Key facts
- The Scarlet Lady cruise ship, chartered by LGBTQ+ tour group Atlantis Events, was denied entry to Egypt.
- Turkey had previously banned the ship from its waters earlier in the week.
- The ship was carrying 2,000 passengers, including Broadway performer Patti LuPone.
- No official reason was given by Egypt for the denial of entry.
- Turkey cited public concern and the group's perceived values as reasons for its ban.
- The ship has been rerouted to Chania, Crete, and will also visit Montenegro.
A cruise ship chartered by LGBTQ+ tour group Atlantis Events has been denied entry into Egypt, just days after Turkey also refused it passage. The Scarlet Lady, carrying 2,000 passengers, was informed of the Egyptian government's decision on Thursday morning, forcing it to seek alternative ports. The ship was already rerouted after Turkey banned it from its waters, with Turkish authorities stating the cruise was chartered by groups whose behaviors do not align with societal and moral values.
Rich Campbell, CEO of Atlantis Events, expressed surprise and disappointment, noting that similar itineraries had been successful in the past. The decision by Egypt came as a last-minute surprise, with passengers having paid for excursions to sites like the pyramids. The ship has since been rerouted to dock in Chania, Crete, and is scheduled to visit Montenegro.
Passenger Randy Slovacek shared his dismay on his blog, highlighting that this was the first time in Atlantis's 36-year history that a ship had been denied entry to dock in two countries within a week. Kyle Olsen, owner of Hermes Holidays, another LGBTQ+ tour company, voiced concerns that this could embolden other countries to ban gay cruises, viewing it as a regression of LGBT+ rights globally. Olsen, however, also noted that the views of governments may not reflect the general population's hospitality.
Broadway performer Patti LuPone, who is on the cruise, shared her shock on Instagram, calling the denial of entry "furious" and stating that the passengers "deserve so much better than this." Atlantis Events has a history of chartering cruises to Turkey without incident over the past 25 years.