LGBTQ+ Cruise Rerouted After Turkey, Egypt Deny Port Access; South Florida Passenger Speaks Out
Passengers were told the ship would seek an alternative port after Egyptian authorities denied entry, following earlier Turkish port blocks over the cruise’s LGBTQ+ charter.
- On Thursday, Egyptian authorities denied entry to the Scarlet Lady, a Virgin Voyages-owned ship chartered by Atlantis Events, just hours before it was scheduled to dock in Alexandria.
- Turkish authorities previously blocked the cruise from docking in Istanbul and Kuşadası last week, citing "moral standards" and claiming the group's behavior conflicted with their society's values.
- The ship carries 1,900 passengers, including Broadway performer Patti LuPone, while Atlantis Events CEO Richard Campbell called the bans unprecedented in the company's 36-year history.
- Despite the disruptions, passenger Joshua New described the onboard atmosphere as resilient, with the vessel now rerouted to visit Greece, Montenegro, and Croatia before arriving in Trieste, Italy, on July 15.
- While homosexuality remains legal in Turkey and Egypt, both nations have increasingly targeted the LGBTQ+ community, prompting international conversation about travel safety and the rise of restrictive government policies.
22 Articles
22 Articles
The Scarlet Lady takes 2,000 passengers on a trip organized by a LGBTQ+ tourism agency. Alexandria was denied last minute, after Turkey had already banned entry on 28 June.
A LGBTQ+ public cruise was prevented from docking in Egypt on Thursday (9), a few days after being barred by the Turkish authorities, according to the American newspaper The Washington Post. Virgin Voyages' ship Scarlet Lady takes about 2,000 passengers and would make a stopover in Alexandria, included in the route after the Turkish refusal. According to the CEO of Atlantis Events, the company responsible for the trip, the landing permit was rev…
2SLGBTQ+ cruise ship blocked by Egypt days after Turkey denied it entry
The Scarlet Lady cruise ship, which is currently chartered by 2SLGBTQ+ travel company Atlantis Events, has changed its itinerary for the second time this week, after first Turkey and now Egypt denied it entry to their ports.
Egypt turns away cruise ship with mostly gay men after Turkey blocked same voyage from docking
The Virgin Voyages ship Scarlet Lady, chartered by Atlantis Events, was reportedly denied entry into Egyptian waters after Turkish authorities barred it days earlier.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 59% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
