The Türkiye Guide

LGBTQ+ Cruise Ship Denied Turkish Port Calls: What It Means for Visitors

· 2 min read Travel News
Cruise vessel passing through the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, Türkiye

Contents

  1. What Happened
  2. What This Means for Individual LGBTQ+ Travellers
  3. For Cruise Passengers
  4. Other July Travel Notes for Türkiye

Turkish port authorities denied entry to the Scarlet Lady - a Virgin Voyages ship chartered by Atlantis Events carrying approximately 2,000 LGBTQ+ passengers - at Kuşadası and Istanbul in early July 2026. The ship was turned away citing what officials described as concerns about public order and moral values. Egypt denied the same vessel port access around the same period. Atlantis Events, which has operated LGBTQ+-focused cruises for 36 years, described this as the first time in its history that port calls had been refused in this way.

What Happened

The Scarlet Lady was operating a Mediterranean itinerary that included stops at Kuşadası (the port for Ephesus) and Istanbul. Turkish authorities did not permit the vessel to dock at either location. The incident received wide coverage in international travel media from 2 July onwards.

Egypt separately denied the same ship access, according to reporting from Bloomberg and the Washington Post, in events around 9–10 July.

What This Means for Individual LGBTQ+ Travellers

This incident relates specifically to a chartered cruise - a large organised group event that is highly visible and involves flying a particular flag. The situation for individual LGBTQ+ travellers visiting Türkiye is different in legal terms, though the broader context has deteriorated in recent years.

There is no formal law in Türkiye that criminalises same-sex relationships between adults. However:

  • Public displays of LGBTQ+ affection are treated inconsistently and can attract negative attention, particularly outside Istanbul.
  • Istanbul Pride has been banned since 2015, and authorities have shown increasing willingness to prevent visible LGBTQ+ gatherings.
  • LGBTQ+ organisations in Türkiye have reported increased pressure and difficulty operating.

Most LGBTQ+ individual travellers visit Türkiye without incident. That said, the trend in official attitudes is in one direction, and this incident is consistent with that direction. Travellers should make their own assessment of comfort level based on current advisories from their home government.

For Cruise Passengers

If you are booked on a Mediterranean cruise that includes Turkish ports, it is worth confirming with your cruise operator whether any itinerary changes are anticipated. This applies particularly to charters or voyages with a visible LGBTQ+ identity. Operators may reroute to alternatives such as Thessaloniki, Piraeus (for Athens), or other Aegean ports.

Other July Travel Notes for Türkiye

The Istanbul International Jazz Festival continues through 13–14 July, with Arooj Aftab and Joe Lovano among the remaining acts. Istanbul Jazz Festival events are held at Küçükçiftlik Park and smaller venues across the city.

The walk-up visa window at Turkish embassies has been permanently closed. All nationalities now need to apply online at evisa.gov.tr before travel. Most nationalities who previously qualified for sticker visas on arrival now qualify for the e-Visa. Our Türkiye entry and visa guide covers the process in full.