Questions & Answers
An event on the water is a special experience. As the circumstances are different to those of an event location on land, we have compiled all the topics for you in the form of questions & answers . The contents offer a complete overview and provide you with all relevant and interesting information.
Equipment on board
Yes, you can use this free of charge. You can connect to our jack cable with a smartphone, tablet or laptop, or use the wireless connection via Bluetooth and play your music. If you do not bring your own music, we will play our playlists. Our system is calibrated, as we have to adhere to the volume regulations – we have to turn the volume down from 22:00. Nevertheless, the music is loud enough for partying, don’t worry.
Important!
External technology that is brought along must be discussed with us in advance. Accordingly, unannounced technology will not be connected. It is important to know that megaphones and additional amplifiers are generally prohibited on board.
As the music is played on the lower and upper deck, the sun deck can be used as a dance floor. In consultation with our colleagues from our events department, you can also create an area on the lower deck so that you can dance a little. However, space is limited here.
Depending on the size of the raft, there are one or two unisex toilets on board.
Note
Only what belongs in here goes in. Anything else will lead to blockage, which will result in the vehicle being unusable for the rest of the journey. It is therefore in your own interest to heed this advice.
Our boats are mobile event locations. You come on board and don’t have to worry about a thing. Boat management, event organization and service are our tasks. You come and have fun. That’s why our fleet is only rented out with a crew. The crew includes: Skipper (captain), bosun and service staff, who are matched to the number of guests.
Not all our rafts and boats are wheelchair accessible. On Loungefloß I and II as well as on the Hauptstadtfloß II, the space allows you to move around on the main deck (lower deck) at ground level. However, access is not at ground level at most of the piers, so please ask our sales colleagues in advance which boat and which start and end points are suitable. Assistance is always required for access to the toilets.
The events are too diverse for that: from weddings and birthdays to incentives and company parties. That’s why the ships are booked “empty”, i.e. without themed decoration, but only with a slightly maritime décor, so that we can cater to the different wishes individually. This means that you can book tablecloths* and decorative flower arrangements (choice of colors and flowers) separately, if desired. Thematic decoration must be brought from your own repertoire and also brought on board independently.
*Of course, the buffet area is covered when catering is booked.
Unfortunately, dogs are not permitted on our ships.
Everything for your physical well-being
But of course. As an event location, we have a wide choice. Our in-house caterer can cater to every wish: from barbecues and buffets to finger food or Christmas buffets. Veggie and vegan options too, of course. When choosing the BBQ, we grill live on board. Among these categories, every foodie will find their favorite treat. We would be happy to send you our catering catalog for the current season. Our pastry chef will also enchant you with her own creations. There is an extra cake catalog to help you choose from the sweet assortment. We also offer wedding cakes.
As we are a catering company, bringing your own food is not permitted.
This will only be tolerated in exceptional cases in consultation with our office staff.
As we have our own in-house caterer, we charge €15 net per person. This is known as the fork fee. This includes the use of our own cutlery and crockery. If you bring your own cake, we charge a fee depending on the number of cakes.
We have many vegetarian and vegan dishes on our menu, so there is something for everyone. We are also happy to buy organic food on request and for an additional charge.
Every ship has a fully equipped bar on board. So your drinks can be served chilled and your glasses washed by us. Ice cubes are also available, as is coffee!
The bar is sufficiently stocked, special requests can be ordered. Basically, you decide between the consumption of drinks or the drinks package.
Option 1 – Beverage consumption
The beverage consumption is a minimum consumption that is paid into the bar in advance and calculated down according to consumption.
You can then drink until the budget is used up. As soon as the amount is reached, the service will inform you in advance. The amount can easily be topped up or changed to the self-pay category (your guests pay themselves after reaching the amount paid in). As this is a minimum consumption, the amount cannot be reduced if there are fewer people on the day of the event. The fixed amount remains the same. If there are more guests on board, the consumption will be increased accordingly. The minimum consumption for drinks is a mixed calculation in combination with the rent to cover our costs.
