Editing Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises

{{Short description|American sightseeing and entertainment company}}
{{Infobox Water transit
|name = Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
|logo = CL Classic Logo 80 Yrs.png
|logo_size = 200
|image = Circle Line X.jpg
|image_size = 270
|locale = [[Manhattan]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
|waterway = [[East River]], [[Harlem River]], [[Harlem River Ship Canal]], [[Hudson River]], [[New York Harbor]], [[Spuyten Duyvil Creek]], [[Upper New York Bay]]
|transit_type = Water Tours, Charter Yachts, Tourist Attractions
|began_operation = 1945
|ended_operation = 
|system_length = 
|terminals = 
|website=https://www.circleline.com|owner=New York Cruise Lines}}
'''Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises''' is a boat-based sightseeing and entertainment company in [[Manhattan]], New York. Its principal business is operating guided tours of New York City from its base at Pier 83 in the [[Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan|Hell's Kitchen]] neighborhood.

==History==
Circumnavigation of Manhattan became possible in 1905 with the construction of the [[Harlem Ship Canal]], the first regularly scheduled trip being the ''Tourist'' captained by John Roberts in 1908.

On June 15, 1945, Frank Barry, Joe Moran and other partners merged several companies to form '''Circle-Line Sightseeing Yachts''', offering boat tours of New York operating out of [[Battery Park]].
[[File:CIRCLE LINE FERRY CARRIES TOURISTS TO STATUE OF LIBERTY IN UPPER NEW YORK BAY - NARA - 547838.jpg|thumb|left|''Miss Liberty'', 1973. Photo by [[Arthur Tress]].]][[File:Circle Line Logo.jpg|thumb|Old Circle Line Sightseeing Logo]][[Image:Hamilton Br Circle Line boat jeh.JPG|thumb|right|The ''Circle Line XVII'' touring the [[Harlem River]]]]

In June 1954 Circle Line took delivery of [[Miss Liberty]] a new 460-ton excursion steamer. The three-deck vessel could carry up to 750 passengers. Veteran captain George Clancy was skipper of the boat for many years and although he spent decades with the sightseeing company, and made more than 40,000 trips between lower Manhattan and Bledsoe's Island, he never went inside the statue.<ref>{{cite news |last=Boyle |first=Hal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-skipper-guides-10/172245902/ |title=Skipper Guides 10 Million to Visit Miss Liberty - - But Not Himself |work=Staten Island Advance |agency=Associated Press |date=July 2, 1964 |page=5 |access-date=May 12, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> ''Miss Liberty'' was acquired by Circle Line because of growing popularity of [[The Statue of Liberty]] as a tourist destination. It was the first excursion steamer of its type to be built in the United States since 1929.<ref>{{cite news |last=Boyle |first=Hal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-evening-citizen-news-miss-l/172246513/ |title='Miss Liberty's' Skipper |work=Los Angeles Evening Citizen |date=June 25, 1954 |page=10 |access-date=May 12, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

In 1955, it began operating at Pier 83 in Midtown.<ref>{{cite news |last=Beckerman |first=Jim |date=July 27, 2011 |title=Around Manhattan on the Circle Line |work=The Record |location=Bergen County, NJ |page=F1 |id={{ProQuest|879432546}}}}</ref> In 1962, it bought the famous and venerable [[Hudson River Day Line]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Hudson Day Line Bought By Circle |first=Horne |last=George |url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0C11F7345C137A93C4A9178BD95F468685F9 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 6, 1962 |page=50 |accessdate=July 10, 2010}}</ref> The steamboats of the Hudson River Day Line remained in operation under Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises until 1971.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrmm.org/history-blog/the-hudson-river-day-line-1863-1971|title=The Hudson River Day Line - 1863-1971|author=[[Hudson River Maritime Museum]] staff|work=Hudson River Maritime Museum|accessdate=June 15, 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Circleline-fireworks.jpg|thumb|right|Fireworks at Pier 83 in 2006.]]
In 1981, the Circle Line split into two companies&mdash;Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises and [[Circle Line Downtown]].

In 1988, the company bought World Yacht's operating upscale dining cruises from [[Chelsea Piers]] - currently World Yacht Dining Cruises.  In 1998, the 42nd Street company also launched The Beast, a speedboat ride which takes tourists around the [[Statue of Liberty]] and goes 45 mph.

