What the "Cruise" Duck?

I recently returned from a Royal Caribbean cruise departing from Port Canaveral, Florida, where we celebrated my wife's 50th birthday. Our itinerary included stops in Haiti, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and St. Croix. The cruise was fantastic, but what truly amazed me was the popularity of my 3D printed ducks.

Having been on cruises before, I knew about the fun tradition of hiding ducks on the ship. So, I decided to 3D print some cruise ducks with a nod to our business. I couldn't believe how popular they became! We joined two Facebook groups for our specific cruise, and people were excitedly posting about the cruise ducks they planned to hide. I shared a picture of my "duck army" in the process of being printed, and several people were thrilled about finding them on the ship.  I was used to our articulating dragons and our 3D printed dice towers being super popular, but I honestly didn't expect this!

For added fun, I 3D printed two "Duck-topus" (duck-topi?) as rare items to hide. On the first day, people were clamoring to find out where I had hidden the ducks. I received messages from fellow passengers asking if I had any left. To make them last, I hid a few ducks each day. The demand was incredible—people wanted more and more! I even had a few people trade with me and received private messages from parents whose kids were upset they hadn't found any ducks, let alone mine.

Bringing these cruise ducks with me allowed me to meet many amazing people and added an extra layer of fun to our trip.  

One of the surprises on this trip was meeting some amazing people from an incredible organization. I received a message from a woman whose two sons were on the cruise and really hoping to find our ducks. She informed me that they were with an organization called Autism on the Seas. This meant a lot to us, as we have a good family friend who is high-functioning autistic. She mentioned that her sons were upset because they hadn't found any ducks, and she couldn't be there with them as she was recovering from surgery.

I met a couple of people from the organization, Rachel and Lacy, and made sure to get those boys some ducks. I learned that Autism on the Seas has been collaborating with Royal Caribbean International since 2007 to develop cruise vacation services for adults and families with children with special needs, including Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Tourette Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and other cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. I frequently saw the groups on the ship, and they were having so much fun.

I was supposed to get a photo with the two boys, but our schedules didn't align, so unfortunately, that didn't happen. I hope to run into this organization on future trips. I have their contact information and will definitely be looking for them!

Please be sure to check out their site for more information! AutismontheSeas.com

By the end of the trip, I realized I needed to print a LOT more ducks for my next cruise. That's when I decided we should start selling cruise duck packages for others to hide! We've now launched a whole new category for cruising products, featuring our super popular cruise ducks. We'll be adding various versions to the category, so keep an eye out.

Currently, we offer ducks in a wide range of colors. Please note that some colors are printed on demand, which may require a few extra days for processing and shipping. To ensure you receive your cruise ducks in time, please place your order at least two weeks before your cruise.

Contact us for details on timing, color options, cruise line options, and any other questions you may have. Happy cruising and happy hiding!