if you have requests for birthday cakes or decoration. · - Contact us through the chat on our website to confirm reservations or check weather cancellations. www.nycwatercruises.com · Not Included: Additional alcoholic drinks (available for purchase from bar with top-shelf liquor), Tips
How a New York Dinner Cruise Works
Pick the boat, check its dress code, find the pier, and arrive 30 to 45 minutes before the sailing.
Pick the Boat
The dinner cruises differ more by boat than by route: an all-glass dining boat from Chelsea Piers, a big buffet boat with a DJ, a 1920s-style yacht with jazz, or the Louisa of the Seas from Pier 36 with a band.
Check the Dress Code
City Cruises' premier dinner boat enforces semi-formal dress and turns away jeans, t-shirts and sandals. The buffet boats ask for casually stylish clothes. The listing on each card says which applies.
Arrive 30 to 45 Minutes Early
Boarding opens 30 to 45 minutes before the sailing and the boats leave on time. Your voucher names the pier: 36 on the East River, 61 or 62 at Chelsea Piers, 79 or 83 in Midtown.
Dinner, Then the Statue
The boats run down the Hudson to the Statue of Liberty and under the Brooklyn Bridge while dinner is served. Drinks beyond the ones included, and the tip, are paid on board.
Photo Gallery
On Board the Louisa of the Seas
Photos from the dinner cruise listing: the boat, the tables, the band and the harbor at night.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Instant confirmation; cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Four New York Dinner Cruises Compared
The band cruise from Pier 36 against the glass boat, the buffet boat and the jazz yacht. Prices as listed on GetYourGuide in October 2026.
| Feature | PIER 36 Gourmet Dinner, Live Music | GLASS ROOF City Cruises Luxury | Spirit of New York Buffet | Jazz Yacht Manhattan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From (October 2026) | $141 per person | $112 per person (lowest option) | $90 per person (lowest option) | $134 per person |
| Time on the water | 3 hours | 2 to 2.5 hours | 2 to 3 hours | 1.5 hours |
| Food | Charcuterie board; 5-course dinner as an option | 3-course meal | Buffet | Sold on board |
| Drinks included | Soft drinks + 1 drink ticket | Coffee, tea, iced tea | Coffee, tea, iced tea | 1 drink |
| Music | Live, off-Broadway performers | Pianist or band | DJ | Live jazz band |
| Dress code | Dress to impress | Semi-formal, enforced | Casually stylish | Not stated |
| Pier | Pier 36, East River | Pier 61, Chelsea Piers | Pier 61, Chelsea Piers | Pier 62, Chelsea Piers |
| Rating | 4.2 (1,722 reviews) | 4.5 (1,062 reviews) | 4.2 (568 reviews) | 4.8 (332 reviews) |
| Check Availability | See the Luxury Cruise | See the Buffet Cruise | See the Jazz Cruise |
Other New York Evening Cruises
More Ways to Spend an Evening on the Harbor
The all-glass boat from Chelsea Piers, a buffet with a DJ, live jazz on a 1920s yacht, and the two cheaper sightseeing cruises at sunset.
ALL-GLASS BOATNYC: City Cruises Luxury Brunch, Lunch or Dinner Cruise
A world-class city deserves a world-class harbor cruise that offers unparalleled service, dining, and entertainment.
BUFFETNYC: City Cruises Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner Buffet Cruise
Board the Spirit of New York from Chelsea Piers for a tour of Manhattan’s most iconic sights while you enjoy a bottomless mimosa brunch, lunch, or sunset dinner cruise.
LIVE JAZZNYC: Evening Jazz Cruise on the Yacht Manhattan
Cruise New York City's harbor aboard the 1920s-style yacht, the Manhattan, while listening to live jazz music on a 1.5-hour cruise.
MOST BOOKEDNYC Sunset & Harbor Lights Cruise with Statue of Liberty
Experience New York's most magical time of day aboard Circle Line as golden hour transforms into dazzling city lights.
LOWEST PRICENYC Golden Hour Cruise (2 hr)
Sunset, Golden Hour, Twilight, Happy Hour, whatever your favorite description is, nothing beats seeing New York City from the water as the sun is setting on one of the best skylines in the world.
HOLIDAY SEASONNYC: Holiday Yacht Cruise with Jazz, Cocoa & Carols
Celebrate the holiday season in style this Christmas aboard a luxury 90-minute yacht cruise of New York Harbor.
The Guide
Which New York Dinner Cruise to Book, and What Each One Gives You
Every boat passes the same skyline. What changes is the meal, the music, the dress code and the pier.
A New York dinner cruise is two to three hours on the harbor with a meal at your table, and the real choice is the boat: a band and a private table from Pier 36, an all-glass dining boat from Chelsea Piers, a buffet with a DJ, or a small 1920s-style yacht with jazz. All of them run down the Hudson to the Statue of Liberty and back up the East River under the Brooklyn Bridge, so the view is close to the same. The cruise this page puts first is NYC Water Cruises’ Gourmet Dinner Cruise with Live Music: three hours from 7pm on the Louisa of the Seas, with live music from off-Broadway performers. It is from $141 a person (checked October 2026) and rated 4.2 out of 5 from 1,722 reviews.
