Cruise Duck Etiquette: How to Play the Duck Game Kindly
Cruise ducks are small rubber ducks that guests hide around a ship for others to find. The game is widely credited to a young girl who brought a bag of ducks on a 2018 Carnival cruise, and it spread quickly through social media. Good cruise duck etiquette keeps it fun for finders and for the crew who clean up afterward.
| Do | Do not |
|---|---|
| Hide ducks in public places where anyone can spot them: library shelves, ledges, elevator lobbies, deck signsshelves, ledges, planters’ edges, elevator lobbiesrsquo; frames are not included. | Put ducks in food areas, buffets, pools, hot tubs or plant pots. |
| Make them easy to reach for a child. | Hide them anywhere crew would need a ladder or tools to retrieve. |
| Attach a small tag that says “keep me or hide me again.” | Put them on or near safety equipment, life rings, lifeboats, fire doors or signs. |
| Let finders keep them; that is the point. | Hide them in shops, where they may be mistaken for stock. |
| Follow your line’s rules on hiding items. | Leave dozens in one place, or jam them into fittings and machinery. |
Why Etiquette Matters Here
Most crew and lines see the ducks as harmless fun, and many children spend whole sea days searching for them. The trouble starts when ducks end up in ceilings, mechanical spaces or near safety equipment, where crew have to remove them. A duck should never make anyone’s job harder or make a safety sign harder to read. Keep it simple, keep it visible and keep it friendly.
Ideas for Your Ducks
- Theme them to your sailing: pirate ducks for the Caribbean, ducks in raincoats for Alaska.
- Write the ship and date on the tag; a found duck then becomes a small souvenir of that voyage.
- Leave one for your cabin steward with a thank-you note, if you think they will enjoy it.
- Hide a duck at a port stop only where it will not be littering; better yet, keep the game on board.
Ducks are one of many onboard games and traditions; our sister site Cruising Experiences covers more, from trivia to deck parties.
Cruise Duck Questions
What do you do if you find a cruise duck?
Keep it, or hide it again for someone else to find. Many ducks carry a tag asking the finder to share a photo online with a hashtag; that is optional.
Do all cruise lines allow hiding ducks?
No. Most tolerate the game, but some, including Disney Cruise Line according to news reports, ask guests not to hide items around the ship. Check your line’s guest conduct rules.
How many ducks should I bring?
A modest bag is plenty. Remember that every duck is something the crew might have to deal with; fewer, well-placed ducks are more fun anyway.
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