🦆 Cruise Ducks: The Quirky Tradition You’ll Love at Sea
Donald and Daisy on a Disney cruise ship with a rubber duck
If you’ve ever spotted a tiny rubber duck sitting on a stair railing, tucked near an elevator, or peeking out from a lounge chair on a cruise ship—conquackulations! You’ve discovered one of cruising’s most joyful traditions: cruise ducks.
This playful scavenger-hunt-style game has become a favorite onboard activity for families, couples, and first-time cruisers alike. Here’s everything you need to know about cruise ducks—where they came from, how to participate, and where to look. It all started with one little duck and a big idea…
🛳️ How Cruise Ducks Began
The cruise duck tradition traces back to March 2018 during a spring break sailing on the Carnival Breeze. Eleven-year-old Abby Davis and her family were on vacation out of Galveston when she asked to bring along a flock of small rubber ducks to hide around the ship.
Abby and her mom, Ashley, hid about 50 ducks over the seven-day voyage, placing them in fun, visible spots around the ship. Passengers of all ages delighted in finding them, and one duck went undiscovered for three days despite being in plain sight!
What started as a simple act of joy quickly caught on as cruisers shared stories and photos online. Social media and dedicated Facebook groups like Cruising Ducks helped the tradition explode in popularity, turning it into a global trend across all cruise lines alike.
A rubber duck on the railing of a cruise ship
🦆 How to Participate (If You Want To)
Participating in cruise ducks is entirely optional — but if you want to join:
🛍️ Bring Your DucksPack small rubber ducks or themed ducks (holiday, pirate, mermaid, etc.) in your luggage before you sail. Many cruisers also decorate their ducks or attach tags with:
Their name or social handle
Ship name and sailing dates
A fun message like “Oh what luck, you found a duck!”
A suggestion to keep or hide (you decide!)
Once onboard, place your ducks in easy-to-see, public locations where other guests can discover them — but avoid restricted or unsafe areas (more on that later).
✨ Pro-tip: If you’re worried about luggage space, look into mini resin ducks!
🧭 Go Duck HuntingYou don’t have to bring ducks to enjoy the trend! Simply keep an eye out and see how many you can spot during your cruise.
An array of collected cruise ducks in front of a window with the ocean in the background
🕵️♀️ Best Spots to Hide (and Look for) Cruise Ducks
Cruise ducks are all about surprise and delight — and the fun comes from discovering them in unexpected places. Great spots include:
Top places to hide/find ducks:
Stairway railings
Elevator lobbies
On tables in unoccupied lounges
Roll-back chairs by the hot tubs
Near signs and artwork in atriums
{Public} lounge seating corners
Places you should avoid hiding ducks:
✘ Inside shops, cafes, or restaurants
✘ Pools, hot tubs, or food service areas
✘ Bathrooms or locker rooms
✘ Crew-only or equipment areas
✘ Spots where a duck could fall overboard
These guidelines help keep the tradition fun and safe for everyone.
🏷️ To Keep or Re-Hide? That’s Up to You!
Once you find a cruise duck, you can:
Keep it as a souvenir
Re-hide it for someone else to find
Take a photo and share it online
Leave it for crew members to enjoy later
There’s no “official rule” — it’s all about spreading joy and laughter at sea!
📱 Online Communities & Sharing
Cruise duck enthusiasts connect all over social media. The Cruising Ducks Facebook groups have tens of thousands of members, where cruisers share photos of their finds, post ducking adventures, and swap ideas for creative duck designs.
Many ducks even travel far beyond the original ship — spotting a duck that’s been on multiple cruises around the world is part of the excitement.
Some cruisers share their finds on these social media cruise groups—just remember to remove any personal info if you post photos!
A rubber duck with a tag on the railing of an elevator on a cruise ship
⚓ Cruise Lines & Duck Policies
Most cruise lines have no official ban on bringing rubber ducks onboard, but their placement may be discouraged in certain areas for safety or cleanliness reasons. For example, Disney Cruise Line has implemented policies restricting hiding items like rubber ducks in public spaces and staterooms for hygiene and safety concerns.
Always check specific cruise line policies before participating — and when in doubt, stick to safe, visible areas.
🧒 Why Kids (and Adults!) Love Cruise Ducks
One of the best parts about cruise ducks is that they’re for everyone. Kids of course love the excitement, but for adults, finding a duck often sparks the same sense of joy and nostalgia—an unexpected moment that makes you smile and reminds you that vacations are meant to be fun.
What makes cruise ducks so special is how they bring people together across generations. Families hunt for them as a group, couples stumble upon them during quiet sea days, and solo travelers enjoy the simple thrill of discovery. In a world that often feels rushed, cruise ducks slow things down and create small, joyful moments that everyone can appreciate.
🎉 Cruise Ducks: Just for Fun
The most important thing to remember? Cruise ducks are meant to be lighthearted and joyful. There’s no competition, no prizes, and no pressure to participate.
Whether you find one duck or twenty—or none at all—it’s all part of the fun of cruising.
A rubber duck hidden next to a cruise ship map
🚢 Ready to Set Sail?
Cruise ducks are just one of the many little stories that make cruising so special. Whether you want help picking your next ship, planning the perfect itinerary, or making sure your vacation is packed with joy from embarkation to debarkation, Let’s Talk Travel is here to help!