Read the options on that listing before you book. The starting price buys the regular option: a charcuterie board of cheese, cured meat, nuts and olives, unlimited soft drinks, coffee and tea, and one ticket for a beer or a glass of wine. The 5-course plated dinner at a private table, and the VIP option with two cocktail tickets, cost more. Tips are not included. Recent guests praise the band and the staff and call it a good birthday night; one asked to change tables when seated beside a loud group and was moved, and another wished they had brought motion-sickness tablets for the first half hour.
Four kinds of dinner cruise
The band and the private table. The Louisa of the Seas leaves Pier 36 on the East River, near the Manhattan Bridge, and the listing asks guests to “dress to impress”. It is the longest of the dinner cruises at three hours, with time to stand on deck at the Statue of Liberty between courses.
The all-glass dining boat. City Cruises’ Luxury Brunch, Lunch or Dinner Cruise is the boat New Yorkers still call Bateaux: a long, low vessel with a glass roof, a 3-course prix fixe menu, a pianist or a band and a dance floor. It leaves Pier 61 at Chelsea Piers and sails for two to two and a half hours. This is the one with a real dress code: semi-formal, enforced at the gangway, and no children aged six and under on the premier dinner. The luxury dinner cruise page covers it in detail.
The buffet with a DJ. The same company’s Spirit of New York buffet cruise also boards at Pier 61 and is the cheapest sit-down meal on the water, from $90 a person across brunch, lunch and dinner. It is bigger, louder and more casual, with a DJ, dancing and open-air decks, and families are welcome.
The yacht with jazz. Classic Harbor Line runs small 1920s-style yachts from Pier 62 at West 22nd Street. Its Evening Jazz Cruise on the Yacht Manhattan is 90 minutes with a live band and one drink, rated 4.8, and food is sold on board rather than served as a meal. For many couples it is the better evening: less dinner, more atmosphere.
Pick the one that fits your evening:
A night out with a band
Gourmet Dinner Cruise with Live Music
Three hours from Pier 36: a private table, live music and the 5-course dinner as an option.
Check dates →Dressing up
City Cruises Luxury Dinner
The glass-roofed boat from Chelsea Piers, 3 courses and a semi-formal dress code.
See the luxury cruise →Families and groups
Spirit of New York Buffet
A buffet, a DJ and open decks, with casual dress and children welcome.
See the buffet cruise →The view, not the meal
Circle Line Harbor Lights
Two hours at sunset with a live guide, within 100 feet of the statue. Food is sold on board.
See the sunset cruise →Prices and review counts as listed on GetYourGuide in October 2026, not a quote.
What a dinner cruise costs, and what is extra
The fares on this page are per person and include the meal named on the listing. Two things are almost never in the price: alcohol beyond a welcome drink or a drink ticket, and the tip. On the Louisa of the Seas one beer or wine ticket comes with the regular option; City Cruises’ luxury boat includes coffee and tea and sells everything else at the bar; the Spirit of New York serves unlimited coffee, tea and iced tea with the buffet. Budget for the bar and about 18 to 20 percent for the crew, as you would in a New York restaurant. The prices guide sets every boat side by side.
Where the boats leave from
Each cruise boards at one named pier, and they are a long way apart. Pier 36 is on the East River at the foot of the Lower East Side. Piers 61 and 62 are at Chelsea Piers on the Hudson around West 22nd Street. Pier 79 (NY Waterway, West 39th Street) and Pier 83 (Circle Line, West 42nd Street) are in Midtown, and City Cruises’ New Jersey boat leaves from Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City. Check the voucher, then use the pier guide for the nearest subway.
When to book
Every dinner cruise on this page can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before, so there is little risk in booking early. Weekend evenings and the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year sell out first; Classic Harbor Line asks for advance purchase and sells its holiday cruise in pairs only. If the date matters, a birthday or a proposal, book it once you know it and keep the free cancellation as your safety net. The holiday dinner cruise page covers the December sailings.
Guest Reviews
What Guests Say About the Dinner Cruise
4.2/5
from 1722 verified guests
"We had an amazing time here! Celebrated my bestfriend’s birthday. It was an experience. We had Gulay as our server and she was great! Thank you guys."
"overall an incredible experience, band were amazing and staff were very friendly and helpful. food was tasty. views were incredible as it was a clear evening. Booked the VIP package so nice space tables upstairs in a private area. Only downside is that the ship is difficult to locate when you arrive at the pier and we had to wait for it to arrive for a bit. We booked the VIP dinner cruise for after our 10th wedding anniversary vow renwal. This was quiet expensive and we emailed them before to confirm we were coming straight from the ceremony. we didnt expect anything free but it would have been nice for the staff to acknowledge the importance of the occasion for us."
