Cruise ducks

[Larrytheg]

I have been cruising for over 20 years reading cruise critic and many other cruise sites  so going on a  cruise this November first time in NCL. And I have found this. Game or activity many people bring little 🦆 duckies and hide them , with name tags. How many people do this on other cruise lines , seems like there is actually  many websites just for this . Tell me what you know please  

[Aquahound]

If memory serves me right, this started with some little girl doing it years ago and now it has spread.  

 

There are mixed feelings on it now.  Some love it to the point they buy hundreds and start Facebook groups.  Others think it's gotten out of hand and don't like toys being left in plants, etc.  Your call.  

[Lois R]

I have also been cruising for 20+ years and have actually never heard of this duck thing..........no interest in it for me but I have no clue about it. 

 

Hi Paul😀

[mom says]

More commonly seen on the mass cruiselines catering to Americans. Much less commonly seen on the premium or luxury lines or those catering primarily to European pax. It started small, with either children or adults hiding one or 2 little rubber ducks in out of the way public areas. The idea was to re hide them if you found one. Just a fun little thing.Then people (adults in years only) started taking it to extremes; hiding dozens, attaching tags with identifiers on them, and more or less doing geo caching with them and implementing "rules".

 

Not sure how much the crew who have to clean around and under these little gems appreciate the extra work. Also not sure how many conveniently end up in the trash.

[pris993]

2 hours ago, Lois R said:

I have also been cruising for 20+ years and have actually never heard of this duck thing..........no interest in it for me but I have no clue about it. 

 

Hi Paul😀

I have been cruising since l982, on 9 different lines, never heard or saw this until the past year.   Like you have no interest in this one bit. 

[Nebr.cruiser]

I saw one of those ducks ono ur last cruise; didn't know what to do with it so just left it.  It seems kind of silly to me, but to each their own.

[neeuqdrazil]

Someone on the HAL Alaska cruise I did earlier this year was doing this, and had a LOT of ducks she was spreading around. 

 

I don't get it, but to each their own.

Edited October 4, 2022 by neeuqdrazil

[Cruise Kay]

Yes! This is big fun. Check out Facebook groups:

cruising ducks-original group (and)

Royal Caribbean Cruising ducks

 

people post pictures there and ask questions.

 

just hide the ducks and enjoy! They don’t always show up on Facebook and you don’t always find one yourself. But fun to seek places to hide them. 

[Cruzaholic41]

Hiding ducks on cruise ships is one of the most ridiculous cruise trends I’ve seen and I know for a fact the cruise lines and staff don’t appreciate it. But hey, go ahead and do what you can to further send what used to be a classy experience straight to the dumpster. 
 

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

Hiding ducks on cruise ships is one of the most ridiculous cruise trends I’ve seen and I know for a fact the cruise lines and staff don’t appreciate it. But hey, go ahead and do what you can to further send what used to be a classy experience straight to the dumpster. 
 

Absolutely - yet more Chinese made plastic tat,  destined to last forever in a landfill site. 

Cruise  lines should ban them.  

[Lois R]

What is "fun" to one person is definitely "not fun" to another, that is for sure.  The whole thing seems so very silly to me........and knowing the cruise line does not appreciate it?.......You duck folks, stay classy........😮

[GTO-Girl]

I don’t see a problem with it myself.  
 

On our last cruise the little children were having such a good time looking for ducks every day.  There were a couple of people on our FB board that even made it easier for the little ones to know where to look such as giving hints about what areas they might get lucky.  The pictures posted of those smiling little faces were adorable.

 

One lady had a special needs son that had looked for several days with no success.  Once this mama let our group know of his disappointment one of the ladies that was hiding ducks got their cabin number and went straight up there to place several where he could find them right away!!  
 

Now that picture made me cry!!❤️❤️

Edited October 5, 2022 by GTO-Girl

[wowzz]

9 minutes ago, GTO-Girl said:

I don’t see a problem with it myself.  
 

On our last cruise the little children were having such a good time looking for ducks every day.  There were a couple of people on our FB board that even made it easier for the little ones to know where to look such as giving hints about what areas they might get lucky.  The pictures posted of those smiling little faces were adorable.

 

One lady had a special needs son that had looked for several days with no success.  Once this mama let our group know of his disappointment one of the ladies that was hiding ducks got their cabin number and went straight up there to place several where he could find them right away!!  
 

Now that picture made me cry!!❤️❤️

No issue with making fun for children. 

It is infantile adults thinking it fun to hide bits of plastic for other adults to find that seems incomprehensible. 

