With Expected Summer Statue Visitation Surge, Statue City Cruises Announces Extended Operating Hours to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Beginning Memorial Day Weekend;
Launches New App to Deliver Unforgettable Experiences for Guests
2023 visitation to Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island on board Statue City Cruises reached more than 3.7 million, 14th highest peak visitation ever as visitation this year expected to come close to 2019 volumes;
Statue City Cruises, the official and only authorized concessioner for ferry service to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island on behalf of the National Park Service, announced today extended operating hours to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration beginning Memorial Day weekend in anticipation of the busiest summer yet and the longest hours of operation since before the pandemic.
Statue City Cruises also announced the launch of a brand-new app available in iOS and Android to enhance the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island experience with features available in more than 20 different languages. Guests can purchase tickets directly through the app, see maps and directions for both islands from start to finish with an enhanced wayfinding feature, receive service alerts, see wait times at security and also see peak and off-peak travel times to help guests make the most of their experience. Additional upgrades also include new digital displays at its departure points in New York and New Jersey and e-mail/text notifications with departure updates.
Departures to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island will run from Battery Park in lower Manhattan and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. with the last return trips from both islands at 7 p.m. The return of extended hours comes as more than 3.7 million visitors sailed to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in 2023.
Although the 3.7 million is 88 percent of pre-pandemic volumes, the percentage of international visitors has returned to 2019 levels with tourists from around the world accounting for 27 percent of all visitors (73 percent domestic). Statue City Cruises is part of City Experiences’ expansive global portfolio of water- and land-based experience and travel offerings.
According to NYC Tourism + Conventions, the City is expected to welcome nearly 65 million visitors in 2024, which is close to 100 percent of 2019 travel and a sign of what’s to come on board Statue City Cruises this year.
“We are excited to welcome more visitors to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on board our vessels as we approach pre-pandemic visitation levels,” said Mike Burke, COO of Concessions and Park Services for City Experiences by Hornblower. “We look forward to creating amazing, unforgettable experiences, especially with the launch of our new app that will help guests make the most of their visits.”
Visitors sailing to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on board Statue City Cruises will enjoy a variety of activities such as:
- Visiting the Crown of Lady Liberty, but book early as Crown access sells out fast.
- Enjoying acres of wide-open space on both Islands with panoramic views of New York Harbor.
- Learning the history of the Statue of Liberty through the Statue of Liberty Museum, which is celebrating its five-year anniversary since it opened in May 2019.
- Tracing family histories at the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.
- Exploring the unrestored buildings of Ellis Island’s Hospital Complex with an Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour, available seven days a week (added fee).
Tickets are priced at approximately $25.00/adult, $22.00/seniors, $16.00/child and free for children three years and under. Tickets include self-guided audio tours on Liberty and Ellis Island. Guests are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets in advance from the Statue City Cruises website and app. Tickets are also available at the Battery Park and Liberty State Park box offices.
For more information about Statue City Cruises and City Experiences, please visit https://www.cityexperiences.com/new-york/city-cruises/statue/.
