Statue City Cruises

What Statue City Cruises does

Statue City Cruises is the National Park Service-authorized concessioner that holds exclusive rights to provide ferry transportation and ticketed access to Liberty Island and Ellis Island in New York Harbor. Operating since 2008 as part of the Hornblower Group family of companies, the business runs a fleet of nine vessels from two departure terminals, Castle Clinton at Battery Park in Manhattan and the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal in Liberty State Park, Jersey City, serving both islands 363 days per year. The company's core products are four ticketed tiers sold direct to consumers: General Admission ($26.00 adult), Pedestal Reserve ($26.30 adult), Crown Reserve, and the Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour ($81.00 adult). Each ticket includes round-trip ferry service, admission to both islands, entry to the Statue of Liberty Museum and Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, and self-guided audio tours available in 12 languages. Capacity-constrained products such as the Crown Reserve (approximately 500 visitors per day, frequently selling out 90 days or more in advance) and the Hard Hat Tour enable premium pricing within a structurally fixed asset base.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model spanning direct-to-consumer channels (24/7 website, phone reservation center, walk-up ticket offices), group sales for schools, travel/tour operators, and community organizations, channel partnerships via CityPASS and hotel concierges, and event-driven revenue from private vessel charters. Marketing relies on owned digital channels, SEO for "official Statue of Liberty tickets" intent, multi-language site localization to 11 languages, and a content creator program producing short-form social video. Group bookings are subject to verification (school letterhead, association membership) and carry discounted rates, while the school segment excludes peak summer months (July/August). The company distinguishes itself from unofficial harbor cruise operators, which can circle the Statue but cannot dock at the islands, by marketing the lowest-price guarantee and 24-hour cancellation flexibility for direct bookings.

On-island dining (Crown Cafe, Ellis Cafe) and gift shops are independently operated by Evelyn Hill, Inc., and are not part of Statue City Cruises' revenue model. The company is privately held under Hornblower Group with no disclosed equity investors, no public financials, and no reported funding activity. Operating geographies are limited to the United States (New York and New Jersey), with no disclosed international expansion, and revenue is functionally a function of New York tourism volumes and NPS concession economics.

Name

Statue City Cruises

Legal name

Statue City Cruises

Website

https://statuecitycruises.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ferry Transportation and Sightseeing Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Inland Water Passenger Transportation (483212), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJAJAA

Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Marine & Water Experiences (Boat Tours, Diving, Snorkeling, Fishing)

SECONDARYTHAAAGAC

Transportation & Access Services (Shuttles, Ferry Access, Scenic Drives Permits)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/National Parks & Protected Area Visitor Services (Concessions, Guided Access)

SECONDARYTHAEABAG

Luxury Cruise Charters & Private Expeditions

Travel & Hospitality/Cruises & Maritime Leisure Travel/Luxury & Expedition Cruise Lines

Keywords

• Ferry transportation services
• Sightseeing tour services
• Monument access tickets
• Harbor cruise services
• Passenger ferry operations

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ferry Ticket Sales: Core revenue from selling ferry tickets to Liberty Island and Ellis Island. Multiple ticket tiers available: General Admission ($26 adults), Pedestal Reserve ($26.30 adults), Crown Reserve (limited availability, sells out months in advance), and Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour ($81 adults). Revenue is transaction-based per ticket sold.
2. Onboard Concessions: Each ferry vessel features onboard concession stands offering snacks, beverages, and souvenirs during the ferry journey across New York Harbor.
3. Content Creator Partnerships: Influencer and content creator partnerships where creators produce short-form video content (Reels, TikTok, Stories) in exchange for experience access, with deliverables including brand-aligned content highlighting the Statue City Cruises experience.
4. Private Charters: Private vessel chartering for corporate events, private celebrations, and special occasions at premium pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Statue City Cruises is the sole authorized concessioner providing round-trip ferry transportation and ticketed access to Liberty Island and Ellis Island from New York City and New Jersey. Its core offerings are four tiered ticket products — General Admission, Pedestal Reserve, Crown Reserve, and the Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour — each combining ferry service, museum admissions, and self-guided audio tours in 12 languages, with progressive upgrades for monument interior access and exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences.

