My 9 year old and I had a simply amazing time on the Manhattan II. The boat was clean, elegant, and comfortable. I particularly loved that you’re assigned a table (all of which have excellent views) so you don’t have to jockey with others when boarding. We were able to get quite close to the Statue of Liberty and the crew made sure that everyone was able to get a great picture, and since it’s a small boat everyone had an excellent vantage point without being in anyone’s way.
The complimentary beverage was a nice perk. There were two kids on our cruise celebrating birthdays and the crew put their drinks in champagne flutes, then did the same with my 9 year old’s drink so she wouldn’t feel left out — it was a sweet gesture that definitely made her feel fancy!
The captain offered simple narration that helped orient you to what you were seeing and gave a bit of context; he also told us that if there was something we particularly wanted to see to let him know and he would point it out. This was a perfect overview and I can’t wait until my next visit with adults to do one of the more in-depth cruises.
All in all, it was a simply amazing experience that I enthusiastically recommend.