Cruise Ducks - A Suggestion

[Fern Crest]

Just back off of a 10 day on the NCL Joy, and it was wonderful! Brought about 20 plastic ducks to leave around the ship, but I left the labels I had made for them on my desk at home. No biggie, I would just leave them anonymously.

  Day Two, we had a late breakfast at The Local. We were chatting and joking with the Hostess, and she saw that I had a duck, so I just held it out to her as a gift.

  Well, talk about making someone's day! She'd been on the ship 6 years, and this was her very first duckie! As I thought about it, some of the workers get to move very little in their job, like bartenders, hostesses, etc.

  I started just carrying a duck with me every time we left the cabin, and it never failed, we found someone being extra kind or going out of their way to help a passenger, and we gave them the duckie. SO MANY staff have never gotten a duckie - there's an unspoken rule that if an employee sees a cruise duckie, they should leave it for the other passengers to find.

  So, please think about giving your cruise ducks to staff that go above and beyond for you - and then fill out a Hero Card for them (or the cruise line equivalent).

[Homosassa]

Money would be more appreciated by the staff and doesn't add to the plastic waste on board.

 

[purpleally]

2 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

Money would be more appreciated by the staff and doesn't add to the plastic waste on board.

 

Completely agree but for those who think the duck thing is cute (🙄) maybe attach money to those ducks!

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 minutes ago, purpleally said:

Completely agree but for those who think the duck thing is cute (🙄) maybe attach money to those ducks!

two-dollar bills? 🤣

[cruiser2015]

3 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

two-dollar bills? 🤣

That could instigate on onboard duck hunt.   😲

 

I know the crew is overworked, but if a plastic duckie floats their boat, I truly feel sorry for them.

[UKstages]

5 hours ago, Fern Crest said:

there's an unspoken rule that if an employee sees a cruise duckie, they should leave it for the other passengers to find.

 

i came across my first duck onboard the prima in may. i took it with me to a restaurant, i think it was onda, whereupon a server swooped in and claimed it as her own not five minutes after i had found it. . there was not even a possibility of saying no... she was an overpowering force.

[complawyer]

in 25 cruises with/on NCL, i have never spotted a duck. Of course, i really dont bother to look for one,

and im not really sure what i would do if i spotted one. (probably just leave it there)

 

i have indicated many times in the past, regardless of the DSC, i tip whoever performs any type of service for me, and i do this on a daily basis. i think cruiser 2015 is on the right track. im certain that the crew would much rather get $$$$ than a plastic duck

[ChiefMateJRK]

7 minutes ago, UKstages said:

 

i came across my first duck onboard the prima in may. i took it with me to a restaurant, i think it was onda, whereupon a server swooped in and claimed it as her own not five minutes after i had found it. . there was not even a possibility of saying no... she was an overpowering force.

Sounds like she did you a favor.  Most of us have enough post-cruise clutter.  Unfortunately, that Sapphire pin that I thought I "accidentally" left in the cabin on the Pearl showed up on DW's dresser top.  Oh well.  It doesn't take up much space (not sure where it's at now). 🤣  If I ever find a duck, I'll just leave it there for the next person to enjoy.

[cruiser2015]

4 hours ago, UKstages said:

 

i came across my first duck onboard the prima in may. i took it with me to a restaurant, i think it was onda, whereupon a server swooped in and claimed it as her own not five minutes after i had found it. . there was not even a possibility of saying no... she was an overpowering force.

Sounds like a duck-napping.

Shocking!         😨

[graphicguy]

12 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Sounds like she did you a favor.  Most of us have enough post-cruise clutter.  Unfortunately, that Sapphire pin that I thought I "accidentally" left in the cabin on the Pearl showed up on DW's dresser top.  Oh well.  It doesn't take up much space (not sure where it's at now). 🤣  If I ever find a duck, I'll just leave it there for the next person to enjoy.

Pins?  Did you say "pins"?  I got me some NCL pins in my junk drawer....all different colors....a lot of them.  I think they give me more pins every time I happen over to the Excursion or Cruise Next desk.

