Egypt Denies Entry to LGBTQ+ Cruise Ship, Days After Turkey Turned It Away

An LGBTQ+ cruise ship that was already blocked from Turkey earlier this week has now been refused entry into Egypt, leaving 2,000 passengers scrambling for new ports. The Scarlet Lady, a Virgin Voyages ship chartered by Atlantis Events, was supposed to dock in Alexandria on Thursday. Instead, passengers woke to a note under their cabin doors saying the visit was canceled. Among those onboard is Broadway legend Patti LuPone, who called the decision infuriating.

Atlantis CEO Rich Campbell told passengers that the company was blindsided by the Egyptian government’s move. “We successfully sailed a similar itinerary last year without issue. So we were surprised by this unfortunate decision,” he wrote. The Egypt stop was already a last-minute replacement after Turkey barred the ship, citing concerns that the group’s presence didn’t align with “the structure of our society and our moral values.” Campbell said the company had chartered cruises to Turkey 13 times over the past 25 years with no problems.

Randy Slovacek, a passenger onboard, wrote on his blog that in Atlantis’s 36-year history, a ship had never been denied a port—until now, twice in one week. “If they don’t want our tourism, we will sparkle and spend elsewhere,” he said. Kyle Olsen, owner of another LGBTQ+ tour company, worries other countries may follow suit. “This is a sad representation of the way the world is going,” he said, noting that many passengers had paid for private tours to see the pyramids. The ship has now been rerouted to Crete and Montenegro. LuPone, who is set to perform on the cruise, posted on Instagram: “I am furious, but I am sailing. I am ready to perform for all the wonderful men who deserve so much better.”