Hi my lovely readers!

New York is a great city to take a cruise from and it is a very popular embarkation port with many cruisers as well.

New York has one of the largest cruise ports and several cruise lines offer seasonal cruises based out of New York to several cruise destinations including the Caribbean, New England, Canada as well as transatlantic crossings.

Here are my 8 reasons why booking a cruise out of New York might be a good idea.

1. AMAZING VIEWS OF THE CITY WHEN SAILING OUT

Sailing out of New York was the best sailing out I ever experienced. You are passing all the impressive high rises and get to see them from a totally different angle and perspective, which is unique.

Also, you get to see those neat and tidy roads from the cruise ship, the grid that US roads are famous for. That was definitely one of my highlights. I thought it was different and cannot really be experienced from many cruise ports.

2. HOLIDAY COMBINATION

New York is of course a city sightseeing location and just as so many other major cities, there is plenty to do and see.

New York is the perfect location to combine city sightseeing with a cruise. You can spend a few days before your cruise to explore the city and then go on your cruise for a few days to just sit, relax and recover.

That is the perfect holiday for me, it is like a 2 in 1 holiday. You are super busy walking around every day, getting up early to make sure you see everything and then go really tired and exhausted on your cruise to get your energy back and relax.

3. PASSING THE STATUE OF LIBERTY

Another unique selling point is the passing of the Statue of Liberty with the cruise ship.

Why would you pay for getting on the Staten Island Ferry, if you can see the Statue of Liberty from your cruise ship, possibly from the comfort of your own balcony while zipping a nice cocktail and enjoying the fabulous views?

We actually did not go to see the Statue of Liberty as we knew we would see it from the cruise ship. That also saved us some many for other activities.

4. SAILING FROM THE COLD TO THE WARMTH

If you are sailing to the Caribbean in Q4 (Oct – Dec) and Q1 (Jan – Mar), it is great to leave the cold weather behind and sail towards the sun, sand and sea.

It is great to know that only in a few days the weather will change and you can start wearing your shorts once more. Some ships might also be fitted with a retractable roof that covers one of the pools so guests can already use the pool area and enjoy their time onboard.

5. ACCESSIBLE CRUISE PORT

New York has one of the most accessible cruise ports as it is right in the center of the city. In fact, I was able to see my cruise ship from the top of the Rockefeller Center.

Therefore, you can easily get to the port by Metro. Furthermore, as the port is so central, you can drop of your luggage in the morning at the cruise port before you are allowed to embark and do some more sightseeing. That is what I call efficient and handy.

6. PLENTY OF FLIGHTS TO/FROM NEW YORK

New York is an easy to reach destination from pretty much anywhere in the world. There are multiple flights to the city every single day internationally and domestically and it is a good connection point, too.

Furthermore, I can imagine that flights might be cheaper to get to New York than some of the other cruise ports as there are many airlines and flights each day, which should drive down the price.

7. LOTS OF CRUISE LINE OPTIONS

New York is the gateway to the Caribbean and almost every single cruise line shifts their ships to the Caribbean in Q4 and Q1 to accommodate those people that want to escape the cold.

Hence, you will be able to pick a cruise line to sail with that suits your needs and requirements.

8. SAILING UNDER A BRIDGE

Passing the Statue of Liberty was fantastic, but sailing under a bridge to reach open water was impressive and an added bonus.

Cruise ships are so much bigger and taller than small boats and ferries. Hence, you are so much closer to the bridge and get to observe the underside of it.

Also, I think everyone thought we were going to hit the bridge as the highest point of the ship was really close. Of course this would not happen as ships are designed with the destination and infrastructure of all the ports they are going to get to and dock at in mind. Still, we were really, really close!

---

What was your favourite cruise port to sail out from?