These cruise scavenger hunt ideas are 143 things to spot on any ship: 28 on deck, 35 inside, 17 in your cabin, 19 at sea and 26 in port, plus 18 team photos. Ten are dealt when the page opens. Each line shows its points and whether the proof is a photo or a tick. No task involves crew, other passengers or a rail.
Two lists: adults and family
Adults list holds 92 finds. The cruise scavenger hunt list for adults leans on ship knowledge: the IMO number on the hull, the bridge wings, the flag that says a pilot is aboard. Family list holds 88 that a seven-year-old can spot with an adult beside them, such as the funnel and a towel animal. 37 sit on both. Deal 20, Lock what suits your ship and Swap the rest.
Photo or tick, and who judges
A photo line needs a picture of the thing or of your own team, never of other guests or crew. The 24 tick lines are honor system: the theater, a decorated cabin door, dolphins that left before the camera came out. Points run 1, 2, 3 and 5. Play across the whole sailing and count up at dinner on the last night. Share sends every cabin the same list.
Tips
Keep In port for shore days and At sea for sea days, so nobody hunts a rat guard from mid-ocean.
Press Print before you sail, so the hunt never depends on a signal at sea.
Make the muster station every team's first find. It scores 1 point and matters more than the other 142.
Questions and answers
Will this list work on my ship?
Yes. No cruise line or ship is named, and nearly every line is something ships in general have: a funnel, lifeboats, a deck plan, a flag at the stern. A few are luck, such as signal flags strung from bow to stern or a pilot boat alongside, and those score 5. No jogging track on board? Press Swap.
Is it safe for kids?
The Family list keeps children beside an adult and away from rails, crew areas and safety equipment. Life jackets are counted and left stowed, lifebuoys stay on their brackets, and no pool photo has people in it. Three finds are worth knowing anyway: the muster station, your deck number and the all-aboard time.
What do the ship words mean?
Port is the left side when you face the bow, and starboard is the right. Port shows a red light and starboard a green one. The stern is the back, and the flag there shows where the ship is registered. A knot is one nautical mile an hour, about 1.15 mph.
Euchre Score Sheet With Partner Rotations for 4 and 8Two teams to 10, or 11 with the Benny, with the point table in the key. Rotation sheets give 4 or 8 players a new partner every round and total each player alone.
Family Scavenger Hunt Ideas121 indoor finds, read-aloud riddles and reunion tasks, split for ages 3 to 5 and ages 6 to 10.
A book or a towel left to save a deck chair2 points, tick. Tick only, and leave it exactly where it is.
A flag from a country you are visiting, flown by the ship3 points, photo. A courtesy flag: a visiting ship flies the host country's flag as a token of respect.
A lifebuoy with the ship's name on it1 point, photo. Also called a life ring. Photograph it on its bracket and leave it there.
A mini-golf hole, a climbing wall or a sports court2 points, photo. Empty, or with only your team on it.
A pool, a hot tub or a water slide with nobody in the shot2 points, photo. Early morning is the time. No photos of people in swimwear.
A radar scanner turning2 points, tick. A bar that turns steadily, high up near the mast.
A rainbow, or a rain shower seen from a dry deck5 points, photo. Luck scores the same as skill.
A row of empty deck chairs all facing the same way1 point, photo. Empty chairs only.
A shuffleboard court or a giant chess set2 points, photo. Play one game for the glory.
A sign about keeping everything out of the sea2 points, photo. Nothing goes over the side. The sign is the find.
A string of signal flags from bow to stern5 points, photo. It is called dressing ship. Some voyages never see it, which is why it scores 5.
A sunrise or a sunset with no land in the frame2 points, photo. Open water from edge to edge.
A tender that doubles as a lifeboat3 points, tick. On cruise ships the boats that ferry guests ashore often double as lifeboats.
The bridge wings5 points, photo. Narrow walkways that stick out from each side of the bridge, so officers can see along the hull when docking.
