The Secret Meaning of an Upside-Down Pineapple (You Need to Know This!)

If you know, you know…

On cruises (and sometimes on land), the humble pineapple has taken on a whole new meaning – it’s become a secret symbol linked to swinging. Spot a pineapple on a cabin door, and it’s often taken as a sign that the couple inside might be open to meeting others for a bit of… adult fun.

But here’s where it gets messy: does it have to be upside down? Does it only count if it’s on the door? And what about pineapple-print clothes – are you accidentally sending out signals just by wearing a cute tropical shirt?

To finally clear up the confusion, I dove into cruise forums, Reddit threads, Facebook groups, and spoke to a few people who actually know the truth behind the pineapple code. Let’s settle this once and for all.

Upside-Down Pineapples Are Swinger Code

Pineapples are used as a secret way for swingers to identify each other. If you see someone wearing an upside-down pineapple badge or pin, it means that they’re actively looking for a partner swap. An upside-down pineapple on someone’s front porch can be seen as an invitation to join a swinger party.

But what about when you see a person wearing a pineapple shirt on a cruise? Does that mean that they’re a swinger? Or just that they like funky fashion?

Before we start on the ins and outs, for want of a better phrase, of cruise ship swinging and whether pineapples are a reliable sign, I’d just like to clarify that I’m not into that myself.

But if that’s what floats your boat and you aren’t hurting anyone, then that’s your business. We’re all adults here, right?

Swinging Isn’t Everywhere on Cruises, but It Does Happen

Some couples opt to go on special ‘swingers cruises‘ where everyone on board is all up for the same thing. Some of these are nude cruises where clothing is optional all day and night, and some are party cruises with couples-only ‘red rooms’ where all kinds of shenanigans happen after dark.

Swingers cruises are pretty popular and have been around since 2008, when the first cruise for swingers, YOLO Cruises, was launched.

Suggested read: 6 Best Cruises For Swingers

Aside from these ‘lifestyle cruises’, as they’re known, there are also plenty of swingers who go on regular cruises. These people are likely to keep an open mind about who they might meet on board and what they might get up to.

On a normal cruise, you would never really notice swinging behaviour. Swingers don’t tend to introduce themselves by saying, “Hi, we’re Barry and Wendy, do you both want to come up to our cabin tonight?”

However, just as swingers on land might have secret signs like pampas grass in the front garden, wearing a black ring on one finger or a toe ring, on a cruise ship, the secret symbol of swingers is the pineapple.

Pineapples Are Just One way Swingers Identify Each Other…

Decorating cruise cabin doors with pineapple magnets from Amazon is an obvious way for swinging couples to attract attention.

If you see an upside-down pineapple on a cruise cabin door, it means that the people inside are actively searching for a swinging party.

Pineapples represent ‘welcoming and hospitality’, but they are also associated with swinging.

Swingers use the pineapple as a secret symbol to look out for each other in public. They may use real pineapples or wear clothing or accessories that feature a pineapple motif.

One obvious problem with this is that on a cruise, you only ever see the doors that are in the same corridor as your own. Meaning that swingers on different decks could never find each other.

Another problem is that you just don’t know who’s behind the door. How embarrassing would it be to knock and then change your mind after seeing who opens it?

Of course, these are just hypothetical problems. If you have actual experience of this and aren’t shy, there’s a comment section below!

With the popularity of social media to help with cruise planning, some swingers now plan to meet up with like-minded people on board before they cruise. If you ever see a message in a Facebook group asking who else is on a particular sailing and it uses the pineapple emoji, you can be pretty confident that the person is looking to meet others on board for sex.

When used to describe a relationship status, a pineapple means that things are complicated. Other fruits are used to denote other statuses – a cherry means that someone is in a relationship, while a blueberry means that you are single. These are commonly used on Snapchat and some other social media.

The Perfect Practical Joke!

Of course, just because you see an upside-down pineapple on a stateroom door, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the person inside is into the pineapple lifestyle.

One cruiser named Christee played a little joke on her friend by placing this pineapple sticker on his door without telling him what it meant. She confessed on day three of the cruise! He was a great sport, though, and kept it up for the whole eight days!

Pineapples on Clothing Might Spark Some Interesting Conversations

What if you have a shirt with pineapples on it? Or pineapple earrings? Will people think you’re a swinger?

I have a pair of shorts with a pineapple on them that I wore on a recent cruise. I knew about the secret pineapple meaning, I just forgot until it was too late, and I realised that I was wearing the pineapple shorts by the pool!

