Answer: Yes, you can always go to the pier where the cruise departs and head to the ticket booth to buy a ticket for the next available cruise. However, we strongly recommend not doing that. First of all, during peak season, the lines at the ticket booths can be very long, and you might end up wasting a lot of time just waiting. Also, in many cases the next cruise may already be fully booked, and you’ll have to wait even longer for the next one.  

That’s why the best and most recommended way is to book your tickets in advance online. This way, you can reserve your preferred date and time ahead of time and skip the long lines and uncertainty. If you purchase your tickets in advance, you won’t even need to go to the ticket booth - just show your digital tickets on your phone at the boat entrance and board directly.

Tip: Arrive a little early so you can grab a good seat on the boat. You can find more info on our full guide about New York Cruiser Tickets page.