Turkish authorities have prevented an LGBTQ+ charter cruise aboard Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady from making its scheduled calls in Turkey, prompting a last-minute itinerary change by Atlantis Events, one of the best-known organizers of gay cruises and LGBTQ+ vacations
In a message to guests, Atlantis Events confirmed that Turkish authorities canceled the ship's planned stops in Istanbul and Kusadası despite the company's efforts to keep the original itinerary.
"We have had to change the ports in our itinerary to remove both port calls to Turkey," Atlantis Events CEO Rich Campbell wrote to passengers. "Despite exhaustive efforts on our part to reverse this decision, our calls to Istanbul and Kusadasi have been canceled by the Turkish Authorities." The company described the changes as being beyond its control and announced that the cruise would instead visit Alexandria, Egypt, and Heraklion, Greece.
"It's pretty stunning, to be honest. And the reasoning behind it is that it's a gay group," Atlantis Events President and CEO Rich Campbell told CNN.
While Atlantis did not provide a reason for the cancellation, Turkish media reported that local authorities objected to the nature of the voyage, which was being marketed as an LGBTQ+ cruise.
According to reports published by Turkish news outlet Bianet, the Governor's Office of Aydın Province, where Kuşadası is located, issued a statement declaring that allowing the ship to call at the port "with an organization as described" was "absolutely out of the question." Officials said the arrival of the group and the planned activities were considered incompatible with the province's social structure and moral values. They also said the planned visit had generated concern among different segments of the public.
The controversy extended beyond the cruise itself. Turkish media also reported that the Beyoğlu District Governor's Office in Istanbul ordered the closure of Tek Yön, one of the city's longest-running LGBTQ+ venues, after it posted an invitation welcoming passengers from the Atlantis cruise. Authorities said the venue had violated legal regulations, while the nightclub denied organizing any special cruise event, saying its social media post merely invited visitors to attend a regular party.
The itinerary change affects Atlantis Events 10-day Mediterranean charter aboard Scarlet Lady, scheduled to sail on July 5 from Athens to Venice. The original itinerary included Mykonos, Kuşadası, Istanbul, Santorini, Dubrovnik and Zadar. Following the cancellation of the Turkish calls, Alexandria and Heraklion have been added to the voyage instead.
Atlantis expressed disappointment with the outcome, noting that Turkey has long been one of its most popular destinations. The company said it has operated 13 full-ship charters to Istanbul and other Turkish ports since 2000, bringing approximately 25,000 guests to the country, and said it hopes to return in the future.
