AI Generated Image
Turkey bans cruise ship of LGBTQ+ passengers from docking
USA Today • • world
Key Points:
- Turkish authorities banned an LGBTQ+ cruise ship from docking in Kusadasi and Istanbul, citing "moral standards" and "family values" as reasons for the cancellation, according to Atlantis Events and local officials.
- The cruise, operated by Virgin Voyages and carrying nearly 2,000 passengers, had been scheduled to visit Turkey as part of a Mediterranean tour but was redirected to Cairo and Crete instead.
- Atlantis Events CEO Rich Campbell criticized the decision as discriminatory and short-sighted, emphasizing that the cruise is not a political event but a regular tourism activity.
- U.S. Embassy efforts to reverse the ban were unsuccessful, and Turkish authorities maintained that the group’s behavior conflicts with societal and moral norms.
- Performer Patti LuPone, who was set to perform on the cruise, expressed shock and anger over the ban but affirmed her commitment to entertain passengers at alternative ports.
