Turkish Authorities Block LGBTQ+ Charter Cruise From Calling At Istanbul And Kusadasi

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Turkish authorities have prevented an LGBTQ+ charter cruise aboard Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady from making two scheduled port calls in the country, forcing a last-minute itinerary change just days before the voyage is due to begin.

Virgin Cruise ship - Scarlet Lady

Atlantis Events, one of the world’s largest organisers of LGBTQ+ cruises and holidays, confirmed that both planned visits to Istanbul and Kusadasi had been cancelled by Turkish authorities despite extensive efforts to keep the original schedule intact.

The 10-night Mediterranean sailing is due to depart from Athens on 5th July, ending in Venice. Instead of calling at the two Turkish ports, Scarlet Lady will now visit Alexandria in Egypt and Heraklion in Greece.

Istanbul, Turkey

In a message sent to guests, Atlantis Events CEO Rich Campbell said:

“We have had to change the ports in our itinerary to remove both port calls to Turkey. Despite exhaustive efforts on our part to reverse this decision, our calls to Istanbul and Kusadasi have been canceled by the Turkish Authorities.”

The company said the decision was outside of its control and apologised to guests for the disruption.

Speaking separately to CNN, Campbell suggested the nature of the charter was behind the decision.

“It’s pretty stunning, to be honest. And the reasoning behind it is that it’s a gay group,” Atlantis Events President and CEO Rich Campbell told CNN.

Turkish Officials Reportedly Objected To LGBTQ+ Cruise

While Atlantis Events did not officially state why the cruise had been denied entry, Turkish media reports suggested authorities objected to the fact that the voyage was being marketed specifically as an LGBTQ+ charter.

According to Turkish news outlet Bianet, the Governor’s Office of Aydın Province, where Kusadasi is located, said allowing the ship to visit the port “with an organization as described” was “absolutely out of the question.”

Officials reportedly argued that the arrival of the group and its planned onboard and shoreside activities were incompatible with the province’s social structure and moral values.

They also claimed the planned visit had generated concern among sections of the local community.

The controversy also spread beyond the cruise itself.

Ephesus

Turkish media reported that the Beyoğlu District Governor’s Office in Istanbul ordered the closure of Tek Yön, one of the city’s longest-running LGBTQ+ venues, after it shared a social media post welcoming passengers from the Atlantis sailing.

Authorities said the venue had breached legal regulations, while the nightclub denied hosting any official event linked to the cruise, stating that its post simply invited visitors to attend one of its regular parties.

Turkey Has Been A Popular Destination For Atlantis Cruises

The revised itinerary means Scarlet Lady will now visit Mykonos, Alexandria, Heraklion, Santorini, Dubrovnik and Zadar before arriving in Venice.

Atlantis Events said the outcome was particularly disappointing given its long history of operating cruises to Turkey.

The company said it has organised 13 full-ship charters visiting Istanbul and other Turkish ports since 2000, bringing around 25,000 guests to the country over that period.

Despite the latest decision, Atlantis said it hopes to return to Turkey with future sailings.

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