Cross Sound Ferry’s Three Different Lighthouse Cruises

Discover the beauty of the New England and New York coasts with Cross Sound Ferry’s lighthouse cruises. These guided tours offer up-close views of historic lighthouses that are narrated by experts who bring maritime history to life. There are three different cruises to choose from.

This year, it was my goal to do all three of Cross Sound Ferry’s lighthouse cruises. They offer the Classic Lighthouse Tour and Lights & Sights Cruise out of New London, Connecticut and the Long Island Lights Tour out of Orient Point, New York.

I did my first lighthouse cruise with Cross Sound Ferry in June of 2024. The first cruise I did was the Classic Lighthouse Tour and loved it. We had moody weather, which made for great photos.

In the beginning of August, I took the ferry to Long Island, New York from New London, Connecticut to do the Long Island Lights Tour. This is the only Cross Sound Ferry lighthouse cruise that leaves from Long Island, New York.

At the end of August, I did the third cruise they offer, which is the Lights & Sights Cruise. This cruise takes you out to Watch Hill, Rhode Island. This is the only cruise they offer that takes you to Rhode Island.

How To Get Tickets

Purchasing tickets is very easy to do on their website. When you get to the booking page, it will ask you to choose a departure location. If you’re looking to do the Classic Lighthouse Tour or the Lights & Sights Cruise, you will need to choose New London, CT. If you’re looking to do the Long Island Lights Tour, you’ll need to select Orient Point, New York.

If you’re booking one of the tours that leaves from Connecticut, they only do one tour a day. When you select a date, make sure it is the correct lighthouse cruise that you were looking to take. When you click on a date, it will tell you which lighthouse cruise is scheduled for the date you selected.

If you’re looking to do a specific one, I’d recommend checking the schedule on their website to see which tours are running on which days. This will help ensure that you pick a date that offers the tour you’re interested in taking.

For tours leaving from Orient Point, there’s only one cruise available. However, they offer morning and afternoon tours on different days. All of the tours that leave from New London are in the afternoon.

Getting There

To get to the New London tours, you’ll go to their New London terminal on Water Street. The terminal is next to the train station, making it easily accessible via train. If you’re driving there, the best way to get there is via I-95. You’ll take the New London Waterfront exit.

If you’re driving, there is limited parking on-site. You’ll pull into the ferry terminal entrance and take a right. You’ll likely have to wait in line to talk to one of the Cross Sound Ferry workers. They’ll direct you to the left where someone else will direct you exactly where to park.

Their website says there is limited parking, but I’ve never had any issue getting a spot at the terminal for the lighthouse tours. However, if for some reason they don’t have parking, you can park in the Water Street garage, which is across the street from the terminal. This would be paid parking.

If you’re going to do the tour out of Long Island, it might make sense to take one of the Cross Sound Ferry trips out to Long Island. This is what I did when I did the tour because I was coming from southeastern Connecticut. This will obviously add to the cost because you’ll have to purchase roundtrip ferry tickets out to Orient Point in addition to the tickets for your lighthouse cruise.

If you decide to take the ferry from New London, CT to Orient Point, NY for the Long Island Lights Tour, you won’t need to bring a car unless you’re planning on doing other things out on Long Island. The ferry will bring you to the ferry terminal in Orient Point where the lighthouse tour also departs from. Getting just a passenger ticket for the ferry will help to keep the cost down.

Of course, if you’re coming from somewhere further south or from New York, it might make sense to just drive to the terminal which is at the very end of Long Island. But if you drive, you will have to drive through New York City. People further west in Connecticut can take the ferry from Bridgeport and then drive to Orient Point from there. If you drive, there’s free parking at the ferry terminal.

When you arrive at the terminal for your tour, you will need to check in and get your tickets. You cannot get on to the boat without getting your tickets first. Your confirmation email is not a ticket.

They recommend getting to the terminal at least 30 minutes before check-in to account for time to park and checking in. Tickets must be issued ten minutes prior to your scheduled sailing time or your reservation will be cancelled and you will be placed on standby.

About Each Cruise

As I mentioned earlier, there are three different cruises that they offer. I’m going to go into detail about each one below. There is some overlap between the three of the cruises, but there are definitely things that make each unique.

The Classic Lighthouse Tour from New London, CT

This lighthouse cruise is on a high-speed passenger boat, the Cecelia Ann. This boat is the newest member of Cross Sound Ferry’s fleet. It’s a comfortable Catamaran with indoor and outdoor seating, a galley, and bathrooms.

