How to visit Ellis Island

1. Best to buy online to reserve both islands. 
2. Use statue cruises only. 
3. Statue Cruises only embarks at Castle Clinton. 
4. All other statue boats go near Lady Liberty but they don't disembark
5. When you buy your ticket from TopView, that goes near the island but not on it.
6. When you buy from statue cruises, you are getting both islands
7. If you wait until you go to Castle Clinton that day, you might not get the island you want.

On June 14 in the morning I bought a ticket online. My receipt arrived but not my ticket, so when I went to Castle Clinton, they told me to go to the will-call line to exchange my order number for actual tickets. They said it must have been a glitch.

First it goes to liberty. I didn't disembark. Twenty minute wait, then almost fifteen minutes to Ellis island. Then another twenty minute wait. Then back to nyc. It's possible to stay on the boat the whole time.

You can either get tickets that start at Castle Clinton, or Liberty State Park. For us it's easier to leave from Castle Clinton