One is paying top dollar to escape the 1.5+ million-strong crowd crammed on to the river bank – and it’s worth it! The luxury of arriving less than an hour before sail time and having a (mostly) uninterrupted view of the pyrotechnics would be a pleasant experience in and of itself, but Classic Harbor Line knows how to plus the experience well. I was particularly impressed with the staff – a knowledgeable crew member effortlessly fielded my questions over the phone ahead of time (without any sales pressure), and another called me the day before to make sure I knew about the special security procedures for Chelsea Piers on sail day. On board, the crew were attentive and focused – primarily on making sure we had a good view (Captain did an awesome job holding steady in position for the 25-minute show), but also that we were fed and watered throughout. Hors d’oeuvres definitely exceeded typical harbor cruise expectations (freshly prepared and tasty). And the post-show city lights cruise down to the Statue of Liberty was a perfect way to pass the time until the piers reopened for docking. Highly recommended, and going to be my first choice for future NYC July 4th visits.
– grahamsa