It’s like an inside joke among cruise passengers, if you will.
If you happen to snoop a rubber duck on a sail ship , do n’t publish it off as a forgotten toy or part of crank . The duck’s egg was likely place there designedly , part of a semi - secret trend that has been popular on sail ships for many years — but most of the clip , only sail ship aficionados are in on the joke .
It was several years ago when Michael , 33 first found a synthetic rubber duck’s egg hidden on a cruise . Since , then , he ’s pick up just two more , but not for deficiency of trying . " I ’ve ground them in random place , " says Michael , who learned about the duck concealing - biotic community from other fellow member of the mysterious club . " One in the theater under a seat , another one by the elevator , and the [ third ] at Royal Caribbean ’s Perfect Day CocoCay . "
But Michael is n’t the only one searching for — or finding — these pencil eraser ducks . YouTube is brim withvideos and tutorialson condom duck - concealing upright practices , and there is even a dedicated private Facebook group ( aptly namedCruising Ducks ) with almost 300,000 fellow member . It ’s a scavenger hunt club made by passengers , for passengers . A little inner joke among strangers , if you will .
Design by Maitane Romagosa
" It ’s for fun , " excuse one Reddit drug user in athreaddiscussing the topic . " I personally love the idea , and desire I find out a few to take home base . "
Michael most for certain agree . " It ’s almost like a skin and seek game , " he tell , notice that solving puzzle and mysteries is a passion point for him . " It ’s a precious direction to remember stumble . "
While most duck’s egg - loving passenger are thrilled by the prospect of participating in the Richard Morris Hunt , others are n’t as joyful . " Please do n’t do it , " plead another user in the same Reddit ribbon . " I detest to be a killjoy , but there ’s really no reason for it . Just go on the sail and enjoy what ’s already there . " Other rider go even one step further , and take that on top of being annoying , it is really just litter .
avowedly , there have been times when passengers participating in the duck folly seemingly give-up the ghost overboard ( punning intended ) . hoi polloi — include the Reddit screw thread ’s original poster — have brought aboard carry - ons fill to the brim with rubber ducks to hide;one personeven reportedly " fetch 50 " on their last sail and are " going for 100 " on the next one .
" I cerebrate anything to do with cheap plastic toys is something to be done in easing or with a ' pay it forward ' mindset , " notes a user inanother Reddit ribbon . " trim down , reuse , recycle and all that . "
It ’s worth noting that the setting of this game is at sea , and rubber ducks are n’t that cloggy . If veil on outer decks or external area of a cruise ship , a slightly stronger gust of wind could easy take them for an ocean dive in no time ( and the ocean is n’t a good post for plastic ) . If the plot is kept indoors , though , it should n’t be an issue — and perhaps , as some passengers indicate , the best way to go about it is to reuse the ducks you find on a cruise and conceal them on your next one .
Most cruise occupation are okay with the practice . A Carnival interpreter confirmed to Thrillist that the line is cognisant of the scavenger hunt trend , say that it ’s " all guest drive , " while other sail line have also expressed an affectionate awareness of the trend .
Other cruise lines , however , do not condone the behavior . Just last year , Disney Cruise Line officialsconfirmed that there is a policy in position stating that " node can not hide things , such as rubber ducks , in staterooms or public areas on the ship . " A late post on Reddit substantiate the theory . " A node may take condom duck onboard , " reads anofficial Disney Cruise Line statementshared by one interested golosh duck fan . " However , kitty toys ( for example , rubber duck ) can not be used in the pools . guest can not hide thing like rubber duck’s egg in stateroom or public areas . "
At the end of the day , if you want to get in on the caoutchouc duck’s egg cruise fury , you just have to do your research and find fault your cruise pipeline sagely . And if you succeed in doing so but ca n’t seem to find oneself any duck on your sail ship , do n’t get discouraged . Michael has a trick for that : Just look for duck magnets on other guests ' doors . They ’ll know how to draw you .
