New York (NYC Manhattan-Brooklyn)

Port New York has two cruise ports with their own passenger terminal facilities. Port Manhattan (4 berths on 2 piers - numbers 88 and 90) is located on Manhattan Island's western coast, beside the Hudson River. Port Brooklyn (1 berth) is located approx 6 mi (10 km) to the south, on eastern Upper Bay on Brooklyn’s Red Hook waterline.

Cape Liberty Cruise Port is also in New York Harbor but is part of Bayonne City (New Jersey). Bayonne's Military Ocean Terminal serves Royal Caribbean Group/RCG-owned ships from the fleets of RCG's subsidiaries RCI-Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, while ships of RCG's subsidiary Silversea dock at NYC's Manhattan Terminal.

Currently, NYC's Manhattan Cruise Terminal serves CCL-Carnival, NCLH (NCL-Norwegian, Oceania, RSSC-Regent Seven Seas), TUI,  Virgin Voyages and other major companies.

Currently, NYC's Brooklyn Terminal serves Cunard Line and MSC.

All these ports/cruise terminals are part of the "Port of New York and New Jersey" - a port district in the New York Metro (total population 20,1+ million).

Around 8,1 million New Yorkers live on Long Island (population density 5860 per mi2/2262 per km2).

NYC cruise port

Port NYC NJ (officially "Port of New York and New Jersey") handles a huge cargo shipping volume and is US East Coast's biggest seaport.

Port's cruise schedule lists voyages the whole year round. During winter are popular southbound itineraries – to the Caribbean and Bahamas. During summer are operated mainly roundtrips to Bermuda as well as Transatlantic crossings (USA-UK/Southampton). In autumn are offered "Fall Foliage" cruises to Canada and New England USA.

In May 2013, Port NYC started a project to raise Bayonne Bridge in order to allow access to the world's largest container ships to the cargo ports of New York City and New Jersey (Elizabeth and Newark). The project also included dredging (deepening) the navigation channel.

On September 7, 2017, the boxship CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt (2015-built, IMO 9780873) passed under the elevated Bayonne Bridge. The vessel has TEU capacity 14855 containers, LOA length 366 m, volume 152,991 GT-tons. It became the largest ship to pass under the Bayonne Bridge.

On September 28, 2023, NYC's Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC/1991-founded nonprofit) announced new port usage agreements (for Manhattan's and Brooklyn's terminals) signed with Carnival Corporation, NCLH-Norwegian and MSC. The agreements were designed to increase revenues and sustainability/emissions reduction, with term lengths ranging between 3-15 years, each with an optional 5-year renewal.

The 2023-signed agreements included establishing a Community Priority Fund (by adding US$1 per cruise passenger; to be used for projects in the cruise terminals' neighborhoods/Red Hook and Midtown Manhattan), planning ground transportation (improvements to maximize public transportation/reducing road traffic), reducing CO emissions (where feasible, including shore power connections/all cruise ships in NYC must be equipped with the technology by 2028), increasing local provisioning and developing educational partnerships with NYC-based institutions.

Port New York and New Jersey

Port New York and New Jersey is the seaport of NYC metro. It encompasses an area with a radius ~25 mi (40 km) and includes all navigable waterways in NY–NJ Harbor Estuary. The covered coastline is around 650 mi (1050 km) along both states. NYC Harbor is among the world's largest natural harbors. By annual cargo capacity, the seaport is ranked USA's 3rd largest - after South Louisiana (Mississippi River) and Houston (Texas).

Within the seaport there are 2 FTZs (foreign-trade zones) where commercial goods (domestic and foreign) receive same Customs treatment as outside USA. Annually, Port NY-NJ handles around USD 208 billion in shipping cargoes, around 3,4 million TEU's (shipping containers) and nearly 0,4 million cars.

• In July 2017, the port's largest container ship so far (CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt - 14,400 TEUs ) passed under the raised Bayonne Bridge.
• The channels (as draft) and the bridges (as heights) limit the vessels that can enter the harbor.
• Verrazano-Narrows Bridge's clearance is 228 ft (67 m).
• Brooklyn Bridge's clearance is 135 ft (41 m).
• Bayonne Bridge's clearance (lowered-raised) is  155-215 ft (47-65,5 m).

The company "Port Authority of New York and New Jersey" was established in 1921 to manage all facilities and services within the combined NY-NJ harbor area. The company also controls all vehicular and rapid-transit systems connecting New York and New Jersey, several airports, as well as real estate developments. It also maintains its own police force.

US Army Corps of Engineers are involved in regular harbor maintenance works (bulkhead and channels). USCG (Coast Guard) maintains all floatable debris and marine accidents and incidents (spills, rescues, counter-terrorism operations). Both states (NY and NJ) maintain maritime police units. US Customs and Border Protection and US Immigration and Customs agencies regulate international shipping imports and cruise passenger arrivals.

Port's foreign trade zones - FTZ 1 (New York) and FTZ 49 (New Jersey)  handled in 2010 a combined shipping traffic of 4811 vessels and over 32,2 million tons of cargoes valued USD 175+ billion.

In March 2006, some passenger terminals were transferred (as management) to DP World (Dubai-based corporation).

The seaport has 4x containership terminals, ranking it (by combined volume) the US East Coast's largest, USA's 3rd busiest and the world's 20th largest cargo port. Terminals are leased to private operators.

