New to hot tub boats? You’re in good company. But if you haven’t taken a Hudson River hot tub boat tour, you’re missing out. No boat tour in NYC compares to floating past Manhattan in a bubbling hot tub.
It sounds fun, but what would the outing actually involve? Before you book, you’ll want to know how the tour works, what it costs and what to bring. We’ll also cover the landmarks you’ll pass and how the tubs stay warm when the air turns cold.
Summary
Short on time? Here are the key facts about the NYC hot tub boat:
- What it is: A boat with heated hot tubs on deck, run by Sea the City with a licensed captain and crew.
- Where it leaves from: 84 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey City, directly across the Hudson from Lower Manhattan.
- Length: 90 minutes on the water. Arrive 30 minutes before departure.
- Capacity: Two private tubs, up to 10 guests each and 20 on the full boat.
- Price: From $395 for two guests, plus $125 per additional guest. Both tubs cost $1,950, or $97.50 per person for 20 guests.
- Water temperature: 102°F in every season.
- Weather: Cruises run in cold weather and rain. The captain cancels only when the harbor is unsafe, and you can reschedule free or get a full refund.
- Age rules: Guests ages 10 to 17 are welcome onboard and in the tubs with an adult.
- What to bring: A swimsuit, secure footwear, a towel or towel rental, and beer, wine, champagne or hard seltzer if you are 21 or older. No hard liquor or food.
- What you’ll see: One World Trade Center, the Financial District, the Brooklyn Bridge, Governors Island and the Statue of Liberty.
- Booking: Reservations are required. Same-day online booking closes five hours before departure.
How Does a Hot Tub Boat Work?
A hot tub boat is a boat with one or more hot tubs built into it to amp up the luxury and enjoyment factor. So, what is a hot tub boat at Sea the City? It’s a way to soak while sightseeing on a hot tub boat NYC tour.
Our boat has heated tubs on deck, and a licensed captain drives while the crew looks after your group. As far as safety goes, life jackets are on board for every guest. If the weather makes the harbor unsafe, the captain won’t leave the dock.
What Happens During the Cruise?
Every cruise follows the same steps, from check-in to docking:
- Arrive at our dock at 84 Audrey Zapp Drive in Jersey City, just across the Hudson from Lower Manhattan.
- Check in with the crew and change into your swimsuit in the onboard changing room.
- Sign the waiver, step into your tub and settle in as the captain pulls away from the dock.
- Soak for 90 minutes while the captain steers past the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty.
- Return to the same Jersey City dock, change and collect your things.
The boat has more than the tubs. Here’s what you’ll find on board:
- Two private tubs on the open deck, each with its own Bluetooth speaker for your playlist.
- Deck space where you can stand, stretch or take photos.
- A large bathroom and a separate changing room.
The crew stays with you throughout the cruise. They look after the tubs, answer questions about the landmarks and help when you need to step out. A hot tub boat tour can feel more like a private party on the water than a sightseeing cruise with strangers.
Whether you’re joining us for the first time or returning for another cruise, you’re in for a treat. You’ll make memories and have plenty of chances to take photos for your socials while you float down the Hudson in a bubbling hot tub.
If that sounds like your idea of fun, see available hot tub boat cruises and pick a date.
How Is the Water Heated?
Each hot tub boat in NYC is heated the same way as any Jacuzzi-style hot tub on land. A built-in heater warms the water, and a pump circulates it through the jets. Those jets are what keep the water bubbling around you as the boat moves across the harbor.
The crew keeps both tubs at a steady 102°F from the moment the boat leaves the dock until it returns. That temperature holds in every season, so a summer cruise feels as comfortable as a cold-weather cruise. On hot summer days, shade over the tubs keeps the sun off your shoulders while you soak.
Because the heating system runs the whole time, the water does not cool off as the evening goes on. For that reason, a hot tub boat stays comfortable on nights when an open-deck ferry would leave you reaching for a jacket.
How Many People Fit on a Hot Tub Boat?
Each of the two tubs holds up to 10 people comfortably, and the full boat holds up to 20. A tub belongs to your party alone, so you never share the water with strangers.
Groups of 10 or fewer book a single tub. The single tub price covers two guests, and each additional guest adds $125. That way, a couple, a family of four, or a group of eight pays for their exact headcount. Couples also have the VIP Date Night option, which includes a bottle of champagne and towel rentals for two.
Once your group grows past 10, a hot tub boat rental gives you both tubs and the entire boat. That setup works well for birthday parties and bachelor and bachelorette parties, since everyone can move between the tubs and the open deck.
How Much Does a Hot Tub Boat Tour Cost?
A hot tub boat tour with Sea the City starts at $395 for two people. The price then depends on which of the three packages you book and how many guests you bring.
| Package | Starting Price | Capacity | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Tub | $395 for 2 guests, plus $125 per additional guest | Up to 10 | Private tub, captain and crew, coolers, ice, cups, and a Bluetooth speaker |
| Both Tubs | $1,950 | Up to 20 | The entire boat, with both tubs and the open deck for your group |
| VIP Date Night | $395 | 2 | A private tub, a bottle of champagne, and towel rentals |
The per-person math shifts with group size. A single tub filled to 10 guests comes to $1,395, or about $139.50 each. Booking both tubs for 20 guests costs $1,950, which works out to $97.50 per person. In other words, a full boat is the lowest price per guest of any package.
Booking also comes with a few built-in options that make planning easier:
- A 50% deposit option on bookings over $500, so you do not have to pay the full amount up front.
