User:Camarilla123
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| Circle Line Downtown | |
|---|---|
| Image:Circle Line Downtown logo.GIF | |
| Type | Tourism |
| Founded |  New York City, NY, USA, (1953) |
| Headquarters | New York City, NY, USA |
| Industry | Sightseeing/Tourism |
| Website | www.circlelinedowntown.com |
Circle Line Downtown
The Circle Line Family:
Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc has provided countless visitors with access to Liberty & Ellis Island for over 50 years. Circle Line - Statue of Liberty Ferry is owned and operated by third generation members of the original families that founded the company.
Circle Line - Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc is an authorized concessionaire of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, National Park Service, and Department of the Interior.
Circle Line Harbor Cruises, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Circle Line - Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc. Established in 2003, Circle Line Harbor Cruises provides harbor cruises aboard ZEPHYR, a luxury yacht & Miss New York, one of Circle Line's historically charming vessels, high speed thrill rides aboard SHARK and vessel charters for private events.
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[edit] History
In 1953 Frank Barry, Gerald O’Driscoll, Helen Mitchell, William Moran, and Frank Clair came together and utilizing their individual strengths created Circle Line. The company originally began as a sightseeing operation, circling Manhattan Island, from which the name came. The original fleet was a collection of surplus landing crafts from World War II, retired Coast Guard cutters, and private yachts that were all modified to carry tourists.
In 1954 due to labor troubles, the ferry company that had up to that point carried people to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island went out of business. Circle Line stepped in to take over the contract operating as Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc. Circle Line was contracted by the United States Department of the Interior National Park Service to provide exclusive ferry service to Liberty and Ellis Islands.
Circle Line - Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc. & Circle Line Sightseeing
In 1982 the company split. The older boats and the sightseeing operation was sold and formed into what is now Circle Line Sightseeing, operating out of Pier 83. The newer boats and the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Ferry route remained downtown operating out of Battery Park forming today’s Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc. In 1986 The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island were closed. Circle Line retained less than 10 employees during the one year in which the islands remained closed.
Circle Line Harbor Cruises, LLC.
In 2001 after September 11, Liberty and Ellis Islands were closed for 100 days. Battery Park was taken over by the National Guard and Liberty State Park was converted into a victim services center. During this time Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc. had no income from ferry operations. In order to generate income they decided to start running harbor cruises. Within one week of Battery Park and the islands being reopened Circle Line was running a 1 hour harbor cruise that circled lower Manhattan out of Battery Park. Circle Line Harbor Cruises, LLC. was born and has since grown. In 2004 Circle Line-Harbor Cruises took over operation at the South Street Seaport from where it currently runs the majority of its sightseeing operations.
[edit] About Circle Line Downtown
Circle Line employs approximately 125 people throughout the year. However, during the spring and summer months, seasonal employment rises to upwards of 300 people. Circle Line’s corporate office is located near Battery Park, New York with an additional business office at Exchange Place in Jersey City, New Jersey. The company also maintains field offices in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, South Street Seaport, Battery Park, and Liberty State Park. Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc. provides service 364 days out of the year (closing only on Christmas Day) to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island National Monuments.
[edit] Fleet
Circle Line’s fleet consists of 10 vessels:
- Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferries: Miss Circle Line, Miss New Jersey, Miss Liberty, Miss Ellis Island, Miss Freedom, and Miss Gateway
- Downtown Harbor cruises: ZEPHYR, PATRIOT, Miss New York, and SHARK
[edit] Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry
Miss Circle Line, Miss New Jersey, Miss Liberty, and Miss Ellis Island, operate out of Battery Park taking passengers to and from the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Miss Freedom and Miss Gateway operate from Liberty State Park to and from the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Circle Line’s seven ferries capabilities and features vary from vessel to vessel. The average capacity is about 760 people per ship, with capacity ranges from 500 to 1035 people. The entire ferry fleet has concession catering capabilities and are handicapped accessible.
[edit] Downtown Liberty Harbor Cruises
Circle Line Harbor Cruises hosts several public events through out the year. PATRIOT is a catamaran vessel that can hold up to 215 passengers. It features two enclosed air conditioned decks and a small concessions bar. PATRIOT offers a 90-minute narrated NYC harbor cruise. PATRIOT can reach up to 28 knots. This high-speed vessel departs from the historic South Street Seaport and features views of the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges, the United Nations and Chrysler Building. It sails towards Governor’s Island, and glides past Brooklyn to the Verrazano Bridge and Staten Island. PATRIOT stops for an up-close look of the Statue of Liberty, and offers spectacular city views of New York’s Financial District and North Cove Marina. Other PATRIOT harbor cruise services include the New York Yankee Ferry, departing from Pier 16, at the South Street Seaport; and the Sandy Hook Beach Express to Sandy Hook Beach in New Jersey. SHARK is a speed boat with a capacity for 149 passengers. It features one full open deck and can reach speeds up to 25-30 knots. The speedboat SHARK departs from Pier 16, leaving Lower Manhattan in a shower of waves and delivers its passengers within feet of the Statue of Liberty in a New York minute. The 30-minute thrill-ride provides its passengers with a pulsating view of the New York City skyline and is emceed by the fun and knowledgeable Captains. Miss New York runs from Battery Park on a 1 hour harbor cruise around lower Manhattan. It has a capacity of 350 passengers and can reach up to 12 knots. Miss New York features 2 enclosed and 1 open deck, and a full service bar. Other Miss New York harbor cruises services include the 4th of July Cruise and the New Year’s Eve Cruise. ZEPHYR is a state-of-the-art luxury yacht. This catamaran vessel can accommodate up to 600 people. It features three impeccable decks - the sun deck, the mid-deck and the main deck - offering magnificent skyline views from different perspectives. ZEPHYR also offers a dance floor, concessions, bars, and can reach up to 30 knots. Climate controlled decks make for a comfortable ZEPHYR cruise year-round! During its 1 hour harbor cruise, ZEPHYR passes Wall Street and the Empire State Building, sail beneath the belly of the Brooklyn Bridge and get an up-close view of the Statue of Liberty. It departs from South Street Seaport, Pier 16. Other ZEPHYR harbor cruise services include thursday's Happy Hour Cruises, Saturday Night Dance Cruises, 4th of July Cruises, Fall Foliage Cruises, and New Year’s Eve Cruises.
