CruiseStar
If you have sailed on a big ship in the last few years, you have probably spotted a small rubber duck sitting on a railing, tucked behind a stair post, or perched on a deck chair with a laminated tag. That is not litter. It is a cruising duck, and the person who hid it wants you to find it. The good news for anyone asking how to get free cruise ducks: you do not need to spend anything to take part, and there is now a way to get a batch shipped to your door for nothing.
This guide covers the tradition itself, how CruiseStar sends free cruising ducks to engaged community members, how the NFC duck hunt works once those ducks are hidden, and the practical side of finding ducks aboard.
The cruising ducks tradition in one minute
Cruising ducks are small rubber ducks that passengers hide around the ship for other passengers to find. Most come with a paper tag explaining what the duck is, who hid it, and what the finder should do next: keep it, re-hide it, or post a photo to one of the big cruise duck Facebook groups. The tradition is only a few years old, it spread through families and social media rather than through the cruise lines, and today you will find ducks on almost every mainstream line. If you want the backstory, we cover it in our post on the history of cruising ducks at history of cruising ducks.
The appeal is simple. Hiding ducks gives kids (and plenty of adults) a mission on sea days. Finding one is a tiny, unexpected win. And the tags turn strangers into a loose community that spans ships, lines, and sailings.
How to get cruise ducks for free from CruiseStar
CruiseStar runs a Duck Hunt inside the app, and it depends on people hiding ducks. That is why we ship free ducks to engaged community members instead of selling them. Each duck we send has an NFC tag built in, so it works with the in-app collection, but it is still a regular rubber duck that anyone can find and enjoy.
Here is how it works:
- Request free cruise ducks for your next sailing
- We prioritize sailors who are active in the CruiseStar community, especially in the cruise and ship chats
- If you are approved, we mail the ducks to you at no charge before your next cruise
- You hide them on your sailing, following the usual etiquette (more on that below)
We say "engaged" rather than "everyone" for an honest reason: ducks and postage cost money, and we want them to end up on ships where they will actually be hidden and found. If you are new to CruiseStar, the fastest way to qualify is to rate the ships you have sailed and leave a couple of real reviews. It takes a few minutes and it genuinely helps other cruisers.
How the CruiseStar duck hunt works
Every free duck we send has a small NFC tag. When a sailor finds one, they hold their phone against the duck the way they would tap to pay, and the duck is added to their Duck Deck in the CruiseStar app. No scanning app, no QR code, no typing in a code from a soggy paper tag.
Each duck has a rarity: Common, Rare, Epic, or Legendary. Most ducks in circulation are Common, which is exactly what you want when you are getting kids excited about the hunt. Rare and Epic ducks show up less often, and Legendary ducks are genuinely scarce. Your Duck Deck lives at CruiseStar Duck Deck and is reachable from the duck icon on your profile, so you can see everything you have collected, sorted by rarity, along with where and when you found each one.
If someone who does not have the app taps a duck, their phone opens [CruiseStar home page](/) and invites them to sign up. Once they do, that duck is waiting in their new Duck Deck. The app download page is at CruiseStar app page if you want to install it before you sail.
What happens to the physical duck after the tap is up to the finder, just like a traditional cruising duck. Keep it as a souvenir or re-hide it for the next person. The tag keeps working either way, so a single duck can be collected by many different sailors over the life of a ship.
How to find ducks aboard
Whether you are hunting NFC ducks or classic paper-tag ducks, the same places pay off:
- Stairwells and elevator lobbies, especially on landings between decks
- Railings and window ledges in promenade and atrium areas
- Planters, sculptures, and decorative ledges in public spaces
- Deck chairs and towel stations near the pool early in the morning
- Library shelves, board game rooms, and the kids club entrance
- Around art pieces in hallways, which are natural photo spots
Duck hunting is best right after embarkation and on the first sea day, when hiders have had time to set out their stash and before the ducks have all been claimed. Early mornings before the pool deck fills up are also productive. Ask in your sailing's chat on CruiseStar, too: hiders often drop hints about which decks are active.
A few reminders before you hide anything
Even free ducks come with responsibility. Never hide ducks in restaurants, buffets, bars, or anywhere food is served, because crew have to remove them and it creates a hygiene problem. Do not place them on or near safety equipment such as life jackets, fire extinguishers, or muster station signage. Skip other people's cabin doors and private balconies. Kids areas and public spaces are fine, and stairwells are the classic spot for a reason. Our full guide to cruise duck rules and etiquette is at cruise duck rules and etiquette.
Where to start
If you already have a cruise booked, request your free cruise ducks now so they arrive in time. If you are still deciding what to do about ducks, read our roundup of the places to get cruise ship rubber ducks at where to get cruise ship rubber ducks. And whether you hide or hunt, install the app from CruiseStar app page so the first duck you find lands in your Duck Deck.