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The cruising duck phenomenon started a few years ago as a fun hide & seek game for people of all ages on cruise ships. Allegedly started by a young girl and her father as a fun game with no real purpose other than to just make others smile. Hiding ducks on cruise ships has evolved from simple rubber ducks purchased online to elaborate homemade & 3D printed ducks that more creative people love to hide (I can’t wait to find one of those!). Some cruisers even enjoy hiding things like duck keychains, stuffed animals, or little charms. Cruise ducks became a hit sensation thanks to Abby Davis, an 11-year-old girl who, in March 2018, took 50 rubber ducks on her cruise aboard the Carnival Breeze, departing from Galveston, Texas. Alongside her father, Ashley Davis, Abby hid 7 of these ducks every day throughout the duration of their voyage.
What Do Cruise Lines Think?
Disney Cracks Down on Popular Cruise Ship Activity, Now Prohibited - Inside the Magic - Inside the Magic
Disney Cracks Down on Popular Cruise Ship Activity, Now Prohibited - Inside the Magic.
Posted: Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
There’s music, events, shows, waterslides, arcades, and a lot more. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Options will include the line's first upscale Thai restaurant and a dedicated plant-based venue. Nine Star Princess cruises have been cancelled because of the delay. Some advisors even have a strategy when hiding (or re-hiding) a duck.
Classic Ducks Are Good But Unique Ones Are More Fun
Nowadays, the habit of hiding ducks on cruise ships (and even at resorts and other vacation destinations) is so popular, entire stores are dedicated to selling ducks of every variety. Some of the ducks are your standard yellow rubber ducks, but many people have gotten creative with teeny tiny ducks or extra large ducks that they bedazzle to their heart’s delight. Any rubber duck you want to hide is fair game, so go ahead and add them to your cruise packing list. The cruise lines themselves have nothing to do with this tradition, so you’ll have to bring your own aboard if you want to keep the fun going. Now, people from all over bring rubber duckies with them to hide on their cruise vacations.
Cruise Ducks: The Whimsical Tradition You Didn’t Know About
🔎 Begin your search early in the morning or late at night when the majority of the ship's passengers are either sound asleep or preoccupied with evening entertainment. "Carnival Cruising Ducks," for instance, has 64,000 members, whereas "Disney Cruising Ducks" has 19,000. Prior to setting sail, Abby asked her mother if they could get some ducks for the trip, and they ended up boarding with 50 of them! In short, not really, but there are some common sense (and common courtesy) things to consider when hiding a duck on a cruise.
According to everything I have read, the popular cruising duck trend was started by a young girl named Abby Davis in March 2018. Abby and her father Ashley Davis, went on a 7 day Carnival cruise and brought 50 ducks to hide during their Caribbean cruise. The cruising ducks game is really just meant for fun, so an important element is to use the message “Keep or Hide, You Decide” on the cruise duck tag. On many a cruise, rubber ducks can be found peeking out from random hiding places, beckoning passengers to pick them up and read their accompanying information tags. Perhaps you'll find one hidden behind a plant by the Doe Family from Springfield or another carefully placed somewhere in the buffet by the Smiths from Greenville. Cruise ducks can be found on almost every cruise line, including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruise Line, and the Disney Cruise Line.
Whether you’re new to the idea of Cruise Ducks or have questions about where to buy or hide them, we’ve got you covered in this ultimate cruise ship duck hunting guide. If you are new to the cruise duck phenomenon, you will probably scratch your head and wonder where people buy these little ducks. Well if turns out that due to their popularity, you can buy them in lots of places.
What types of ducks should you hide?
In recent years, cruise passengers have taken to hiding little rubber ducks in various spots around the ships. Although generally, on cruise duck tags, people will write their name or family name. Tags might also include instructions for the duck finder to either keep the duck or re-hide it for someone else to find, promoting ongoing participation.
You can sell the ducks to passengers, and the proceeds can go to a chosen charity. For the more experienced duck fanatic, Etsy is a great platform to find even more unique and personalized cruising ducks. On Etsy, you can discover lots of different ducks and tags created by talented artists and crafters. Some participants get creative, preparing “passports” for their ducks that include information like the ship they are on, cruising dates, and where they are from. This not only adds to the fun but also fosters a sense of community among the cruise duck fans.
Why are people hiding little rubber ducks on cruise ships?
Cruising Ducks is a fun trend for cruise passengers that’s becoming more popular with every year! Whether you’re cruising on Carnival, Disney, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian or another cruise line, you’ll likely find some cruise ducks onboard. Cruisers often bring rubber ducks on cruises in an effort to have a bit of fun by hiding them throughout the ship. The ducks usually have information cards attached to them bearing the names of the people who hid them and where those passengers are from. No one really knows how many ducks are scattered across a given cruise ship, but judging from the Facebook page, some people may be carting entire suitcases filled with ducks to hide.
You can even find some for holidays like Christmas, Easter and Halloween!. People hide ducks on a cruise, and other cruisers look for the ducks. Sometimes this is referred to as Duck Hunting (in the sweetest way). The most common kind of cruise duck is a traditional rubber duck. I’ve also seen keychains, fabric ducks, refrigerator magnets, and crocheted ducks. Because it’s an unofficial activity, there are no real rules about what to give away.
The rubber duckies aren’t left-behind toys or part of some children’s activity. They are purposely placed by passengers for others to find on all types of cruises—not just the best family cruises or themed cruises. The ducks are almost like secret cruise ship code words, but in a cute, plastic way. There’s a meaning behind them that you’re probably going to become obsessed with. Trust me—I’ve been there, done that, and participating in this tradition is something you won’t want to miss on your next cruise.
You wouldn't want an excited child or inebriated passenger to fall in and drown or hurt themselves while attempting to fetch it. "I would attach a tag to their ducks asking them to post a photo on social media of what their ducks were up to on their trip." Many cruisers have created Facebook groups where you can share your findings and connect with other passengers who hide and search for cruising ducks. Once you have decided that you want to participate in the cruising tradition of hiding rubber ducks, you'll need to plan out where exactly you want to hide them. Abby and her father started the Facebook group Cruising Ducks to keep track of the rubber duckies passengers find.
You might also choose to order plain ones and decorate them yourself with feathers, glitter or paint. If someone finds one hidden there and tries to take it with them, it could appear as though they're stealing something. Think of it a bit like geocaching, but simpler — and with ducks. During this last cruise, I typically hid a few at a time and tried to do it when none of my fellow cruisers were watching. That way, it would be there for a little while for someone to find. I’d often return to the same spot a few minutes later and they were almost always gone.
Contact information, such as an email address or a hashtag for social media, can also be included to track the duck’s journey and connect participants in this playful activity. Interestingly, the idea of cruise ducks shares a connection with the painted-rocks craze, which is about hiding and finding decorated rocks. Both activities tap into the human instinct for exploration and the delight in uncovering hidden objects. Cruise ducks, much like the painted rocks craze, bring people together through the simple yet profound act of sharing hidden items. It’s a fun activity for all ages, from kids to seniors, so if you’re ready to join in, bring some rubber ducks to hide on your next cruise vacation.
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