Due to the smaller size of the boat, the trip was a bit less smooth than what riders of the Staten Island Ferry have come to expect, with choppy water resulting in a bumpy ride at one point.
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If you're getting on from the Manhattan side, go to the right (starboard) side of the boat for the best view of the Statue of Liberty.From the Staten Island side, go to the left (port). The ride is 25 minutes each way with boats departing every 30 minutes on either side on weekends.
The Staten Island Ferry boasts a 24-hour schedule. That's right: it never stops. It takes trips every half hour on the half hour, and every 20 minutes during rush hour. Each ferry has a capacity of around 5,000 people, and daily ridership frequently tops 70,000 passengers a day.
You 'queue' at the entrance and when the ferry docks it takes about 10 minutes to empty and another 10 to load. The crossing takes 20 minutes. At Staten island, if you can get off quick you may be able to rush round and get straight on the ferry back. We missed it so had about a 30 minute wait for the next one back.
Staten Island FerryThe ferry route brings you directly across New York Harbor and right by the statue and Ellis Island. Pros: Of all the free options, the ferry has the best and closest view of the statue. You'll get other great views of Brooklyn and Manhattan on the ride, too.
New York City has had some terrible nautical disasters – including the sinking of the General Slocum steamboat off North Brother Island in 1904 and the capsizing of the Normandie (SS Lafayette) in 1942. But the giant octopus attack that sank the Staten Island Steam Ferry, the Cornelius G.
You could get a bit of a sensation if you stare when the boat is pulling away, or the skyline diminishes in the background, or if you look down into the water over the edge... but if you simply sit inside the ferry somewhere you will barely feel movement at all.
It's FREE and you can either get off and spend some time on Staten Island, or simply disembark, walk around and get back on the ferry returning to Manhattan. It is about an hour round-trip.
Staten Island FerryThe Staten Island Ferry is a free transportation service provided between Manhattan and Staten Island. Each boat is quite large, carrying over 4,000 people. But the route across New York harbor takes you directly in front of the statue.