I went on this cruise at the end of June in 2024. We got really lucky because the boat was not full. We were able to move around pretty freely. However, the weather was a bit stormy. Not only did my hat fly off of my head, but it also was raining by the end of the cruise. Despite this, the stormy weather made for some great moody photos. Below are the lighthouses I saw on the cruise.

New London Harbor Light

The first lighthouse you’ll see on the tour is New London Harbor Lighthouse. This lighthouse is both the oldest and tallest lighthouse in Connecticut and on Long Island Sound. The lighthouse was established in 1760, but the current tower you see today was built in 1801. This lighthouse is owned by the New London Maritime Society and you can actually climb it. (You can read about my experience climbing it).

New London Ledge Light

Next, we saw New London Ledge Light. This lighthouse is said to be haunted. It’s considered by some to be one of the most haunted lighthouses in New England. The story is that this lighthouse is haunted by a ghost named Ernie who jumped from the lighthouse after his wife left him for a ferry captain. This lighthouse is also available to tour with the New London Maritime Society. (You can read about my tour of the lighthouse).

North Dumpling Lighthouse

North Dumpling Island Lighthouse is also located off of Fishers Island in Fishers Island Sound. This lighthouse is privately owned. The lighthouse was built in 1849, rebuilt in 1871, and deactivated in 1959. I had never heard of this lighthouse until I took this tour!

Morgan Point Lighthouse

This lighthouse sits at the entrance to the Mystic River. The lighthouse was established in 1831, but the current structure you see today is from 1868. This lighthouse has some sister lighthouses that share the same design such as Sheffield Island Lighthouse in Norwalk, CT, North Island Lighthouse on Block Island, and Plum Island Lighthouse in New York.

Latimer Reef Light

Latimer Reef Lighthouse is off of the northeast edge of Fishers Island in New York. The lighthouse was built in 1884. It is a sparkplug style lighthouse. You can see this lighthouse in the distance from Stonington, Connecticut, but it looks very tiny from the Connecticut shoreline.

Race Rock Lighthouse

Race Rock Lighthouse is located off of the southwest edge of Fishers Island in New York. This lighthouse was completed in 1878. It’s also said to be one of New England’s most haunted lighthouses. It was actually investigated by Ghost Hunters. If you’re into that kind of stuff, the episode is definitely worth a watch because they caught some pretty interesting evidence.

According to Cross Sound Ferry’s website, this cruise is supposed to go to Little Gull Island Light, Orient Point Light, and Plum Island Light in New York. We did not see those when I went. I’m not sure if their site is wrong, or if my trip didn’t make it out there because of the weather.

The Lights & Sights Cruise from New London, CT

This trip is also aboard the Cecelia Ann. What makes this lighthouse tour unique from the others is it takes you to Watch Hill, Rhode Island. It also takes you completely around Fishers Island, New York. So, you’ll get to cruise through three different states on this cruise! Below are the lights and sights I saw on the tour.

Fort Griswold’s Monument

So, truth be told, you can see this from the Classic Lighthouse Cruise. That’s because this is directly across the river from where the ferry leaves in New London, Connecticut. Fort Griswold State Park is a Revolutionary War site that offers scenic views, walking trails, and a chance to explore the remains of a historic battlefield in Groton, Connecticut.

Fort Trumbull

This is also in New London, so you’ll see it when you go out on the Classic Lighthouse Tour as well. Fort Trumbull has a legacy of service spanning two and a half centuries, from the American Revolution to World War II to the Cold War. It’s definitely worth a visit if you get the chance! There’s a great museum and you can actually go inside the fort as well. The top of the fort offers great views of the Thames River.

New London Harbor Light

Would it even be a New London lighthouse tour if it didn’t start with this beauty? The answer is no.

New London Ledge Lighthouse

And of course, New London Ledge Light. No New London lighthouse cruise would be complete without it.

North Dumpling Light

This is in Fishers Island Sound, so it’s on the way to Rhode Island. Fun fact: that is a replica of Stonehenge that you see to the left of the lighthouse.

Morgan Point Lighthouse

Another repeat. Since this is a private residence, it is best viewed from the water. However, I have photographed it from land in Noank and Groton with a very large telephoto lens. Cross Sound Ferry’s cruises are the best way to see this lighthouse if you don’t have a boat of your own.

Latimer Reef Light

On this tour, we pretty much went completely around this lighthouse. As a result, I was able to get my best photo of it! I was worried I would be forced to photograph it backlit again, but I was able to get it in good lighting with Stonington, Connecticut in the background.

