Honestly, I was a little hesitant to book this tour as another tour website stated to be aware of third-party tour operations. But, we had one free morning to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and the official tour group was booked so I took a chance on this tour. My concerns were gone at check-in. It was quick, on-time, and efficient, even with a somewhat large group and unusually cold temps. Our guide Rachel was so friendly and funny and put everyone at ease, especially when explaining what the tour would entail, where we should meet to catch the ferry back, etc. Throughout the tour she was extremely knowledgeable and interspersed historical facts with interesting and little-known tidbits about the city you likely wouldn't find in history books. She also shared the stories she had been told by people who had family that had arrived at Ellis Island, and she had a vast knowledge of the history of the city as a whole and society at that time, and how it played a role in the development of Ellis Island. Rachel was great at making it all so interesting- not rehearsed or canned. When the tour was over we asked her about a couple of other sites we planned on visiting later that day, and she was so helpful in offering so much advice on those options. I only wish we had planned more time to stick around after the official Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island tour to see everything- you could easily spend an entire afternoon at Ellis Island, looking at the displays, researching your own heritage, and speaking with the knowledgeable staff. Highly recommend!