Home / Arts and Entertainment / Turkey Denies Entry to LGBTQ+ Cruise Ship
Turkey Denies Entry to LGBTQ+ Cruise Ship
23 Jul
Summary
- Turkey barred a cruise ship with 2,000 LGBTQ+ passengers.
- The ship was denied entry due to entertainment and passenger demographics.
- The Scarlet Lady cruise ship was rerouted to Cairo and Crete.
A Virgin Voyages cruise ship, the Scarlet Lady, was denied entry into Turkey due to its predominantly LGBTQ+ passenger base. The vessel, carrying approximately 2,000 guests and performer Patti LuPone, was scheduled to dock in Kusadasi on July 7. Local authorities stated the cruise did not align with Turkey's moral values and societal structure.
This decision led to the ship being rerouted, bypassing planned stops in Turkey and instead heading to Cairo and Crete. The cruise, organized by Atlantis Events, was an all-gay voyage sailing from Athens to Venice.
Rich Campbell, CEO of Atlantis Events, expressed concern over a country dictating which tourists are permitted entry. He emphasized that the ship presented itself as any other vessel and the cruise was advertised well in advance.
