3 Cruise Lines Restrict Cruise Ducks Without Banning Them

Cruise ducks have flown to stardom for many guests, and hiding and finding a feathered flock can be great fun on a cruise vacation. Quackers of all sizes, shapes, and colors might appear just about anywhere on a cruise ship: in an elevator, tucked into a planter, hidden behind a sign, or even perched on a doorway.

Not all cruise lines welcome the activity, however, and three major lines are now restricting cruise ducks. Royal Caribbean has specific restrictions in one area, and both Disney Cruise Line and Marella Cruises request but do not demand an outright ban on ducks.

Disney Cruise Line’s No Duck Request

Disney Cruise Line was the first to discourage guests from hiding cruising ducks. Cruise Hive reported on the policy in January 2024, which the cruise line worded as “we kindly request that guests not hide items such as rubber ducks in public areas or staterooms.”

As of September 2026, rubber ducks and duck toys are not listed on Disney Cruise Line’s prohibited and restricted items list.

Do guests still leave ducks around Disney cruise ships? Yes, but crew members may collect and discard them to discourage the activity.

To still share the fun of cruising ducks while respecting Disney Cruise Line’s request, guests may trade them in mailboxes on their stateroom doors or share them in fish extenders or as “pixie dust” gifting.

Disney Cruise Line did update its stateroom door decorations policies effective June 3, 2026, but there are no bans on magnetic duck mailboxes, only that decorations are restricted to the doors themselves and may not be attached to corridor walls or ceilings.

Royal Caribbean Bans Ducks in One Location

Royal Caribbean does not ban or restrict ducks outright, but does not permit the activity in one sensitive area. In July 2025, guests started noticing signs in the Central Park neighborhood of the cruise line’s Oasis- and Icon-class ships declaring those spaces as a “duck free zone” and asking that guests not hide ducks in Central Park.

The restriction has been put in place due to the delicate nature of the tens of thousands of real plants and trees in Central Park. Overly enthusiastic duck hiders and hunters might damage the plants, causing bare spots and disturbing the aesthetic of the peaceful neighborhood.

Guests are welcome to hide ducks in other areas of the ship, and in fact Royal Caribbean has embraced ducks on its newest Icon-class ship, Legend of the Seas, with a whimsical “Duckie-Go-Round” carousel in the family-friendly Surfside neighborhood.

Marella Cruises Requests No Ducks

British cruise line Marella Cruises is the latest to request that guests leave ducks at home. Notices began appearing in onboard newsletters on both Marella Voyager and Marella Discovery in August 2026.

The broad wording covers not just ducks, but all manner of small trinkets and novelties.

“We kindly ask that toys, novelty items and other personal bits aren’t left or hidden around the ship or at our destinations,” the notice said.

Furthermore, Marella Cruises goes even further to explain what happens to ducks that are found around its ships.

“While it’s all meant in good spirit, these can become hazards and are usually disposed of by our crew,” the notice confirms.

Like Disney Cruise Line, however, rubber ducks or toys are not officially listed on Marella Cruises’ prohibited items list.

Should Guests Still Hide Ducks?

While these three cruise lines have official restrictions on cruise ducks, no other cruise lines have yet indicated any similar bans or limitations.

Nevertheless, should cruise ducks get out of control and become a problem with trash, disrupting onboard activities, or causing fights between guests eager to claim the same duck, it isn’t inconceivable that more cruise lines might restrict the activity or full bans could be put into place and ground cruise ducks for good.