Pink Flamingos On Cruise Ships: Secret Meaning

That cute pink flamingo? It might not be as innocent as it looks.

Cruise ships are full of little symbols and signals most passengers never even notice. What you wear. What you hang on your cabin door. Even what looks like harmless décor can quietly mean something very specific to the people who recognise it.

You’ve probably heard about the upside-down pineapple. On many ships, that symbol has been clamped down on. But when one signal disappears, another often pops up in its place.

And that’s where the pink flamingo comes in.

Sometimes it’s just a bit of fun. Sometimes… it isn’t.

So before you pack that tropical shirt or stick a flamingo on your cabin door, do you know exactly what message you might be sending?

Pink Flamingos Can Have Several Meanings

Some people see flamingos as a plain ornament with no meaning, while others view them as a kitsch throwback. They can be a part of a popular prank called ‘flocking’, and they can also be a less common sign of swinging or wife swapping.

Because pink flamingos have been used outside homes for many years just as a fun decoration, there is a lot of uncertainty over whether they have one specific meaning, and it would be easy to confuse an innocent decoration for something else.

In sexual terms, pink flamingos can be a sign of someone who is into a swinging lifestyle. They’re not as common as some other signs, though, including a black ring worn on the right hand or upside-down pineapples, and so they can also be innocent.

However, many cruise lines are banning the upside-down pineapple symbol because it’s the most obvious one, and cruise lines (especially those that market themselves as family-friendly) don’t want the swinging lifestyle advertised. Meaning the flamingo could become much more popular…

So my advice is, if you’re someone who was thinking of decorating your cruise door with flamingos because you just think they’re fun and attractive, maybe consider something else. You don’t want to give people the wrong idea!

But at the same time, if you’re someone interested in the swinging lifestyle, you can’t assume that someone with pink flamingos on their door or outside their home is definitely into the same thing. It’s widely debated online as to how well-known the pink flamingo symbol really is.

They aren’t a clear-cut sign you’re a swinger, but…

Some people believe that flamingos are a sign of someone who is into swinging, but it’s not one of the most common signifiers. Many people like flamingos (and even pineapples) just because they are a fun decoration, and won’t be aware of the connotations.

The problem is that it’s more of a sign that’s used outside people’s homes or, more commonly, in an RV park. It’s not something used in online conversations or on cruises. So there’s a little bit of confusion in the community.

I think that you should be fine wearing any flamingo-themed clothing. Based on my research, it seems like a lot of people have no idea that this is a sign of swinging. Even if you share a cruise with a secret swinger, they probably won’t acknowledge you – they will be more likely looking out for an upside-down pineapple even if the symbol is no longer permitted on some cruise doors.

But then the counter-argument is that these are supposed to be subtle signs. Otherwise, you would just wear a wristband that says: “into swinging”.

So, if you do decide to wear something with flamingos on it, or have plastic flamingos on your lawn, you might get a couple of vague questions from someone trying to find out more.

Flamingo emojis are relatively safe to use

The flamingo emoji doesn’t have a specific meaning but is normally tied to summer fun or holidays. It is an innocent emoji that doesn’t tend to have a hidden double entendre meaning, despite the use of a flamingo as a swinging sign in some communities.

So if you’ve sent someone a text message excited about your summer plans and you’ve included a flamingo, you haven’t outed yourself in any way! It can be hard to keep up with all the different meanings of emojis, but, for now, at least, the flamingo remains quite innocent.

Flamingos on a Cruise Ship

Flamingos on a cruise ship could have the same meaning as on land, and can mean swinging. However, flamingos have so many different meanings that it isn’t guaranteed. Flamingos and upside-down pineapples together are a stronger hint.

Upside-down pineapples are more widely associated with swinging, but flamingos could definitely be a sign on a cruise ship of a person or a couple looking to meet up with others for some swinging fun.

Read more: Upside-down pineapples on a cruise

The thing is, flamingos are just associated with fun, summer and often with cocktails too – they’re quirky, light-hearted and kind of cheap and cheesy. And many people view a cruise as the perfect representation of that sort of fun, cocktail-in-hand stereotype, lying by the pool, without it having anything to do with swinging.

Here’s a photo of me with my pink flamingo towel clips to prove the point…

There’s also a really popular brand of sunglasses called Goodr that has a pink flamingo as their ‘CEO’ (mascot, really), and they have a range called “flamingos on a booze cruise”. They’re not associated with the swinging lifestyle at all – just pina coladas and loads of fun.

Overall, I would suggest that you don’t start knocking on the doors of people with a pink flamingo on them if you’re hopeful of meeting someone else interested in swinging. The better thing to do, if you do want to enjoy some swinging fun, is to try to find people on lifestyle websites who may be on the same cruise as you.

In fact, look out for anyone posting a cruise roll call with a pineapple emoji on there – that’s a potential sign of someone wanting to pre-arrange a swinging get-together on a ship.

And of course, if you really want to enjoy swinging on a cruise ship, then book a cruise through a specialist planner that offers dedicated swinging cruises – like Desire Resorts and Cruises. Then there’s no uncertainty at all.

Read more: 6 Best Cruises For Swingers

Flamingos Outside Of Cruises

Outside of cruise ships, pink flamingos are most often just playful decoration. In some neighbourhoods and RV parks, they’re linked to birthday pranks or charity “flocking” fundraisers.

While some people believe flamingos can signal an alternative lifestyle, that meaning isn’t widely understood, and in most cases, they’re simply kitsch, tropical fun.

Pineapple and Flamingo Meaning When Used Together

Pineapples and flamingos can be a sign of swinging. Pineapples tend to be more common as jewellery, on clothes or on cruise ships (on cabin doors, if they’re still allowed), while flamingos are a sign used outside homes or in RV parks.

Pineapples definitely have a stronger connotation, especially when hung upside down. But if someone is wearing both pineapples and flamingos, then either they are definitely interested in swinging, or they are very unlucky and could get some unwelcome questions and advances.

And if you see someone wearing upside-down pineapples, with flamingos on their door, and wearing a black ring on their right hand, they may as well hang up a neon sign advertising their interests.

This flamingo and pineapple t-shirt should also make you stand out from the crowd…

The Bottom Line

Pink flamingos don’t have one clear, universally agreed meaning.

In some circles, they’re seen as a subtle nod to the swinging lifestyle. In most others, they’re simply a fun, tropical decoration with zero hidden intent. Compared to the upside-down pineapple, flamingos are far less widely recognised as a signal.

That’s the key point. A flamingo on its own is ambiguous. Many people displaying one won’t be trying to send any kind of message at all.

So if you love flamingo shirts, towel clips or cabin décor, you’re probably perfectly safe. And if you’re looking for a sign from someone else, don’t assume a pink bird means anything definite.

Maybe the flamingo would need to be upside down too to make the message clearer… but until that becomes a “thing”, sometimes a flamingo really is just a flamingo.

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• Cruise Door Decorations: Everything you need to know
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• The Best Cruises for Singles to Hook Up