One of the biggest reasons to travel by ship is the views as you come into port. Yesterday, as my family sailed into an ice-filled New York Harbor—the final stop of a winter cruise to the Bahamas—I was reminded that certain amazing sights in this world can be seen only by ship. Even though I’m a jaded New Yorker who grew up in midtown Manhattan, the scene was otherworldly. It was well worth waking up at dawn, and shivering on my balcony, to capture it. Enjoy!

Pulling into New York Harbor at 7:00 am on a Sunday in February. #NorwegianBreakaway #NYC #skyline

A photo posted by Wendy Perrin (@wendyperrin) on Feb 22, 2015 at 4:08am PST

#tugboat breaking up the #ice for us in New York Harbor. #NYC #NorwegianBreakaway A photo posted by Wendy Perrin (@wendyperrin) on Feb 22, 2015 at 4:18am PST

It’s rare sights like this that are the reason to sail out of (and into) New York. #tugboat #NYC #ice #NorwegianBreakaway @norwegiancruiseline

A photo posted by Wendy Perrin (@wendyperrin) on Feb 22, 2015 at 4:22am PST

42nd St. as viewed from the Hudson River on a Sunday morning in February. No zoom, no filter. Pulling into #NYC aboard #NorwegianBreakaway. A photo posted by Wendy Perrin (@wendyperrin) on Feb 22, 2015 at 4:28am PST

4,000-passenger ship pulling into an icy Pier 88, NY Harbor, 7:30 a.m. on a Sunday in February. Home safe.

A photo posted by Wendy Perrin (@wendyperrin) on Feb 22, 2015 at 4:40am PST

Home safe. Biggest ship we’ve ever sailed on–which has its pros and cons. “The best thing about the cruise,” the boys say, “was the friends we made.” Isn’t that always true about travel? It’s the people you meet that make a trip. A photo posted by Wendy Perrin (@wendyperrin) on Feb 22, 2015 at 7:09am PST

 

What’s your favorite port in the world to sail into?