Watch Hill Light

Watch Hill Light is the one and only Rhode Island lighthouse you will see on this tour. It’s easily accessible even though this tour leaves from Connecticut because Westerly, Rhode Island is just over the border of Connecticut. If you get a chance, you can actually visit this lighthouse in person. The grounds are open for visitors, and the lighthouse museum is open seasonally.

Ocean house

This resort in Watch Hill, Rhode Island is a premier luxury destination, recognized as the only Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond hotel in Rhode Island. It offers guests exceptional accommodations and services. ​The beach you’re looking at in front of the hotel is East Beach, which is a super popular spot in the summer.

Taylor Swift’s House in Watch Hill, Rhode Island

Did you know Taylor Swift actually wrote a song about this house? The song the last great american dynasty on her album folklore is about this house. I can’t help but have this song pop into my head every time I see the house.

The house was built in 1929 by the Snowden family, who owned an oil company. It was later purchased by Rebekah Harkness in 1948. She was a socialite and heiress that was associated with the Standard Oil fortune. The song Taylor Swift wrote really tells you the story of the house.

Race Rock Lighthouse

Coming back from Rhode Island, we went around the south side of Fishers Island to get to Race Rock Lighthouse on the west side of the island. As we cruised, we could see a lot of large mansions and rocky coastline. It’s a very cool island that not many people get to fully experience. A large chunk of the island is private. I was lucky enough to explore that side of the island many years ago.

Avery point Lighthouse

And last, but not least, Avery Point Lighthouse. This was a good way to end the tour as we headed back to New London. You can actually visit this lighthouse up close as the campus is open to the public. Built in 1943, this is Connecticut’s newest lighthouse.

You’ll also see the Branford House. This was the summer home of Morton Freeman Plant who was a local financier and philanthropist. The home is named after his hometown of Branford, Connecticut. Today, the house is a popular wedding venue. And as a southeastern Connecticut local, my junior prom was held here.

The Long Island Light Tour from Orient Point, NY

This tour was on the Sea Jet, which is a high-speed passenger boat that they use for the Block Island Express. There was an air-conditioned cabin with a galley and bathrooms as well as outdoor seating. We sat on the top deck of the boat by the bow.

The tour was a two-hour narrated cruise. We saw a total of eight lighthouses on the cruise. This is the only lighthouse cruise that goes to the Long Island Lighthouses. Below are the lighthouses you’ll see on the tour.

Little Gull Island Light

Little Gull Island is located in Southold, New York. It’s located on a small island that’s located midway between Plum Island and Fishers Island. The current lighthouse tower was built in 1869. It’s currently privately owned.

Race Rock Lighthouse

One of the lighthouses that you can see on all three tours.

North Dumpling Lighthouse

Another lighthouse you can see on all three tours.

Avery Point Lighthouse

We didn’t get super close to this lighthouse on this tour, but we did still manage to see it.

New London Harbor Light

Can’t skip the tallest and oldest lighthouse on Long Island on the Long Island Lights Tour. You can see this lighthouse on all three tours.

New London Ledge Light

Can’t pass up an opportunity to say hi to Ernie. You can see this lighthouse on all three tours.

Orient Point Lighthouse

Orient Point Lighthouse is a sparkplug lighthouse that’s off of the coast of Orient Point, New York. You’ll often hear this lighthouse referred to as “the coffee pot.” This is because it was originally painted brown. The lighthouse was built in 1899. Today it is home to the Orient Lighthouse Artist Residency.

Plum Island Lighthouse

Plum Island Lighthouse is located on Plum Island not far from Orient Point Lighthouse. This lighthouse was built in 1869. If you’ll recall, this lighthouse has a very similar design to Morgan Point Lighthouse, which can be seen on the other two cruises.

Are These Lighthouse Tours Worth Taking?

If you’re looking for a narrated lighthouse tour, I think these tours are absolutely worth taking. They’re a great way to learn about the history of the area and the lighthouses.

Additionally, the boats are comfortable. They have food and drinks available for purchase and bathrooms on the boats. They even offer lighthouse stamps for anyone who has the U.S. Lighthouse Society’s Lighthouse Passport.

However, if you’re not that interested in the narration, you can see most of these lighthouses when you take the Cross Sound Ferry to Orient Point, New York from New London. But, that only makes sense to do if you’re actually going to take a trip to Long Island.

I wouldn’t get a roundtrip on the ferry just to see the lighthouses. At that point, you’re better off just taking the lighthouse tour. Plus, there are definitely lighthouses you would miss out on (Little Gull Island, for example) and you won’t get as close to them as you would on the tour.

Overall, I think the cruises are worth taking for the experience. My personal favorite was the Lights and Sights cruise.

Sharing is caring!