THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Step aboard from WFM Queens, NYC, for a front-row seat to the Sail 4th 250 Parade of Tall Ships with a full breakfast and lunch buffet and rooftop DJ. This cruise offers close-up views of historic training vessels and a lively harbor atmosphere—book early to secure your spot.
Step aboard from WFM Queens, NYC, for a front-row seat to the Sail 4th 250 Parade of Tall Ships with a full breakfast and lunch buffet and rooftop DJ. This cruise offers close-up views of historic training vessels and a lively harbor atmosphere—book early to secure your spot.
Book with Skyline Princess Cruises
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Skyline Princess Cruises · Queens, New York
On July 3rd and 4th, the Parade of Class A Tall Ships sweeps into New York Harbor, and the Sail 4th 250 Breakfast and Lunch Cruise — departing WFM Queens, NYC — puts you on the water amid wooden hulls, varnished spars, and booming sails. This is Queens, New York, where the East River meets the city's skyline and vessels slip past Roosevelt and Randall's Island toward Hell Gate.
Boarding feels like stepping into two histories at once: a modern buffet-lined yacht with a rooftop DJ and the lineage of classic sail training hulls. Morning service starts with a formal breakfast buffet—cheese frittatas, bacon and sausage, French toast, home fries, muffins, croissants, and apple turnovers—so you’re fueled for the parade. After the ships pass, a second formal lunch buffet features Caesar salad, freshly baked rolls, braised boneless short rib of beef (gluten-free option), vegetarian and chicken entrées, roasted New Bliss potatoes, steamed vegetables, and a selection of cakes and desserts.
The parade highlights Class B and Class A vessels alike. Expect to see Schooner American Eagle (USA), Belle Poule (France), HNLMS Urania (Netherlands), Schooner Virginia (USA), Oosterschelde (Netherlands), Picton Castle (Cook Islands/Canada), Tuiga (Monaco), and Sudarshini (India). Each ship offers a lesson in hull design and sail plan: wooden two-masted schooners, three-masted topsail restorations, and full-rigged barques that have crossed oceans for training missions and diplomatic visits.
What makes this cruise special is the close-up perspective. Rather than watching from a distant pier, you’re shoulder-to-shoulder with the tide, feeling wind-driven thrums and steam of diesel lining the harbor. The rooftop DJ keeps energy high, while decks give viewers quick access to binoculars and crew-storytelling. For maritime historians and families alike, the mix of live music, culinary comfort, and the visual theater of canvas and rigging is hard to beat.
Accessibility and logistics are simple: departure from WFM Queens, New York. Bring sun protection for the roof, a light jacket for breezy crossings near Hell Gate, and binoculars for ship details. This cruise also works well as a celebratory outing—perfect for history buffs, boat lovers, photographers, and visitors staying anywhere in New York City. Book early: tickets often sell out for this signature Fourth of July waterfront event.
Onboard staff often narrate ship histories and point out distinguishing features—figureheads, ratlines, and copper-sheathed keels—so strike up a conversation with crew or docents to deepen your view. Bring motion-sickness prevention if you are prone; the harbor can be choppy near Hell Gate. Families will appreciate dedicated seating and buffet variety, while photographers should plan for wide-angle lenses and polarizers to manage reflections on bay water. Reservations through the provided booking link are recommended well in advance; the event draws locals and tourists across the region.
Departure is from WFM Queens, New York. Check your booking confirmation for the exact boarding dock and arrival time.
Yes — a formal breakfast buffet is served before the parade and a formal lunch buffet follows the parade, per the cruise menu.
The cruise notes that guests can put dietary requests in the booking comments; specify gluten-free needs when reserving.
All ages are welcome; menus and seating accommodate families, but check the booking page for any age-specific policies.
The harbor can be choppy near Hell Gate; bring motion-sickness medication or consult your doctor for prevention options.
Use the provided booking link to reserve tickets and review cancellation policies; booking is recommended well in advance due to high demand.
Skyline Princess Cruises is a passenger cruise operator based in Queens, New York, offering sightseeing and dining cruises in New York Harbor and Western Long Island Sound. The company operates departures from WFM Queens NYC and presents a program of themed and seasonal sailings that includes NYC skyline dinner and lunch cruises, a New Year's Eve cruise, a Halloween dinner cruise, and a Western Long Island lighthouse, Gold Coast, fall foliage and bird watching cruise. The Skyline Princess vessel hosts holiday and special-event sailings with buffet dining, open bar options on select departures, live DJs on rooftop dance areas for themed nights, and narrated sightseeing on designated tours. For the New Year's Eve sailing, guests can book private or general seating for a 5-hour cruise featuring fireworks, a buffet dinner, an open bar, and DJ entertainment. The Halloween dinner cruise is a 4-hour themed event with a haunted rooftop dance floor, professional DJ, buffet, and a costume contest. The Western Long Island Sound cruise showcases lighthouses and historic Gold Coast sites with a freshly prepared buffet, engaging narration, and relaxing background music, and offers opportunities for fall foliage viewing and bird watching. Schedules and ticket types indicate departure port details and event durations. Skyline Princess Cruises serves travelers seeking skyline views, holiday celebrations, and coastal sightseeing from a Queens homeport, and recommends advance reservations for high-demand sailings such as New Year's Eve and Halloween.
Book with Skyline Princess Cruises