Klymenko
August 2, 2019
A Pinnacle of Civilized, Elegant Tourism
It all depends on what you’re looking for: hoping for a quality experience, away from crowds and noise? Read on. We were three siblings getting together to celebrate a milestone birthday, and wanted to enjoy quality time together. Classic Harbor stood out from other companies because of the smaller size of the vessels and the comfortable seating areas. This particular cruise appealed to us because we’ve lived in the area and know the city well; here was a fresh perspective. I’d like to focus on aspects of this cruise not addressed in previous reviews: - The Narration: Before our cruise, I worried about whether we’d have time to chat, or whether this would be more of a floating lecture. It was a perfect balance of the two! Our guide, John K. (bios on their website) handled this expertly, setting a warm, friendly tone, yet equally, making sure that everyone understood that the narration was the focus of the tour. While the narration was extensive and knowledgeable, it was not constant; the guide made sure to leave silences as well. The narration can be heard both inside the ship, and on deck. We happen to be academics, and hung on his every word, but other groups seemed equally happy staying in their seats and focusing on the sights. My brother and I each sought out the guide in order to ask follow-up questions, and he seemed perfectly happy to go into more detail. So the architectural aspect? Simply superb. -The Weather: How we worried about a summer downpour! While we had *mostly* excellent weather, a single squall came through just as we were approaching the Statue of Liberty. Even with rain coming down the windows, we could still see the views. -The Boat (Manhattan II): Passengers are required to be seated when the boat undocks and docks. Other than that? We spent the bulk of the trip standing in the bow, taking in the sights from every angle! Other passengers came and went from the deck; still others chose to stay indoors. There’s not a ton of outdoor seating, but there’s a circular bench (see photo), and plenty of room at the rail. There are restrooms down a few steps from the main cabin. Since others have asked, on our cruise the food was Mediterranean: hummus and pita, dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves), olives, and feta. The wine choices were good as well (and bar prices are normal, for Manhattan). To sum up? I definitely felt that this was an exceptional experience. There are cheaper tours out there, to be sure... but this was “really top drawer:” splendid surroundings, quality content— a truly unforgettable afternoon!