By Patrick Sykes
July 12, 2026 - Turkey and Egypt have stopped a cruise ship with over 1,900 LGBTQ tourists from docking at their ports. Turkey claims it is concerned about the impact on its society.
As the Scarlet Lady approached Alexandria, Egyptian port authorities ordered it to turn back, according to Rich Campbell, CEO of tour organizer Atlantis Events Inc., who spoke with Bloomberg.
The cruise was rerouted to include Alexandria after Turkey canceled its stops in Istanbul and the Aegean resort town of Kusadasi.
“It’s really upsetting for travelers,” Campbell said. “It’s wrong for a country to decide who can visit based on sexual orientation, religion, skin color, or any other criteria.”
Campbell mentioned that Atlantis has organized trips to Turkey and Egypt in the past without problems and had been given permission to dock in Turkey beforehand. Both nations rely heavily on income from tourism.
The Kusadasi provincial government stated that these tourists would conflict with “the fabric of our society and moral values,” adding that the planned arrival of the ship "caused significant distress."
Campbell said that Egyptian authorities did not provide an explanation for their decision. The tourism ministries in both Turkey and Egypt did not respond to inquiries.
The 11-day Atlantis tour, arranged with Virgin Voyages, is specifically marketed to gay men and includes onboard drag shows and visits to gay clubs in cities like Istanbul and Athens.
The cruise left Athens on July 5. After being turned away from Egypt, the ship docked at Crete and will now make an unscheduled stop in Montenegro before continuing to Croatia and Venice, Campbell noted.
In recent years, Turkish officials have increased restrictions on LGBTQ communities, banning pride events and shutting down advocacy groups.
Human Rights Watch has reported that in Egypt, authorities “use vague and abusive laws” to imprison LGBTQ individuals in its latest annual report.
Campbell cautioned that this situation could negatively impact Turkey’s tourism. “Larger groups will likely stay away — we will stay away,” he stated. “It’s a wonderful destination that should welcome everyone.”