The davits that hold a lifeboat3 points, photo. The arms a lifeboat is lowered from. Say the word to the judge.
The farthest forward you are allowed to stand3 points, photo. Stay behind every gate and chain. The sign on the gate is the proof.
The flag at the stern2 points, photo. The ensign shows the country where the ship is registered, which may not be where you boarded.
The highest deck passengers can reach2 points, photo. Photograph the deck number sign.
The lap sign on the jogging track2 points, photo. It says how many laps make a mile or a kilometer.
The number on a lifeboat1 point, photo. Painted on every boat. Shoot from the promenade, behind the line.
The outdoor movie screen1 point, photo. Any time it is showing something.
The red navigation light or the green one3 points, tick. Red is on the port side and green on starboard. Easiest after dark from an open deck.
The ship's bell5 points, photo. Traditionally engraved with the ship's name, often with the year it was launched. Look, do not ring.
The ship's funnel1 point, photo. The smokestack lifts exhaust clear of the deck. Funnel colors were an early kind of company trademark.
The ship's horn2 points, tick. Sailaway is the usual time. Cover small ears.
The ship's wake from the stern rail1 point, photo. Both feet on the deck and nothing held out over the rail.
Wet paint, or a railing that was painted today3 points, tick. Look, do not touch.
Your muster station sign1 point, photo. The place you were sent for the safety drill. Every teammate should be able to walk there without a map.
Inside the ship 35
A cabin door decorated by the people inside3 points, tick. Tick only: it is somebody's front door.
A carpet with fish, shells, stars or a compass woven in2 points, photo. Feet in the shot are allowed.
A clock that shows ship's time2 points, photo. Compare it with your phone.
A deck plan with a You are here dot1 point, photo. Elevator lobbies and stairwells are the places to look.
A dessert shaped like something it is not3 points, photo. At your own table.
A dish on a menu that nobody on the team has heard of2 points, tick. Glory, and no extra points, for ordering it.
A fruit or vegetable carving5 points, photo. Buffet displays are the place to look.
A glass elevator1 point, tick. Ride it once, top to bottom.
A hand-washing station at a restaurant door1 point, tick. Use it.
A jigsaw puzzle in progress on a shared table3 points, photo. Add one piece before you go.
A map that shows where the ship is right now2 points, photo. A wall screen, or the map channel on the cabin TV.
A model ship in a glass case3 points, photo. Extra pride if it is the ship you are on.
A napkin folded into a shape2 points, photo. At your own table. Try to fold it back afterward.
A painting, print or sculpture of a ship1 point, photo. Any ship except a photo of the one you are on.
A piano nobody is playing2 points, photo. Lid closed or open. Leave it that way.
A plaque or crest that was presented to the ship5 points, photo. Read who gave it and when. The judge will ask.
A plaque that names the shipyard or the year the ship was built5 points, photo. Read the year aloud to the team.
A porthole that is actually round3 points, photo. Try doors, stairwells and the lowest passenger deck.
A sign in three or more languages2 points, photo. Safety signs are a good place to start.
A watertight door warning sign5 points, tick. Look, never touch or block.
The atrium from its top floor1 point, photo. Point the camera at the ceiling or the floor, not at other guests.
Brass polished enough to show your reflection3 points, photo. A team selfie in it is the proof.
The daily program1 point, photo. On paper or in the ship's app. Circle one thing the whole team will do.
The deck number sign in your own stairwell1 point, photo. Say the number aloud. Small teammates should know it by heart.
Elevator buttons with no deck 133 points, photo. Many ships number their decks from 12 straight to 14. If yours has a 13, photograph that for the same points.
The kids' club door or the teen lounge sign1 point, tick. Tick only. No photos near the kids' club.
The library, or a shelf of board games2 points, photo. Borrow something for the next sea day.
The medical center sign2 points, tick. Worth knowing where it is.
The ship's name somewhere unexpected2 points, photo. A plate, a towel, a bar of soap, a doormat.
