An American man has gone viral after revealing the bizarre and deeply misunderstood reason behind the unexpected attention he received while on a cruise with his partner.
Ricky Bobby, a TikTok content creator, shared a video documenting the confusing—and ultimately infuriating—series of events during what was supposed to be a relaxing getaway.
In the clip, Ricky is seen casually wearing a shirt decorated with pineapples as he strolls around the cruise ship.
But, as he soon discovered, the fruit on his shirt wasn’t just a tropical motif—it was an X-rated invitation.
Man discovers the “unexpected” reason behind random strangers hitting on him while on a cruise with his fiancée
Image credits: Peter Hansen
The video, which exploded in popularity with close to 19 million views since it was uploaded last month, begins with footage of Ricky being greeted by random strangers while relaxing on a poolside chair as his fiancée wonders what exactly is going on.
“They would walk by sometimes staring at us. Even sometimes flirt with us. They would whisper things under their breath,” she wrote.
Image credits: prericky
The situation escalated quickly, with some passengers going as far as physically touching him as they passed while saying suggestive things to him. That’s when Ricky’s fiancée realized it was his shirt all along.
The source of the flirtation? Pineapples.
Image credits: prericky
According to popular lore—especially among cruise-goers—wearing pineapples, particularly upside down pineapples, signals that you’re open to “swinging.” In other words, it tells people you’re potentially open to group encounters or swapping partners.
While Ricky’s shirt didn’t appear to have any pineapples upside down, that distinction didn’t seem to matter much to the ship’s more “adventurous” passengers.
Ricky was far from the only person mistakenly being associated with “swingers” by wearing pineapple-themed clothing on cruises
Image credits: prericky
The video ends with Ricky realizing that he had been inadvertently turned into an X-rated billboard and fuming in embarrassment, while his fiancée can be seen laughing.
Aside from making fun of Ricky, many viewers shared their anecdotes having experienced similar situations while on cruise ships.
Image credits: prericky
“Me and my ex didn’t know and had matching pineapple shirts on a cruise—we were like, ‘People are so nice and keep talking to us,’” a fan shared.
“The rest of the cruise I was called ‘Mr. Pineapple Shirt.’ I had no idea. I threw the shirt in the trash.”
@prericky We didnt know what the shirt meant.. #carnivalcruise #jokes #carnival #pineapplecruise i found her tiktok @kai_b98 ♬ TRIPPIN – Sturdyyoungin & Ohthatsmizz & ZEDDY WILL
Others expressed disbelief that Ricky could make such a mistake, as many considered the pineapple signal to be well-known among cruisegoers. “How do you take the pineapple shirt on a cruise and not know?” one viewer asked.
Some cruise lines have gone as far as to prohibit pineapple imagery on board after reports of altercations and pranks
Image credits: Pineapple Supply Co.
With more guests becoming aware of the pineapple’s “secret meaning,” some cruise lines are no longer turning a blind eye.
Earlier this year, Carnival Cruise Line, one of the biggest players in the industry, recently added upside-down pineapples to its growing list of banned items.
@kai_b98 I’m that girl… Help me find them TikTok ???????????? #carnivalcruise #carnival #jokes #pineapplecruise #upsidedown #pineapple #anxiety ♬ Anxiety – Doechii
To maintain what it describes as a “family-friendly atmosphere,” Carnival banned the use of upside-down pineapple door decorations after reports of confusion, fights, and even pranks involving the swinger-associated symbol.
Carnival brand ambassador John Heald confirmed the new policy after a user suggested using pineapples to meet people on board.
“Thank you for mentioning that, those are definitely no longer allowed on the ships, and they will be removed from any cabin door,” Heald wrote.
Image credits: Brandon Nelson
Carnival later reiterated the policy on its official website, stating:
“All guests are expected to ensure their door decorations are respectful to fellow guests and reflect our family-friendly atmosphere. Items displayed during the cruise should not contain any message that may be considered offensive or contain nudity, profanity, or innuendos.”
“I already knew.” Many viewers were well aware of the secret meaning of pineapples on cruises