Luckily, nobody said a word to me. Although I did feel uncomfortable, so I don’t think I’ll be packing them again.

Wearing pineapples on a cruise is totally up to you. But as more and more people learn about the pineapple reference, you may find that you get some knowing looks from your fellow cruisers.

I think it depends on how pineapple-y you go with it. My single pineapple on my shorts didn’t raise any eyebrows (that I noticed), but if the two of you dress head to toe in pineapple, then you may expect a few sniggers behind your back, or worse.

There are lots of funny pineapple t-shirts on Amazon. Here are some of the best ones…

You Shouldn’t Have a Problem with Pineapple Drinks!

On P&O Cruises’ new ship, Iona, you can order a pineapple drink that comes in a cup that’s shaped like an upside-down pineapple!

My pineapple-themed cocktail on @pandocruises Iona last night… pic.twitter.com/KQO5ALQ2ve

— Dave Monk (@shipmonk) August 12, 2021

I’m definitely not saying that these pineapple drinks have anything to do with swinging. I suspect that most people who order them will have absolutely no idea what pineapple means on a cruise.

However, they do look pretty cool!

P&O Cruises is pretty on board with the whole pineapple thing. On my recent cruise on Azura, I saw pineapple handbags available for sale on the ship. They know what they’re doing!

Then, when I cruised on Iona this year, I noticed that one of the party nights in the main music venue was called ‘Guilty Pleasures’ and had a pineapple on the signage, as well as a giant cut-out of a pineapple on the stage!

But a Pineapple Tattoo Could Be Misconstrued

A pineapple tattoo could have many possible meanings. The pineapple is a symbol of warmth and hospitality. The wearer might just like the funky look of the pineapple fruit.

But since pineapples are also secret symbols for swingers, the wearer could be a swinger, particularly if the pineapple is upside down.

The History of Upside-Down Pineapples

The oldest mention of upside-down pineapples comes from the upside-down pineapple cake. This is a traditional dessert in Hawaii, where many pineapples are grown.

The cake has this name because to make it, you first place sliced pineapples in the bottom of a pan, then add the cake batter. Once it’s cooked, you flip the tin upside-down so that the pineapple slices show on the top.

The pineapple upside-down cake is usually served when guests come to visit, so the upside-down pineapple became associated with Hawaiian hospitality.

As swingers must be friendly and accommodating to let people share their partner, they adopted the symbol of hospitality, the pineapple, as their own symbol.

Legend has it that when swingers first adopted the pineapple symbol, they would place an upside-down pineapple in their grocery cart in the supermarket to let other swingers know that they were into the lifestyle.

Remember, before the internet, people would have to go to great and unusual lengths to find other people with the same interests. It certainly wasn’t as easy as popping an emoji into a Facebook group!

Final Thoughts

While the pineapple is often used as a secret code for swinging, wife-swapping and casual sex, this isn’t always the case. When you are trying to work out the meaning of a pineapple, you should carefully consider the context.

For example, if you see a pineapple in someone’s shopping basket, that’s probably just a healthy snack.

Pineapples are considered to be lucky because the sounds of the Chinese word for ‘pineapple’ are almost identical to the sounds of ‘good luck’ in Chinese. For this reason, the pineapple has become a traditional feng shui symbol of good fortune and prosperity. So that’s another potentially innocent reason to see them around a ship.

However, if you’re in a Facebook group for a particular cruise sailing and someone leaves a message with “Who wants to meet up on the ship? 🍍🍍🍍”, then you can be pretty sure that they’re not looking for someone to play cards with.

If you like the idea of a cruise where you can make friends with like-minded people who are as up for fun as you are, then you should certainly take a look at Desire Resorts & Cruises.

Then there’s Killing Kittens, which takes things in a more empowering, femme-led direction. Their cruises offer a luxurious and inclusive space for open-minded adults to connect, explore, and unwind in style – all with a focus on consent, freedom, and fun.

Desire Resorts & Cruises are only for couples. But if you prefer to travel solo, then Temptation Resorts & Cruises offers a one-of-a-kind’ playground for grown-ups’ both at sea and on land.

While we’re on the subject of swinger symbols, you may also be interested to find out what pink flamingoes mean at sea.

Related posts:

• The Best Nude Cruises
• Is It OK To Have Sex On A Cruise Ship Balcony?
• Does Tinder Work On Cruise Ships?
• Cruise Crew Member Explains Hidden Meaning Behind Black Rings And Pineapple Jewellery
• The Spicy Secrets Of Temptation Cruises, Revealed!