General FAQ – Statue Cruises

DO I NEED A RESERVATION TO VISIT THE PARK?

Purchasing Tickets prior to your arrival is recommended, but we also have tickets available for same-day sales.

A General Admission Ticket is purchased for specific entry time into security facility. We recommend guests arrive 30 minutes prior to the reserve time. By making advanced reservations, you can avoid waiting in unnecessary lines.

If you want to enter the Statue of Liberty National Monument a Pedestal Reserve ticket is required.

Ferries depart from:

Battery Park, New York – Castle Clinton National Monument, Battery Park – Liberty Island, New York, NY 10004

Liberty State Park, New Jersey – 1 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey City, NJ 07305

IF I TAKE THE FERRY FROM ONE SIDE, MUST I RETURN TO THAT SIDE?

Your departure location is indicated on your ticket. But you may return to either Battery Park in New York or Liberty State Park in New Jersey. Once you disembark on your return, you will not be able to board the ferries back to your original departure location. However, you can take the Liberty Landing City Ferry between Liberty State Park in New Jersey and Battery Park City in Manhattan.

WHERE CAN I PURCHASE TICKETS?

Advanced purchase online is encouraged. Tickets can be purchased online at www.statuecitycruises.com or over the phone at (877) 523-9849. Tickets can also be purchased through concierges at major hotels and at ticketing windows in the Castle Clinton National Monument inside Battery Park, New York, or Liberty State Park, Jersey City, New Jersey.

CAN I PURCHASE TICKETS IN ADVANCE?

Yes, we encourage advance reservations online through our website.

HOW ARE REFUNDS AND EXCHANGES HANDLED?

Refunds will be provided if cancellations of reservations are made 24 hours prior to departure for a Reserve Ticket. Refunds will also be provided if the islands are closed for security, safety or weather reasons. Unused tickets will not be refunded.

WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT ARE ACCEPTED?

We accept all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and Discover), cash, traveler’s checks, money orders, and company and school checks. No personal checks are accepted.

WHAT IF I DON’T RECEIVE MY MOBILE TICKETS?

Please check your spam or junk mail filter to make sure your tickets haven’t been blocked from your inbox. If you still haven’t received your mobile tickets, please email [email protected] for assistance. Please note: some employers and government offices may block the email due to the file size or nature of the email. Please provide a personal email address to insure proper delivery of your mobile tickets. In the unlikely event that we are unable to deliver mobile tickets, all tickets are available for pickup at Will Call on the day of your cruise. To retrieve tickets from Will Call, be sure to bring a photo ID and the credit card used to purchase the tickets. Crown tickets must be picked up by the original purchaser at Will Call and cannot be sent as mobile tickets.

CAN I HAVE MY TICKETS MAILED TO ME?

Tickets are not mailed. We recommend a few options:

• You can have them scanned directly from your mobile device.
• You can print your tickets at home or in your hotel’s business center.
• Tickets can be held at Will Call at either boarding location and picked up on the day of your visit.

WILL MY RESERVE TICKET EXPIRE?

Your ticket is only good for the specific time and date printed on the ticket. If you are unable to make you trip, you may cancel or reschedule (based on availability) if you call at least 24 hours in advance (877) 523-9849.

WHERE CAN I PICK UP TICKETS HELD AT WILL CALL?

You can pick up tickets at the Will Call Ticket Windows in Battery Park, NY, or Liberty State Park, NJ. Will Call at Battery Park is located inside of Castle Clinton, a large round brick building in the heart of the park. Will Call at Liberty State Park is located inside the CRRNJ train terminal.

ARE BACKPACKS AND FOOD PERMITTED INSIDE THE STATUE OF LIBERTY?

No. Before accessing the Pedestal of the Statue, all visitors with backpacks, food, and drinks must place these items in lockers. Lockers are located prior to entering the Statue of Liberty to all guests that have the Pedestal Reserve ticket option.

ARE WHEELCHAIRS AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL?

A limited number of wheelchairs are available for use on a first-come, first-served basis for no fee from the National Park Service. An identification card with a photo is needed to obtain one while visiting the island. Park staff are available to assist visitors at the information desk. There are no wheelchairs at the departure locations or onboard the vessels.

DO I NEED TO PURCHASE A SEPARATE FERRY TICKET IF I WANT TO GO TO ELLIS ISLAND AS WELL?

