LGBTQ+ cruise ship denied entry to Egypt after Türkiye refusal

An LGBTQ+ cruise ship denied entry to Turkish waters earlier this week has also been refused access to Egypt, forcing a second last-minute change to its itinerary, as per a report by The Guardian.

Passengers aboard the Scarlet Lady, a Virgin Voyages ship chartered by Atlantis Events, were informed on Thursday morning, July 9, that Egyptian authorities had barred the vessel from entering their waters. A note placed under cabin doors told the ship’s approximately 2,000 passengers — among them Broadway performer Patti LuPone — that alternative ports were being urgently arranged.

“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,” Rich Campbell, chief executive of Atlantis Events, said in a message to passengers.

“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 wrote.

The note 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 planned stop in Egypt had already replaced an earlier port of call in Türkiye, after authorities there blocked the ship’s entry. No official explanation has been provided by Egyptian authorities for their decision.

The 10-day cruise, sailing from Athens to Venice, was denied access to Türkiye after local officials said the voyage had been chartered “by groups known for behaviours that do not align with the structure of our society and our moral values.”

Authorities added that the ship’s arrival had been cancelled after it “sparked significant public concern,” stating: “There is absolutely no possibility of the group in question visiting our province for an event of this nature.”

Following the second disruption, the vessel has been rerouted again and is now scheduled to dock in Chania, Crete, on Friday, July 10, and in Montenegro on Sunday, July 12.

By Tamilla Hasanova