Passengers aboard an LGBTQ+-focused cruise are reacting after two countries refused to allow the ship to dock, forcing itinerary changes and sparking an international conversation about LGBTQ+ rights and travel.
The Scarlet Lady, operated by Virgin Voyages and chartered by LGBTQ+ travel company Atlantis Events, departed Athens, Greece, on Sunday and is scheduled to return July 15 after sailing through the Mediterranean.
The cruise was originally scheduled to stop in Istanbul, Turkey, before continuing to other destinations. However, Turkish authorities barred the ship from docking, citing “moral standards” and “family values.”
According to passenger Joshua New, a South Florida resident traveling with his husband, the decision came after backlash over a planned LGBTQ+ event in Istanbul.
“He says to me, well, one of the gay bars in Istanbul was going to have a party for us, and a prominent conservative paper in Turkey got ahold of it, and it became a political problem,” New said.
He said many passengers were caught off guard.
“People were kind of in a lot of disbelief, angry, upset,” New said.
The itinerary changed again after passengers learned Egyptian authorities also would not allow the ship to make its planned stop near Cairo, resulting in an additional day at sea.
“That’s when we heard that the Egyptian authorities had said that you weren’t allowed to enter,” New said.
Despite the disappointment, New said the atmosphere onboard has remained positive.
“I try to think about positive stuff,” he said. “We should make the best of this. We’re on a cruise with lots of people that are amazing, and we can make the best of this.”
New said many travelers choose LGBTQ+-focused cruises because they provide a welcoming environment where passengers can be themselves while exploring new destinations.
“We choose to go on a gay cruise for this because we can feel comfortable to be ourselves,” he said. “It’s a way to gain community. It’s a way to share and be comfortable opening up.”
He added that for some international travelers, cruises like this represent a rare opportunity to feel accepted.
“Maybe they live in a place where being gay is not acceptable where (they’re) from,” New said. “And this is the one thing they do in a year, maybe in five years, that makes them feel free and alive.”
Still, he said being turned away by multiple countries has been emotionally difficult.
“It feels like it’s yet again people are saying, ‘It’s not OK to be gay, Josh ... What you are is not OK,’” New said.
Even so, he said the LGBTQ+ community has responded the way it often has in the face of adversity.
“Gay men are kind of resilient. For a lot of us, this isn’t something very new. It doesn’t mean it’s not hurtful,” he said.
Speaking from the ship’s deck, New described passengers continuing to enjoy their vacation despite the unexpected changes.
“There’s music -- people are laughing and clapping,” he said. “Life goes on, and we say, ‘You know what? We’re going to make the best of this, and we’re going to be resilient, just like we always have been.’”
Virgin Voyages and Atlantis Events have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the itinerary changes.
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