Turkey Bars 1,000-Passenger LGBTQ+ Cruise as Patti LuPone Denounces Port Ban
Updated
Updated · Deadline · Jul 3
Turkey Bars 1,000-Passenger LGBTQ+ Cruise as Patti LuPone Denounces Port Ban
3 articles · Updated · Deadline · Jul 3
Summary
More than 1,000 U.S. passengers on the Scarlet Lady were blocked from docking in Kuşadası and Istanbul after Turkish authorities canceled the ship’s planned port calls.
Turkey cited “moral standards” and “family values,” with local authorities saying the chartering groups were known for behavior incompatible with Turkish society and values.
Patti LuPone, scheduled to perform on the July 5 Atlantis Events sailing from Athens to Venice, called the decision homophobic in an Instagram post and said she would still sail.
Atlantis Events rerouted the voyage to Cairo and Crete instead, while the Virgin Voyages-owned ship skips its two scheduled Turkey stops.