What Sights can you see leaving and returning to NYC harbour

[Broch]

We will be leaving on the Ships port side on our cruise from NYC and I would like to know what side the Statue of Liberty is at on the way out and of course opposite on the way back. Can you see the Empire state building from the ship and again which side of the ship. We will be in NYC for a couple of nights before our cruise and was thinking about a harbour cruise but if we can have a good view of the sights when leaving port we may not bother with a harbour cruise. Thanks for any help.

[138east]

You're sailing in July and should be able to be out on deck for the sailaway. Heading south from the Manhattan pier the SOL will be on your right (starboard) and all of Manhattan including the Empire State will be on your left (port). If you have a balcony, you will be able to see one or the other from your cabin. IMO to get the full visual impact of the sailaway, you should be outside on one of the upper decks.

 

You have limited time in NY - I'd put a harbor cruise at the bottom of my list unless you want to go out to the SOL and Ellis Island. You can also take the Staten Island ferry to Staten Island and back for free if you want to get out into the harbor.

[Broch]

You're sailing in July and should be able to be out on deck for the sailaway. Heading south from the Manhattan pier the SOL will be on your right (starboard) and all of Manhattan including the Empire State will be on your left (port). If you have a balcony, you will be able to see one or the other from your cabin. IMO to get the full visual impact of the sailaway, you should be outside on one of the upper decks.

 

You have limited time in NY - I'd put a harbor cruise at the bottom of my list unless you want to go out to the SOL and Ellis Island. You can also take the Staten Island ferry to Staten Island and back for free if you want to get out into the harbor.

 

Thank you this info is very helpful. We most likely will be on deck 9/10 at sailaway now. We are on deck 8 but as you say we would only be able to see one or the other, this was something I was not sure about. We did think about taking the ferry but as you say it does not seem worth it when we can utilise the time on land and see the SOL from the ship. We were not planning on going on to Ellis Island or the Statue. From pictures I have seen it looks as though we are not very far from the shore when we are leaving the harbour. It looks like the waterway from Miami when we were going out to sea. Would you say that we would be equidistant between the city and the SOL

[gubby]

We have only sailed in and out of the harbour on one cruise. However, we went up to the top deck and I was thrilled with the sights of NYC. It was everything I hoped it would be and I made a special effort to get out of bed at 6:15 for the entry into the harbour to see the Statue of Liberty. I was not disappointed!

Ciao,

Nikki

[Love the beach]

Thank you this info is very helpful. We most likely will be on deck 9/10 at sailaway now. We are on deck 8 but as you say we would only be able to see one or the other, this was something I was not sure about. We did think about taking the ferry but as you say it does not seem worth it when we can utilise the time on land and see the SOL from the ship. We were not planning on going on to Ellis Island or the Statue. From pictures I have seen it looks as though we are not very far from the shore when we are leaving the harbour. It looks like the waterway from Miami when we were going out to sea. Would you say that we would be equidistant between the city and the SOL

 

Yes, you should be about equidistant from both. Sailaway from NYC is just amazing----have done it many times and never get tired of it! The views are just awesome!

Check out the NY harbor web camera for more views--especially at sailaway times and you can watch the ships sail away--the camera will zoom in on the ship as it gets close.

 

http://www.nyharborwebcam.com/

[Post Captain]

The Hudson River is just under a mile wide as it flows past Manhattan, so once the ship has pulled out from the pier and is in the middle of the river and steaming southward to the Atlantic Ocean, you'll be about a half mile from the Manhattan shoreline (on the port side) and more or less the same distance from New Jersey (on your starboard). (The New Jersey towns on your starboard are, in succession, Weehawken, Hoboken, and Jersey City.)

 

Yes, you certainly will be able to see the Empire State Building and, indeed, pretty much the entire Manhattan skyline. It's a view I've never tired of, and it still thrills more than half a century (:eek:!) after I first set eyes on it.

 

A relatively new sight is the Freedom Tower in Lower Manhattan, under construction and rising higher by the day near the site of the World Trade Center.

 

You'll reach Upper New York Bay and Ellis Island and Liberty Island (the Statue of Liberty) approximately 20 minutes after departure. Shortly after that, you'll pass between Brooklyn (on the port side) and Staten Island (to starboard) and under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, which connects those two boroughs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verrazano-Narrows_Bridge

You'll then be in Lower New York Bay and, in fairly short order (after passing Breezy Point on the port side and Sandy Hook to starboard), in the Atlantic Ocean proper. (You'll notice the pilot being dropped off.)

 

Below are some relevant videos, showing the maiden arrival of the Disney Fantasy in New York just a few weeks ago, and the departure of the Queen Mary 2 (which on this occasion was departing from Manhattan rather than her customary berth in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Enjoy!

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6JNhbaQRTU&feature=related

[nybumpkin]

New York is my favorite sailaway port. As 138East said, when you leave the Manhattan piers Manhattan will be to port and New Jersey to starboard. The Statute of Liberty and Ellis Island will be to starboard as well. Some Manhattan sites include the Intrepid museum (she is docked at Pier 86 right near the cruise port), the Empire State Building, Chelsea Piers, the World Financial Center and the WTC site, and the Battery. You also get a view up the East River toward the Brooklyn Bridge. New Jersey sites (don't laugh - there are some cool things to see) include the Erie Lackawanna and Jersey Central rail terminals (the latter is the NJ terminal for Statue of Liberty tours) and the Colgate clock.

 

Jersey Central terminal with Statue of Liberty ferry

 

My experience has been that you reach the Statue about a 1/2 hour after sailing; you sail under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge about an hour after sailing.

 

Since you asked about the Empire State Building, this is one of my favorite pictures from sailaway:

 

[Broch]

Wonderful information. Getting really excited now all we need id good visible weather to perfect the occasion. Thanks

[marelind]

Thank you for all the information. We are sailing out on the Jewel in 3 weeks, and I am so excited about what we will see from our front balcony!! :D

[Feelin' Nauti']

We have sailed out of NY several times.

 

From the Brooklyn pier, you can see the lady very clearly.

 

 

 

Sailing under the verrazano bridge is quite an experience.

 

 

 

View of the harbor

 

[Brighton Line]

I love sailing out of the Manhattan Pier!!

 

From the Pier:

 

 

 

Here is Bayone NJ from the Upper Bay

 

 

Coney Island, you can see the Parachute Jump (Red Tower)