The booze cruise is back. As of March 27, 2026, New Yorkers can once again crack open a cold one while watching the Manhattan skyline drift by from the deck of the Staten Island Ferry — and honestly, it’s been a long time coming.
As announced by the NYC Department of Transportation on March 23, beer, hard seltzers, and canned cocktails returned to the Staten Island Ferry for the first time since 2019, alongside expanded snack offerings including pretzels and popcorn. The drinks launched first on the MV SSG Michael H. Ollis, with the Sandy Ground and Dorothy Day ferries set to follow in the coming weeks.
So what took so long? Alcohol sales stopped in 2019 when contracts with existing vendors expired — and then the COVID-19 pandemic delayed any new contracts from being signed. Concessions eventually returned to some vessels in late 2024, but vendors had to wait to secure the proper permits before alcohol could be served. The city struck a deal with Dunkin’ to run the snack bars under a multi-year lease that also allows alcohol sales. The paperwork finally cleared. The coolers are stocked.
"After a long week, there's nothing that tastes quite as good as that first Friday night beer on the way home. It doesn't just taste like beer — it tastes like the weekend."
The Staten Island Ferry carries around 45,000 passengers on an average weekday — commuters and visitors alike chasing those sweeping harbor views. For decades, grabbing a drink on the boat was a New York ritual — the kind of low-key, only-in-this-city moment that reminds you why you live here. Then it disappeared. Now it’s back, and city officials couldn’t be more enthusiastic about it.
As reported by CBS New York, NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn called it “one of the best — and most scenic — rides in the world, and now it’s even better,” adding that riders can once again choose between a piping hot coffee or an ice cold brew. Representative Nicole Malliotakis called the return of alcohol “a welcome addition for commuters who want to unwind after work.”
⚡ QUICK FACTS
- Beer, hard seltzers, and canned cocktails now available onboard
- Started March 27 on the MV SSG Michael H. Ollis — more vessels coming soon
- First time alcohol has been available since 2019 — a 7-year wait
- Pretzels and popcorn also added to the expanded snack menu
- The ferry itself remains completely free — always has been since 1997
- Over 16 million riders use the ferry annually
As reported by Time Out New York, in a city that rarely slows down, the Staten Island Ferry offers a rare chance to sit still and enjoy the view. Now, once again, you can do it with a drink in hand. The 25-minute ride between Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan and St. George in Staten Island is one of the great free experiences this city offers — and for many New Yorkers, it just got a little better.
THE NYC WEED NEWS TAKE
Here’s a thought: the Staten Island Ferry just got alcohol back after seven years of bureaucratic delays and permit issues. Sound familiar? New York’s cannabis community knows exactly what it feels like to wait on the city to catch up with what people already want. The difference is the ferry got its permits sorted — and now everyone’s celebrating. The legal weed market is getting there too. One cold one at a time.
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