Picture this: you're on a fabulous cruise vacation, and as you walk around the ship, you see something yellow tucked against a railing. You make your way closer and realize it's an adorable rubber duck with a tag that says, "ConQUACKulations, you found a cruising duck. Keep or hide, you decide!"
Where did this duck come from? Is it meant for me? What should I do next? These questions are just some of the one’s cruisers have when they first encounter this new activity of Cruising Ducks.
The Story of Cruising Ducks
The story goes that in 2018, a young girl started leaving rubber ducks on the ship that she was sailing on as a way to make other people smile.
This idea anchored itself within the cruising world, and as the activity grew in popularity, the addition of tags on the ducks also surfaced. Nowadays, ducks are predominantly hidden with a tag attached to them that allows cruisers to share where the duck originated from, such as their country, dates of travel, ship it started sailing on, or the names of the cruisers who hid the duck.
Cruising Ducks have become so successful that cruisers of all ages are now hiding and searching for ducks on every cruise line.
The Rules for Cruising Ducks
1. It needs to be a duck. Ducks in various costumes, outfits, sizes, etc… are all acceptable, yet it needs to be some form of a duck.
2. They have to be hidden in public spaces and can't be hidden in shops, pools, or hot tubs.
3. As mentioned above, ducks often come with a tag attached and share information on where their journey originated.
4. When you find a duck, it's up to you to decide what to do. You can keep the duck or choose to hide it in a new spot for another person to find. Keep or hide, you decide.
5. For everyone's well-being, ducks should not be placed in any areas that could interfere with safety equipment or a location where a person could be injured trying to retrieve the duck.
Following a Duck's Journey
A duck's journey can sail far beyond the ship. Once a person knows about Cruising Ducks, they can continue wanting to be involved in the Cruising Ducks community even when they aren't on a cruise. Accordingly, social media groups dedicated to Cruising Ducks have hatched, and in these groups, people share photos of the ducks they're bringing with them on their next cruise, ducks they found on their cruise, and all other cruising duck-related topics. In addition to the dedicated groups, there are countless posts across all social media that utilize hashtags specific to Cruising Ducks. For an example of this, check out our Cruising Ducks post.
While it's not mandatory, people who find ducks often choose to make a post about their new nautical bird friend and utilize a hashtag to help others follow along on the duck's adventures. Some of the popular choices are #CruisingDucks, #CruiseDucks and #CBCoCruiseDucks.
What do Cruise Lines Think About Cruising Ducks?
As of the date of this blog, the only article we've seen that suggests a cruise line may be opposed to Cruising Ducks comes from a PlanDisney post where the representative states, "Disney Cruise Line's policy has been and continues to be that hiding any items, including Donald Duck's little pals, in staterooms or anywhere around the ship is prohibited. These items pose a safety hazard to other passengers and the environment. Disney Cruise Line reserves the right to seize and secure any item deemed to pose a safety risk." To be clear, TheCB.Co team does not support breaking a rule laid out by any company, especially when it has to do with safety. We're in full support of cruise line personnel removing any ducks that have been placed in an area where a person's safety is at risk. However, we'll also note that this response is from a PlanDisney post and not directly from Disney Cruise Line's site. From the various Cruising Ducks posts and groups on social media, hiding and searching for ducks on Disney Cruise Line (DCL) ships appears to be continuing at the same rate as all other cruise lines. We are patiently waiting to see if DCL offers clarification that is specific to Cruising Ducks.
As for other cruise lines, this activity continues to grow. I've encountered Cruising Ducks across every cruise line I've sailed, and I've even seen Cruise Line Team Members join in the fun of collecting ducks they find throughout their ship.
Royal Caribbean is so encouraging of Cruising Ducks they gave out a complimentary duck and tag to guests during the first handful of sailings on Icon of the Seas – their newest cruise ship. Royal Caribbean also began offering ducks and tags for purchase on their ships so that if a cruiser arrives onboard without ducks and wants to join in the fun of hiding them, the guests can buy ducks in the ship's store.
Personal experience and the online community agree that, overwhelmingly, Cruise Lines, Cruise Line Personnel, and Cruisers support this bit of extra fun while sailing the seas.
How do I get Started with Cruising Ducks?
Anyone on any cruise line can participate. If you're searching for ducks, start searching from the moment you board your ship up to the day you debark.
If you're hiding ducks, you'll need to buy some ducks, make some tags, and you'll be ready to go. Or, if you have an upcoming cruise, send our team an email to Info@theCB.Co, and we could provide you with some of our customized ducks and tags at no expense (this offer is subject to availability, and cruisers must have a mailing address in Canada or the United States of America). You then add the information you want on the tags and then be ready to hide the ducks once you board your ship.
So, there you have it: the story, rules, and social media side of Cruising Ducks. Whether you're on a well-deserved break in the Bahamas, a Caribbean adventure, or sightseeing around Europe, the next time you're sailing the seas, be on the lookout for these adorable ducks traveling the world with you.
~Kelly