We may live in the most breathtaking city in the world, but we’re also New Yorkers, which means we’re great at ignoring the magnificence around us. Top of the Empire State Building? Eh, maybe when the folks are in town. The Brooklyn Bridge? Sure, in a cab. The High Line? Nah, wait until it’s less hot/cold/crowded.
Now you can recapture the wide-eyed excitement you once felt with Hornblower New York’s luxury cruises. Since 2012, the company has been hosting one-of-a-kind events that render even the most jaded Gothamites giddy again. The decked-out fleet—featuring climate-controlled decks, open-air balconies for taking in that skyline, plush lounges and welcoming dance floors—takes to the harbor all summer long with cruises to suit every New Yorker.
Discerning gastronomes looking for their next great meal can hop aboard the Manhattan Dinner Cruise (Thursday through Saturday, boards at 6:30pm). Chow down on a three-course meal with a menu that rivals landlocked dining, with dishes such as tamarind-and-orange–glazed duck breast and pan-seared filet of beef with green-pepper sauce. Brunch addicts can step up their game at the Sunday Jazz Brunch (boards at noon), a cruise complete with a stocked buffet of hangover-quashing eats, a live band, and yes, bottomless mimosas.
Even happy hour gets a lavish upgrade with Alive After Five (Thursday through Sunday, boards at 5pm). And if your goal is to leave the workday behind, there’s no better way than by boarding a yacht and gliding off into the sunset, glass in hand. Theater fans (and people who just like booze) won’t want to miss Sunday evening performances of educational-musical mash-up and Time Out New York critic’s pick The Imbible: A Spirited History of Drinking (June 7 through September 6, boards at 5pm), expanding to Thursdays in July with the History of Rum.
If your ideal cruise involves less culture and more straight-up revelry, head to Rock the Yacht (Thursday through Saturday, boards at 8:30pm), a dance party with DJs spinning killer beats against a glittering backdrop of New York City at night. And the International Sightseeing Cruise (daily, 10 boarding times from 9:30am to 5pm) isn’t just for tourists: You can finally give iconic sights the respect they’re long overdue (and even learn something along the way). Or channel your inner pirate with family-friendly tours on El Galeón, an authentic replica of a 16th-century ship (July 5 through 12). Plus, don’t miss cruises for Father’s Day, the Fourth of July and much more.
By now you’re probably thinking, What else can I do on one of these yachts? Answer: pretty much anything. Venue for your birthday blowout? You got it. Party space for an office bash? That too.
You may not be gleefully snapping photos like those out-of-towners blocking your way on the sidewalk. But trust us, once aboard a Hornblower New York cruise, you’ll feel like you’re seeing the city for the first time.
For more information visit hornblowerny.com or call 646-576-8400.
Win a Sunday Jazz Brunch for four, including an endless buffet selection, free-flowing mimosas, a live jazz band and more. To enter, visit us at hornblowerny.com/timeout.
