I packed a lot of unnecessary things for my family’s first cruise on the Norwegian Escape this past spring: extra clothes, portable fans, a waterproof phone case I never used – you get the idea.
My in-laws, who are avid cruisers, packed what may seem like the least necessary things of all: rubber ducks.
Having never taken a real cruise before, I had no idea people hid rubber ducks on cruise ships for fellow passengers and crew to discover.
Like pixie dust at Disney parks, these little trinkets serve no purpose other than spreading joy to strangers. My in-laws were happy to get my kids involved in that, and I was too.
Here’s what you should know about rubber ducks on cruises.
What is the story behind the cruise ducks?
According to Cruising Ducks, it started a few years ago when family duo Ashley and Abby Davis bought 50 rubber ducks for a spring break cruise, which Ashley called “the best trip ever.” According to their website, they hid several each day and “found people of all ages finding the ducks.”
There are now multiple Facebook groups dedicated to the activity. The Cruising Ducks – Original group page alone has more than 192,000 members. Many post duck photos, ask questions and share tips.
Where do you get the ducks?
You can order all sorts of rubber ducks online. For this trip, my in-laws bought an assorted bag of ducks with different themes and colors on Amazon.
People can get really creative. On a previous cruise, my in-laws found a duck in a face mask hammock with a tiny face mask over its bill. They also found a duck with a homemade sombrero and tiny guitar.
3 tips for your first cruise:What to know before stepping foot on the ship
What do you put on cruise duck tags?
A tag tied around ducks’ necks often shares the name of the person or people who hid the duck, as well as their sailing.
Our family’s tags said: “Oh what luck! You found a duck! … Keep or hide, you decide. (Not in shops, pools or hot tubs.) Please take a selfie with your duck and post it to Cruising Ducks on Facebook.”
Where do you hide cruise ducks?
Ducks can generally be hidden in public spaces on cruise ships except pools, spas or shops. Bathrooms may also be discouraged.
My kids hid their ducks around the atrium, near elevators and stairs, along the corridor to our cabin and outside restaurants. Some people may be more stealth with their hiding spots, but my kids wanted their ducks to be found.
Is it worth it?
Not going to lie, it takes a little money and some time. Thankfully my in-laws took care of everything: buying the ducks, making and printing the tags, working with the kids to tie on the tags and hide ducks on the ship
We didn’t find any ducks ourselves, though several other fellow passengers hid some, too.
It was still fun for the kids and a great lesson in doing things for others, with nothing expected in return. And we did get some payback. Several fellow passengers posted photos of the ducks in a Facebook group we joined for the cruise, and the smiles on their faces were totally worth it.
