Turkish authorities in Aydın province refused to let the Scarlet Lady, a Virgin Voyages luxury cruise ship carrying about 1,900 passengers on a dedicated LGBTQ+ charter, dock at the port of Kuşadası. Officials also canceled the ship's scheduled stop in Istanbul, effectively wiping Turkey off the entire itinerary. The vessel was on a 10-day Athens to Venice voyage organized by California-based Atlantis Events, and the majority of passengers on board were American citizens, as Trending Views reported.
In a statement that really leaned into the quiet part, Turkish authorities said the group was "known for behaviors incompatible with the fabric of our society and our moral values." Nothing says confidence in your moral fabric quite like being threatened by a boatload of tourists who mostly just wanted to see ancient ruins and eat baklava.
Kuşadası is one of the more popular cruise stops in the eastern Mediterranean, largely because it sits near famous archaeological sites. Istanbul, meanwhile, is Turkey's largest city and a staple on international cruise routes. Both ports presumably survived the economic loss of 1,900 passengers who would have happily spent money at local shops and restaurants, so congratulations to everyone involved in that calculation.
It is worth noting that Turkey does not actually criminalize same-sex relationships. So this is not a legal matter. It is more of a "we technically allow it but please do it somewhere we cannot see it, preferably in international waters" situation. In recent years, Turkish authorities in several cities have blocked or restricted pride marches, so the general direction of travel here is not exactly surprising.
The Scarlet Lady is operated by Virgin Voyages, and the charter was put together by Atlantis Events, which specializes in LGBTQ+ travel. There has been no reported response yet from Atlantis Events, Virgin Voyages, or United States officials regarding the denial. It is also unclear whether alternative ports were arranged for the affected passengers, though the Mediterranean is not exactly short on places that would love to welcome a shipful of tourists with money to spend.
The whole episode is a pretty clean illustration of a country trying to have it both ways. Turkey wants the international tourism dollars that come with being a crossroads of civilization but apparently draws the line at which civilized people get to come ashore. You would think a nation that literally bridges two continents might be a little more comfortable with the concept of different people existing in the same space, but here we are.
At least the passengers got to skip the haggling at the Grand Bazaar. Every cloud, as they say.
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