Turkey has reportedly denied two American LGBTQ+ cruises entry into its ports, citing “moral values.” This move reflects the government’s increasingly strict stance on LGBTQ+ issues, led by an Islamist administration.
One of the affected trips, the “Athens to Venice” cruise organized by Atlantis Events from Los Angeles, was supposed to stop in Kusadasi, Turkey, on July 7 before heading to Istanbul.
As a result, the cruise will reroute to Cairo, Egypt, and the Greek island of Crete, as first reported by CNN.
Local Turkish authorities cancelled the port call, explaining that the ship had been booked by a group “known for behavior that does not align with social structures and moral values.”
An official from Aydın province, home to Kusadasi, asserted, “There is no possibility that this group would come to our province for an event of this nature.”
The Scarlet Lady, operated by Virgin Voyages and backed by Richard Branson, was expected to host around 1,900 passengers over its 10-day Mediterranean voyage, with about 1,100 coming from the U.S. and others from the UK, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere.
Rich Campbell, CEO of Atlantis Events, expressed mild shock at the news, saying, “Honestly, this is pretty surprising. I mean, the reason behind it is because this is a gay group.”
He further remarked, “It’s very concerning to me that a country would decide that they can choose which tourists they allow and which tourists they don’t.”
Campbell noted that in 36 years of operating LGBTQ+-oriented cruises, this was the first instance of being directly informed they might be barred due to their passengers’ identities.
Under President Erdogan, Turkish authorities have intensified their crackdown on LGBTQ+ events in recent times. Istanbul Pride marches have faced bans since 2015, often justified by public safety and security concerns.
Campbell emphasized that the cruise wasn’t intended as a political statement; rather, travelers aimed to engage with local attractions and support businesses.
“This is not a political organization. We are here for no other reason than to spend money, have a good time, take tours, and have incredible respect for all the cultures we visit,” he added.
The change in itinerary was communicated to passengers on Thursday after the Turkish government’s cancellation of the scheduled stops.
The newspaper has reached out to the Turkish authorities, Campbell, Atlantis Events, and Virgin Voyages for further comments.
