How to hide cruise ducks
You might find one hidden behind a plant by the Doe family from Springfield or another carefully placed somewhere in the buffet by Greenville’s Smiths. 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.
What the duck, you might be wondering, is the deal with hiding ducks on cruise ships?
As an avid duck hider, let me clue you in to this popular onboard pastime. You can hide rubber ducks on cruise ships or send your children on a duck hunt. The Points Guy/ASHLEY KOSCIOLEK
Cruisers bring rubber ducks to cruises and hide them around the ship. What began as a sweet gesture in 2018 by a 10-year old girl named Abby, who wanted to make passengers smile, has now spread to several Facebook groups that have hundreds of thousands members. These groups are where cruisers discuss the ducks that they have ordered, the best place to buy them, and clever ways to hide them once they set sail. They also share photos of ducks found or ducks planned to be hidden. What to do if ducks are found on cruise ships
A duck from TPG hidden on a ship. The next step to take if you find a TPG duck on a cruise ship is easy. Post a picture of you with the duck that you found to the Cruising Ducks Original Facebook group. You can also thank the person if they have provided contact information on the card attached to the duck. Rules for hiding ducks during a cruise
Mini Ducks that you won at the arcade of a cruise ship. The rules for hiding ducks in the arcade on a cruise ship. You should never hide it in a hot tub or pool. You wouldn’t want an excited child or inebriated passenger to fall in and drown or hurt themselves while attempting to fetch it.
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Second, don’t hide ducks in any of the onboard shops. If someone finds one hidden there and tries to take it with them, it could appear as though they’re stealing something.
Third, don’t place ducks where they might fall overboard. It’s a huge no-no to toss anything into the ocean, even by accident.
When choosing ducks, the sky is the limit. I’ve seen mini ducks up to giant ones standing a foot high. Online, you can buy classic yellow ducks or go for a custom design or color that matches your personality. The theme can be anything. Some participants choose to change it up by hiding duck-themed items, such as keychains or hand-crocheted Ducks. Others hide Hot Wheels duck cars, or even small LEGO duck kits. The improvised game was great fun. Hiding them also kept the young daughter of one of my travel companions busy for an afternoon.
Donald and Daisy Duck posing with a TPG duck on Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wish. ASHLEY KOSCIOLEK/THE POINTS GUIDE
For your tags, include your name, where you are from, and instructions for people who find the little ducks. The standard wording goes like this:
Oh, what good luck. You found a duck. You decide whether to keep or hide the duck. You found a duck cruising hidden by
, from
. Only hide in public areas — no hot tubs, pools or stores. Post a picture in the Cruising Ducks Original Facebook group. The tag should at least inform the finder of the duck that they may keep the duck or rehide it, and which places are off limits. The tag should encourage people to share ducks online. You can also choose to include additional information, such as a QR code or your e-mail address.
Cruise lines that have banned cruise ducks
For reasons unknown, a couple of cruise lines have recently cracked down on duck hiding. Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and other cruise lines have specifically asked their passengers not to hide rubber ducks during cruises. Although there are no severe consequences for hiding them anyway, it’s best to be aware of these lines’ policies.
Bottom line
If you’re hiding ducks, be sure to adhere to the rules. If you find a duck, whether you keep it or rehide it, be sure to post a photo per the accompanying instructions.
Hiding rubber ducks on cruise ships is a fun way to connect with other passengers on your next sailing, as well as an entertaining pastime on sea days. Whether you find a duck and contact the folks who hid it or hide your own flock so others can reach out to you, it can help you to make new friends from all corners of the globe.
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