New contract comes as travel to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island approaches pre-pandemic visitation levels

New York, NY — Statue City Cruises, the authorized provider of ferry service to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, announced today that the ten-year contract with the National Park Service has been awarded to Statue City Cruises. Statue City Cruises, part of the City Experiences portfolio of water and land-based experiences, has operated the service for more than 15 years. The new contract begins March 1, 2024.

Visitation on board Statue City Cruises is currently at 87 percent of pre-pandemic levels with several days so far this year exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Historically, visitation has averaged more than four million annual visitors, including an all-time high 4.6 million visitors in 2016.

“On behalf of Statue City Cruises, we appreciate the opportunity to continue to deliver first rate hospitality and create amazing experiences for guests on board our vessels to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island,” said Mike Burke, COO of Concessions & Park Services for City Experiences.  “We sincerely thank the National Park Service for their continued trust and confidence.”

Statue City Cruises will continue to provide world class experiences to locals and visitors from two convenient departure points at Battery Park in lower Manhattan and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. Visitors will enjoy the rich culture and history of the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration and the Statue of Liberty Museum. The pedestal and crown of the Statue of Liberty completely reopened in October 2022.

For more information about Statue City Cruises and City Experiences, please visit https://www.cityexperiences.com/new-york/city-cruises/statue/.

 

About Hornblower Group

Hornblower Group is a global leader in experiences and transportation. Hornblower Group’s corporate businesses are comprised of three premier experience divisions: American Queen Voyages^®, its overnight cruising division; City Experiences, its land and water-based experiences as well as ferry and transportation services; and Journey Beyond, Australia’s leading experiential travel group. Spanning a 100-year history, Hornblower Group’s portfolio of international offerings includes water-based experiences (dining and sightseeing cruises), land-based experiences (walking tours, food tours and excursions), overnight experiences (cruises and railways) and ferry and transportation services. Hornblower Marine, a subsidiary of Hornblower Group, provides vessel outhaul and maintenance services at Bridgeport Boatworks in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Additionally, Anchor Operating System, LLC, a subsidiary of Hornblower Group, provides reservation, ticketing, and website integration services for clients in the transportation, tourism and entertainment industries. Today, Hornblower Group’s global portfolio covers 114 countries and territories, 125 U.S. cities and serves more than 22 million guests annually. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Hornblower Group’s additional corporate offices reside in Adelaide, Australia; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; London, United Kingdom; New Albany, Indiana; New York, New York; Dublin, Ireland; and across Ontario, Canada.  For more information visit hornblowercorp.com.

 

About City Experiences

City Experiences represents Hornblower Group’s expansive portfolio of water- and land-based experience companies and includes two sub-brands: City Cruises and City Ferry.  City Cruises companies operate dining, sightseeing and private events across 22 destinations in the U.S., Canada and the UK.  City Cruises companies also operate cruises on behalf of the National Park Service and the Niagara Parks Commission and currently hold service contracts to provide ferry service to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, Alcatraz Island and Niagara Falls.  City Ferry companies offer specialized knowledge and expertise required to transport passengers, vehicles and other cargo safely across inland and coastal waterways, serving as operator of NYC Ferry and Puerto Rico ferry system, among others.  City Experiences’ portfolio of companies also offers a range of water- and land-based experiences including shore excursions, partner-offered experiences, multi-port packages, with companies including Venture Ashore, Walks and Devour Tours.  For more information visit cityexperiences.com.

 

Media Contact:

Josh Knoller, [email protected], 201-294-9586

Shin-Jung Hong, [email protected], 617-413-7880