What the duck..?
Cruising ducks, release the quackin’!
The beginnings of cruising ducks…
First, there was a girl duck and a boy duck… Hmm… this story is above my pay grade - go ask your mom or PE teacher.
Crowd participation is ultimately the answer. Cruise passengers started bringing their preferred rubber ducks to participate in activities like “rubber duck races” across the shipboard pool. The trend soon caught on, and the little yellow friends became a popular sight onboard most cruises and the ultimate seek and find game at sea.
Who gives a duck?
It seems that just about everyone wants in on the action - both bringing and seeking them out. Participating in rubber duck hiding on cruise ships adds a little extra adventure and excitement to your vacation. You also get to see parts of the ship you might not have sought out on your own and burn off a few of those buffet stops you made between meals. Even cruise crew members get in on the rubber duck action. You will see little collections on their work carts, behind the barista counters, and more!
How to duck
To join in the fun, first purchase several new rubber duckies. (Don’t pluck them out of your bathtub, this is gross. Unless your bathtub is full of gin, in that case, we accept.) You might also print labels congratulating the finder and encouraging them to keep or rehide it to keep the game going. Tie it to the duck’s neck or use a glue dot to fasten to the bottom.
When to duck
This is personal preference, of course. Duck hiding, at the onset, starts the trend and kicks off the cruise right. However, if you know there will be long sea days with roaming bored children, perhaps save some for that day, too.
Where to duck
We don’t recommend the outer decks of the ship, as these are very public places and you will certainly be caught. Besides, we want to keep the health of sea life top of mind and prevent ducks from going overboard. Be clever; remember to duck in high and low places, behind a cushion, light fixture - you get the idea. Serious hiders track their ducks by writing down the location on an index card and then checking back on their hides. This is oddly similar to patterns criminals display returning to the site of their crime… No judgment here, though. Keep hiding ducks please!
Duck, duck… Group!
Social media sites such as Facebook Cruising Ducks are a great way to track rubber duck hunts on cruise ships. Passengers planning to hide ducks often share duck photos prior to cruising or to announce that they’ve hidden ducks already. Then, finders have the opportunity to post pictures of any ducks found on the ship. It’s also a great way to thank the person who hid them and provided an extra little bit of fun!
Where to buy rubber ducks
Rubber ducks can be purchased from retailers like Walmart, often colocated with baby or bridal shower items. For you arm-chair shoppers, Amazon.com has a nice selection, including themed ducks! If you forget them prior to boarding, they often sell them on the ship in the form of the claw game. Don’t worry if you drop the duck; it’s play until you win! Now, if only there was Quack-A-Mole…
Rubber duck game checklist:
- New Rubber Ducks
- Rubber Duck Labels
- Join A Facebook Group
- A sense of adventure to cleverly hide and search for ducks on your next cruise!
Bad quackers:
“What time does a duck wake up in the morning?”
~ The quack of dawn!
… And so do the duck hoarders. If your goal is to leave the ship with as many ducks as possible, you are playing the game wrong. Don’t hoard the joy; leave the ducks for others or rehide them. Keep your favorites, though. Also, we know your bathtub is not that big!
Rubber ducks alternatives
The hiding game has evolved to include lots of other objects. If rubber duckies aren’t your thing, hide something else. We’ve found key chains, gnomes, Christmas ornaments, and seed packets. Make it your own - and have fun!
How do you play the game? We would love to know (really). Have you found something amazing or are you on the defense about rubber duck hoarding?
Tell us at TalkToUs@CruiseAlly.com.