Up through the 1800's, ferries were the only way to get to and around Manhattan. As bridges and tunnels were built, ferry transportation faded. In 1986, Arthur E. Imperatore and his family rejuvenated the NY Harbor with the launch of the first NY Waterway boat. Since then, NY Waterway has carried over 65 million passengers. NY Waterway has the largest ferry and excursion fleet in the NY Harbor, but it is still a family business with all the personal attention to service and amenities that it had when it was just Arthur's ferry. You are treated like family from the moment you step into our terminal. Some people say a NY Waterway cruise is the friendliest experience they have had in New York. We say "welcome aboard!"