Fake “Prize Ducks” Cause Trouble on Carnival Ships

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Cruising ducks have long been a light-hearted pastime at sea, with guests hiding and hunting small rubber ducks for others to discover.

But a prank twist on the tradition is now creating problems aboard Carnival Cruise Line vessels, leading to a warning from the company’s brand ambassador.

Carnival duck prank

The issue isn’t with the ducks themselves, but with fake tags attached to some of them.

These labels use Carnival’s whale tail logo and claim that the finder is entitled to a complimentary drink.

“Congratulations! You have found one of our ducks! 1 free drink redeemable at the casino bar!” the tags read.

Carnival has confirmed that no such promotion exists, and staff have been put in the uncomfortable position of denying guests who believe they’ve won a free drink.

“This is not fair on the guest and it is not fair on the bartenders and bar servers who have to say ‘sorry, there is no free drink,’” explained brand ambassador John Heald, urging whoever is behind the prank to stop immediately.

Could Ducks Be Banned?

For years, Carnival has embraced the “cruising ducks” trend, making clear that the guest-led activity is a fun and welcome part of the onboard experience.

Duck

However, Heald warned that if prank ducks continue to cause confusion or disappointment, the line may be forced to rethink its stance.

Other cruise lines have already put restrictions in place.

For example, ducks are banned in Royal Caribbean’s Central Park neighborhoods after damage occurred from overzealous duck hunters searching through the landscaping.

Some Carnival fans suspect the prank may even be a deliberate attempt to force the company to clamp down on the ducks altogether.

“Looks like someone who doesn’t like the ducks and wants it canceled,” one guest commented.

One commenter even decided that this prank was fair considering the ‘cutbacks’ to the perks offered by the cruise line due to the upcoming change to Carnival Rewards, a comment which earned the ire of John Heald:

"Ha too funny! Guests reclaiming their perks that have been taken away.""there is nothing funny about this. It’s not funny for the poor crew member who has to say no this isn’t a free drink and is then shouted out by a guest. And it is not funny for the guest who findAnd also we haven’t removed any free complementary drinks for those who are entitled to it. So gold, platinum and diamond still receive their complementary beverage on invocation day.I hope you get yours soon 🙂 cheers and I will be here if you need anything"

There Have Been Genuine Prize Ducks Previously…

While Carnival has never run an official duck giveaway, prize-oriented ducks have appeared on its ships before.

Jewellery retailer Effy has previously hidden sparkling ducks as part of a store promotion, with finders able to redeem them for prizes.

That event was independent from the cruise line itself, and Carnival stresses that no ducks hidden onboard today carry any real offers.

Some fans have suggested that Carnival could one day embrace the duck craze more formally, introducing official prize ducks offering treats like a free drink, onboard credit, or even the popular “ship-on-a-stick” trophy.

For now, though, guests should remember the ducks are strictly for fun – and any claims of freebies are simply not true.

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