Thanksgiving 3-Course Cruise

City Cruises NYC: Thanksgiving Gourmet Harbor Cruise runs through City Cruises. Rated 4.4 across 22 reviews. Runs 3 hours. From $283.29.

Overview

Thanksgiving aboard the Bateaux New York is a three-hour cruise centered on a three-course prix fixe meal. The yacht is European in style and glass-enclosed, with a climate-controlled dining room where guests sit at a reserved private table. Courses arrive one at a time, and a live band or DJ plays while the boat works its way along the Manhattan skyline. There is a lunch sailing and a dinner sailing, and the tone of each differs: lunch is casual and open to children, while dinner is semi-formal and closed to children under 6 because of the length of the trip.

The route passes most of the landmarks people come to New York to see. From a table, the dance floor, or the open-air rooftop deck, guests get sightlines to the Empire State Building, the Vessel at Hudson Yards, One World Trade Center, the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. Seasonal cocktails, wine, and beer are sold at the bar, though the meal itself and unlimited coffee, tea, and water are part of the ticket.

The menu offers a choice at each course. A traditional turkey dinner with stuffing, mashed potato, and cranberry sauce sits alongside broiled salmon and a fall vegetable ragu, with a dessert station of cakes, brownies, and pastries to finish. It suits couples and families marking the holiday who would rather let someone else cook, and reviewers consistently praise the food, the staff, and the views from the water.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Arrive at Pier 61Check in at Pier 61, Chelsea Piers, on 11th Avenue in Manhattan. Hotel pickup and drop off are not included.
2. Board the BateauxBoard the glass-enclosed yacht and take your reserved table in the climate-controlled dining room. Table assignments match your party size.
3. Three-course plated mealChoose a starter, a main such as turkey dinner, broiled salmon, or fall vegetable ragu, and then visit the seasonal dessert station. Coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and water are unlimited.
4. Live music and dancingA live band or DJ plays during the cruise, with a dance floor on board.
5. Skyline sightseeingWatch for the Empire State Building, Hudson Yards, One World Trade Center, the bridges, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty from the dining room or the open-air rooftop deck.
6. Cruise endsThe cruise lasts three hours in total.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help the day go smoothly, from dress codes that differ between the lunch and dinner sailings to how drinks and seating work on board.

• Dress code. The dinner cruise asks for semi-formal attire: slacks, button-ups, dresses, and similar. Lunch is dressy-casual, where nice pants, collared shirts, and dressy jeans are fine, while t-shirts, athletic shoes, and flip flops are discouraged. Check which sailing you booked before deciding what to wear.
• Seating together. Everyone who wants to sit at the same table must be on the same booking. If separate bookings were made, contact City Cruises ahead of time to be seated together. Tables are guaranteed for your party size.
• Drinks cost extra. Alcoholic beverages are not in the ticket price and are available for purchase at the fully stocked bar. Coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and water are unlimited and included. Tips and the commemorative photo are also extra.
• Bring ID. The listing asks guests to bring a passport or ID card. Keep it accessible rather than buried in a bag.
• Food and allergies. The menu offers a choice of starter and main, including a vegetarian and vegan fall vegetable ragu, and one reviewer said the cruise was suitable for people with food intolerances. Tell your server about any allergy before ordering, and note that the menu can change and the dessert station contains nuts.
• Deck strategy. The glass enclosure gives 360-degree panoramic views of the skyline. The open-air rooftop lounge is available for relaxing outdoors. All interior areas of the ship are non-smoking, and guests may smoke on the outdoor decks only.

Common issues. The main friction points are cost-related rather than quality-related. Alcohol, tips, and the commemorative photo all cost extra on top of the ticket. One reviewer reported that free iced tea and coffee were not actually offered on their sailing, despite being listed as included. The dinner cruise excludes children under 6, and the menu is subject to change, which matters if you are booking around a specific dish or a dietary need.

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