Hi Fodorites!
I'm baaaaaack.

I'm planning a weekend trip to Manhattan with my sister--she is celebrating a significant birthday and my job is to help her take her mind off it.

We have both been to New York several times and have seen many of its wonders. One thing I have always wanted to do is take the Circle Line cruise all the way around the island. I know it sounds dreadfully touristy--but it also sounds like it might be great.

How about it Fodorites? Have you taken this cruise? Do you know if the trip will bring us by any of the waterfall installations? The website says there are beverages and food available on board. Is it just junk or could we make a decent lunch on it?

Another interesting-sounding tour is the one at the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side. it looks as if their latest installation is about an Irish family who lived there in the mid 1800's. Any thoughts about that? I don't know this area at all. Can you suggest good shopping, strolling or eating nearby?

We are taking this trip two weeks from now. I have several other questions but I'll start with these. Thanks, as always, for the best advice on the internet!

We took the 3-hour cruise on a very warm and sunny day to cool off, relax, and enjoy the scenery. To us, it was an hour too long. The high points of the northern end of Manhattan included Yankee Stadium, Gracie Mansion, the Cloisters, and Grants Tomb (along with a view of some new Donald Trump condos). The lower half is much more interesting, even though you go past everything twice on the 2-hour cruise.

Our favorite Circle Line cruise is Harbor Lights because you leave in the daylight and return at night when the lights have been turned on all over.

It's best to go on any of those cruises when the weather is pleasant and you can enjoy the trip on a deck outside rather than inside.

We took one of the tenement museum tours in May and enjoyed it very much. There's also a 20-minute 'loop' film at the gift shop where you buy your tickets which you might enjoy.

We signed up for the 'kitchen-table talk' but didn't like it. The problem for us was that one woman took over the conversation, had little to offer and wouldn't let anyone else get their questions in. The talk leader (who was a different person than our tour guide) didn't take control of the talk and let it get out of hand.

The lower east side is a fascinating neighbourhood and well worth a walk around. We were there on a weekday but I think South Houston turns into a pedestrial mall on Sundays. We had lunch at Katz's Deli which is quite famous and fun. I had a great lox omelet!

good advice from Goddess.
You can take the Tenement House tour, work you way North thru Orchard Street for shopping & end at Katz's for lunch. Since Saturday is the Sabbath, you might do this on a Sunday.

People are divided on the full circle vs. half circle cruise. Some love it while others feel as djkbooks, that it's too long. The Waterfalls are up thru Oct. 13. I don't think even the full circle cruise passes all of them, but Circle Line does a special cruise just for the Waterfalls. That said, most people have been pretty underwhelmed by them, esp. during the day. They're most impressive at night when lit.

The food onboard the Circle Line is pretty awful but you can bring your own if you'd like. Since it's a special birthday, what about considering one of the fancier cruises that includes a meal like bateauxnewyork.com, shearwatersailing.com , sail-nyc.com

Another idea is one of the specialty cruises given by nywaterway.com

The food on board is junk - nothing you would voluntarily eat (really snacks for kids). IMHO the long tour is quite boring - since you see little around the top end of Manhattan but Yankee Stadium - since everything is so high above you. If you do this take the 2 hour version - that is mostly more interesting sights.

you have to love Fodor's. 24 hours=five thoughtful replies. Thanks to all.

djkbooks: I had been wondering that exact thing, whether the three hour would be too long. I talked to sis tonight and we won't do it at all unless the weather is really fine. She's from Miami and if it's below 78 degrees she's freezing.

goddeddtogo, that's a good warning about the tenement tour kitchen talk. I like a good give-and-take but I am aware of how things can get out of hand.

Rhea58, sounds like the tour is a good jumping off place for a neighborhood excursion. You mention that Saturday is the Sabbath: forgive my insensitivity but should I be concerned that many places of interest will be closed or is your concern that we would be somehow intrusive? We are flexible and can make this excursion on Sunday or Monday.

mclaurie and nytraveler, sounds like good advice. If we go I think we will brown-bag our snacks. I'd prefer to eat light on the boat and enjoy a real meal on land later.

I'll be back with more questions soon.

Thanks to all.

Sabbath on Orchard St means some things are closed. However, the neighborhood is in transition, so unlike years past, many Orchard St shops are getting trendier and are open on Saturdays. Katz's is open Saturday and Sunday.

I too was puzzled by the comment about Saturday/Sabbath visits
The Tenement museum is certainly open, and Katz's is not a kosher deli, and is also open Saturdays.
The neighborhood is no longer predominantly Jewish, so there are no sensitivity issues regarding visiting,touring,shopping, and eating in that area on a Saturday

"goddesstogo, that's a good warning about the tenement tour kitchen talk. I like a good give-and-take but I am aware of how things can get out of hand."

Well, y'know olive, I wouldn't have even minded a good give-and-take. She just wouldn't let anyone talk much at all. She seemed to see herself as some sort of hostess or something and the discussion never even got off the ground!

Apologies for any confusion! When I lived in the area the shops on Orchard Street observed the Sabbath;
not Katz's or the Tenement tours...
mea culpa!

Rhea,

I was just on Orchard St on Saturday. Fewer clothing and fabric shops, many more trendy shops and restaurants. A number of the small buildings have been razed and new apartment buildings are under construction. A real change from years ago.

Gosh was that cruise only 3 hours - seemed like a lifetime. I would not recommend it at all. It was way too long and although there were some interesting sights there weren't enough to warrant the time it took. I spent at least half the time thinking of all the other things I could have been doing.

I didn't eat on the tour but it looked like the usual - hotdogs etc. What you would normally expect.

One other thing to be aware of it takes forever to get on board as they insist on everyone stopping to have their photo taken.

I think you could find better ways to spend 1/2 a day.

I would recommend a New York City Photoshoot tour. They give you a private tour around some of the best sights in the city and take awesome photographs of you with the landmarks in the background. Check them out at www.nycityphotoshoot.com

Oh and I would also agree that the Circle Line tour is a waste of time. Very boring.

Hi,
We took a private tour with My Kind of Town (212-734-4500)and we really enjoyed it. It is a little bit more than the standard tours but it is worth it. He stopped whereever we wanted to take pictures and took us places we didn't know were there.
He told us alot of the history and even though I had been to New York several times and taken the normal tours I saw things I had never seen before. We even saw a movie being filmed.
Linda Hunter

Another great tour is PhotoTrek Tours (www.phototrektours.com). My boyfriend and I did this while in NYC and it was amazing. Great photos, great insights. The guide was a native New Yorker, licensed NYC Tour Guide. Very pleased with the photos and the whole experience.

We also did Chamber Magic and the Food Tour as well which were also well worth it.

Good luck.