Turkey Blocks LGBTQ+ Cruise, Citing 'Moral Values'; Patti LuPone "Furious"

A cruise ship carrying 2,000 LGBTQ+ passengers and the celebrated Broadway performer Patti LuPone has been blocked from docking in Turkey. Authorities in the Aydin province, where the port town of Kuşadası is located, stated that the group's behaviors did not "align with the structure of our society and our moral values."

The Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady, chartered by Atlantis, a US company specializing in LGBTQ+ cruises, had set sail from Athens, Greece, on July 5 for what was billed as an "epic all-gay voyage." The ship was scheduled to dock in Kuşadası on July 7, with a subsequent visit to Istanbul planned. However, local authorities announced the cancellation of the ship's arrival, citing "significant public concern" and declaring, "There is absolutely no possibility of the group in question visiting our province for an event of this nature."

This decision has caused considerable surprise, especially given that Atlantis Events has a history of docking gay cruises in both Istanbul and Kuşadası 13 times over the past 25 years, according to Rich Campbell, the company's president and chief executive. Seventy-seven-year-old Tony Award winner Patti LuPone, who is performing on the vessel, took to Instagram to express her shock regarding the news on Saturday.

Following the ban, the Scarlet Lady will now reroute and make stops in Cairo and Crete instead of Turkey. The incident highlights ongoing debates surrounding LGBTQ+ rights and cultural differences in global travel.

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