An LGBTQ+ cruise ship was blocked from both its planned port in Turkish waters last week and additionally refused entry into Egypt this past Thursday due to what authorities referred to as ‘a misalignment of moral values,’ according to a report from The Guardian.
The Scarlet Lady’s cruise, organized and chartered by Atlantis Events, was carrying some 2,000 passengers on its planned route from Athens to Venice when the first route disruption took place.
According to a CNN report, Turkey blocked the cruise from docking in the Turkish port town of Kuşadası after authorities published a statement online saying the cruise was chartered “by groups known for behaviors that do not align with the structure of our society and our moral values”.
The cruise was rerouted to its planned substitute port in Alexandria, Egypt, when passengers reportedly woke on Thursday morning to find a note under their cabin doors informing them that the ship was once again urgently seeking alternative ports, The Guardian reported.
“Early this morning, we were informed that Scarlet Lady has been denied entry into Egyptian waters, and, as a result, will no longer be able to call in Alexandria today,” Rich Campbell, the CEO of Atlantis Events, wrote to passengers.
‘Surprised by this unfortunate decision,’ said Atlantis CEO
“I know how much this visit meant to so many of you. We successfully sailed a similar itinerary last year without issue. So we were surprised by this unfortunate decision,” he wrote.
“This news came as a surprise to all of us, and we’re just as disappointed as you are,” the note concluded.
No official reason was given for the Egyptian government’s decision, according to The Guardian.
“It’s pretty stunning, to be honest. I mean, and the reasoning behind it is that it’s a gay group,” Campbell told 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,” he added.
Although same-sex relations are technically legal in Turkey and Egypt, LGBT people have increasingly faced discrimination and increased criminalization under local law.
