Why do rubber ducks keep appearing on cruise ships?

According to the Facebook group “Cruise ducks“It all started with a sweet 10-year-old girl named Abby who started hiding ducks on cruises to brighten other people’s days. With this in mind, Cruising Ducks, which now has over 285,000 members, describes itself as “a fun-loving crew of quacky cruisers who have found a way to have fun while cruising.”

And what fun they have! One finder on Reddit wrote: “One of the highlights of any cruise is duck hunting. I think I enjoy this more than the kids!” Another finder wrote: “I found four on my last NCL cruise. We hid them again – so much fun! I’d like to take some with me on my next cruise.” In the same Reddit thread, a hider added: “My wife and I were on the Royal’s Oasis of the Seas in June and hid a handful. We joined the Facebook group and never saw our ducks posted, but the next time we went by they were definitely out of hiding!”

Duck hunting has become so popular that it is no longer considered a myth but a real onboard activity that cruise ships can look forward to. One traveler said on Reddit: “I appreciate the people who hide them and I love the idea of ​​people buying them and hiding them for others.” We’re going on a cruise in May and I can’t wait for my kids to experience it .”

As with any game, basic ground rules apply. Ducks should only be hidden in public areas, never in staff areas, restrooms, buffet tables, locker rooms, pools, hot tubs or retail stores. When labeling a duck, coverts should keep messages short, friendly, and free of vulgarity. Don’t place them too high so that children can’t easily see or reach them, and instead leave them relatively visible. Stairwells, elevators, potted plants and a ship atrium are popular hiding places.

But it’s not all fun and games; Some cruise lines advise against duck hunting altogether. Last year, Disney Cruise Line stated that “Guests are not allowed to hide things, such as rubber ducks, in cabins or public areas of the ship.”

So before you go hunting all the ducks in a row for your next cruise, it’s probably best to check your cruise line’s duck hunting policies. If everything goes well, have fun hunting!