*The price may vary depending on the season, ship and type of event and serves as a guide.
Option 2 – Drinks package
The drinks package is a flat rate that is calculated based on the number of people and the number of hours, starting at €19.00* net p.p. for 2 hours. The flat rate includes: Non-alcoholic drinks such as water, juice, soft drinks and coffee/tea as well as beer, wine (house wine) and sparkling wine. You can then drink as much as you like on board.
Price: depending on the type and selection of drinks from €9.50 net* per hour / per person
Package price per person from 3h €28.50 / 4h €38 / 5h €47.50 / 6h €57*.
Range of drinks included in the package: water/soft drinks/coffee & tea/sparkling wine/wine and beer.
All other drinks that are not included in the drinks package can be charged according to consumption and invoiced after the trip or defined as “self-pay”.
A long drink package can also be booked on request. (only bookable in combination) Then all wishes are covered, because the complete range is available to choose from. With this combination you then have an all-in flat rate. Cheers!
Long drinks package
A long drinks package can be booked in addition to the drinks package. This includes all spirits such as vodka, gin, rum, whiskey – mixed with the soft drinks
of your choice as well as Jägermeister and Berliner Luft shots. The long drink package is charged at €5 net per hour per person in addition to the drinks package.
* The price may vary depending on the season, ship and type of event and serves as a guide.
Are all drinks from the menu always on board?
Before the start of the trip, we will ask you about your expected male/female ratio so that we can equip the raft or boat with the appropriate drinks. In general, however, we are always so well prepared that nobody has to leave the boat thirsty. In principle, special requests such as König Ludwig wheat beer light or non-alcoholic, non-alcoholic beer (Pils) or cocktails in large quantities should be agreed in advance. For space reasons, we only have these available in small quantities on the ships. Special requests for spirits or cocktails should be agreed in advance with the events department so that your requirements can be planned accordingly.
The barbecue products are freshly grilled on site by our staff. In summer we also barbecue in the rain, but we also reserve the right to pre-barbecue in the kitchen if necessary. In the winter months from November to March we do not offer a BBQ.
Please note that barbecuing in the city is only possible with restrictions. Therefore, barbecuing on board usually takes place outside the city.
Of course, we are very concerned about your well-being and will cater to your intolerances due to lactose, gluten, fructose, etc. for an additional charge. Simply discuss this with the events department and we will be happy to advise you.
Children up to the age of 6 travel free of charge. (Of course, they must still be included in the general number of people.)
Between the ages of 7 and 12, we charge children 50% of the price for food and drinks. From the age of 13, children are charged the full price.
Wind & Weather
Depending on the skipper’s professional assessment, a decision is made as to whether the trip poses a risk to guests. The skipper decides whether or not it is possible to sail. Possibilities for a postponement may incur additional costs depending on the effort involved.
If it is freezing cold, we can heat the raft with heat fans.
From November to March, we are in winter mode with our winter raft I & II, the lounge raft I & II and the event ship. Depending on the raft, heat fans and electric fireplaces ensure a warm and cozy atmosphere.
Yes, transparent tarpaulins on the windows protect against wind and rain.
Please note that in bad weather and when the raft/boat is fully booked, it can get cramped below deck and not all guests will have a seat.
Routes, empty run, jetty
We can sail with several rafts and boats in a convoy so that the boats overtake each other. It is possible to tie the rafts together at suitable areas such as the Rummelsburger Bucht or the Großer Müggelsee. We can transport up to 200 people at a time with our boats on rally trips.
Celebrating at the moorings without sailing is generally not possible due to the noise level. In addition, other ships also dock and depart there. However, it is possible to use
as a backstage area for festivals, as a VIP area for your event or as an additional floor or bar for your birthday party on a suitable piece of water.
In exceptional cases and after prior consultation with the events department, trips can also be carried out from the home port.
We always dock our rafts and boats 5-15 minutes before departure so that you can start your trip on time. We also dock 5-15 minutes before the booked time so that you can leave the boat punctually at your booked time.