• Howland Hook Marine Terminal (northwestern Staten Island)
• Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal (Newark Bay)
• Port Jersey Marine Terminal and Red Hook Marine Terminal (both in Upper New York Bay)
• Maher Terminals LLC operates the port's largest containership facilities, served by a total of 11x Liebherr STS (ship-to-shore) megamax container cranes.

NY-NJ port's main imports are petroleum, appliances, vehicles, plastics, electronics, chemicals, perfumes, pharmaceuticals, optical and photographic materials, precious gems and metals.

ExpressRail network supports intermodal freight transport interconnecting all major terminals. In 2014, the total number of handled intermodal TEUs was 391,596. Most imports are transported in TEUs. Petroleum and scrap metals are handled at bulk cargo terminals, many of which are located along the port's straits and canals.

• New York New Jersey Railroad serves freight cars across Upper Bay, connecting Jersey City with Brooklyn (between Greenville Yard and Bush Terminal Yard). The 4 km crossing takes 45 min.
• Cross-Harbor Rail Tunnel is a proposed project under Upper Bay, with western portal at Greenville Yard and eastern portal still undetermined.

Cruise ships and ferries in Port New York and New Jersey dock at the berths of Cape Liberty Cruise Port (Upper Bay, Bayonne NJ), Brooklyn Cruise Terminal (Upper Bay, NYC) and New York Passenger Ship Terminal (Hudson River, NYC).

• Regularly scheduled ferry service across Upper Bay connects South Ferry with St George Ferry Terminal, serving daily around 75,000 passengers.
• Major ferry terminals are Hoboken, Battery Park City, Paulus Hook, Weehawken Port Imperial, Pier 11, West Midtown and the East 34th Street Landing. Most smaller-sized ferries serve only 1 route.
• Small boats operate leisure tours, excursions and NYC harbor cruises. They circumnavigate Manhattan or navigate into Upper New York Bay.

In July 2017, through bidding, Ports America won a contract for operating Manhattan and Brooklyn cruise terminals until 2029. The deal required investments of USD 38,5 million in infrastructure improvements, including Pier 90 berth rehabilitation, extended aprons, new fenders. Brooklyn Pier was extended by 45-60 m (150-200 ft) to allow berthing for larger boats. Construction works started in 2018.

Season 2018 featured two large newbuild liners - Carnival Horizon (133500 GT-tons, 4700 passengers) and Norwegian Bliss (168000 GT-tons, 4900 passengers).

New York ferries

In 2018 was inaugurated the ferry line connecting Bayonne NJ with Manhattan (across Hudson River).

A US$650,000 federal grant was given to the city for the building of a new ferry terminal. The facility is on the southern part of the Military Ocean Terminal, on an artificial peninsula east of NJ Route 440.

The 1,5-acre land site (former US Navy base) was purchased in 2010 and leased for ferry docking at US$200,000 per year.

In the previous year (2017) NYC Ferry inaugurated the commute ferry service linking Manhattan with Long Island (Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Bronx). In 2016, NYC Ferry's fleet consisted of 19 newbuild boats.

• On May 1st were launched the East River route (North Brooklyn to Midtown and NYC's Financial District) and the Rockaway route (Lower Manhattan to Sunset Park and The Rockaways).
• On June 1st was launched the South Brooklyn route (8 terminals/between Corlears Hook and Bay Ridge) linking Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Red Hook, Brooklyn Bridge Park.
• On August 29th was launched the Astoria route (between Western Queens and Roosevelt Island) linking Wall Street/Pier 11, East 34th Street, LIC/Long Island City Queens, Roosevelt Island Manhattan, and Astoria Queens.

In August 2018, NYC Ferry launched a link between Soundview (South Bronx) and Manhattan. The landing site in Bronx is at Clason Point Park (Sound View Ave's end). The nearest subway station (Morrison Ave-Sound View) is 2 mi (3 km) away. Ferry travel time Bronx-Manhattan is 45-min. In Manhattan, ferries stop at 90th St (Upper East Side), East 34th Str (Midtown), Pier 11 (Wall Str). Currently, NYC Ferry operates 6 routes.

New York cruise terminal

New York tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

Manhattan

• Empire State Building: don’t miss that famed building. It is 1050 ft tall. You can take a look from the airy promenade after a great lift to the Observatory.
• Central Park: the iconic park dates from 1857. It is a large landscaped area where you can enjoy the Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, the Bethesda fountain, the Great Lawn and Belvedere Castle.
• Metropolitan Museum of Art: located between East 81 and East 82, dates from 1870. Discover artworks of famous artists – Aristotle with a Bust of Homer by Rembrandt, Wheat Field with Cypresses by Van Gogh, Young Woman with a Water Pitcher by Vermeer and The Unicorn in Captivity, medieval tapestry.

Brooklyn

• Brooklyn Bridge: the bridge dates from the late 19th century. It spans across the East River. The Brooklyn Bridge and the views across Brooklyn, Upper Bay and Manhattan are breathtaking.
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden: 39 acres with beautiful gardens. Walk through the Bonsai Museum, the Tropical Pavilion, the Aquatic House and the Desert Pavilion. You can also have a coffee, buy a gift or something from the garden store.