The ship's speed in knots3 points, photo. One knot is one nautical mile an hour, about 1.15 mph.
The soft-serve ice cream machine1 point, tick. Finding it is the task. What happens next is up to you.
The theater stage before the show starts2 points, photo. Seats and curtain only, and no photos once the show begins.
Three different chandeliers or ceiling lights2 points, photo. Three photos, three rooms.
Today's day of the week, printed by the ship2 points, photo. A floor mat, a screen or the daily program.
Your favorite artwork in a stairwell2 points, photo. Pick one on your own deck. It doubles as a landmark on the way back to the cabin.
In your cabin 17
A chocolate or a note left on the pillow3 points, photo. Photograph it before anyone eats the evidence.
A hair dryer, a safe and an ice bucket: any two1 point, tick. Look in the desk drawers.
A hook, a shelf or a drawer you did not notice on day one2 points, tick. Honor system.
A spot on the cabin wall where a magnet sticks3 points, tick. Test with a souvenir magnet. If it holds, that is where tomorrow's program goes.
A towel animal2 points, photo. Folded from small towels and left on the bed at turndown on several cruise lines. Elephants, rabbits and swans are typical.
The card with your cabin steward's name on it2 points, tick. Tick only. Learn the name and use it when you say thank you.
The do not disturb sign1 point, photo. A card, a magnet or a light.
The general emergency signal, written out3 points, photo. Seven or more short blasts followed by one long blast. Find it in print on a notice or a card.
The life jackets, or the notice that says where they are kept1 point, photo. Count them and leave them stowed.
The safety notice on the back of your cabin door1 point, photo. Find your muster station on it.
Something in the cabin that folds away2 points, photo. A bunk in the ceiling, a sofa bed, a table flap.
Tomorrow's arrival time or weather2 points, photo. In the program or on the cabin TV.
Two kinds of power outlet side by side2 points, photo. Look by the desk.
The view from your own window at sunrise2 points, photo. Inside cabin? A live deck camera on the TV counts, if your ship has one.
Your cabin on the deck plan: port side or starboard?2 points, tick. Port is left and starboard is right when you face the bow.
Your luggage tag1 point, photo. Cover the name before the photo goes anywhere.
Your own cabin number plate1 point, tick. Tick only. A cabin number does not belong in a shared album.
At sea 19
A bridge the ship sails under, or a headland it passes3 points, photo. From an open deck.
A buoy or a channel marker2 points, photo. Watch as the ship nears port.
A constellation you can name3 points, tick. Find the darkest open deck. Name it aloud to a teammate.
A lighthouse3 points, photo. Lit or unlit.
A pilot boat alongside5 points, photo. A local pilot comes out by boat and climbs aboard, often by a ladder, to help guide the ship into port. Be on deck early on an arrival morning.
A rainbow in the spray of the bow wave5 points, photo. Sunny, breezy sea days only.
A sailboat2 points, photo. Sails up.
A seabird keeping pace with the ship2 points, photo. Gliding beside the rail counts. A dot in the distance does not.
A tugboat3 points, photo. Short, broad and usually close to a much bigger ship.
An island small enough to fit in one photo3 points, photo. End to end, no panorama mode.
Another ship on the horizon2 points, photo. Any size, any distance.
Dolphins, flying fish or a whale spout5 points, tick. Honor system. Nobody gets the camera out in time.
The first land after a day at sea2 points, photo. A smudge on the horizon is enough.
The H signal flag, half white and half red5 points, photo. It means: I have a pilot on board.
The moon's reflection on the water3 points, photo. A path of light from the horizon to the ship.
No land in any direction1 point, photo. Turn a full circle first.
The sea in two different colors3 points, photo. Two photos from two days. The judge compares.
The ship's shadow on the water3 points, photo. Low sun, from the shaded side.
Whitecaps1 point, tick. White foam on the wave tops.
In port 26
A cat asleep in the sun3 points, photo. Look, do not pet.
A fishing boat2 points, photo. Nets, pots or rods on board.
