When it comes to leaving do ideas, most workplaces stop at a cake in the office kitchen and a card full of signatures. Yet retiring after many years, someone important to the team moving on to a new job or wrapping up a big project are moments that deserve something more. A cruise on the Brda in Bydgoszcz gives you the space for it: two hours just for your group and time for the kind of conversations there’s rarely a moment for at the office.
Below you’ll find ideas for three kinds of farewell, a cruise plan, tips for the speech, gift suggestions and the key practicalities.
Leaving do ideas for three occasions
Retirement
Here, what matters most is recognising years of work. Invite former colleagues too, put together a short career story in photos and give the guest of honour time to say a few words. An afternoon cruise with catering will usually be more comfortable than a late evening.
Moving to another company
The mood is lighter, but it’s worth keeping things classy – the team is saying goodbye to a colleague, not settling scores with the company. A sunset cruise and a relaxed format work well: music, snacks, group photos.
The end of a project
This is a farewell for a project team, often spread across different departments or cities. The cruise can be a reward for the results and a chance to look back: what went well, what you learned and who you’d like to keep working with.
When part of the team works remotely
In hybrid teams, a leaving do is sometimes the first chance to meet in person. Send the invitation well in advance so that people from outside Bydgoszcz have time to plan their journey. Those who can’t make it can record short video messages – played on board, they’ll make a far bigger impression than a farewell email.
Plan for a farewell cruise on the Brda in Bydgoszcz
| Time | What’s on |
|---|---|
| 0:00–0:15 | Boarding, welcome drink, a banner with the name of the person leaving |
| 0:15–0:35 | A speech by their manager and a few words from 2–3 team members |
| 0:35–1:15 | Catering, conversation, memories shared over photos |
| 1:15–1:30 | Presenting the gift and the memory book |
| 1:30–2:00 | Music, a final toast, a team photo |
You hire the boat for 2 hours, and the departure time is set individually – afternoon, sunset or evening. If you’re organising an event like this for the first time, our boat party planning checklist will help.
Who to invite
- the immediate team and managers – that goes without saying;
- people from other departments the guest of honour worked with day to day;
- former colleagues, especially for a retirement after many years with the company;
- for long-serving employees – their family too, if they’d like that themselves.
It’s best to go over the guest list with the guest of honour, unless the farewell is meant to be a surprise. In that case, enlist the help of someone close to them whom you can trust.
A leaving speech – what to say
- Keep it short: three or four minutes is plenty. On board, guests listen more willingly when speeches are brief.
- Be specific: one anecdote or a situation from work says more than a list of virtues.
- Speak for the team: what you learned from this person and what they leave behind.
- Add your good wishes: for a retirement – time for hobbies and loved ones; for a job move – good luck in the new place.
- Avoid awkward topics: leave out the reasons for leaving, salaries and internal disputes.
If several people want to speak, agree the order in advance. For a larger group, a professional sound system will help – we can arrange one on board.
Bydgoszcz offers some ready-made metaphors
Looking for a strong ending to your speech? Above the Brda hangs the sculpture “Man Crossing the River” (Przechodzący przez rzekę) by Jerzy Kędziora – a tightrope walker balancing between the two banks, unveiled on 1 May 2004. It’s a fitting image for someone closing one chapter and moving on to the next. And the three half-timbered granaries on Grodzka Street, the city’s official symbol, have stood by the water since the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries – just right for a toast to someone who’s been with the company “forever”.
Whether you’ll see these places from the deck depends on the agreed route. You’ll find an overview of the views in our article on a Bydgoszcz river cruise on the Brda.
A leaving gift – a keepsake from a cruise in Bydgoszcz
- A personalised banner on the boat with their name and a slogan, e.g. “Thank you for all the years together!” – a ready-made backdrop for a photo of the whole team.
- A photo report or commemorative HD film of the cruise – it lasts for years and can be sent to anyone who couldn’t make it.
- A memory book – messages and photos from colleagues, quietly collected over a few weeks.
- A boat trip voucher for the person leaving and their loved ones – valid for 6 months, so they can choose a date during the season themselves. Read more about this kind of gift in our article on the boat trip gift voucher.
Avoid gifts that require effort or extra expense from the recipient. A good keepsake is a reminder of people, not of the company.
When collecting money for the gift, put one person in charge and keep contributions voluntary – nobody should feel under pressure. Instead of a card full of signatures, write a letter from the team and read it aloud during the cruise.
Organising a leaving do on a boat in Bydgoszcz – practicalities
We organise employee farewells as part of our offer for companies – the scope and price are agreed individually. Options include catering (hot, cold or barbecue), hostesses and bartenders, live performances, team-building games and a Partymaker (an on-board party host) to look after everything. It’s all described in our offer for corporate events on a boat in Bydgoszcz, and other occasions on the BoatParty Bydgoszcz page.
- We issue VAT invoices to companies.
- Send the booking form at least 5 working days before the event; summer weekends are worth booking in advance.
- Package prices are for groups of 30 or more (in Bydgoszcz from €16 per person); a smaller team will receive an individual quote.
- The boarding point, time and route are agreed when you book – let us know if your guests will include older people or former employees coming from other cities.
Finally, a small detail that’s easy to forget: ask guests to wear comfortable shoes and remind them that the crew’s instructions apply on board. A farewell should be moving, but safe.
FAQ – leaving do ideas for a farewell on a boat in Bydgoszcz
How do you organise a leaving do for an employee who’s retiring?
An afternoon cruise with catering works well, with two or three short speeches, a personalised banner and a photo report. It’s worth inviting former colleagues too.
How much does a leaving do on a boat in Bydgoszcz cost?
We prepare each quote individually. As a reference point, the package prices are: Basic from €16, Star from €20 and VIP from €31 per person for groups of 30 or more.
Can the farewell be a small, intimate affair?
Yes. For groups of fewer than 30 people we prepare an individual quote – just send an enquiry with your date and the number of guests.
Will the company receive an invoice?
Yes, we issue VAT invoices to companies.
What should we give the person who’s leaving?
Personal keepsakes work well: a memory book, a film of the cruise or a boat trip voucher valid for 6 months, which they can use with their loved ones.
A farewell on the Brda in Bydgoszcz – summing up
A good leaving do doesn’t have to be a gala – a special place, a few heartfelt words and time to talk are all it takes. Send us an enquiry with your date and the number of guests, and we’ll help you plan the rest.
Book your private boat party
A corporate event on a boat in Bydgoszcz: a cruise for your team, with catering and a setting tailored to your company. Send us an enquiry and we’ll prepare an offer with a VAT invoice.
