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• 2 min de lectura
What was meant to be a Mediterranean highlight spot turned into a major itinerary change for thousands of cruisers over the weekend.
Turkish authorities have blocked a cruise ship carrying nearly 2,000 LGBTQ+ travelers from docking at ports in the country.
CNN reported that the CEO of Atlantis Events, the company that organized the event, said on Thursday that officials cited "moral standards" and "family values."
Atlantis Events chartered Virgin Voyage's Scarlet Lady for the "Athens to Venice" cruise, which departed from Greece on July 5. The ship was scheduled to dock in Kuşadası on July 7, followed by a trip to Istanbul.
Turkish authorities have confirmed the cancellation, saying the voyage had been organized by groups whose activities they described as incompatible with the country's social norms and moral values.
The ship's planned stops in Turkey have been replaced with visits to Cairo, Egypt and the Greek island of Crete.
"It's pretty stunning, to be honest. I mean, and the reasoning behind it is that it's a gay group," said Rich Campbell, the president and CEO of Atlantis Events, to CNN. "It's very concerning to me when a country decides they can pick and choose which tourists are allowed in and which are not."
Turkey's decision has sparked indignation among many cruisers.
"All cruise lines need to stop all cruises to turkey and watch how much money it costs that country," wrote a user on Atlantis Events' Facebook page.
"I will never understand why companies are organizing GAY Cruises to countries who are against being LGTBQ," another user chimed in on Facebook.
In the Cruise Critic community, however, reactions were varied. While some members expressed shock, others were more understanding of the country's regulations.
"Their country, their rules. Whether or not I agree with the rules won't be discussed," wrote 1025cruise.
Some cruisers said they've never witnessed objectionable behavior on a Virgin Voyages ship and expressed disappointment that travelers won't get to experience Turkey.
A member who goes by the name cantgetin wrote: "I've never encountered behavior that I considered inappropriate on a VV ship. I've certainly seen some on other lines. It might be different on a cruise chartered for a particular group. Turkey was one of the most amazing stops on our DCL cruise several years ago; I'm sorry that these sailors will have to miss it."
