Overall we really enjoyed the excursion - we had been to NYC so many times before but had never managed to do Liberty & Ellis Island. Jeffrey was very entertaining and had many interesting stories about the sites and general NYC life. The only problem we had was at the start when our groups ended up on different ferries - both for our group and the other group. So this took about 20-30 minutes to sort out when we got to Liberty on the first ferry. Eventually the 2 guides and the bulk of the group arrived on the next ferry. Not a great start but after this everything was very good. The issue was that some of us got through expedited security checks and so ended up on earlier ferry. I suggest the guides ask people to wait on the dock until the guides get the group back together before boarding the ferry. We would do other walking tours on our next trip.
For first time travelers to the US and Canada, this tour is an amazing option to get a grasp of the culture and attractions the two countries have to offer. Larry (tour guide) was excellent! He really knows about his stuff and is always willing to accommodate any of your concerns. He's also willing to answer any questions you have regarding anything (and I mean anything, regardless of whether your question involves the tour or not). However, I would not recommend this tour to those which struggle to walk moderate distances and those who find stairs difficult as this tour heavily involves these activities. Also, it is also important to keep in mind that walking in the pouring rain is inevitable so better to come prepared and bring a waterproof jacket, a cap, an umbrella and shoes which can get wet. With regards to meals, there isn't really a lot of options for breakfast and their meals severely lack vegetables, but they do offer fruits. Food servings in America is excessive as compared to those in Asian countries so it would be best to just share food if you don't have a big appetite, so as to not be wasteful. I also recommend bringing your own refillable water bottle because most of the places have water refilling stations if you keep your eye out for them. Refilling water in hotels during breakfast is also an option.
This is my fourth trip with the tour operator, and the first time with their partner company and they didn't disappoint! The booking process was very easy to navigate, the guides were all very attentive, and there was plenty of opportunities to explore through various activities such as hiking, biking, and kayaking. After the last year we've all had, it was great to finally be able to get back out and travel again, and having a company like this plan out everything for you made the entire experience much less stressful and all that more enjoyable!
