NYC Fleet Week 2018: What You Need To Know

NEW YORK, NY — The nation's maritime forces are converging on New York City this week as Fleet Week returns to the metropolitan area. More than a dozen ships and over 2,300 sailors, Marines and Coast Guard members are participating in the annual celebration from May 23 to 29.

Fleet Week, now in its 30th year, offers New Yorkers a chance to meet members of the forces patrolling the world's waterways and see ships that showcase the best of the maritime services.

The week kicked off with the Parade of Ships, which arrived Wednesday. Onlookers saw ships in action along the Hudson River from Battery Park to around the George Washington Bridge.

Fourteen ships docked in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, the Bronx and Long Island to mark the occasion. Among them are four U.S. Navy ships, three Coast Guard cutters, four U.S. Naval Academy Yard Patrol boats, two Military Sealift Command ships and a Royal Canadian Navy vessel.

All but two of the ships will be open for tours at Piers 90 and 86 in Manhattan, the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and Homeport Pier in Staten Island.

Service members gave back to the city by helping with Habitat for Humanity projects in Brooklyn and Queens on May 24 and 25.

Dozens of events are scheduled throughout the week, so there are plenty of chances to take part. Some businesses are also getting in on the fun with Fleet Week specials.

Here's what you need to know ahead of Fleet Week 2018.

Schedule

The Parade of Ships is among the first on a long list of Fleet Week events. Demonstrations, concerts and other performances are lined up each day.

Can't make it to the city? A handful of events will take place in New Jersey, Long Island and the Hudson Valley.

The full schedule of events is available on the official Fleet Week website, hosted by Military News.

Ship Tours

The participating Fleet Week ships will be open for tours from May 24 to 28. Tours at Pier 90 in Manhattan, the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal and Homeport Pier in Staten Island will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pier 86 in Manhattan, home of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, will host tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day except May 24, when tours will stop at 3 p.m.

Here's the list of all participating ships and where they'll be docked.

Manhattan, Pier 90:
• San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Arlington (LPD 24), from
Norfolk, Virginia. Arlington will embark several hundred Marines from Camp
Lejeune, North Carolina.
• Kingston-class coastal defence vessel HMCS Moncton (MM 708), from
Canadian Forces Base Halifax

Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, Pier 86:
• Four USNA YPs, from Annapolis, Maryland (Vessels depart Saturday, May26)
• Sentinel-class cutter USCGC Richard Snyder (WPC 1127), from Atlantic
Beach, North Carolina

Brooklyn Cruise Terminal:
• Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57), from
Norfolk, Virginia

Homeport Pier, Staten Island:
• Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Little Rock (LCS 9), from Mayport,
Florida
• Bay-class cutter USCGC Sturgeon Bay (WTGB 109), from Bayonne, New
Jersey
• Reliance-class cutter USCGC Diligence (WMEC 616), from Wilmington, North
Carolina
• Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship USNS Maury (T-AGS 66)

Kings Point, Long ISland (U.S. Merchant Marine Academy): (Not open for general public tours)
• Cyclone-class patrol coastal ship USS Zephyr (PC 8), from Mayport, Florida

Bronx/SUNY Maritime College: (Not open for general public tours)
• Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport USNS City of Bismarck (T-EPF-9)

Fleet Week Deals

Some New York City businesses are offering discounts to service members who show up in uniform. Here's a sampling of spots where the guests of honor can find a deal.

• Uniformed service members can get discounts at Gerber Group establishments during Fleet Week. That includes half off all cocktails $16 and under at Irvington, Kingside and Mr. Purple, and half off cocktails $18 and under at The Roof, Whiskey Blue and The Campbell.
• Haven Rooftop at the Sanctuary Hotel will offer discounted drinks for sailors and happy hour specials including $6 beers, $8 glasses of wine and $10 margaritas.

(Lead image: U.S. sailors pose with tourists in the Financial District during Fleet Week in May 2017. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)