[crazyank]

On 10/3/2022 at 1:07 AM, mom says said:

Not sure how much the crew who have to clean around and under these little gems appreciate the extra work. Also not sure how many conveniently end up in the trash.

several crew members have mentioned to us that the duck craze has gotten out of hand.  As for how many wind up in the trash?  A lot, especially on turn over day.

[davecttr]

You can't miss this one

 

[ldubs]

People sure get worked up over almost nothing.  People want to hide ducks -- who cares.  

[ldubs]

On 10/5/2022 at 12:28 AM, wowzz said:

Absolutely - yet more Chinese made plastic tat,  destined to last forever in a landfill site. 

Cruise  lines should ban them.  

 

If worried about environmental impact, rubber ducks from cruise ships amount to nothing.  Cruise ships themselves on the other hand. . . 

 

Just sayin.  

[Wendy-Europe]

Found one on our last cruise - did not know what to do with it first - read the tag, understand the goal and have hidden the duck again.

We did geocaching years ago - so why not participate in the fun.

 

I would not buy lots of ducks to take them with me - but it made me smile when I found the duck (i have several special ducks at home - so......)

[notscb]

On 10/5/2022 at 1:23 AM, Cruzaholic41 said:

one of the most ridiculous cruise trends I’ve seen and I know for a fact the cruise lines and staff don’t appreciate it.

 

So they don't appreciate yet advertise it on their website as a "fun" activity to get involved in.

If some folks find it to be fun, why not let them have their fun? A small rubber duck inconspicuously hidden isn't going to ruin a vacation. There are a lot of other reasons cruising has gone downhill- and most of these can be attributed directly to cruise line cut backs, not some ducks.

[mom says]

45 minutes ago, notscb said:

 

So they don't appreciate yet advertise it on their website as a "fun" activity to get involved in.

If some folks find it to be fun, why not let them have their fun? A small rubber duck inconspicuously hidden isn't going to ruin a vacation. There are a lot of other reasons cruising has gone downhill- and most of these can be attributed directly to cruise line cut backs, not some ducks.

Carnival. I might have guessed. Dont expect the same attitude on other lines.

[navybankerteacher]

On 10/5/2022 at 3:28 AM, wowzz said:

Absolutely - yet more Chinese made plastic tat,  destined to last forever in a landfill site. 

Cruise  lines should ban them.  

Yes, more crap made in China by children there for children here.

 

p.s. Cruise lines have largely banned plastic straws, which at least served some function foe some people.

Edited October 10, 2022 by navybankerteacher

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, notscb said:

 

So they don't appreciate yet advertise it on their website as a "fun" activity to get involved in.

If some folks find it to be fun, why not let them have their fun? A small rubber duck inconspicuously hidden isn't going to ruin a vacation. There are a lot of other reasons cruising has gone downhill- and most of these can be attributed directly to cruise line cut backs, not some ducks.

 

A rubber ducky hidden in a flower pot could ruin the onboard atmosphere and the entire cruise experience.      Especially on formal night.   

[navybankerteacher]

12 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

A rubber ducky hidden in a flower pot could ruin the onboard atmosphere and the entire cruise experience.      Especially on formal night.   

I do not think that seeing a rubber ducky hidden in a flower pot would be as bothersome to me as just being aware that I might be on a ship carrying a lot of people who think hiding rubber duckies is a worthwhile activity.

Edited October 10, 2022 by navybankerteacher

[Cruzaholic41]

16 hours ago, notscb said:

 

So they don't appreciate yet advertise it on their website as a "fun" activity to get involved in.

If some folks find it to be fun, why not let them have their fun? A small rubber duck inconspicuously hidden isn't going to ruin a vacation. There are a lot of other reasons cruising has gone downhill- and most of these can be attributed directly to cruise line cut backs, not some ducks.

First of all, Carnival. Nuff said. 
 

Two, there’s a big difference between a kid having fun hiding a duck and grown adults packing extra suitcases full of ducks to hide all over the ship. Even worse, now they’re packing magnetic ducks and sticking them to walls everywhere. 
 

And yes, I do know crew doesn’t appreciate it because I’ve seen them throwing them away. 

[notscb]

4 hours ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

First of all, Carnival. Nuff said. 

 

Please do expand on what you mean by this. Carnival is, especially by extension of Carnival Corp., one of the largest cruise lines in the world. If they are promoting this as a fun activity, I can see how it's grown to other lines.

 

4 hours ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

and grown adults packing extra suitcases full of ducks to hide all over the ship

 

Sure, there's a difference, but is that actually happening? Are people bringing entire suitcases of ducks onboard? It seems like you're not really happy with others enjoying their vacation. It's okay to just say that.