← 📊 Payment 39 cruise guide
landmark · 📊 Payment 39

Empire State Building: Priority Access + Observatory Experience

Ascend to the 86th-floor open-air observatory of the world's most famous skyscraper for a 360° panorama over the New York skyline — a cinematic, genuinely bucket-list view that defines the city.

What to expect

Ride the Art Deco elevators to the 86th-floor open-air deck and drink in uninterrupted views from the Hudson to the East River, with the entire Manhattan grid spread beneath you. For the ultimate experience, add the exclusive 102nd-floor Top Deck — the highest point open to the public in NYC. Sunrise and sunset slots offer the most dramatic light. The building itself is a marvel of 1930s design worth exploring floor by floor.

Book it with
Empire State Building (Official)
From USD 44 (Main Deck, 86F); add-on Top Deck (102F) from USD 77; guided tours from USD 180 per person
Book it →

Good to know

Pre-book tickets online to secure a timed-entry slot and avoid same-day queues. Midtown is a straightforward taxi or rideshare from the Manhattan cruise piers — allow 15–20 minutes each way. Factor in 2–3 hours total. Book the earliest possible slot to protect your all-aboard time.

← Back to the full 📊 Payment 39 guide

⚓ Your bucket-list concierge

Doing the whole cruise?

Tell us your sailing and we'll send the bucket list for every port — the operator to call, real prices, and an honest verdict on each ship tour.

No spam. The honest plan, even when it says skip the ship’s tour.