Carnival Cruise Line has recently tightened its policies, including implementing a new rule regarding controversial door decorations.
While decorating your stateroom door has become an increasingly popular cruise activity, one secret sign for swingers has now been banned from Carnival’s cruise ships. Confirmed by brand ambassador John Heald, the cruise line will no longer allow upside-down pineapples to be displayed on stateroom doors.
Confused what the upside-down pineapple might have to do with cruising? You’re not alone. The subtle symbol is only meant to appeal to a very specific crowd onboard cruise ships. The tropical fruit symbol is used to signify that the cabin’s couple is looking to swap partners (also known as “swinging”).
When guests display upside-down pineapples on their cabin door, this is a subtle invitation to others onboard who are open to the same idea. While once very obscure, the notion of upside-down pineapples is more common nowadays.
In response to one person’s suggestion of utilizing the fruity symbol to meet other singles onboard, the brand ambassador responded that Carnival will no longer allow this door decoration. The comment was shared on his public profile on Facebook where Heald engages frequently with Carnival Cruise Line guests.
In the comment, Heald stated, “Thank you for mentioning that, [upside-down pineapples] are definitely no longer allowed on the ships and they will be removed from any cabin door. Thank you for reminding me to mention that.”
Originally, a cruiser asked Heald if Carnival would consider hosting a meet-up event for solo travelers, prompting his response on Facebook. Specifically, the single mother of two teenagers proposed adding such a feature to Carnival’s onboard Hub app.
“Internet dating is time-consuming and I hardly have time to go out. Please can Carnival have an addition to their app that will give the opportunity for single cruisers to meet?” the woman asked the brand ambassador.
In response, Heald shared how Carnival Cruise Line used to have a singles gathering on its cruise ships. “Years ago, we used to have a singles meet and greet, a proper ice breaker with the entertainment staff there to host it. Over the years, we have for whatever reason let this slip away,” he responded.
Posing the question to his many followers, Heald asked, “Maybe we could and should call it Plenty of Fun in the Sea or Funder. Seriously though, I would like your opinion on this. There would be some concerns for sure but generally, what do you think about this?”
The decision elicited mixed reactions from Carnival cruisers on Facebook
Heald’s post received significant engagement online, amassing over 1,500 reactions and 1,300 comments. However, he might not have anticipated the pineapple comment to make waves online, but the controversial decision received mixed responses. But, the brand ambassador’s comment about banning the pineapple decor onboard was of interest to many curious cruisers.
Additionally, Carnival cruisers are notorious for having all-out decorations on their stateroom doors. As mentioned earlier, many guests utilize magnets, streamers, balloons, signs, and more to decorate their cabin doors. Even still, only a few doors typically display the upside-down pineapple for others to see.
“Is this real or are you being facetious? It doesn’t affect me either way, I’m just curious if Carnival is honestly cracking down to this extent,” asked one follower in the comment section.
One commenter questioned the sudden ban, asking: “I was just on [Carnival] Jubilee 3 weeks ago and there were LOTS of [upside-down pineapples]. Why now all of a sudden?”
Echoing this sentiment, another commenter asked, “What’s the reason, why [will] they will be removed? Serious question, will you be removing only decorations related to pineapples or all decorations? It would seem like everything should be removed if that’s the case. And maybe just not allowed door decorations at all anymore.”
However, some guests shared particularly unwanted experiences regarding pineapples on cruise ships. One commenter posted how guests continued to place unwanted pineapples on their cabin door, creating an uncomfortable situation for the guest and their granddaughters.
Read more: Pineapple swingers: The truth about upside down pineapples on cruise ships
“Thank you for that. Someone kept putting one on our door in February. We would take it down and, after dinner, one would be back,” wrote the cruiser.
“We are not upside-down pineapples, but it got serious when someone wrote our cabin down and had a couple show up - and actually knocked on the door. Our two granddaughters, 14 and 15, were staying in our room and they answered the door. The couple got reported,” the responder continued.
“Thank the beards for me!” exclaimed another Carnival cruiser in the comment section. In the comment, the cruiser described how she was on the lido deck on a cruise with her husband when her pineapple-patterned pants attracted the wrong clientele.
“A couple asked to sit with us, of course we said sure. We had a great conversation until they asked us to go to their cabin, without asking why we declined. Thank God because when they got up, the people next to us told us why,” she explains.
“I had capris with pineapples on them and they told us we were advertising that we were swingers. Then I had to ask what a “swinger” was… and oh my I was shocked. Went to the cabin and changed clothes and never wore anything with pineapples again!”
Reddit users also chimed in regarding the supposed policy change
The debate over the pineapple ban has also extended to online forums, where cruisers have shared mixed reactions. On the r/CarnivalCruiseFans thread on Reddit, one poster asked others how they felt about the recent pineapple ban on Carnival Cruise Line. For some, the change feels necessary to combat pranking while others feel it is too restrictive.
In the post, the user wrote, “I just read an article regarding door decorations. Carnival is now “cracking down” (their wording) on pineapples on doors. Although I'm not a part of that lifestyle I'm sitting 50/50 on their decision. What’s next?"
In response, the top comment reads, “This probably has to do with the amount of people who think it’s funny to put them on other people’s doors.” Replying to this comment, another Redditor shared how they witnessed teens moving and placing pineapples on other people’s doors.
“Someone on my last cruise had someone put a pineapple on their door, then some drunk person knocked on their door at 2am and woke up their kid. So this is probably why,” shared another commenter.
Carnival has been cracking down on its policies lately to enhance the onboard experience
Carnival Cruise Line has been implementing changes to its policy in recent weeks, which has sparked debate among its loyal following. Last week, the cruise line announced that all wireless speakers would be considered prohibited items. This means that guests will have their speakers confiscated on embarkation day if attempting to sneak one onboard.
On Carnival's website, the cruise line explained, "All speakers (including Bluetooth, portable, and wireless types) and radios are prohibited and will be held and returned at the end of the cruise. For safety reasons, public announcements must be heard by all guests and crew.”
Many passengers were furious by the decision, while others praised the cruise line for combatting the excessive noise from speakers. It's become more common to see passengers blasting music from speakers in public spaces. Until recently, guests could use speakers in their cabins as long as they were not disruptive. Now, passengers are banned entirely from bringing speakers onboard.
Additionally, other disappointing news for many came from the cruise line earlier this week regarding Carnival's famous onboard pizzeria. Typically, these venues used to be open into the late hours - or technically, early morning. Carnival announced that its pizzeria would now close at midnight; instead, guests can head to the late-night buffet in the Lido Marketplace. The change was not well received by loyal Carnival fans, citing subpar pizza quality in the buffet.
Allie Hubers
Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising and adventure. Allie's been on over 45 cruises all over the world. She even studied abroad on Semester at Sea, sailing the world on a ship while taking courses for college and visiting 4 continents.
