Cruise Ducks Banned by Cruise Line as Guests Are Told to Stop Hiding Them Around Ships

The cruise duck craze has officially ruffled some feathers, with one cruise line asking passengers to stop hiding ducks and other novelty items around its ships and destinations.

Cruise ducks have become a familiar sight on cruise holidays, with passengers hiding rubber ducks around ships for fellow guests to discover, collect and re-hide.

But that tradition has now come under scrutiny from one cruise line, which has issued new guidance asking guests not to leave or hide ducks, toys, novelty items or other personal belongings around the ship or at destinations.

In a message to guests, Marella Cruises acknowledges that adding a little personality to a holiday can be fun, but says the growing popularity of cruise ducks is becoming a problem.

With a touch of humour, it explains:

“As much as we love a bit of personality, the ducks have started to drive us quackers.”

The cruise line says that while leaving items around the ship is intended to be harmless fun, they can potentially become hazards and are often removed and disposed of by crew.

There is also an environmental reason behind the new guidance.

The cruise line says it is working to reduce plastic and waste, and believes leaving unwanted items around the ship does not fit with those efforts.

It’s not just ducks

The new guidance goes further than the traditional cruise duck.

Passengers are being asked not to leave or hide toys, novelty items or other personal belongings around the ship or at destinations.

Guests are also being asked to leave public areas and cabin doors free from personal decorations.

That includes:

• Flags

• Banners

• Posters

• Stickers

• Magnets

• Other cabin door decorations

  
  

According to Marella Cruises, keeping these areas clear helps maintain the appearance of the ship while also supporting its safety procedures.

And if passengers do leave something where it shouldn’t be, the message is clear: crew may simply remove it.

The end of cruise duck hunting?

For many cruisers, finding a hidden rubber duck has become part of the fun of being onboard.

Entire online communities have grown around the trend, with passengers sharing photographs of their finds and even taking ducks home as souvenirs before releasing them on another cruise.

But this latest move shows that the tradition isn’t universally welcomed by cruise lines.

While the cruise line hasn’t suggested that passengers can’t bring their own ducks onboard or enjoy them privately, guests are being asked not to use the ship or destinations as a giant game of hide-and-seek.

So if you’re planning your next cruise and have a bag full of rubber ducks ready to deploy, you might want to check the rules before hiding them.

Because these days, that innocent little duck could end up being one quacker that never makes it home.

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