It is therefore important that you and your guests arrive in good time. Experience has shown that it makes sense to have them arrive at or near the pier in advance.
A delay at the start of the trip because guests have arrived late cannot be added to the back of the boat, as we often have connecting trips. We therefore ask you to include this time slot in your event planning and to communicate the importance of punctuality so that the trip can start on time in the period you have booked and can be used effectively by you. Those who start on time have more fun, of course!
An empty run is incurred if the route to the jetty is not in our catchment area.
Additional costs are therefore incurred for staff, fuel and hire for the trip there and back.
Our home port is in Rummelsburger Bucht. The jetties at Oberbaumbrücke, Schillingbrücke and Treptower Park – Am Klipper, as well as Haus Zenner are free of empty runs.
We charge the following feeder with empty runs in the following costs:
- Köpenick, Mutter Lustig: 180,00€ net
- Historic harbor: 185,00€ net
- Weidendammer Bridge: 230,00€ net
- Caprivi bridge: 405,00€ net
In principle, you can choose your own route depending on the duration of the trip and the capabilities of the boat. We can cruise up and down the Spree and towards Köpenick and Müggelsee. You can find several tour suggestions on our homepage www.hauptstadtfloss.de. Please note that due to speeds and low bridges, not all boats can sail all tours. Please check with us in advance.
The raft or boat is booked on the move. For all other wishes, please contact us.
We can idle on the Großer Müggelsee and in the Rummelsburger Bucht.
You can only swim on certain rafts* and by prior arrangement with the events department.
Please let us know in advance so that we can have our bathing ladder ready.
* Possible on the lounge rafts I,II,III and the capital rafts I and II
The stopover must be discussed with the event department. In principle, additional mooring is possible at all our partner moorings. As we have to register each maneuver, additional costs are incurred.
Here you will find our moorings with the respective mooring fees per maneuver:
- Köpenick, Mutter Lustig: 60 €
- Oberbaumbrücke: 60 €
- Schilling Bridge: 60 €
- Treptower Park, Am Klipper: 60 €
- Historic harbor: 60 €
- Weidendammer Bridge: 90 €
- Caprivi bridge: 90 €
Our home port is in Rummelsburger Bucht. We therefore recommend the jetties at Oberbaumbrücke and Treptower Park – Am Klipper, as both are free of empty runs. (see also: What is an empty run?)
Safety on board
We have life jackets for all guests, even if we hope that they will not be used. You will receive information and instructions on where to find the life jackets from our skipper at the start of the trip. 10% of the life jackets per boat are intended for children. If you are bringing many children on board, please inform us in good time so that we can equip the raft accordingly. Children under the age of 7 are required to wear life jackets on board!
Yes, you may smoke in the outside area of the respective ship or raft in the designated areas. We also have ashtrays on board to ensure that nothing is thrown overboard.
No, this is not possible on our rafts and ships due to the high risk of fire.
This is not permitted for your own safety.
Hanging from bridges and jumping from the roof of the raft, as well as bathing in unauthorized waters, is prohibited and will be punished with immediate termination of the trip!
No, that’s not possible as we pass many bridges and we have to keep an eye on the height. We also have to make sure that nothing flies off the boat due to the wind.
Additional benefits, payment
In principle, an extension is possible. As we often have connecting trips, it makes sense to arrange this in advance, but it can also be possible spontaneously. Of course, this must be suitable in the specific case with regard to connecting journeys and the jetty. An extension will be charged in the final invoice.
Celebrations at the moorings are generally not possible due to the noise level. In addition, other ships also dock and depart there. In principle, we only have a time window of 15 minutes for mooring and casting off. If you have any requests, please contact the event office.
There is a strict ban on confetti and glitter on board our entire fleet. We want to spare both nature, our rafts and boats and our nerves
. Failure to comply with this rule will result in additional cleaning costs of € 250.00.
Yes, you can pay on board by EC card as well as via Paypal, so that any additional consumption can be settled on the spot.
