Why People Hide Rubber Ducks on Cruise Ships
It's like an inside joke among cruise passengers, if you will.
If you happen to spy a rubber duck on a cruise ship, don't write it off as a forgotten toy or piece of trash. The duck was likely placed there deliberately, part of a semi-secret trend that has been popular on cruise ships for many years—but most of the time, only cruise ship aficionados are in on the joke.
It was several years ago when Michael, 33 first found a rubber duck hidden on a cruise. Since, then, he's picked up just two more, but not for lack of trying. "I've found them in random spots," says Michael, who learned about the duck hiding-community from other members of the mysterious club. "One in the theater under a seat, another one by the elevators, and the [third] at Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day CocoCay."
But Michael isn't the only one searching for—or finding—these rubber ducks. YouTube is brimming with videos and tutorials on rubber duck-hiding best practices, and there is even a dedicated private Facebook group (aptly named Cruising Ducks) with almost 300,000 members. It’s a scavenger hunt made by passengers, for passengers. A little inside joke among strangers, if you will.
"It's for fun," explains one Reddit user in a thread discussing the topic. "I personally love the idea, and hope I find a few to take home."
Michael most certainly agrees. "It's almost like a hide and seek game," he says, noting that solving puzzles and mysteries is a passion point for him. "It's a cute way to remember trips."
While most duck-loving passengers are thrilled by the prospect of participating in the hunt, others aren't as elated. "Please don't do it," pleads another user in the same Reddit thread. "I hate to be a killjoy, but there's really no reason for it. Just go on the cruise and enjoy what's already there." Other passengers go even one step further, and claim that on top of being annoying, it is actually just litter.
Admittedly, there have been times when passengers participating in the duck madness seemingly went overboard (pun intended). People—including the Reddit thread's original poster—have brought aboard carry-ons filled to the brim with rubber ducks to hide; one person even reportedly "brought 50" on their last cruise and are "going for 100" on the next one.
"I think anything to do with cheap plastic toys is something to be done in moderation or with a 'pay it forward' mindset," notes a user in another Reddit thread. "Reduce, reuse, recycle and all that."
It's worth noting that the setting of this game is at sea, and rubber ducks aren't that heavy. If hidden on outer decks or outside areas of a cruise ship, a slightly stronger gust of wind could easily take them for an ocean dive in no time (and the ocean isn't a good place for plastic). If the game is kept indoors, though, it shouldn't be an issue—and perhaps, as some passengers suggest, the best way to go about it is to reuse the ducks you find on a cruise and hide them on your next one.
Most cruise lines are okay with the practice. A Carnival spokesperson confirmed to Thrillist that the line is aware of the scavenger hunt trend, saying that it's "completely guest driven," while other cruise lines have also expressed an affectionate awareness of the trend.
Other cruise lines, however, do not condone the behavior. Just last year, Disney Cruise Line officials confirmed that there is a policy in place stating that "guests cannot hide things, such as rubber ducks, in staterooms or public areas on the ship." A recent post on Reddit confirms the theory. "A guest may bring rubber ducks onboard," reads an official Disney Cruise Line statement shared by one concerned rubber duck fan. "However, pool toys (e.g., rubber ducks) cannot be used in the pools. Guests cannot hide things like rubber ducks in staterooms or public areas."
At the end of the day, if you want to get in on the rubber duck cruise craze, you just have to do your research and pick your cruise line wisely. And if you succeed in doing so but can't seem to find any ducks on your cruise ship, don't get discouraged. Michael has a trick for that: Just look for duck magnets on other guests' doors. They'll know how to guide you.