We visited 3 years ago at Christmas time. Everything was good with the exception of the Grayline tour guide. The guy was a big lib and his comments on the tour were all political. We just wanted him to shut up and show the tourists the city. Anyway he did not get a tip. Michael Moron would be considered a conservative next to the idiot Grayline Tour bus guide.
The city was clean, but I hate seeing all of the garbage bags put out on the sidewalks for trash pick up.
I didn't take any tours although I wish I would have.
I noticed the beggars in NY were actually polite. In SF they scream in your face and threaten you.