New York City, the largest city in the United States, spreads across five boroughs at the mouth of the Hudson River. More about New York City →
October 2026 · from today · all times local (Eastern Time)
Showing 10 of 10 calls in October
Today and the next 7 days · all times local (Eastern Time)
68% quieter than a typical day in New York City. Busiest 08:00 – 19:00, when 1 ship is alongside.
Thousands of people in port, guests plus crew. Crowd level compared with a typical New York City day.
The crowd calendar shows every ship and how busy the port is, hour by hour, plus the quietest and busiest days for the next 90 days.
Ships dock at one of two city-run terminals, so check your cruise documents.
Manhattan Cruise Terminal is on the Hudson River along 12th Avenue between West 46th and 55th Streets, next to the Intrepid Museum; in 2026 only Pier 88 is in regular cruise use. Times Square is about 3 km away.
Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is at Pier 12 in Red Hook, facing the Statue of Liberty, with limited subway access, so most passengers use a taxi or rideshare.
34–44 km · 35–55 min by car
JFK is the main international gateway; Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is closer (34 km) than Manhattan Cruise Terminal (44 km). Yellow taxis leave from official taxi ranks at each terminal; trips between JFK and Manhattan are a flat USD 70 plus surcharges and tolls, while trips to Brooklyn are metered.
Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.
Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.
Manhattan Cruise Terminal: all vehicles enter at West 55th Street and 12th Avenue (Route 9A). Brooklyn Cruise Terminal: vehicles enter at Bowne and Imlay Streets via Exit 26 (Hamilton Avenue) of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. NYCEDC advises public transport; NYC Ferry stops near both terminals (Midtown West/W 39th St and Red Hook). Congestion pricing and surcharges apply in Manhattan below 60th Street, though Route 9A itself is excluded.
2 terminals
City-owned terminal at 711 12th Avenue on the Hudson River, with Piers 88, 90 and 92; in 2026 only Pier 88 is operational. 2026 calls include Norwegian (year-round), Carnival, Oceania, Viking, Crystal, Hapag-Lloyd, Seabourn and Silversea. About 1 million passengers sailed from MCT in 2024, about 85% on homeport sailings.
Single-berth terminal at 210 Clinton Wharf in Red Hook, opened 2006 and transferred to City ownership in 2024. Commonly used by Cunard (Queen Mary 2) and Princess; Virgin Voyages moved its 2026 NYC sailings here, and MSC stopped calling in April 2026.
Daily rate · per vehicle · confirm before travel
Both NYC cruise terminals have official on-site parking run by Propark for NYCEDC at USD 45 per night, taxes included, with no SUV surcharge and cruise passengers only. Manhattan Cruise Terminal parking is on the roof above the piers (enter at West 55th Street and 12th Avenue), opens 8am, takes credit cards only and has an 8'3" height limit. Brooklyn Cruise Terminal parking is a secured outdoor lot at the terminal; it takes cash or card, and RVs and buses park on the main level near the security gate. Spaces turn over as arriving passengers leave around 10–10:30am. NYCEDC lists two private garages near the Manhattan terminal as overflow; neither publishes a fixed cruise rate, so check current prices with the garage. NYCEDC encourages public transport.
Accessible parking is available at both terminals at the standard rate. Wheelchairs must be requested through the cruise line.
Pick the area first. Typical nightly prices, approximate.
Closest to Manhattan Cruise Terminal
Typical hotel
Pre-cruise nights for Manhattan sailings, with Ninth Avenue restaurants and a short taxi ride or walk to the piers.
Theatre and first-time visitors
Typical hotel
Adding a Broadway show and Midtown sightseeing, with a short taxi ride to Manhattan Cruise Terminal.
Brooklyn sailings and harbor sights
Typical hotel
Brooklyn Cruise Terminal sailings, with the Statue of Liberty ferry, 9/11 Memorial and Brooklyn Bridge close by.
Easy Brooklyn terminal access
Typical hotel
Brooklyn Cruise Terminal sailings at lower rates than Manhattan, with subway links and Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO nearby.
Rates are typical 3–4 star nightly prices in USD before taxes and fees, for a mid-November weeknight. Rates climb sharply in December, around holidays and during major events. The cheapest hotels near Brooklyn Cruise Terminal are in Red Hook and Gowanus.
Prices are approximate. Menu prices exclude NYC sales tax (8.875%), and a tip of about 18–20% is customary at table-service restaurants. Street-food, soft-drink and water prices are NYC Parks' approved pushcart prices (June 2024) and apply only in city parks; carts elsewhere set their own prices.
Dense strip of casual diners and international restaurants a few blocks east of Manhattan Cruise Terminal.
Indoor food hall on Ninth Avenue at 15th–16th Streets, easy to reach from Midtown West hotels.
Neighborhood restaurants such as Red Hook Tavern and Red Hook Lobster Pound, a short walk from Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.
New York City, the largest city in the United States, spreads across five boroughs at the mouth of the Hudson River.
Manhattan holds the best-known sights, from the Midtown skyscrapers, Times Square and Central Park to the Financial District. Across the East River, Brooklyn is known for the Brooklyn Bridge and its neighbourhoods, and the Statue of Liberty is in view as ships sail in or out.
The city is a major cruise homeport for Bermuda, the Caribbean, Canada and New England and transatlantic crossings.
A decommissioned aircraft carrier turned museum at Pier 86 (W 46th St and 12th Ave), right beside Manhattan Cruise Terminal; an easy visit before boarding or after disembarking.
Ferries from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan visit Liberty Island and the Ellis Island immigration museum; allow most of a day and book timed tickets ahead.
The city's great landscaped park, a short ride from Midtown hotels, with lakes, bridges and walking paths; good for a relaxed pre- or post-cruise half day.
Walk the free pedestrian promenade between Lower Manhattan and DUMBO for skyline and harbour views; convenient for Brooklyn Cruise Terminal passengers.