- The Scarlet Lady cruise ship, chartered by 2SLGBTQ+ travel company Atlantis Events, was denied entry to both Turkey and Egypt, prompting itinerary changes for its passengers.
- Turkish authorities canceled the planned port calls, stating the cruise was chartered by groups "known for behaviours incompatible with the fabric of our society and our moral values."
- Following Turkey's decision, Egypt also denied the ship entry, leading to further changes in the cruise's itinerary.
- Passengers aboard the cruise were informed of the changes via a note placed under their cabin doors, indicating the ship was urgently seeking alternative ports.
- Rich Campbell, CEO of Atlantis Events, described the situation as stunning, emphasizing that the reasoning behind Turkey's decision was due to the ship being a gay group.
- The 10-day cruise from Athens to Venice was disrupted after Turkish authorities barred the ship from docking, citing moral standards and family values.
- The decision to deny entry to the Scarlet Lady came after backlash over a planned LGBTQ+ event in Istanbul.
- Kyle Olsen, owner of Hermes Holidays, suggested that Turkey's refusal influenced Egypt's decision, stating that if Turkey had allowed entry, Egypt would not have issued its ban.
- The Egyptian government did not provide an official reason for denying the ship entry, which was described as a last-minute decision.
The Scarlet Lady cruise ship, operated by Virgin Voyages and chartered by LGBTQ+ travel company Atlantis Events, faced significant itinerary changes after both Turkey and Egypt denied it entry due to the ship's LGBTQ+ passenger demographic.13
Turkish authorities initially barred the ship from docking, citing 'moral standards' and 'family values.' Rich Campbell, CEO of Atlantis Events, expressed his disappointment, stating, "The reasoning behind it is that it’s a gay group."6
Following Turkey's refusal, Egypt also denied the ship access to Alexandria, leading to an additional day at sea for the nearly 2,000 passengers.
Passengers received a notification in the middle of the night about the cancellation of their planned stop, which included tours to Cairo and the Egyptian Museum.
“It feels like it’s yet again people are saying, ‘It’s not OK to be gay,’” said passenger Joshua New, highlighting the emotional impact of the decisions.
The cruise, which departed Athens, Greece, on July 7, was initially planned to return on July 15 after sailing through the Mediterranean.
Campbell noted that this was the first time in over 20 years of LGBTQ+ cruises to Turkey that such a ban occurred, raising concerns about future travel restrictions for LGBTQ+ groups.
“I worry that other countries are going to be emboldened in turn to ban gay cruises from their ports as well,” said Kyle Olsen, owner of Hermes Holidays.
The situation has sparked an international conversation about LGBTQ+ rights and travel, as passengers grapple with the implications of being denied entry based on their sexual orientation.
“The Scarlet Lady's 2,000 passengers were informed of the changes after Turkish authorities cited 'moral standards' for their decision. Rich Campbell, CEO of Atlantis Events, expressed disappointment, noting that the cruise had successfully docked in Turkey multiple times in the past without incident.”
The Guardian
