Egypt Turns Away Scarlet Lady Carrying 1,900 LGBTQ+ Travelers After Turkey Bars 2 Ports
Updated
Updated · Advocate.com · Jul 14
Egypt Turns Away Scarlet Lady Carrying 1,900 LGBTQ+ Travelers After Turkey Bars 2 Ports
3 articles · Updated · Advocate.com · Jul 14
Summary
Alexandria denied entry to the Scarlet Lady just after midnight Friday, forcing the Virgin Voyages ship to turn around with about 1,900 LGBTQ+ passengers aboard an Atlantis Events charter.
Turkey had already blocked planned stops in Kuşadası and Istanbul over cited "moral values," and Atlantis' CEO said Egypt then failed to clear the passenger manifest in time, which he suspects was fallout from the Turkish controversy.
By 2 a.m., Atlantis and Virgin replaced the lost Egypt call with a delayed stop in Crete and a new one in Montenegro; passengers were notified overnight and refunded for canceled excursions.
U.S. Embassy staff in Ankara quietly tried to reverse Turkey's decision, Campbell said, but neither Turkish nor Egyptian officials nor Washington gave a public attributable response.
Atlantis said it is not ruling out future returns to either country, but wants direct assurances a ship will not again be denied because of who is on board.
After Turkey and Egypt rejected 1,900 tourists, will the economic cost outweigh the political statement for other nations?
Should travel companies avoid nations with anti-LGBTQ+ laws, or is engagement a better path to promoting change?
Denied Entry: How Turkey and Egypt Blocked 1,900 LGBTQ+ Travelers on the Scarlet Lady Cruise in July 2026
Overview
In July 2026, the Scarlet Lady cruise, organized by Atlantis Events and carrying about 1,900 guests, was unexpectedly denied entry to both Turkey and Egypt. This marked a sharp change from the company’s long history of positive visits to the region. The denial was linked to intensified governmental campaigns against LGBTQ+ people, forcing much of gay life in these countries underground. As a result, the cruise’s original itinerary was disrupted, causing significant challenges for both passengers and organizers. The incident highlights growing exclusionary policies and raises concerns about the future of LGBTQ+ travel in certain regions.