| Locale | Manhattan, New York |
|---|---|
| Waterway | Buttermilk Channel, East River, Erie Basin, Haverstraw Bay, Kill Van Kull, Hudson River, New York Harbor, Upper New York Bay |
| Transit type | Water Tours |
| Operator | Circle Line Downtown (New York Water Taxi) |
| Began operation | 1981 |
| No. of lines | 5 |
| No. of vessels | 2 |
| No. of terminals | 1 |
| Owner | Douglas Durst Tom Fox |
Circle Line Downtown is a sightseeing harbor cruise company that operates out of the South Street Seaport Pavilion Pier at the Financial District in Manhattan under Harbor Experience Companies.[1]
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Circle Line Downtown was established by President J.B. Meyer, third generation owner and operator of the family that founded the company and Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises brand. In 1953, Frank Barry, Gerald O'Driscoll, Helen Mitchell, William Moran, and Frank Clair founded Circle Line, the nautical sightseeing operation, providing cruises which circled Manhattan. The company's fleet was then a collection of modified craft, including surplus landing crafts from World War II, retired Coast Guard cutters, and private yachts.
Operating as Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc., this offshoot was contracted by the United States Department of Interior National Park Service to provide exclusive ferry service to both Liberty Island and Ellis Island in 1954.
In 1982, the company collectively known as Circle Line split into two separate entities, Circle Line Sightseeing at 42nd Street and Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc. Meyer and Moran soon came to head Statue of Liberty Ferry. Operating out of Battery Park, Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc. ran service to Liberty and Ellis Islands until 2008, when the franschise was awarded to Statue Cruises.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Meyer and Moran, sought to lend a hand in the revitalization of lower Manhattan. The two founded Circle Line Harbor Cruises, LLC., known in the global tourism community as Circle Line Downtown in 2004.
On November 3rd, 2008, New York Water Taxi, a water taxi company operating in New York City area announced that they had purchased the Circle Line Downtown company and subsequently formed Harbor Experience Companies with Circle Line Downtown and Water Taxi Beach.
Circle Line Downtown also offers a variety of specialty cruises that include:
In 2008 the Public Art Fund selected Circle Line Downtown to provide the official water tour for the "New York City Waterfalls" by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson[4]. The $15 million project was said to be the biggest public art installation since 2005's "the Gates".