Our boats run to both Liberty Island and Ellis Island; no additional ticket purchase is necessary. The ferry ticket provides round-trip transportation to, from, and between the islands throughout the day but is not valid for reentry once a visitor disembarks at either the New Jersey or New York dock.

WHAT ARE THE HOURS OF OPERATION FOR PURCHASING ADVANCE TICKETS

Visitors interested in purchasing 59 tickets or less, the reservation center is open from 8:00 am – 7:00 pm (Eastern Time). Visitors requiring 60 tickets or more, the reservation center is open from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. The reservation center is open 365 days a year. You can purchase ferry tickets, audio tours and reserve your General Admission online at www.statuecitycruises.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BOARD THE FERRIES AFTER I RECEIVE MY TICKETS?

Whether you have tickets printed at home or purchased tickets at one of the designated Ticket Booth areas, we recommend giving yourself a little extra time for the security screening facility prior to boarding. If time is a concern, then we strongly encourage using our Liberty State Park, New Jersey location for faster processing, boarding, convenient access and ample parking.

WHAT LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN IN THE RESERVATION CENTER?

The reservation center is multi-lingual. We have agents who speak Arabic, English, French, Italian and Spanish.

CAN I USE MY NATIONAL PARK PASS WHEN VISITING THESE PARKS?

No. National Park Passes are only valid at parks that charge an entrance fee. Liberty and Ellis Islands are fee exempt by law and do not charge an entrance fee. The transportation fee (the ferry ticket) is not covered by National Park passes. For more information or to order National Park Passes visit www.nationalparks.org

CAN MINORS VISIT UNACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT?

All minors (17 and under) must be accompanied by a responsible adult 25 years old or older. If they arrive without an adult, they may be denied entry into the park.

CHILDREN UNDER 4 ARE FREE, BUT DO I STILL NEED TO MAKE A RESERVATION FOR THEM?

No. You may bring children up to three years of age and they do not need a ticket to board the ferry.

I HAVE 2:00PM TICKETS. WILL I BE ABLE TO GO TO BOTH ISLANDS?

If you have 2:00 pm tickets or later, you will only have adequate time to go to one of the two islands, whichever you prefer.

CAN I BRING ALCOHOL?

Alcohol is not allowed onboard our ferries and is not allowed in the screening facility.

CAN I SMOKE ON THE FERRY?

Smoking is not allowed on any of our ferries.

ARE FOOD AND SOUVENIRS AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON THE FERRIES?

Yes, there is a snack bar located on all our ferries serving food and souvenirs. All payments (Cash, Visa, and Master Card) are accepted not including personal checks.

IS THERE DINING ON ELLIS ISLAND AND LIBERTY ISLAND?

Evelyn Hill Inc. is the food concessionaire located on Liberty Island and Ellis Island offering a variety of high-quality food, with an emphasis on organic ingredients and many heart-healthy options.

ARE BATHROOMS LOCATED ON THE FERRIES, ELLIS ISLAND, AND LIBERTY ISLAND?

Yes, bathrooms are located on our ferries, Ellis Island and Liberty Island bathrooms are wheelchair accessible.

CAN I BRING MY OWN FOOD?

Yes, you are allowed to bring your food and beverage for lunch it must be sealed to enter the screening facility (coolers are not allowed). Pedestal Reserve ticket holders should be aware that food or beverages will not be allowed in the screening facility on Liberty Island.

WHAT TYPE OF FOOTWEAR SHOULD I USE FOR MY VISIT?

Please simply choose something comfortable, safe, and practical. Please keep in mind that you will be on your feet for much of your visit and that you will be traveling by boat. Boats, by their nature, move with the water, particularly when affected by waves from passing vessels. Boat decks also can sometimes be wet and, of course, you will have to walk along a gangplank to board and to disembark from the boat. So please consider appropriate footwear. Statue City Cruises especially recommends against wearing open-toe footwear and flip-flops for safety reasons.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR FOR MY VISIT?

In the Fall/Winter season we suggest you dress in warm clothing and layer yourself. In severe cold weather during the winter hats, gloves, and scarfs are highly recommended.

In the Spring/Summer we suggest you dress in clothing that is comfortable and practical for the weather. During severe hot weather drinking, plenty of water will prevent heat exhaustion.