A fort, a church tower or a lighthouse seen from the ship2 points, photo. Name it from the port map afterward.
A mailbox2 points, photo. They are not the same color everywhere.
A mooring line looped over a bollard2 points, photo. From behind the barrier.
A port crane or a stack of shipping containers2 points, photo. From the ship's top deck is the best view.
A price in a currency that is not yours2 points, photo. A menu board or a shop window. Nothing to buy.
A rat guard on a mooring line5 points, photo. A disc or cone on the rope that stops rats climbing aboard.
A road sign in a language you cannot read2 points, photo. Guess what it says before you look it up.
A seabird standing on a bollard or a mooring line3 points, photo. Zoom in. Do not walk it off its perch.
A taxi in a color taxis are not at home2 points, tick. Tick only, so no driver ends up in your album.
A tree you could not grow at home1 point, photo. Palm, banyan, olive, or whatever home is too cold or too hot for.
A welcome sign with the port's name1 point, photo. Team in front of it.
Another cruise ship in the same port2 points, photo. Count the decks and compare.
The bulbous bow3 points, photo. A rounded bulb at the bow just below the waterline. It cuts drag and saves fuel. Look from the pier.
Draft marks on the hull5 points, photo. A ladder of numbers near the bow and the stern. They show how deep the ship is sitting in the water.
The flag of the country you are standing in1 point, photo. On a pole, not on a souvenir.
The IMO number on the hull5 points, photo. The letters IMO and seven digits. The number stays with the ship for life, even if the name changes.
The load line mark5 points, photo. A circle with a line through it, painted halfway along the hull. Also called the Plimsoll mark, after Samuel Plimsoll.
The port of registry on the stern3 points, photo. Lettered under the ship's name. It may not be the port you sailed from.
The port seen from the ship's top deck1 point, photo. Before you go ashore or after you come back.
The ship seen from water level on a tender ride5 points, photo. Only in ports where the ship anchors offshore.
The ship's name on the bow1 point, photo. From the pier.
The sign showing today's all-aboard time2 points, photo. Photograph it on the way out. It is the one task that can save your vacation.
The whole ship in one frame, from the shore2 points, photo. Bow to stern, funnel to waterline.
Your team on the pier with the gangway behind you1 point, photo. On the pier, not on the gangway. Keep the line moving.
Team photos 18
A face made from the food on your own plate3 points, photo. Then eat it. Nothing wasted.
A hairdo styled entirely by the sea wind2 points, photo. Open deck, sea day.
A teammate asleep in a deck chair, or acting it well1 point, photo. Teammates only.
A teammate framed in a window like a portrait2 points, photo. Shot from inside, with the sea behind.
A teammate pinching the sun between finger and thumb3 points, photo. At sunrise or sunset, standing back from the rail.
A teammate reading the daily program upside down1 point, photo. A straight face scores the same as a grin.
Every teammate pointing to port at once2 points, photo. Port is left when you face the bow. The judge checks the background.
Everyone's shoes in a circle on the deck1 point, photo. Feet in them.
Matching hats, lanyards or sunglasses on everyone2 points, photo. Use what you packed.
One teammate at the bow and one at the stern in the same minute5 points, photo. Two phones. The judge compares the timestamps.
The team at the lap sign after one full lap of the track2 points, photo. Walked or run.
The team on a staircase, dressed for the fanciest night3 points, photo. Stand to one side so the stairs stay clear.
The team on the pier, pointing at your own cabin3 points, photo. Or at your deck, if the cabin faces the sea.
The team spelling SHIP with their arms5 points, photo. Standing, on an open deck, out of the walkway.
The team's shadows waving on the deck2 points, photo. Morning or late afternoon, when shadows are long.
Two photos: the highest and the lowest deck you can reach3 points, photo. A deck number sign in each.
The whole team in one elevator mirror2 points, photo. Nobody else in the elevator.
Your own attempt at a towel animal3 points, photo. Your towels, your cabin. The judge names the species.