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October 30, 2026
Fourteen boats, one night, four piers. Once you know your budget, these are the differences that matter.
The dance floor on Cornucopia Majesty, New Year's Eve
Midnight, near the Statue of Liberty
Midnight fireworks over the harbor
14cruises on Thursday, December 31
4Manhattan piers on two rivers
$149to $549 per person, dinner and open bar included
12:15to 2:00 AM, back on land
Our picks at a glance
Ten of the 14 cruises, each the best fit for one kind of night. Every fact comes from the cruise's own listing on NewYears.com.
| Best for | Cruise | Why | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Hornblower Infinity | The big-boat party: 1,000 guests, premium bar to 1:30 AM, 21 and over | $229 |
| Plated dinner | Cornucopia Destiny | The only 4-course plated dinner; premium bar to 2:00 AM | $349 |
| A party on a budget | Harmony Yacht NYC | The lowest price on the water, 21 and over | $149 |
| A party boat | Harbor Lights NYC | A 21+ party crowd, buffet and open bar | $169 |
| The longest open bar | Cloud 9 IV NYC | Deluxe bar from 8:30 PM to 1:00 AM | $449 |
| A late night | Sundancer | Premium bar until 2:00 AM, about 100 guests | $499 |
| Dressing up | Atlantis NYC Yacht | Black tie optional, Gold Bar cocktails | $549 |
| Families | Liberty Belle NYC | Large outdoor areas, all ages | $169 |
| The newest boat | Horizon's Edge NYC Yacht | Premium open bar, all ages | $309 |
| Downtown | Timeless Yacht NYC | Pier 36 on the Lower East Side, all ages | $239 |
Dinner cruise or party cruise?
Every ticket includes dinner and an open bar, so the real choice is the kind of night. Most boats under $250 run as party cruises: a buffet, a standard or mid-shelf bar and a DJ. Hornblower Infinity is the exception, with a premium bar at $229 and room for 1,000 guests. At the top end, Atlantis, Sundancer, Cloud 9 IV and Cornucopia Destiny feel more like a gala dinner: gourmet or plated food, a premium or deluxe bar, and 100 to 300 guests.
"Every ticket includes dinner and an open bar, so the real choice is the kind of night."
Best plated dinner
Cornucopia Destiny
The only 4-course plated dinner on the water, with a premium open bar from 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM.
From$349Get tickets
Best party on a budget
Harmony Yacht NYC
From $149, the lowest price on the water: a 21+ crowd, a dinner buffet and an open bar from 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM.
From$149Get tickets
Best party boat
Harbor Lights NYC
A 21+ party crowd, a dinner buffet and an open bar from 9:00 PM to midnight. Back at Skyport Marina at 12:30 AM.
From$169Get tickets
The open bar, Cornucopia Majesty
The table before the countdown
Check when the bar closes
Open bar hours are the detail most people miss. Harbor Lights, Liberty Belle, Lucille and Timeless close the bar at 12:00 AM. Cornucopia Destiny and Sundancer pour until 2:00 AM. If the toast after midnight matters to your group, compare bar hours, not just price.
Open bar hours are the detail most people miss.Bars close between 12:00 and 2:00 AM, depending on the boat.
Longest open bar
Cloud 9 IV NYC
A deluxe open bar from 8:30 PM to 1:00 AM, the longest bar hours listed, and a five-course dinner buffet.
From$449Get tickets
Best for a late night
Sundancer
A premium open bar until 2:00 AM, and back at Pier 81 at 2:00 AM. About 100 guests.
From$499Get tickets
How the night runs
Boarding opens 30 to 90 minutes before the boat leaves the dock, and departures run from 9:00 to 10:30 PM. Dinner comes first while the boat cruises past the skyline. Before midnight most guests move to the outdoor decks for the countdown and the fireworks near the Statue of Liberty, and the boat heads back after. You will be on land between 12:15 and 2:00 AM.
The fireworks near the Statue of Liberty
Your night on the water
- 8:00 PMFirst boats start boarding
- 9:00 to 10:30 PMBoats leave the dock, dinner is served
- Before midnightOut to the decks for the countdown
- 12:00 AMFireworks near the Statue of Liberty
- 12:15 to 2:00 AMBack on land, depending on the boat
All 14 cruises, four piers, one harborEvery New Year's Eve cruise in New York on one page, with its pier, boarding time and price.See all 14 cruisesPick the pier that suits the trip home
Six cruises leave from Pier 81 on the West Side, about a mile west of Times Square, where streets close to traffic on New Year's Eve, so leave extra time. Five leave from Skyport Marina on the East Side at 23rd Street. Pier 36 and Pier 15 are downtown on the East River. Cabs and rideshares are scarce everywhere between midnight and 2 AM, so a pier near where you are staying saves the most time.
The Brooklyn Bridge from the East River
Best downtown
Timeless Yacht NYC
Leaves from Pier 36 on the Lower East Side. All ages, a mid-shelf open bar, back at 12:30 AM.
From$239Get tickets
What to wear on a New Year's Eve cruise
Most cruises don't list a dress code, so festive party clothes are the norm. Three do: Atlantis is black tie optional, Liberty Belle asks guests to dress to impress (no athletic wear, casual sneakers or flat sandals), and Cornucopia Majesty lists festive attire. Bring a warm coat, because the countdown happens on an open deck in late December, and wear shoes you can manage on a gangway. Cruises sail rain or shine, so check the forecast and pack a rain layer if it looks wet.
Dressed for the night, Hornblower Infinity
Best for dressing up
Atlantis NYC Yacht
Black tie optional, with a Gold Bar pouring festive New Year's Eve cocktails and a gourmet dinner buffet.
From$549Get tickets
New Year's Eve cruises with kids
Ten of the 14 cruises welcome all ages. For families, Liberty Belle is our pick: it has large outdoor areas, boards at Pier 36 at 8:30 PM and is back at 12:30 AM. If an early night matters most, Lucille is back at Skyport Marina at 12:15 AM, the earliest return of any boat. There are no child prices unless a cruise's own page lists one, so plan on a full-price ticket for each child. Cosmo, Harmony, Harbor Lights and Hornblower Infinity are 21 and over.
10 of 14cruises welcome all ages. Lucille is back first, at 12:15 AM.
Best for families
Liberty Belle NYC
Large outdoor areas and all ages welcome. Boards at Pier 36 at 8:30 PM and is back at 12:30 AM.
From$169Get tickets
Big boat or small yacht?
Capacity runs from 100 guests on Sundancer to 1,000 on Hornblower Infinity and Cornucopia Majesty. Big boats bring more decks and a bigger dance floor. Small yachts bring shorter bar lines and a more private room.
Cornucopia Majesty on New Year's Eve
Our #1 New Year's Eve cruise
Hornblower Infinity
The big-boat party: room for 1,000 guests, a dinner buffet and a premium open bar from 9:30 PM to 1:30 AM. 21 and over.
From$229Get tickets
The newest boat
Horizon's Edge NYC Yacht
The newest boat on the water this New Year's Eve, with a dinner buffet and a premium open bar from 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM. All ages.
From$309Get tickets
Last New Year's Eve on the water
Photos from our New Year's Eve parties on Hornblower Infinity and Cornucopia Majesty.
Ready to pick yours?
All 14 New Year's Eve cruises in New York are on one page, with each one's pier, boarding time and price.
About this guide. Every time, price, pier and age rule in this guide comes from the cruise's own listing on NewYears.com, checked October 30, 2026. Questions? Call 212-NEW-YEAR (212-639-9327) or use Ask a question.
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