The Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady cruise ship carrying nearly 2,000 passengers was denied entry to Turkish ports and subsequently refused docking at Alexandria, Egypt, in early July 2026. The vessel departed Athens on July 5, 2026, on a 10-night Mediterranean itinerary that originally included Kuşadası and Istanbul, Turkey, before scheduled calls in Alexandria, Egypt.
Turkish Authorities Deny Port Access
Turkish authorities canceled the ship’s planned stops in Kuşadası and Istanbul, citing concerns over the cruise being chartered by groups “known for behaviours that do not align with the structure of our society and our moral values.” The Turkish government published a statement indicating the visit
“sparked significant public concern” and declared there was no chance for the group to dock.
Egyptian Port Denial Disrupts Itinerary
Days after the Turkish refusal, the Scarlet Lady was denied entry into Alexandria, Egypt. Passengers were notified early on July 9, 2026, that the ship would no longer call at Alexandria as planned. Egyptian port authorities have not publicly provided an official reason for this refusal. The denial forced the cruise to reroute once again, affecting passengers who had prepaid for private tours including visits to pyramids and museums.
Statements from Atlantis Events and Passengers
Rich Campbell, CEO of Atlantis Events, informed passengers about the change and described the Egyptian denial
as a surprise. He stated, “Early this morning, we were informed that Scarlet Lady has been denied entry into Egyptian waters, and, as a result, will no longer be able to call in Alexandria today.” Campbell also called Turkey’s decision “stunning,” linking it explicitly to the ship carrying a gay group. Broadway performer and passenger Patti LuPone expressed anger about being denied entry to Turkey, saying on Instagram, “A ship — a magnificent ship — full of gay men. And me. Denied entry to Turkey simply because of who is on board. I am furious.” Passenger Randy Slovacek noted that
this was the first instance in Atlantis Events’ 36-year history of a ship being denied docking and highlighted that the refusals occurred in two countries within one week.
Revised Itinerary after Port Refusals
Following the denial of entry to Turkey and Egypt, the Scarlet Lady’s itinerary underwent multiple adjustments. The ship was rerouted to dock in Chania, Crete, Greece, on July 10, 2026. Subsequent scheduled calls include Santorini, Greece; Kotor, Montenegro on July 12; Dubrovnik and Zadar, Croatia; and Trieste, Italy. These changes were announced to passengers shortly after learning their original ports would not accept the vessel.
Context and Industry Reactions
Turkish authorities’ actions reflect a hardening stance
on LGBTQ+ rights under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government, including proposed legislation criminalizing same-sex commitment ceremonies, which has drawn criticism from human rights organizations. Kyle Olsen, a tour operator specializing in LGBTQ+ travel, said he feared the refusals in Turkey and Egypt would encourage similar port bans elsewhere. Olsen also noted the unexpected nature of Egypt’s denial and that many passengers anticipated the Egypt stop as a highlight of the cruise.
Atlantis Events had successfully chartered cruises through Turkey without incident 13 times in 25 years prior to this event. Calls involving the U.S. embassy in Turkey to reverse the
ban were unsuccessful. The refusal by Egypt remains unexplained beyond the official notification to the cruise.
