Press Releases

Statue City Cruises Awarded to Continue to Provide Ferry Service to the Statue of Liberty

New contract comes as travel to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island approaches pre-pandemic visitation levels

 

New York, NYStatue City Cruises, the authorized provider of ferry service to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, announced today that the ten-year contract with the National Park Service has been awarded to Statue City Cruises. Statue City Cruises, part of the City Experiences portfolio of water and land-based experiences, has operated the service for more than 15 years. The new contract begins March 1, 2024.

 

Visitation on board Statue City Cruises is currently at 87 percent of pre-pandemic levels with several days so far this year exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Historically, visitation has averaged more than four million annual visitors, including an all-time high 4.6 million visitors in 2016.

 

“On behalf of Statue City Cruises, we appreciate the opportunity to continue to deliver first rate hospitality and create amazing experiences for guests on board our vessels to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island,” said Mike Burke, COO of Concessions & Park Services for City Experiences.  “We sincerely thank the National Park Service for their continued trust and confidence.”

 

Statue City Cruises will continue to provide world class experiences to locals and visitors from two convenient departure points at Battery Park in lower Manhattan and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. Visitors will enjoy the rich culture and history of the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration and the Statue of Liberty Museum. The pedestal and crown of the Statue of Liberty completely reopened in October 2022.

 

For more information about Statue City Cruises and City Experiences, please visithttps://www.cityexperiences.com/new-york/city-cruises/statue/.

 

 

About Hornblower Group

Hornblower Group is a global leader in experiences and transportation. Hornblower Group’s corporate businesses are comprised of three premier experience divisions: American Queen Voyages®, its overnight cruising division; City Experiences, its land and water-based experiences as well as ferry and transportation services; and Journey Beyond, Australia’s leading experiential travel group. Spanning a 100-year history, Hornblower Group’s portfolio of international offerings includes water-based experiences (dining and sightseeing cruises), land-based experiences (walking tours, food tours and excursions), overnight experiences (cruises and railways) and ferry and transportation services. Hornblower Marine, a subsidiary of Hornblower Group, provides vessel outhaul and maintenance services at Bridgeport Boatworks in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Additionally, Anchor Operating System, LLC, a subsidiary of Hornblower Group, provides reservation, ticketing, and website integration services for clients in the transportation, tourism and entertainment industries. Today, Hornblower Group’s global portfolio covers 114 countries and territories, 125 U.S. cities and serves more than 22 million guests annually. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Hornblower Group’s additional corporate offices reside in Adelaide, Australia; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; London, United Kingdom; New Albany, Indiana; New York, New York; Dublin, Ireland; and across Ontario, Canada.  For more information visit hornblowercorp.com.

About City Experiences

City Experiences represents Hornblower Group’s expansive portfolio of water- and land-based experience companies and includes two sub-brands: City Cruises and City Ferry.  City Cruises companies operate dining, sightseeing and private events across 22 destinations in the U.S., Canada and the UK.  City Cruises companies also operate cruises on behalf of the National Park Service and the Niagara Parks Commission and currently hold service contracts to provide ferry service to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, Alcatraz Island and Niagara Falls.  City Ferry companies offer specialized knowledge and expertise required to transport passengers, vehicles and other cargo safely across inland and coastal waterways, serving as operator of NYC Ferry and Puerto Rico ferry system, among others.  City Experiences’ portfolio of companies also offers a range of water- and land-based experiences including shore excursions, partner-offered experiences, multi-port packages, with companies including Venture Ashore, Walks and Devour Tours.  For more information visit cityexperiences.com.

Santiago Alvarado

Recent Posts

Your New Best Employee Never Takes a Lunch Break (or a Vacation) – Part 2

A Practical Guide to the Best Dedicated AI Travel Planning Apps for Home-Based Advisors Written…

5 hours ago

Registration and Pitch Applications Now Open for Travel Tech’s 2026 Start-Up Summit

Alexandria, Va. — Jul. 29, 2026 – Travel Tech Association (Travel Tech) has opened registration and pitch applications for…

4 days ago

Space Still Available for Windstar’s 2026 Spanish Mystery Cruise

Passengers Can Take Part in the Popular Cruise and Take Advantage of $1,300+  in Complimentary Value with the…

4 days ago

Viking Takes Delivery of Newest River Ship in Europe

The Viking Dagur Joins Award-Winning Fleet of Viking Longships   Los Angeles (July 29, 2026)…

5 days ago

Secrets Resorts in Aruba and Spain – Ultimate All Inclusives

Inside Secrets Baby Beach Aruba, Bahía Real, and Mallorca Villamil Written By: Geoff Millar, Owner…

5 days ago

Travelers are packing more experiences into every trip but refusing to spend more, new Arival and Phocuswright research finds

New traveler research reveals how, when and where travelers really book tours, activities and attractions,…

6 days ago