Would you be upset if your parents went on a cruise without you? Rather than sulking at work, it's best to make light of the situation, even if you are jealous that your parents are sipping tropical cocktails while you're sitting at your desk.
TikTok user @aweb6789 took to social media to share how they cleverly got back at their parents for vacationing without them. In a video originally posted on July 25, aweb6789 shares that they joined the Facebook group for their parents' Norwegian Jade sailing to recruit help for a playful prank.
"Is anyone in here flying in the day of the cruise that would be willing to help play a joke on my parents that will be cruising with y'all??" the post reads, "I wanted to ship someone pineapple magnets to hang on their door each day 🤣🤣."
Unlike cabin door decorations that typically feature nautical themes and cheerful messages—perhaps celebrating a birthday or "warning" others about their drink package—, upside-down pineapples possess a hidden meaning: the couple is open to swapping sexual partners.
That's right, if you see upside-down pineapples on your cruise ship, you might be in the presence of swingers! Rather than be blunt about their activities behind closed doors, upside-down pineapples are cheeky signals that are subtle enough to avoid offending other passengers.
If you have a cute pineapple tote bag or t-shirt, you may want to check how it's displayed. In general, however, you won't be mistaken for a swinger if you're caught sporting pineapple-themed appeal—many are fans of the fruit and are clueless about its hidden meaning on cruise ships.
Within one week, aweb6789's original video received over 806,000 views, 58,000 likes, 2,100 saves, and 495 comments.
Read more: Pineapple swingers: The truth about upside down pineapples on cruise ships
An eager cruiser responded within minutes
Facebook user Tim Briggs rose to the challenge, claiming he was "so in" and that it was the "best post ever."
After sharing screenshots of their conversation, the TikTok cuts to a video of Briggs laughing while looking at the magnets. "We can't wait to help you with this. This is awesome," he says.
Briggs also sent aweb6789 a series of selfies taken outside their parents' cabin, indicating the magnets were successfully placed during the 7-night sailing.
Thankfully, her parents had a great attitude about the prank
In an update shared on July 28, aweb6789's mother reveals she had no idea what upside-down pineapples meant. "I told your mom we should just go for it," her dad chimed in. aweb6789 responded, "Well, I'm thankful that you didn't."
Later in the video, her mom shares how they found $1 pineapple shirts at Walmart before leaving for their vacation, and, as luck would have it, they bought them! aweb6789's father unknowingly was prepared to match the decor that would later appear on their cabin door.
According to a second update, aweb6789's dad explains how his suspicions rose when people started winking at him. One day, he had issues getting into his stateroom, and another passenger walked by and said, "Ah, they must have started without you."
Her mother continues on to say when they returned to their cabin on the first night, they thought they had forgotten which stateroom was theirs! They had to ring another family member onboard to double-check.
Lo and behold, they were in front of the right cabin and figured out someone had hung the magnets on their door.
As the video of the prank went viral, the comments section erupted in support of aweb6789's cleverness and humor
"My mom is freaked out about pineapples because of this very reason - My parents are going on a cruise next August. THANK YOU FOR THIS IDEA," wrote Bridgette.
Katie G said, "Welp I now know what I'll be doing to my [brother-in-law] and [sister-in-law] when we go on a cruise next [year] lol."
"You should have posted that you need others to knock on the door inquiring about them being swingers 🤣🤣 like a bunch of random couples going to their door each evening," added Gabrielle.
If aweb6789's idea inspired you but you aren't sure how to get your parents' cabin number, act as though you're willing to help them book dining reservations, drink packages, and shore excursions. You'll need certain details to access the online cruise planner, like their stateroom and reservation numbers.
"My mom had given [the cabin number to] me months ago to help her attempt to book shows and dinners. I’m the 'travel agent' of the family typically but wasn’t invited 😂😂😂," explains aweb6789.
Many of the comments praised Briggs for his willingness to step up
Though the idea was concocted by aweb6789, it would not have been executed without the help of Briggs, and TikTok users acknowledged his role in the prank. "Tim absolutely ACED the vibe check," said sydney.
Micaela🖤🍄 commented, "This is AMAZING! And kudos to Tim Briggs.. the real MVP."
"I’m just here for how excited that guy is. I love him," exclaimed Sarah Cate ✨🦄.
"Should have posted this [guy's] Venmo because I want to buy them a drink! this is awesome," wrote AJ.
The prank took place on Norwegian Jade's July 20, 2024 sailing to the Caribbean
Norwegian Jade is one of Norwegian Cruise Line's oldest ships, having first launched in 2006. Before she sailed at NCL Jade, however, she was known as Pride of Hawaii. She was the third in a series of United States-flagged vessels operated by Norwegian specifically for the Hawaii cruise market.
While Norwegian Jade was initially planned to be a sister ship to Pride of America, NCL decided to make the vessel longer, thus designating her as a Jewel Class ship alongside Norwegian Jewel, Pearl, and Gem.
aweb6789's parents departed from Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida on July 20 and sailed to Puerto Plata-Amber Cove, Dominican Republic; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Great Stirrup Cay.
Read more: Norwegian Cruise Line ships by age — from oldest to newest
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