"Everything was very good. The food was delicious. The staff were very friendly and kind. What should be improved, in my opinion, is the music. The metal voice of the girl who sang after two or three songs 😖. It was horrible. Her metal voice has nothing to do with a romantic dinner. I felt a bit overwhelmed. Then they played recorded music while she took her break, and it sounded better. But yes, I would come back for everything else. 😊"
"We were a group of friends who went to celebrate my birthday. We had a great time. It's really nice. The only thing we would do differently is to bring Dramamine, because at the very beginning it was rocking a lot and my friends got seasick, but after that it stabilized. The live music was great, and the dinner was delicious. Of the whole trip, we all agreed that it was the best part."
"A fantastic and exciting experience. Excellent food and service that was up to par, albeit a bit improvised. They only speak English, so there are major difficulties for Italian tourists who are not very familiar with the language."
"We had an absolutely amazing time on the dinner cruise celebrating my wife’s birthday! ❤️ The food, atmosphere, views, and service were fantastic. It was such a beautiful and memorable evening for both of us. Highly recommended for a special occasion! 🥂✨"
"We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary thanks to the wonderful gift from our children. A truly special evening, made even more unforgettable by the spectacular view of the city from the river and the excellent food. An experience that we will carry in our hearts!"
Read all 1,722 verified reviews
See All ReviewsA Table on the Harbor, With the City Lit Up
NYC Water Cruises' gourmet dinner cruise sails for three hours from Pier 36 with live music and a private table; the 5-course plated dinner is an option. Rated 4.2 from 1,722 reviews, from $141 a person as of October 2026, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Starting from $141 per person (regular option with a charcuterie board and one drink ticket; the 5-course dinner costs more; checked October 2026).
Check Dinner Cruise DatesCan't Make These Dates?
Browse More Available Options
Find a tour that fits your schedule. Check each listing's cancellation terms: some dates are non-refundable.
New York Dinner Cruise FAQ
The questions people ask before booking a dinner cruise in New York, answered in the first sentence.
From about $90 a person for a buffet to $112 for City Cruises' glass-roofed luxury boat and $141 and up for the 3-hour cruise with a band, on GetYourGuide in October 2026. The Spirit of New York buffet is the cheapest full meal; the gourmet dinner cruise from Pier 36 starts with a charcuterie board, and its 5-course dinner costs more. Drinks beyond those included and the tip are extra. The prices guide lists every boat.
Yes for an occasion, because the skyline and the Statue of Liberty at night are a view no restaurant on land has; not if you only want the view. Circle Line's Sunset & Harbor Lights Cruise gives you the same route for $45 a person (October 2026), without the meal. Are dinner cruises worth it? weighs it up.
For the meal and the view, City Cruises' luxury dining cruise from Pier 61, rated 4.5 from 1,062 reviews; for a band and a longer night, the 3-hour cruise from Pier 36. Couples who care more about atmosphere than dinner often prefer Classic Harbor Line's jazz yacht. The best dinner cruise in NYC compares them.
On City Cruises' premier dinner it is semi-formal and enforced: dress pants, dress shirts, skirts or dresses and dress shoes. The Spirit of New York buffet asks for casually stylish clothes and flat, closed-toe shoes, and the Pier 36 cruise says "dress to impress". The dress code guide goes boat by boat.
Not on City Cruises' premier dinner, which turns away casual jeans, t-shirts and sandals; on the buffet and brunch boats, dark jeans with a smart top are fine. The luxury dining cruise listing says the code is enforced at boarding, so dress up if that is your boat.
As soon as you know the date, because every dinner cruise here can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before. Weekend evenings and the weeks from Thanksgiving to New Year sell out first, and Classic Harbor Line strongly encourages advance purchase for its sunset yacht and sells its holiday cruise in pairs only.
From one named pier on your voucher: Pier 36 on the East River, Piers 61 and 62 at Chelsea Piers, Pier 40, Piers 79 and 83 in Midtown, or Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City. City Cruises' luxury boat and buffet boat both use Pier 61. The pier guide has the subway for each.
Two to three hours: 2 to 2.5 hours on City Cruises' boats and 3 hours on the Pier 36 cruise, which sails 7pm to 10pm unless the listing says otherwise. The jazz yacht is 90 minutes and serves a drink, not dinner.
Coffee, tea and soft drinks yes; alcohol mostly no. The Pier 36 cruise includes one beer or wine ticket (two cocktail tickets on VIP), Classic Harbor Line one drink, and the brunch sailings bottomless mimosas. Everything else is sold at the bar, and the tip is extra.
Yes on the buffet boats and the brunch and lunch sailings; not aged six and under on City Cruises' premier dinner. On the Spirit of New York infants ride free with the free infant ticket. For a family evening, Circle Line's harbor lights cruise is cheaper and has a live guide.
Not any more: the NYC Ferry single ride went from $4.50 to $5 on 19 October 2026. It is a commuter service, not a cruise. For an evening on the harbor with a guide, the NY Waterway golden hour cruise is $38 a person (October 2026).
Yes, the Staten Island Ferry is free and passes the Statue of Liberty in about 25 minutes each way from Whitehall Terminal. It does not stop at Liberty Island and has no commentary or food service. For a sunset with a guide, see Circle Line's Sunset & Harbor Lights Cruise.
Still have questions? Email us at info@dinner-cruise-nyc.com