- A free reschedule when you give 48 or more hours’ notice.
- The option to add guests after you book, as long as your tub has room.
- Same-day reservations online, up to five hours before departure.
Each tub goes to one party only, so once a time slot is booked, it is gone. Book your hot tub boat tour early to lock in the day and time you want.
What Should You Wear and Bring?
Pack for a hot tub and a boat at the same time. The crew supplies coolers, ice, cups, and bottled water, so your bag only needs to hold the following items:
- A swimsuit. You change in the onboard changing room, so you can arrive in regular clothes.
- Secure footwear for walking on the dock and the deck.
- Sunglasses with a strap, which the crew highly recommends so a pair does not end up in the harbor.
- A camera or phone for photos of the Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty from the water.
- A towel, or a towel rental for $3 online or $6 on the day of your cruise.
- Beer, wine, champagne, or hard seltzers for guests 21 and older.
- Your playlist, ready to connect to the tub’s Bluetooth speaker.
Hard liquor and food should stay at home, since neither is allowed on board. Leave loose items such as hats without a strap behind as well, because wind on the open water can carry them off. Your wallet and change of clothes can go in the free secure storage until the cruise ends.
Can You Go on a Hot Tub Boat in Winter or Rain?
Yes, Sea the City runs hot tub boat tours in cold weather and in the rain. The captain cancels a cruise only when the weather makes the harbor unsafe.
Winter is the season when a hot tub boat stands apart from other harbor cruises. The air can turn cold, but the water in your tub stays at 102°F the entire time. You sit up to your shoulders in warm water while cold air moves across the harbor, which an indoor sightseeing cruise cannot offer. The winter sky also gets dark early, so an afternoon departure can bring you back with the Lower Manhattan skyline lit up behind you.
Rain changes less than most people expect. Since you are already in the water, a light shower does not bother anyone in the tub. If the captain decides the conditions are unsafe, you choose between a free reschedule and a full refund, so booking a cold-weather date carries little risk.
Is a Hot Tub Boat Safe and Clean?
A hot tub boat is safe and clean when it follows firm passenger rules and a set cleaning schedule, and Sea the City’s boat does both. Beyond the licensed captain, crew, and life jackets on every cruise, those measures include the following:
- Children ages 10 to 17 are welcome onboard and in the tubs with an adult.
- Every guest signs a waiver before boarding.
- The tubs are commercial-grade chlorinated spas.
- Each tub is sanitized after every tour and fully drained every week.
Those rules mean the crew knows exactly who is on board, and each group steps into freshly sanitized water. For more detail on policies, the NYC Hot Tub Boat FAQ page answers questions about age limits, drinks, and cancellations.
What Will You See on a NYC Hot Tub Boat Tour?
A hot tub boat tour in NYC covers five major sights on New York Harbor in 90 minutes. The captain follows this route, although the order can shift with tides, traffic, and weather:
- One World Trade Center: As the boat crosses the Hudson from Jersey City, the tower grows taller in front of you, and from the tub you look straight up its glass face.
- The Financial District: Rounding the southern tip of Manhattan, you see the skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan packed together along the waterfront, with the ferry terminals busy below them.
- The Brooklyn Bridge: Heading up the East River, the captain brings you close enough to see the stone towers and the web of cables above the water.
- Governors Island and the Verrazzano view: Turning back south, the harbor opens up, and on a clear day you can see the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge at the mouth of the bay.
- The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: The final stretch passes the statue from water level, with Ellis Island just to the north, before the boat heads back to Jersey City.
Seeing these landmarks from a tub changes how they look. Instead of standing at a railing on a crowded ferry, you are sitting low on the water, so the buildings and the statue rise above you as the boat moves. The sunset cruise times the same trip for the hour before dark. For a trip focused on the sights, the NYC landmarks cruise is the one to book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is There a Hot Tub Boat in NYC?
Yes. Sea the City operates a hot tub boat on New York Harbor from a dock in Jersey City, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. The boat has two private tubs, and each cruise lasts 90 minutes.
Can You Rent a Hot Tub Boat and Drive It Yourself?
No, guests do not drive the boat. A licensed captain operates every cruise, and a crew stays on board to look after your group. You can still rent the boat privately by booking both tubs, which gives your party the whole vessel.
Where Does the NYC Hot Tub Boat Leave From?
The boat departs promptly from 84 Audrey Zapp Drive in Jersey City, New Jersey, directly across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan. Guests must arrive at least 30 minutes prior to departure to complete check-in, execute waivers, and undergo the mandatory safety briefing before the 90-minute excursion begins.
How Long Is a Hot Tub Boat Tour?
Each hot tub boat tour lasts 90 minutes on the water. Since check-in starts 30 minutes before departure, set aside about two hours in total.
Is a Hot Tub Boat Worth It?
For a group that wants a private celebration on the water, a hot tub boat is worth the price. You get your own heated tub, a captain and crew, your own music and drinks, and close views of Manhattan’s landmarks. A full boat of 20 costs under $100 per person.
Do You Need to Book a Hot Tub Boat in Advance?
Yes, reservations are required. Same-day reservations are available online up to five hours before departure when a tub is still open.
Book Your NYC Hot Tub Boat Tour
A hot tub boat puts your group in warm water on New York Harbor while a licensed captain and crew handle everything else. The boat holds two private tubs and up to 20 guests. Its route passes One World Trade Center, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and more. See available cruises and reserve your tub with Sea the City today. For couples, the romantic date night cruise adds champagne and towels to the trip.