Many cruise travelers enjoy decorating their stateroom doors with whiteboards, magnets, and themed designs, but one certain theme is no longer permitted aboard Carnival cruise ships.
In response to a request for singles meetups and one commenter’s suggestion for a specific decorative accent, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador John Heald has confirmed that upside down pineapple decorations are not permitted and will be removed.
The topic was raised when one frequent cruiser asked Heald about the possibility of adding single cruiser meetups to the Carnival Hub app.
“Please can Carnival have an addition to their app that will give the opportunity for single cruisers to meet?” the guest asked, after explaining her busy life and how time-consuming online dating can be.
Heald noted that singles events used to be offered onboard but aren’t as popular these days.
“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 explained.
Unfortunately, it is not really possible to add singles notifications or connections on the cruise line’s app, but Heald does ask other commenters how they may have met that someone special while cruising.
One response referenced a particularly spicy cruise trend – the upside down pineapple decoration.
“Upside [down] pineapple on your door will do the trick!” they said, without further elaboration.
Heald was quick to respond to that idea, however, and firmly noted it would not be permitted.
“Thank you for mentioning that, those are definitely no longer allowed on the ships and they will be removed from any cabin door,” he said. “Thank you for reminding me to mention that.”
The upside down pineapple has a secret meaning on cruise ships, indicating that the individuals in that particular stateroom are open to the idea of swinging or wife-swapping.
While not illegal, this behavior can lead to tense situations between passengers, especially if both partners may have different ideas of what may or may not be acceptable or who should “interact” with whom.
More commenters chimed in, noting that they’ve seen pineapple door decorations – right side up, upside down, and sideways (what does THAT mean?) – that haven’t been removed on their cruises. Unfortunately, the enforcement of the restriction appears to be somewhat lax.
For those who aren’t aware of what a pineapple decoration might mean, using these fun tropical fruits on their stateroom door might create awkward and unwanted situations.
While Heald has only noted the pineapple decorations as now prohibited, it is possible that other “secret symbols” in stateroom door decorations might also be frowned on and subsequently removed. That could mean pink flamingos, unicorns, garden gnomes, and other decorations might also be prohibited.
Carnival Cruise Line Stateroom Door Decorations
Carnival cruisers are permitted to decorate their cabin doors, but must follow the cruise line’s guidelines for safety.
For example, all decorations must be fire retardant, may only be attached to the door and not the surrounding walls, and may not include adhesives that could damage the door’s surface finish.
Magnets are popular options for many cruise travelers and come in a wide range of themes and fun designs, including birthday, anniversary, and other special occasion options. Personalized designs are also very popular.
Read Also: What You Need to Know on Decorating Your Stateroom Door
Decorating one’s cabin door can be more than just a fun option for many travelers. When a ship has thousands of staterooms and long corridors of identical doors, unique decorations can make it easier to find one’s cabin without accidentally knocking on strangers’ doors.
Decorations can also be useful for groups of travelers to find one another when they may not all have staterooms near each other. For example, some family members on a group cruise may book balcony cabins or suites while others prefer family staterooms or interior cabins.
Carnival Cruise Line does offer a variety of stateroom decorations for purchase, but the different banners and fun items are interior accents, not door decorations meant to display in the hallway.
Have you decorated your stateroom door? Would you ever use pineapples for decorations? Share your tips on the Cruise Hive boards!
