NYC Kids' Cruises Birthday Parties: Celebrate on a Boat on the Hudson River

4/15/13 - By Stephanie Ogozalek

While there are a ton of family-friendly NYC boat tours, there are, surprisingly, only a handful of companies that have cruises that cater specifically to kids. Both the Circle Line, which launched its Kids' Cruise series in 2012, and Kiddie Cruises offer regularly scheduled seasonal boat trips in New York Harbor that feature kids' entertainment and activities in addition to stunning views. And a few other companies offer boats for charter, in case you're in the market for a private party on the high seas (a.k.a. the Hudson River).

The pay-per-kid party packages include all of the usual fun like face painting, live music and magicians, plus a couple of extra bells and whistles. All you need to do is book in advance, climb the gangplank with your crew and bring along a cake.

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Circle Line Kids' Cruises – Midtown West
Pier 83, 42nd Street and 12th Avenue
Last spring, my family and I went on the Circle Line's inaugural Kids' Cruise and we had a blast! (That's my son and his buds in the photo above, mugging it up in front of Lady Liberty.) We got a round-trip boat ride to the Statue of Liberty with tons of on-board entertainment including live music from top kindie bands (we saw Dan Zanes and Elizabeth Mitchell but you should check the website for upcoming performers), face painting, balloon twisters and a magician. This year, the company is offering special birthday party packages during these Saturday morning Kids' Cruises. The big extras are meals for each guest, a reserved table (a nice perk since seating is hard to find on these rides), souvenir pencil toppers for the kids and a Circle Line snow globe for the birthday child. Cake isn't included but you can bring one aboard. Visit the website for schedule, pricing and to book your party.

Kiddie Cruises – Greenwich Village
Pier 40, West and Houston Streets
These princess-and-pirate-themed kids' cruises sail from Hudson River Park to the Statue of Liberty and back on a paddle-wheel boat (though the paddle wheel is just for show—the vessel is actually powered by a motor). Much like the Circle Line Kids' Cruises, these rides include face painting, puppet and magic performances, live music and a bag lunch. The party package gets you a reserved area, meals, photo ops with the characters and a chorus of "Happy Birthday," you bring the cake. It's not a swanky event with lots of personalized service and we've heard from a few readers who had bad experiences. Visit the website for schedule, pricing and to book your party.

Marco Polo Cruises – Manhattan and New Jersey
Leaves from multiple piers. Check the website for locations.
Unlike the Circle Line and Kiddie Cruises, you don't need to share your party with others during a Marco Polo Cruise. These private charters get you the entire boat, and the company has different styles and sizes of vessels to choose from. In addition to the sail in New York Harbor, the kids' party packages are totally customizable with activities like arts and crafts, kids' bands, storytelling, magic or puppet shows, balloon sculpting and face painting. Lunch is provided for all guests, you bring the cake.

Do-it-yourself Birthday Party Cruises
Of course there are a lot of other wonderful companies offering cruises in New York Harbor and while they don't have specific kids' party packages, you can always charter an entire boat for your bash, or buy group tickets on a regularly scheduled outing. Tours out of South Street Seaport are great because there are lots of places to eat and play afterward. The thrilling Shark Speedboat literally gets you all wet while the mellower and swankier Zephyr yacht is a more leisurely journey. Afterward, grab a snack at one of the many eateries in the area and then go for a romp in the awesome Imagination Playground.

There are lots of options in Midtown West, too: Take a high-speed trip on the Beast—like the Shark, it gets your adrenaline pumping and clothes soaking wet. The kids should love it but if you have a tamer crew, you could try the Circle Line from the same location. Afterward, hit the small water play area at Pier 84 and eat lunch at one of the restaurants overlooking the river.

Go retro with a ride on Classic Harbor Line's yacht Manhattan from Chelsea Piers. Once back on land, hit Pier 62's beautiful carousel, picnic on the grass and run around Chelsea Waterside Park.


Find out about more offbeat birthday fun in our Party Guide.

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