The Mystery of the Rubber Duck on the Cruise

Articulo en Español

Have you ever found something in the most unexpected place and had no idea how it got there? Sometimes, a small and seemingly insignificant moment can stay in our memory and end up becoming something much bigger. That is exactly what happened to me with a little rubber duck on a cruise. But what still surprises me is that that duck would end up inspiring something I never imagined.

My Mother Loved Rubber ucks.
My mother lived to be 98 years old. During the last ten years of her life, you could say she became a little like a child again. She loved collecting stuffed animals and, surprisingly, rubber ducks. Yes… rubber ducks! Her dresser was full of them, ducks of every color, style, character, and size. I remember that for her last Christmas, I gave her a bag with 25 ducks. You should have seen how her eyes lit up and how her beautiful, childlike smile stretched from ear to ear. Without realizing it, those little ducks had become part of our family story.

When my mother passed away, it was a very difficult time for us. She lived with my son and me and, suddenly, the house felt empty. I needed to clear my mind, so I decided to plan a cruise with my son and my cousin. It was also an opportunity to reconnect with something I had enjoyed since I was a child, traveling by ship. The last time I had been on a cruise, I was only 15 years old. I thought the trip would simply be a way to distract myself for a few days, but I had no idea what was about to happen.

The First Duck.
The morning after we boarded, my son, my cousin, and I got into the elevator to go have breakfast. And there it was, a little rubber duck sitting on the handrail. We looked at each other. None of us understood what it was doing there. But because of my mother’s love for rubber ducks, I immediately interpreted it in a special way. I thought that perhaps it was a little sign from her, almost as if she were telling us, “I’m still with you.”

Maybe it was simply a coincidence. But the next day, we found another duck, this time inside a planter. Later that same day, we found another one in the dining room. Three ducks. Now we were curious. What was going on?

The Mystery of the Ducks.
On the third day, we decided to ask at the guest services desk. The answer surprised us. They explained that hiding rubber ducks had become a tradition among some cruise passengers. People bring their own ducks onto the ship and hide them in different places for other passengers to find. Some people keep them, others trade them, and many simply enjoy the surprise.

Suddenly, everything made sense. Those ducks were not decorations. They were little surprises that some passengers left for others, even for people they would probably never meet. I loved the idea. Someone hides a little duck, walks away, and never knows who will end up finding it. Maybe a child discovers it or a grandmother who simply smiles when she sees it. It is almost like leaving a little treasure for a stranger.

And although I didn’t know it at the time, that tradition was about to become the inspiration for something much bigger.

An Idea Begins to Take Shape.
Months later, my son, my cousin, and I decided to create a family company dedicated to something we have always enjoyed, card games. That is how Kawaii Lab Games was born. Our goal was simple, to create games that would help families put their phones aside, sit together, laugh, and create memories.

When we started thinking about our next game, I remembered those hidden ducks on the cruise. But I also remembered another one of my great passions, deduction games. I have always enjoyed classic games where you have to follow clues, eliminate possibilities, and discover the solution. Then an idea came to me, and I shared it with the rest of the team:

What if we make a deduction game where the mystery is about a rubber duck hidden on a cruise?

What if a 98-year-old Grandmother Hid a Rubber Duck?
We imagined a story about a 98-year-old grandmother who secretly hides a rubber duck somewhere on a cruise ship. Your mission would be to discover which duck she hid, on which cruise ship, and where on the ship. To do that, you would have to follow the clues, eliminate possibilities, and use your deduction skills. It is like putting together a puzzle where each clue gives you a new piece of the story.

And that is How Cruising Duck Mystery Was Born.
That story, which began with my mother, her rubber ducks, and a cruise, ended up becoming Cruising Duck Mystery, a deduction card game created by Kawaii Lab Games.

The idea is to bring the excitement of classic deduction games into a small game that is easy to carry and perfect for playing with family and friends. And because the story takes place on a cruise ship, you can bring it with you on your vacation at sea and enjoy it after dinner while sailing toward your next destination.

For me, however, the game means something more. It reminds me of my mother, that first duck in the elevator, and an experience that began as a simple coincidence.

I think that is one of the most beautiful things about creating games. Sometimes an idea does not begin with a business plan. Sometimes it begins with a memory. Sometimes it begins with someone you love.

And sometimes… it begins with a little rubber duck.

Bring the Mystery On Your Next Cruise.
If you enjoy deduction games, mysteries, and those moments when everyone around the table starts saying, “Wait… I think I know the solution!”, Cruising Duck Mystery may be the perfect game for your next vacation. It is easy to carry, takes up little space, and gives you something fun to do together during those quiet moments on the ship. And who knows… after playing it, maybe you will start looking at the rubber ducks you find around the ship in a different way.

Because now you know that somewhere on that cruise ship, there may be another little mystery waiting to be discovered.

👉 Discover Cruising Duck Mystery by Kawaii Lab Games and bring your next mystery with you on your next cruise.

Remember: the most meaningful experiences are often the simplest ones. So grab a deck of cards, gather your loved ones, and enjoy every round together.

See you in the next game!

Daniel López de Medrano III
The Card Game Maker