In 2007, the [[United States National Park Service]] said it was going to terminate Circle Line Liberty franchise and give a 10-year contract to [[Hornblower Cruises]] which provides service to [[Alcatraz]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Circle Line Loses Pact for Ferries to Liberty Island |first=Anthony |last=Ramirez |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/29/nyregion/29ferry.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 29, 2007 |accessdate=February 7, 2010}}</ref>  It was noted in the announcement that since 1953 Circle Line had transported 70 million people to Liberty Island.  Among the items cited in the transfer was a newer fleet (although Hornblower would have to buy the Circle Line boats) and the possibility of new service to [[Gateway National Recreation Area]].  ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported on December 8, 2007, that the price of the Circle Line boats to be sold to Hornblower was in arbitration, forcing Hornblower to bring in new boats.<ref>{{cite news |title=Crossing a Continent by Water to Another City by the Bay |first=Patrick |last=McGeehan |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/08/nyregion/08ferry.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 8, 2007 |accessdate=February 7, 2010}}</ref>

In 2009, Circle Line took delivery of the third of three new vessels constructed by [[Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding]] in [[Somerset, Massachusetts]].

In January 2017, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises purchased [[New York Water Taxi]]&mdash;among the assets acquired was the latter company's Circle Line Downtown brand, reuniting both Circle Lines under one owner.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marinelog.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=24714:circle-line-owner-hops-on-new-york-water-taxi&Itemid=226|title=Circle Line owner hops on New York Water Taxi |publisher=Marine Log|date=January 12, 2017|accessdate=January 13, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170114182455/http://www.marinelog.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=24714:circle-line-owner-hops-on-new-york-water-taxi&Itemid=226|archive-date=January 14, 2017}}</ref>

== Awards ==
Circle Line was awarded with proclamations by two New York City mayors.
In 1985, then Mayor [[Ed Koch]] proclaimed April 23 "Circle Line Day." Approximately 20 years later current Mayor [[Mike Bloomberg]] proclaimed September 17 "Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises Day" in 2008.

== Rescue ==
[[File:Flight1549After20Minutes.ogg|thumb|Video from 20 minutes after [[US Airways Flight 1549]] landed in the Hudson River, with numerous ferries and rescue boats surrounding the aircraft]]
[[File:US Airways Flight 1549 in Hudson cropped.JPG|thumb|right|The plane in the Hudson River surrounded by [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]], [[New York City Fire Department|FDNY]], [[New York City Police Department|NYPD]], and ferryboats]]

In 2001, Circle Line vessels helped transport victims of the [[September 11 attacks]] in the [[Maritime response following the September 11 attacks|maritime evacuation following them]]. Many were brought to what has since become the site of [[Hudson Riverfront 9/11 Memorial]] in [[Weehawken, New Jersey]].

After [[US Airways Flight 1549]] was forced to land in the Hudson River in 2009, Circle Line Sightseeing vessels were among the first to respond.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}}

==Fleet==
Currently, Circle Line Sightseeing operates 8 vessels with an additional two under construction, including:<ref name="boats">{{cite web|url=https://www.circleline42.com/experience/the-boats/|title=The Boats|website=Circle-Line Sightseeing|accessdate=3 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625204219/https://www.circleline42.com/experience/the-boats/|archive-date=25 June 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*''[[USCGC Argo (WPC-100)|Sightseer XII]]'' - commissioned in 1933 as the United States Coast Guard patrol boat ''Argo'', sold in 1955 and later acquired by Circle Line.
*''[[USCGC Nike (WPC-112)|Circle Line XVI]]'' - commissioned in 1934 as the USCG patrol boat ''Nike'', decommissioned in 1964 and sold to Circle Line in 1966.
*''[[USCGC Triton (WPC-116)|Circle Line XVII]]'' - commissioned in 1934 as the USCG patrol boat ''Triton'', decommissioned in 1967 and sold to Circle Line in 1973.
*''Circle Line Manhattan'' - purpose-built in 2008 to replace ''[[USS Calypso (AG-35)|Circle Line XI]]''. 
*''Circle Line Brooklyn'' - purpose-built in 2009.
*''Circle Line Queens'' - purpose-built in 2009.
*''The Beast'' - speedboat that entered service with Circle Line in 2011.
*''Circle Line Bronx'' - built by [[Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding]] and delivered in January 2017.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.workboat.com/news/shipbuilding/circle-line-new-sightseeing-boat-gladding-hearn/ | title=Circle Line has new sightseeing boat from Gladding-Hearn | publisher=Workboat | date=January 10, 2017 | last=Hocke | first=Kevin | accessdate=April 1, 2018}}</ref>
*''Circle Line Staten Island'' - built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding and delivered in May 2017.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.workboat.com/news/shipbuilding/gladding-hearn-delivers-sightseeing-vessel/ | title=Gladding-Hearn delivers second sightseeing vessel to NYC | publisher=Workboat | date=June 5, 2017 | last=Hocke | first=Ken | accessdate=April 1, 2018}}</ref>
*''Circle Line Liberty'' - built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding and delivered in March 2018.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.workboat.com/news/passenger-vessels/gladding-hearn-delivers-new-passenger-vessel-circle-line/ | title=Gladding-Hearn delivers new passenger vessel to Circle Line | publisher=Workboat | date=March 27, 2018 | last=Krapf | first=David | accessdate=April 1, 2018}}</ref>

