The story behind traveling ducks and how to hide themselves
On many cruises, rubber ducks can be seen surreptitiously emerging from random hiding places, beckoning passengers to pick them up and read the accompanying information card. Perhaps you’ll find one hidden behind a tree by the Doe Family of Springfield or another carefully placed somewhere on the buffet by the Smiths of Greenville.
You might be wondering what the heck is hiding a duck on a cruise ship?
As an avid duck herder, let me give you a hint about this popular shipboard pastime. Whether you’re ready to hide ducks on cruises or want to take your kids on a tourist duck hunt, you’ll need to line up your own ducks before heading out.
Cruise ship rubber ducks, explained
Cruisers often carry rubber ducks on cruises for the purpose of having a little fun by hiding them throughout the ship. The ducks often have information tags attached stating the name of the person who hid them and where those passengers came from.
What started in 2018 as a cute gesture by a 10-year-old girl named Abby – who simply wanted to make other passengers smile – has now spread to several Facebook groups with hundreds of thousands of members. tablets. In these groups, cruisers chat about the ducks they’ve ordered, the best places to buy them, smart places to hide them once they’ve set sail, and the best ways to tag information .
The largest group I could find — yes, I’m a member — is “Flying Duck – Original,” encourages people to share photos of ducks they plan to hide as well as ducks they find on ships. Think of it a bit like Geocaching but simpler — and with ducks.
What to do if you find cruise ship ducks
If you find a duck, the next step is simple. Take a photo of yourself with the duck you found and post it to the Facebook group “Cruising Ducks – Original”. Mention the name of the person who hid it. You can also choose to reach out to thank them if they provided contact information on the card attached to the duck.
After that, you can bring your new friend home as a souvenir or hide it according to the principles below.
Rules for hiding ducks on board
It may sound silly, but there are rules about hiding rubber ducks on cruises. The first is that you should never put it in a swimming pool or hot tub. You wouldn’t want an excited child or a drunk passenger to fall in and drown or get injured trying to pick it up.
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Second, don’t hide ducks in any stores on the ship. If someone finds something hidden there and tries to take it with them, it could look as if they are stealing something.
Third, do not place ducks where they can fall into the sea. Throwing anything into the sea is taboo, even accidentally.
When choosing ducks, the sky is the limit. I’ve seen everything from tiny ducks to giants about a foot tall. You can find large quantities of simple, classic yellow ducks online, or you can choose to buy all the ducks in a color or design that suits your personality. You can also choose to order plain ones and decorate them yourself with feathers, glitter or paint. Really, anything goes on the topic.
Some participants even chose to change it up a bit by hiding other duck-themed toys or objects, such as duck keychains, hand-carried ducks, duck-shaped Hot Wheels cars, or sets mini LEGO duck tool.
On a few recent trips, I won some cheap little ducks by playing petting games in a video game, and I used spare hair ties to attach my business cards to them. It was a last minute improvisation, but boy was it fun. Hiding them also kept my companion’s young daughter busy for an afternoon.
(Inspired by that experience, the cruise team at The Points Guy got creative and created some special captain’s ducks for the group to hide under on upcoming cruises.)
For tags, be sure to include your name and where you’re from, along with instructions for those who find your little wanderers. The standard wording is generally like this:
“Oh, how lucky. You found a duck! Keep it or hide, you decide. You found a flying duck lurking below.” [name] from [city, state, country]. Only hide in public places – no pools, hot tubs or shops. Take a photo and post it to the Facebook group ‘Cruising Ducks – Original.'”
At a minimum, the tag should tell those who find the duck that they can keep or hide the duck and where it is prohibited. It should also encourage them to share the ducks they find online. You can also choose to include additional information, such as a QR code or your email address.
Bottom line
If you are hiding ducks, remember to follow the rules. If you find a duck, whether you keep it or hide it, be sure to post a photo according to the included instructions.
Hiding a rubber duck on a cruise ship is a fun way to connect with other passengers on your next trip, as well as a fun pastime during beach days. Whether you find a duck and contact the people who hid it or hide your own flock so others can contact you, it can help you make new friends from all over the world.
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