- Circle Line Downtown
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Circle Line Downtown 
Locale Manhattan, New York Waterway Buttermilk Channel, East River, Erie Basin, Haverstraw Bay, Kill Van Kull, Hudson River, New York Harbor, Upper New York Bay Transit type Water Tours Operator Circle Line Downtown Began operation 1981 No. of lines 5 No. of vessels 2 No. of terminals 1 Owner Douglas Durst
Tom FoxCircle Line Downtown is a sightseeing harbor cruise company that operates out of the South Street Seaport Pavilion Pier at the Financial District in Manhattan under Harbor Experience Companies.[1]
Contents
History
Circle Line Downtown was established by President J.B. Meyer, third generation owner and operator of the family that founded the company and Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises brand. In 1953, Frank Barry, Gerald O'Driscoll, Helen Mitchell, William Moran, and Frank Clair founded Circle Line, the nautical sightseeing operation, providing cruises which circled Manhattan. The company's fleet was then a collection of modified craft, including surplus landing crafts from World War II, retired Coast Guard cutters, and private yachts.
Operating as Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc., this offshoot was contracted by the United States Department of Interior National Park Service to provide exclusive ferry service to both Liberty Island and Ellis Island in 1954.
In 1982, the company collectively known as Circle Line split into two separate entities, Circle Line Sightseeing at 42nd Street and Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc. Meyer and Moran soon came to head Statue of Liberty Ferry. Operating out of Battery Park, Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc. ran service to Liberty and Ellis Islands until 2008, when the franschise was awarded to Statue Cruises.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Meyer and Moran, sought to lend a hand in the revitalization of lower Manhattan. The two founded Circle Line Harbor Cruises, LLC., known in the global tourism community as Circle Line Downtown in 2004.
On November 3rd, 2008, New York Water Taxi, a water taxi company operating in New York City area announced that they had purchased the Circle Line Downtown company and subsequently formed Harbor Experience Companies with Circle Line Downtown and Water Taxi Beach.
Cruises
- ZEPHYR Seaport Liberty Cruise is a one hour sightseeing cruise on board a luxury yacht that sails past many New York landmarks including the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and the Brooklyn Bridge.
- SHARK Speedboat Thrill Ride is a thirty minute speedboat ride along the New York Harbor.
Specialty cruises
Circle Line Downtown also offers a variety of specialty cruises that include:
- Happy Hour on the Harbor is a weekly ninety minute happy hour cruise that sails along the New York Harbor
- Friday Night Karaoke Cruise began in 2007 on board the ZEPHYR which accommodates 250 people[2] and provides the opportunity for people to sing, dance, drink all while sailing past New York's famous skyline.
- Saturday Night Dance Cruise is a two and a half hour themed harbor cruise on board their ship the ZEPHYR that provides a large dance floor.
- Sunset Hidden Harbor Tour explores the largest and busiest maritime port on the Eastern seaboard in a 2-hour narrated tour aboard the ZEPHYR[3]. The cruise visits spots on the waterfront that are hidden from normal view and can only be seen from the water.
The New York City Waterfalls
In 2008 the Public Art Fund selected Circle Line Downtown to provide the official water tour for the "New York City Waterfalls" by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson[4]. The $15 million project was said to be the biggest public art installation since 2005's "the Gates".
References
- ^ Grace, Melissa (November 3, 2008). "New York Water Taxi buys Circle Line Downtown, two boats". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2008/11/03/2008-11-03_new_york_water_taxi_buys_circle_line_dow.html. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
- ^ Ryzik, Melena (September 28, 2007). "Party Boats and Concert Cruises Sail Into the Fall". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/28/arts/music/28conc.html. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
- ^ ::: Welcome To The Only Official International Press Association Web Site :::
- ^ Chan, Sewell (June 16, 2006). "Waiting for the Water to Fall". The New York Times. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/16/waiting-for-the-water-to-fall/. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
External links
Categories:- Companies established in 1954
- Ferries of New York City
- Ferry companies of New York City
- Tourism in New York City
- Tourist activities
- Port of New York and New Jersey
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