Turkey Denies LGBTQ+ Cruise Ship From Docking Over 'Moral Values', Forces Mediterranean Itinerary Change

A cruise carrying LGBTQ+ travelers has been barred from docking at Turkish ports after authorities canceled its scheduled stops, citing the country's "moral values" and "family structure."

The 10-day Mediterranean voyage, organized by Atlantis Events, is set to depart from Athens, Greece, on July 5. It was originally scheduled to stop at the Turkish port town of Kuşadası before visiting Istanbul. Following Turkey's decision, the itinerary has been revised, with the ship now set to visit Cairo, Egypt, and the Greek island of Crete instead.

Authorities in Aydın province, where Kuşadası is located, said the cruise was chartered by groups "known for behaviors incompatible with the fabric of our society and our moral values." They added there was "absolutely no possibility of the group in question visiting our province for an event of this nature."

The voyage is being operated aboard the Scarlet Lady, a ship owned by Virgin Voyages. Around 1,900 passengers are expected on board, including nearly 1,100 travelers from the United States, along with visitors from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and other countries.

Atlantis Events President and CEO Rich Campbell called the decision unprecedented.

"It’s pretty stunning, to be honest. I mean, and the reasoning behind it is that it’s a gay group," Campbell said.

"It’s very concerning to me when a country decides they can pick and choose which tourists are allowed in and which are not."

Campbell said it was the first time in the company's 36-year history that it had been denied permission to dock because of the identity of its guests.

"This is not a political organization. We are not there for anything except to spend money, have a good time, take tours and be incredibly respectful to every culture we visit," he added.

Turkey has taken an increasingly hardline stance on LGBTQ+ rights in recent years. Pride marches in Istanbul have been banned since 2015, with authorities citing security and public order concerns. Rights groups have repeatedly criticized the government's policies toward the LGBTQ+ community, and the latest move has drawn international attention over concerns about discrimination against travelers.