Turkish authorities are refusing to allow gay cruise ships to enter the country.
The Virgin Voyages ship Scarlet Lady, chartered by Atlantis Events, left Athens on Sunday. The 10-day cruise is scheduled to end in Trieste, Italy, on July 15th.
The ship was scheduled to dock in the Turkish resort town of Kusadasi on the Aegean Sea on Tuesday. It was then scheduled to depart for Istanbul on Wednesday.
On June 28, officials from Aydın province, where Kusadasi is located, posted a statement on X confirming the decision not to allow the Scarlet Lady to enter Turkish ports.
Authorities said the “group” behind the cruise was “known for behavior that is inconsistent with the fabric and moral values of our society.” The June 28 statement also said the planned docking had “caused great discomfort among various segments of society.”
Ajikramasi Basin
The basis is an organizational one, with the management of the platform, toprumzun yapsujira, aflaki deherlelimizr, or within the group kilaranan beer kurvaziel gemisinin 7 Thames 2026 Talihinde Aydın Kusadasi Limanina plan… pic.twitter.com/MHqN0NoXHI
— TC Aydin Valiligi (@AydinValiligi) June 28, 2026
In a statement on its website, Atlantis Events said it had been “informed by Turkish authorities that Atlantis will not be permitted to enter Kusadasi or Istanbul during this voyage.”
“As a result, we have been forced to make some changes to our sailing itinerary,” the statement reads.
The cruise will make future stops in Alexandria, Egypt and Crete, the statement said.
“Both ports offer great opportunities for exploration and fun and have been our favorite ports for many years,” it reads.
(Discrimination and persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity are common in Egypt. The Egyptian Football Association, along with the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, opposed participation in the World Cup Pride Match, which was held in Seattle on June 26.)
Patti LuPone, who performs on a cruise ship, harshly criticized the Turkish government’s decision.
“Atlantis Cruises, who will appear next week, has been banned from entering Turkey,” she said on her Facebook page on July 2. “The ship – a fine ship – full of wealthy gay men. And me. I was denied entry to Turkey just because of who was on board. I’m furious, but the ship is sailing with other ports of call. I’m ready to perform for all the wonderful men who will be on this Atlantis cruise. They are so much better than this.”
Atlantis Events CEO Rich Campbell told the Washington Post He said his cruise company has visited Türkiye more than a dozen times over the past 20 years.
“We’re here to shop, be nice tourists and spend money,” he said. “This is a group that always respects culture.”
Campbell also pointed out that Turkey could lose at least $1 million in tourism revenue due to the decision.
“The bigger damage for Turkey is that when they start to be selective about who is allowed in, their economy is dependent on tourism, and it creates a conflict between tourists and themselves,” he told the Post. “And you risk turning away a lot of potential tourists.”
The Washington Blade reached out to Campbell for additional comment on Monday.
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