If you enjoyed the service and trip so much, which of course we assume you did, and you would like to leave us a small tip, we would ask you to hand it over in cash on board. The tip will be divided equally among the boat crew.
Depending on the agreement with the event department, it is possible that you can, for example, deliver decorations to us in the harbor. Depending on the effort involved, this may incur additional costs.
If you need time to set up something on the raft or to decorate it yourself, this must be agreed upon, as the raft must then be booked for longer depending on the preparation and follow-up time. The preparation time we have planned in the harbor is exclusively for the preparation of the trip, additional time required by you must be planned and booked additionally.
You can book a city guide, DJ, photographer and floral decorations, as well as cakes or gateaux for a special occasion at an additional cost. External service providers can only be booked in consultation with us. Without consultation with us, we cannot guarantee that they will be on board. We must check in advance that safety on board as well as sufficient electricity and space can be guaranteed.
Contractual situation
After signing the order confirmation, we hand over your trip to our event department. They will contact you at least 4 weeks before the booked trip to discuss all the details with you.
You will receive a link to our event website where you can enter all your requests and changes.
If no agreement is reached because we are unable to contact you, the specified contract data will be used and the best offer of food will be produced for the agreed price. The final number of people must be available up to 14 days before the event date.
Any changes made will be offset in the final invoice after the event. This means that you will either be refunded after the trip or have to pay an additional amount.
Contact person:
Ann Elen Pollak
030 554941-217
leni@hauptstadtfloss.de
If you have any urgent questions on the day of the trip, you will be given a telephone number by the event department during the fine-tuning process.
*is switched on 2 hours before the journey
Thank you for choosing a trip on one of our ships or rafts!
Please sign the order confirmation and send it back to us scanned by email or by post by the specified deadline.
We will then send you the partial invoices by email.
We ask you to transfer the invoice amount to our company account on time. You will find the account details, deadlines and installments on the order confirmation and the
partial invoice. The event is only firmly booked and confirmed with us once the order confirmation and down payment have been signed.
Contact person:
- Prisca Cerny
030 554941-212
prisca@hauptstadtfloss.de - Sarah Kaul
030 554941-2166
You can cancel free of charge until 11:59 p.m. on the day of booking.
We reserve the right to charge a processing fee for the period thereafter.
25% of the order amount is due up to 8 weeks before the date, 50% of the invoice amount up to 4 weeks before the date, 75% of the invoice amount up to 2 weeks before the date and 100% of the invoice amount from 2 weeks before the date.
If you wish to postpone the raft trip to another date, postponement fees in the amount of the cancellation fees will be charged.
Deadlines
The catering selection must be finalized up to 14 days before the trip, and the number of people can be changed free of charge by 10% up to 10 days before the trip.
Reservations are not possible during the high season from 01.05.-30.09. or from 01.11.-31.12. Call us, check your desired date and alternative dates, send an inquiry e-mail, receive an offer and when this is confirmed in writing, the boat is firmly booked in your name. The booking confirmation is deemed to be a contract.
Subsequent changes of any kind must be made in writing.
The contractual partner is liable for any damage caused, such as the clogging of our toilets due to improper use, damage to furniture such as lounge furniture or deck chairs or the use of confetti despite the ban.
The skipper can cancel the trip if the safety of the guests and the trip is endangered by the condition of the guests. This includes jumping into the water, hanging from bridges, throwing
things into the water, etc. Depending on the adversity, the first step is to issue a warning. If nothing changes, the trip can be aborted. The skipper
(captain) is responsible for the house rules. The house rules must be observed – for everyone’s safety – as we are literally all in the same boat at this point.
You can cancel free of charge until 11:59 p.m. on the day of booking.
We reserve the right to charge a processing fee for the period thereafter.
25% of the order amount is due up to 8 weeks before the date, 50% of the invoice amount up to 4 weeks before the date, 75% of the invoice amount up to 2 weeks before the date and 100% of the invoice amount from 2 weeks before the date.
If you wish to postpone the raft trip to another date, postponement fees in the amount of the cancellation fees will be charged.