I have been on two Hudson River Cruises. The first was a couple of years ago and was their lighthouse tour. The second was just a few weeks ago and was a ride with information over the loudspeaker about historic places we could see as we went first south down the river and then back to Kingston.
The lighthouse tour was really interesting. Passengers left the boat and got a tour of each of three lighthouses. The river cruise was a nice cruise on a beautiful day but I didn't find the pointing out and information about historic sites all that interesting, the hence the 4 rather than a 5 rating. Perhaps that's because I'm a native New Yorker and already fairly familiar with the area. Perhaps the narrator needs some juicier stories!
The boats are super clean and well taken care of, the crew is friendly and helpful, there's a full bar, one can sit in the sun or shade or indoors if it's chilly or rainy, and the boat is handicapped accessible (although the lighthouse tour is not). There is parking very close to where the ferry is boarded and across the street as well. There are also some terrific restaurants and cafes close to the ferry launch for a meal or a drink prior to boarding or after your trip.
A Hudson River Cruise is a great way to spend a nice day on the historic Hudson river with friends or family!