01.10.2022 Mittschiffs

Wild carnival parties on the water

Things get interesting aboard kd ships during what locals refer to as the 'fifth season' of the year

Alaaf zesamme! [‘Carnival greetings to one and all!’] Jecke opjepass! [‘Look out, merrymakers!’] Fastelovend jeiht et met d’r Köln-Düsseldorfer Rheinschiffahrt av. [‘There’s lots happening during Carnival with Köln-Düsseldorfer Rheinschiffahrt.’] That was ‘Kölsch’ – the only language you can also drink. At Carnival parties aboard the Köln-Düsseldorfer fleet, the sounds of Kölsch can be heard OR found in a glass. And of course there’s much more. Celebrations of the ‘fifth season’ are energetic affairs – on the street, in pubs and aboard the ships of the KD line.

‘11.11. om Rhing’ [‘11 November on the Rhine’]

The good-mood packages that the Köln-Düsseldorfer event team have assembled for the various Carnival parties are impressive indeed. Guests benefit from KD’s many years of experience as a specialist and organiser of events and parties aboard the very special locations that ships can provide. The session begins with ‘11.11. om Rhing’. The party gets under way a full hour before the big countdown that kicks off the Carnival session right on time at 11:11 on the morning of 11 November. If you’re aboard KD, the cheer begins at 10:11 a.m. Costumes and good moods are definite trump cards.

Fun and more fun in a Carnival costume

The colourfully decorated party ship does not set sail on this day, instead remains at the KD dock on the banks of the Rhine in Cologne’s Old Town. Latecomers can certainly join the party a little later. Until 1:00 p.m., admission is reserved exclusively for guests who have purchased tickets in advance. People spontaneously deciding to join the party might be able to come aboard, depending on the remaining capacity. KD Event Manager Michael Baumann strongly advises guests to purchase tickets in good time. ‘Anyone who’s celebrated on our ship knows the tremendous, exuberant atmosphere on board. And when Cologne natives celebrate Carnival, they celebrate with us. Everything is superbly organised; there are no unpleasant surprises, and everything is very civilised. We offer nothing but fun.’ With the hottest Carnival music and top titles from the charts, KD DJs provide a stellar party atmosphere, with music to sing, sway and dance to. A highlight is the performance by ‘Miljö’, a top Carnival band. Their biggest hits include ‘Wolkeplatz’, ‘Null oder Hundert’ and ‘Noh Huss’. The five musicians will also certainly be presenting the latest titles from their new album released in the autumn. The event ends at 5:30 p.m.

Fancy costumes

Kölsche Greesberger on stage

Hot live bands

Incredible party atmosphere

Top bands from the Karneval scene

Top-name bands perform aboard KD ships at Carnival parties throughout the session as well. ‘Jeck on Deck’ [‘Party on deck’] is an event even before the official kick-off of the Carnival season. The Carnival series gets under way on 4 November with a lively preview. The band ‘Planschemalöör’ will be the evening’s live musical guest. With ‘Jeck an Deck’, KD DJs warm up their guests with the top hits of the Karneval session. The zany tours begin at 7:00 p.m. (admission) and end at 1:00 a.m. They include a one-hour round-trip boat tour. The live bands performing on different days rank among the best that the Cologne Carnival scene has produced in recent years. These talents include: Kuhl un de Gäng, Fiasko, Eldorado, Funky Marys, Aluis, Chanterella and Kommando 3. The last three are newcomers with great potential. Aluis, with Peter, Mathieu, Jan and Chris; and Chanterella, with Yannick, Manuel, Mario and Max; take the stage with four performers. Kommando 3 has a special cast of performers. Vocalist Jörg and guitarist Tim are joined by DJ Eik. The band is a surprise entry with a completely new way of presenting the biggest hits of the Karneval season.

Dance, flourish and an incredible atmosphere

The dancers in the ‘Kölsche Greesberger’ dance troupe offer a tremendous atmosphere and have made a tradition of participating in every event. The troupe is part of the ‘Große KarnevalsGesellschaft Greesberger’, which was founded in 1852. One of the oldest in the Cologne Carnival, this family-run organisation will celebrate its anniversary during the 2022/2023 session. Carnival in the Cathedral City was redesigned 200 years ago. The clubs already in existence in 1823 will celebrate anniversaries, too. These include the ‘Roten Funken’, the ‘Grosse von 1823’, ‘Tanzgruppe Hellige Knäächte un Mägde’, the ‘Goldene Lyskircher Hellige Knäächte un Mägde’ and the Festkomitee Kölner Karneval. Even with no tomfoolery afoot, the ‘Jeck an Deck’ parties are truly Carnival-style fireworks. This can be seen for example in the party photos in which the KD photographer captures the special mood on board. Even after the last flourish has died down and the leftover confetti has been swept up, the photos are available on the Köln-Düsseldorfer website and Facebook.