LGBTQ+ cruise refused entry to Egypt days after Turkey blocked ship over ‘moral values’
Passengers aboard the Scarlet Lady were told this morning (9 July) that the vessel would no longer be calling at Alexandria
By Callum Wells
An LGBTQ+ Virgin Voyages cruise has been refused entry to Egypt, days after Turkish authorities barred the same ship from docking.
Passengers aboard the Scarlet Lady were told this morning (9 July) that the vessel would no longer be calling at Alexandria after Egyptian authorities denied it access to the country’s waters. No official reason has been given for the decision.
The stop had only recently been added to the itinerary after Turkey blocked the ship from visiting the country earlier this week.
How passengers learned Egypt had refused entry
Guests discovered the news in a letter delivered to their cabins from Atlantis Events CEO Rich Campbell.
“Early this morning, we were informed that Scarlet Lady has been denied entry into Egyptian waters, and, as a result, will no longer be able to call in Alexandria today,” Campbell wrote.
“I know how much this visit meant to so many of you. We successfully sailed a similar itinerary last year without issue. So we were surprised by this unfortunate decision.”
He added: “Please know that both the Atlantis and Virgin Voyages teams worked tirelessly to make this call in Alexandria a possibility. This news came as a surprise to all of us, and we’re just as disappointed as you are.”
The 10-day sailing from Athens to Venice originally included stops in Turkey before authorities there blocked the visit.
How Atlantis responded to Turkey’s decision
In a statement, officials said the cruise had been chartered “by groups known for behaviours that do not align with the structure of our society and our moral values”. They also claimed the visit had “sparked significant public concern”, adding: “There is absolutely no possibility of the group in question visiting our province for an event of this nature.”
Campbell later told CNN: “The reasoning behind it is that it’s a gay group.”
He said Atlantis had operated cruises to Turkey 13 times over the past 25 years without any previous issues, and that discussions involving the US embassy had failed to overturn the decision.
Broadway star Patti LuPone, who is performing onboard, criticised Turkey’s decision before the cruise departed.
Patti LuPone condemns the ban
“The Atlantis cruise I am performing on next week has been banned from entering Turkey,” she wrote on Instagram. “A ship – a magnificent ship – full of gay men. And me. Denied entry to Turkey simply because of who is onboard.
“I am furious, but I am sailing, as the ship will make other ports of call. I am ready to perform for all the wonderful men on this Atlantis cruise, who deserve so much better than this.”
Travel blogger Randy Slovacek, who is onboard, said: “In the company’s 36-year history, Atlantis had never had a ship denied entry to dock. And now it’s happened in two countries in one week.”
The Scarlet Lady is now expected to call at Chania, Crete, before continuing to Montenegro later in the voyage.