Turkish authorities have banned an American LGBTQ+ cruise ship from entering the country's ports, citing local societal structure and moral standards.
The Virgin Voyages vessel Scarlet Lady, operated by US-based travel company Atlantis Events, was scheduled to dock in Kuşadası on July 7, 2026, as part of a 10-day Mediterranean voyage.
Government officials in Aydin province stated that the tour was chartered by groups known for behaviors incompatible with local values.
The arrival was canceled following what officials described as significant public concern.
Passengers and Performers React
Broadway performer Patti LuPone, who was scheduled to perform on the vessel, expressed shock over the restriction.
"The Atlantis cruise I am performing on next week has been banned from entering Turkey," she wrote on social media.
LuPone described the ship as "full of gay men" and herself, denied entry "simply because of who is on board."
The vessel will alter its route to bypass Turkey completely, scheduling alternative stops in Cairo, Egypt, and the Greek island of Crete.
"I am furious, but I am sailing, as the ship will make other ports of call," LuPone added.
Wider Restrictions
The restrictions also extended into Istanbul, where the cruise was scheduled to travel after Kuşadası.
Istanbul police raided Tek Yön, an 18-year-old gay nightclub in the Cihangir area, closing the venue on June 27 after it posted a social media invitation to cruise passengers.
Atlantis Events President and CEO Rich Campbell stated that the company has docked gay cruises in Istanbul and Kuşadası 13 times over the past 25 years without prior incidents.
"It's pretty stunning, to be honest," Campbell said.
"It's very concerning to me when a country decides they can pick and choose which tourists are allowed in and which are not."
The travel firm attempted to resolve the issue through communications with the US embassy in Turkey but could not convince local authorities to reverse the ban.
"It's the first time Atlantis had been actively told we may not berth here because of who we are in its 36-year history," Campbell said.
Campbell noted that a promotional brochure used by authorities to justify the nightclub raid was not affiliated with his organization.
"When we pull into port, the ship looks like any other ship," he said.
"It's not like we're a gay pride rally, we're not a march, we're not an organization, we're not a political statement in any way."
While homosexuality is legal in Turkey, the ruling conservative government has increased anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and banned Istanbul Pride marches annually since 2015.
Passenger Randy Slovacek, an American journalist onboard, said he had previously visited Turkey on similar tours without issues.
"There's never been a problem, none at all, but suddenly they have a problem," he said.
Slovacek noted that local businesses would lose out on economic benefits from cruise tourists, while Cairo and Crete would enjoy their tourism dollars.
Representatives for the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Turkish embassy in Washington, and Virgin Voyages have not commented on the port cancellations.
