OUR BOATS
Meet the fleet
We'd be nowhere, literally, without our fleet and crew.
Circle Line's boats are built around two things: real harbor views and real comfort, whether you're on a sightseeing cruise or hosting a private event.
Our current fleet spans two classes, six vessels total, plus a lineup of retired ships that shaped Circle Line's history on the water.
Our Vessels:
Bronx Class (3-decker boats)
Built between 2014 and 2018, these are our newest vessels and our most tech-forward.
Features:
Panoramic windows for unobstructed views
Three decks, including open-air space for fresh air and clear sightlines
Heating and air conditioning, so weather isn't a factor
A music stage built for entertainment and live events
Bronx Class Vessels:
Circle Line Bronx
Circle Line Staten Island
Circle Line Liberty
Circle Line Bronx Class with Statue of Liberty in background
Manhattan Class (2-decker boats)
The Manhattan Class has been running since 2008, when Whoopi Goldberg served as godmother at launch. These boats are the ones behind our premium "Best of New York" tours.
Features:
Comfortable indoor and outdoor seating
Wide windows framing the skyline
Climate-controlled cabins
Flexible enough for both sightseeing and private events
Manhattan Class Vessels:
Circle Line Manhattan (replaced the original Circle Line XI)
Circle Line Brooklyn
Circle Line Queens
Circle Line Manhattan Class with Brooklyn Bridge in Background
Honoring our past: retired vessels
Circle Line's history on the water goes back decades, and these ships are part of that story even though they're no longer in service.
Circle Line Visitor, one of the earliest boats to carry the Circle Line name, photographed cruising Lower Manhattan back when the company operated as Circle Line Sightseeing Yachts.
Circle Line Dayliner, introduced in 1971 to take over the Hudson River route when the historic steamer Alexander Hamilton retired, once billed as the largest, finest riverboat in America.
Circle Line VIII, a WWII Navy landing craft, one of several ex-military vessels converted for sightseeing after the war.
Circle Line X, a WWII Navy landing craft that served in the Philippines, later became one of the fleet's most storied boats, and is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
Circle Line XII, a 1933 Coast Guard cutter that helped rescue survivors at sea in WWII, and decades later helped evacuate Lower Manhattan on 9/11.
Circle Line XVII, a 1934 Coast Guard cutter used for anti-submarine patrols in WWII, converted into a Circle Line passenger vessel by 1973.
Circle Line XVI, a 1934 Coast Guard cutter that helped defend Key West during WWII before joining the fleet in 1966.
Circle Line XVIII, one of the last of her generation with Circle Line, a longtime fleet member.
Circle Line Miss Liberty, a 1954 excursion steamer purpose-built for Statue of Liberty cruises, once helmed by a captain who logged over 40,000 trips.
Circle Line V, the fleet's original 1945 flagship, a 1901 luxury yacht that had already served as a WWI warship and Thomas Edison's floating research lab before joining Circle Line.
Discover more about our historic vessels below.