 

The "duck thing"?  I don't get.  I wonder if NCL's cleaning crews curse people for leaving those plastic ducks around?  But, if it makes you feel good, bring plastic ducks.

 

I've found a couple and leave them in my cabin when I leave the ship.  What the steward does with them, who knows?  I have my suspicions where they end up, though.

 

I do like the idea of giving ducks out to crew with a Hamilton or Jackson taped to the bottom. Now, you're talking.  Those would be greatly appreciated.

Edited December 29, 2023 by graphicguy

[9tee2Sea]

I dont understand this Duck Hunt game.  What do you do with the duck once you find it? Im not on social media, so posting pics of the" find" is not going to happen.  I found one once, and gave it to the first little kid I saw.  Personally, I would not loose packing space for a bunch of rubber ducks that I plan on leaving behind.

[Oceansaway17]

19 hours ago, Fern Crest said:

Just back off of a 10 day on the NCL Joy, and it was wonderful! Brought about 20 plastic ducks to leave around the ship, but I left the labels I had made for them on my desk at home. No biggie, I would just leave them anonymously.

  Day Two, we had a late breakfast at The Local. We were chatting and joking with the Hostess, and she saw that I had a duck, so I just held it out to her as a gift.

  Well, talk about making someone's day! She'd been on the ship 6 years, and this was her very first duckie! As I thought about it, some of the workers get to move very little in their job, like bartenders, hostesses, etc.

  I started just carrying a duck with me every time we left the cabin, and it never failed, we found someone being extra kind or going out of their way to help a passenger, and we gave them the duckie. SO MANY staff have never gotten a duckie - there's an unspoken rule that if an employee sees a cruise duckie, they should leave it for the other passengers to find.

  So, please think about giving your cruise ducks to staff that go above and beyond for you - and then fill out a Hero Card for them (or the cruise line equivalent).

what a nice idea.  I found two ducks on my CCL Celebration cruise.  

 

But the best place to find the ducks, as the folks who work in the main theatre to show you the collection they gather and keep in back.  They would be glad to give away some.  They find them in the theatre a lot.

[cruiseny4life]

30 minutes ago, 9tee2Sea said:

I dont understand this Duck Hunt game.  What do you do with the duck once you find it? Im not on social media, so posting pics of the" find" is not going to happen.  I found one once, and gave it to the first little kid I saw.  Personally, I would not loose packing space for a bunch of rubber ducks that I plan on leaving behind.

The easiest thing to do is to just ignore the duck since it doesn't sound like you care. I don't care either. I've also never found a duck - I don't look for them. It's not my type of game. Others....wow, they really get into it! To get the hype, you have to be on social media. And by social media, I don't mean Cruise Critic.

 

If a crew member gets excited over a duck, then that's awesome! I'm so glad they're happy. And, that...is all that matters since tiny little plastic ducks don't hurt anything, except a few ruffled grumpster feathers. 

[Asawi]

2 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

If a crew member gets excited over a duck, then that's awesome! I'm so glad they're happy. And, that...is all that matters since tiny little plastic ducks don't hurt anything, except a few ruffled grumpster feathers. 

I agree! I don't hide or hunt ducks. But if it brings anyone else joy - go for it! As for giving it to crew members, if it brings joy - go for it! FWIW, I don't think they really care much for the actual plastic duck, but do appreciate the gesture. But if it brings out a smile it's a good thing!

[graphicguy]

Here's my issue with the ducks.  I have witnessed children (and some adults) flinging the plastic ducks overboard in the water.  And, anyone who has the least bit of understanding, knows that they can kill aquatic life who see them as food.

 

That just seems like a high price to pay to hide or find a plastic duck on board.

[cruiseny4life]

8 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Here's my issue with the ducks.  I have witnessed children (and some adults) flinging the plastic ducks overboard in the water.  And, anyone who has the least bit of understanding, knows that they can kill aquatic life who see them as food.

 

That just seems like a high price to pay to hide or find a plastic duck on board.

Ducks and lemons and cups and burgers....oh my! What I've seen spill over into the ocean from cruise ships and from our own garbage dumps on land. Or, just from the shores of Roatan. 

