Scarlet Lady LGBTQ+ cruise denied Turkish ports by authorities

Turkish authorities have prevented an LGBTQ+ charter voyage aboard Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady from making its scheduled calls at Istanbul and Kuşadası, resulting in a late revision of the itinerary by Atlantis Events, a company specialising in LGBTQ+ cruise holidays. The changes affect a 10-night Mediterranean charter departing Athens on July 5th, 2026, with Alexandria in Egypt and Heraklion on the Greek island of Crete replacing the two Turkish ports.

Atlantis Events informed guests that the alterations had been imposed following a decision by the Turkish authorities and noted that extensive efforts to retain the original itinerary had been unsuccessful. Company President and Chief Executive Officer Rich Campbell stated that the decision was based on the nature of the charter as an LGBTQ+ group voyage, describing the outcome as unprecedented in the company's 36-year history of operations. He also expressed concern over a situation in which a destination had chosen to deny entry based on the identity of the passengers rather than the purpose of the voyage, emphasising that the cruise was intended solely as a tourism programme.

According to reports from Turkish media, authorities in Aydın Province concluded that hosting the vessel in Kuşadası was incompatible with the province's social structure and moral values. Officials also indicated that the planned visit had generated public concern. The controversy extended to Istanbul, where the Beyoğlu District Governor's Office ordered the closure of Tek Yön, an LGBTQ+ venue that had published a social media message welcoming passengers from the cruise. The venue maintained that it had not organised a special event and had merely invited visitors to attend its regular programme.

The revised itinerary affects a voyage originally scheduled to include Mykonos, Kuşadası, Istanbul, Santorini, Dubrovnik and Zadar before concluding in Venice. Atlantis Events noted that Turkey had historically been one of its most popular cruise destinations, having operated 13 full-ship charters to Istanbul and other Turkish ports since 2000, carrying ~25,000 guests. The company also indicated that it hoped to resume calls to the country in the future should circumstances permit.