Story perspectives

Turkey, Egypt Ban Gay Cruise Ship Amid Right-Wing Backlash

7/16/2026

Summary

Turkey, Egypt Ban

Turkey and Egypt barred the cruise ship Scarlet Lady, carrying 2,000 gay American passengers and Patti LuPone, from docking.
Kyle Olsen said the bans reflect a right-wing rollback of LGBTQI+ rights and link them to a world where U.S. President Donald Trump has been reelected.
Olsen said the decisions are not isolated, citing a rise in conservative movements.

Summary

Harbor Master Cancels

At 12:30 a.m. on July 11, an Egyptian harbor master ordered the Scarlet Lady to turn around, canceling Alexandria.
The captain rerouted the ship to Crete and then Kotor, Montenegro, which passengers called a highlight.
CEO Rich Campbell spent the night on calls with Miami and emailed the revised itinerary by morning.
Anderson-Terry said Turkey and Egypt each lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in tourism revenue after rejecting the 1,900-guest cruise.

Summary

US Embassy Urges

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara urged Turkey to lift the port ban, calling the effort “amazingly supportive.”
Diplomats were busy with NATO business that week, including President Donald Trump’s visit to Turkey.
Egypt denied the port request without legal citation, appeal route, or rationale despite no explicit anti-LGBTQ law.
VACAYA co-founder Randle Roper called on LGBTQ-focused firms to stand together after the rejections.

History

Historical Context

In 2010, Moscow authorities, under President Vladimir Putin, denied a permit for the Gay Pride parade, sparking international condemnation. The city police detained 30 activists, while Amnesty International reported a 75 % rise in homophobic arrests that year. Today, Turkey and Egypt’s refusal to dock the Scarlet Lady mirrors Moscow’s 2010 exclusion, showing how right-wing governments weaponize port access against LGBTQ tourism. The pattern suggests that future cruise itineraries will increasingly factor political climate, prompting operators to negotiate legal safeguards and diversify regional routes.

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Turkey, Egypt Ban

Turkey and Egypt barred the cruise ship Scarlet Lady, carrying 2,000 gay American passengers and Patti LuPone, from docking.
Kyle Olsen said the bans reflect a right-wing rollback of LGBTQI+ rights and link them to a world where U.S. President Donald Trump has been reelected.
Olsen said the decisions are not isolated, citing a rise in conservative movements.

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