 

How many times have you seen this happen? Once? Thrice? 500 times? I've cruised six times and never seen a plastic duck thrown in the water. I've seen the lemons and cups and burgers thrown over. 

 

I'm completely against littering our oceans, our rivers, our lands, and forests. I pick trash up. I report litterers. It still pains me that my husband pled out a speeding ticket to a "littering" charge. I'm not going to thrash and squabble over a plastic duck that I'm pretty positive remains on a ship 99.999999% of the time. Wait, am I thrashing about now? 

[graphicguy]

Again, I don’t get it!  What’s the point?

 

A few plastic ducks here, a cigarette butt there, a few plastic straws, or styrofoam cups, etc…none of which is bio-degradable and before you know it….

[UKstages]

i don't get the duck thang, either.

 

and my mind turns to the liability issues, with people tripping over the ducks, which is why i would think the cruise lines would frown upon or disallow the practice.

 

and when my mind is turning away from the liability, i think of chico marx, who famously asked:

 

"why a duck? why a no chicken?... I catch on a why a horse, why a chicken, why a this, why a that...I no catch on a why a duck!"

[graphicguy]

41 minutes ago, UKstages said:

i don't get the duck thang, either.

 

and my mind turns to the liability issues, with people tripping over the ducks, which is why i would think the cruise lines would frown upon or disallow the practice.

 

and when my mind is turning away from the liability, i think of chico marx, who famously asked:

 

"why a duck? why a no chicken?... I catch on a why a horse, why a chicken, why a this, why a that...I no catch on a why a duck!"

If it’s a thing, and someone insists on putting ducks around the ship, why not make the duck, chicken, pig….whatever, out of origami?  Or, paper mache?  Something biodegradable!

 

Plastic?  Not good!

[Oceansaway17]

I suggested all the kiddies have an hour where they bring the ducks to the pool and let them float around.   

Or if the pool is empty but the lifeguard is still staring because he has to, then at least put a duck in the water so he has something to look at.   ha ha

 

Trends come and go. ya know..............

[yakcruiser]

We could launch them off the stern and blow them to smithereens with shotguns.

[cruiser2015]

7 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Ducks and lemons and cups and burgers....oh my! What I've seen spill over into the ocean from cruise ships and from our own garbage dumps on land. Or, just from the shores of Roatan. 

 

How many times have you seen this happen? Once? Thrice? 500 times? I've cruised six times and never seen a plastic duck thrown in the water. I've seen the lemons and cups and burgers thrown over. 

 

I'm completely against littering our oceans, our rivers, our lands, and forests. I pick trash up. I report litterers. It still pains me that my husband pled out a speeding ticket to a "littering" charge. I'm not going to thrash and squabble over a plastic duck that I'm pretty positive remains on a ship 99.999999% of the time. Wait, am I thrashing about now? 

Sure sounds like a "kid thing" to me.

Does it matter if we know how many?

The whole concept is absurd - and clearly has a few possible drawbacks.

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, yakcruiser said:

We could launch them off the stern and blow them to smithereens with shotguns.

I think you meant to say "try" to blow them to smithereens with shotguns.  Many of us would give it a "shot" but likely fail to hit the target (yes, even with a shotgun).  We would likely blame the beverage package.  Alcohol and firearms, what a winning team.😬

[cruiser2015]

7 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I think you meant to say "try" to blow them to smithereens with shotguns.  Many of us would give it a "shot" but likely fail to hit the target (yes, even with a shotgun).  We would likely blame the beverage package.  Alcohol and firearms, what a winning team.😬

Gee, I thought that guns were on the "bad" list of prohibited items.  😲

[graphicguy]

14 hours ago, cruiser2015 said:

Sure sounds like a "kid thing" to me.

Does it matter if we know how many?

The whole concept is absurd - and clearly has a few possible drawbacks.

One of those drawbacks is significant.....killing marine life.

 

Agree, it is a kid problem.  But, I've seen both kids and adults throw them in the pristine blue waters when sailing and when docked.