The ''Bronx'', ''Staten Island'', and ''Liberty'' constitute Circle Line's new ''Empire''-class boats, which claim to be state-of-the-art, and include modern amenities like digital screens and improved sound systems.<ref name="boats" />

Additionally, while she has been retired from service, the ''Circle Line X'' is retained by Circle Line.<ref name="boats" /> ''Circle Line X'' was originally built for the US Navy in 1944 as a [[Landing Craft Infantry|Landing Craft Infantry (Large)]], designated [[USS LCI(L)-758|USS ''LCI(L)-758'']]. ''758'' participated in several landings during the Pacific Theater of World War II, including those during the battles of [[Battle of Leyte|Leyte]], [[Battle of Ormoc Bay|Ormoc Bay]], [[Battle of Mindoro|Mindoro]], and [[Invasion of Lingayen Gulf|Lingayen Gulf]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/15/150758.htm|title=USS LCI(L)-758|website=Navsource|accessdate=6 March 2017}}</ref> ''758'' was decommissioned in 1946 and sold to Circle Line, who converted her into a tourist vessel and renamed her ''Circle Line X''. She served in this role until her retirement in 2007, and as of 2015 Circle Line plans to turn her into a floating museum and terminal alongside Pier 83.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/30/nyregion/a-circle-line-warship-reborn-as-a-tourist-draw-may-see-another-revival.html?ref=nyregion&_r=0|title=A Historic Warship, Reborn as a Tourist Draw, May See Another Revival|work=The New York Times|last=McGeehan|first=Patrick|date=29 June 2014|accessdate=6 March 2017}}</ref>

== Today ==
[[File:Beast of Circle Line jeh.jpg|thumb|The Beast prepares to cast off]]
Circle Line Sightseeing continues to operate on the Hudson River and is dedicated exclusively to sightseeing.

===Cruise types===
*Best of NYC  - navigates the entire island of Manhattan.
*Landmarks Cruise - goes through half of the island of Manhattan, circles sights twice.
*Liberty Midtown Cruise - sails directly past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
*Harbor Lights Cruise - same route as the Semi Circle cruise at sunset.
*The BEAST Speedboat Ride - New York's first speedboat, cruises up to 45 mph on the Hudson to the Statue of Liberty and back.
*Liberty Super Express Downtown - a fifty minute ride which sails directly to the Statue of Liberty from the [[South Street Seaport]], operated with smaller sightseeing boats. The route also includes intermediate deviations along the Hudson and East Rivers. 
*Special Events Cruises - New Year's Eve, Dance Cruises, Dog Cruises, Bear Mountain etc.
*Kids Cruises - cruises themed specifically for kids, often with kids-specific entertainment.
*Private Charters
*Groups

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.circleline.com/ Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises] (official website)
* {{cite web|title = <nowiki>Tribute to Circle Line X - USS LCI(L)-758 | Circle Line Sightseeing | Boat History</nowiki> | date = November 11, 2015 | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZkVIvDNI_A}}

[[Category:Ferries of New York City]]
[[Category:Ferry companies of New York City]]
[[Category:Circumnavigations of Manhattan]]
[[Category:Port of New York and New Jersey]]
[[Category:Travel and holiday companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Tourism in New York City]]
[[Category:Transport companies established in 1945]]
[[Category:1945 establishments in New York City]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]