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The quacker cruise treasure hunting community is currently on the rise.
This summer, keep an eye out for rubber duckies, who dress up in everything from sailor suits to cowboy hats and are being hidden on cruise ships around the world thanks to a group of rubber duck-hunting enthusiasts who call themselves “quackers.” The phenomenon is believed to have started on Facebook when the parents of a 10-year-old girl created a page called “Cruising Ducks” after she hid an assortment of rubber duckies for other travelers during a family vacation.
Since its creation on the Internet, the community of “healers” has grown exponentially and today boasts a whopping 275,000 members. The Facebook page reportedly receives 100 posts a day in which users often comment on their findings or give information about their occulting process. The community is open to cruise ship travelers of all ages.
“It’s not just for kids to find,” said Kelly May, 60, who became involved in the community in 2022. The New York Times“When I found my first copy, it was a moment of joy.”
On cruises, quacks typically bring between 10 and 100 ducks to hide in various nooks and crannies of the ships. May reveals that he has hidden about 2,000 ducks since he started. Meanwhile, he has found only 40 ducks throughout his travels. The first one he saw on a casino table, sporting a sailor's look and carrying a passport to “The Republic of Fun.”
In March, she joined 60 other ducks on a Carnival cruise as part of the “Quacktastic Duckers Cruise” group, which hosts duck beautification events and classes. Carnival Cruises is one of many brands that have jumped on the duck bandwagon, and brand ambassador John Heald recently posed with a rubber duck made in her likeness on Instagram.
Not all companies are cashing in on the duck craze like Carnival, however. According to a December post on travel planning site Plan Disney, Disney Cruise Line has discouraged guests from participating in duck hunts, noting that crew members have been removing ducks after finding them.
But it's not just businesses that have taken issue with the trend; some cruise ship travellers have taken to social media to voice their concerns about rubber ducks littering the ocean if they end up falling overboard. They have also accused quacks of being “overzealous” and going too far by placing them near the buffet.
However, despite the mild backlash, treasure hunting remains a fun and accessible activity for all ages. It seems the chattering community has no intention of stopping its fearless game of hide-and-seek anytime soon.
