Gay cruise barred from Turkey and Egypt, sails to Greece
The New York Times reported that Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady, carrying an LGBTQ-focused cruise organized by Atlantis Events and starring Patti LuPno, was denied docking by Turkish and Egyptian authorities and redirected to Crete, Greece. Broadway actress Patti LuPno publicly condemned the Turkish decision, saying the ban discriminated against LGBTQ travelers, according to Deadline. Turkish officials said the ship's passengers' behavior conflicted with the country's moral values and cancelled the planned port calls, as USA Today noted. After the Turkish rejection, Egyptian authorities also barred the vessel from entering their waters, with Yahoo reporting that the ship was denied entry without explanation.
The Hollywood Reporter added that officials offered no reason for the Egyptian denial, confirming the cruise's inability to dock. The Free Press observed that the dual refusals reflected a broader pattern of rights rollbacks affecting LGBTQ travel. Ultimately, the cruise continued its itinerary and made its scheduled stop in Crete, Greece.