Product overview

Statue City Cruises operates as the official and only authorized ferry service to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, functioning as a unified ticketing platform with multiple ticket tiers. The core product portfolio centers on ferry transportation with four main ticket types: General Admission ($26.00), Pedestal Reserve ($26.30), Crown Reserve, and Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour ($81.00). Each ticket tier builds upon General Admission, adding progressively exclusive access to monument interior areas (Pedestal, Crown) or specialized behind-the-scenes experiences (Hard Hat Tour). All tickets include round-trip ferry service from Battery Park (NYC) or Liberty State Park (NJ), access to both islands, both museums, and self-guided audio tours. Additional services include group booking for school, tour operator, and community groups; a content creator partnership program; NPS ranger-led programs; and Junior Ranger activities. Dining and retail operations on the islands are independently operated by Evelyn Hill, Inc., and include the Crown Cafe, Ellis Cafe, gift shops, and museum stores. The company also partners with CityPASS for bundled attraction tickets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New York General Admission Round-trip ferry transportation from Battery Park or Liberty State Park to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, including admission to the Statue of Liberty Museum and Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, plus self-guided audio tours in 12 languages. Priced at $26.00 for adults.
• New York Pedestal Reserve General Admission benefits plus reserved access to the Statue of Liberty's Pedestal Observation Deck, accessible via 215 stairs with elevator available. Priced at $26.30 for adults; sells out 90 days in advance.
• New York Crown Reserve Access to both the Pedestal and the Crown of the Statue of Liberty via a 162-step spiral staircase. Limited to approximately 500 visitors per day; children must be at least 42 inches tall and able to climb independently; maximum 4 tickets per household.
• New York Ellis Island Hard Hat Tour Guided 90-minute tour through the unrestored Ellis Island Hospital Complex, including access to historic wards, operating rooms, infectious disease facilities, and the Mortuary. Priced at $81.00 for adults; ages 13 and over only; includes Early Bird option.
• Private Charters Private vessel chartering for corporate events, private celebrations, and special occasions, booked via [email protected] and 201-604-5724.
• School Group Bookings Discounted group tickets for K-12 school groups with verified school letterhead, including chaperone-required booking process, NPS ranger-led programs, and Junior Ranger badge activities for grades 3-6 and 9-12.
• Travel and Tour Operator Group Bookings Group booking services for tour operators, wholesalers, and sightseeing companies, including educational/youth group discount eligibility and group reservation request processing through the Group Sales department.
• Community Group Bookings Group booking for organized community groups including church groups, scouting organizations, sports teams, company outings, music groups, camps, and college classes, with flexible group booking and discounted rates.
• CityPASS New York Bundle Bundled ticket option pairing Statue City Cruises ferry and museum access with four or more other NYC attractions, offering up to 41% savings through the CityPASS program.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~500 Crown visitors daily (limited capacity)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partnership as NPS-authorized concessioner since 2008. Statue City Cruises is the only authorized provider of all ticketed access to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. NPS Rangers provide free daily tours on Liberty Island, and the company works with NPS on accessibility, security procedures, and visitor services.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Go City / CityPASS: Attraction pass and bundle provider that includes Statue City Cruises in its NYC offering. Functions as both a distribution partner and adjacent competitor in the bundled attraction-tourist market.
• Big Bus Tours: Global hop-on/hop-off sightseeing tour operator with NYC presence, competing for tourist attraction-spend and bundling partnerships with major destinations. Broad incumbent in the sightseeing tourism category.
• Royal Caribbean Group: Largest global cruise operator offering passenger cruise experiences. Broad incumbent illustrating the broader passenger water transportation/leisure cruise category in which Statue City Cruises operates, though at very different scale and product.

Direct peers

• Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises: Operates NYC harbor sightseeing cruises including the Circle Line tour around Manhattan and Statue of Liberty viewing cruises. Closest direct competitor for harbor-based sightseeing tours and ferry services, although it lacks island docking access to Liberty/Ellis Islands.
• NYC Ferry (Hornblower-operated): Citywide commuter ferry service across NYC's five boroughs, also operated by Hornblower Group. Direct operating peer sharing fleet management, terminal infrastructure expertise, and parent company resources with Statue City Cruises.
• Gray Line New York: Major NYC tour operator offering sightseeing packages that often bundle Statue of Liberty access with bus tours and other attractions. Direct competitor in the group tour and package tour distribution channel.
• NY Water Taxi: Operates hop-on/hop-off water taxi service and harbor tours in New York Harbor, including routes near the Statue of Liberty. Direct competitor for water-based sightseeing and transportation in the same NYC harbor geography.
• City Experiences by Hornblower: Sister brand under the Hornblower Group umbrella operating sightseeing cruises, ferry services, and water tours in multiple US and international cities. Direct operating peer with shared parent, similar ferry/cruise tour model, and cross-brand commercial overlap.

Emerging players

• Liberty Landing Marina Ferry: Operates ferry service between Liberty Landing Marina (Jersey City) and the World Financial Center in Lower Manhattan, near Liberty State Park. Emerging regional player offering alternative NJ-side water access to Manhattan.
• TopView NYC: Hop-on/hop-off bus and NYC sightseeing tour operator competing for the same tourist customer wallet. Comparable in targeting leisure visitors to NYC attractions, though operates land-based rather than ferry tours.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StatueCruises
• Facebookfacebook.com/statuecruises
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/statue-city-cruises

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Statue City Cruises