This week, an Atlantis Events LGBTQ+ cruise aboard Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady had both of its Turkey stops removed from the itinerary after Turkish authorities reportedly objected to the sailing. The cruise was due to sail from Athens to Venice from July 5 to July 15, 2026, with planned stops including Kuşadası and Istanbul.
Instead, passengers will now be heading elsewhere. Turkey is out. Alexandria in Egypt and Heraklion in Crete are in.
Is Virgin Voyages A Good Cruise Line?
What Actually Happened?
The sailing in question is an Atlantis Events charter on Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady. Atlantis is a long-running LGBTQ+ travel company known for full-ship gay cruises, sex-positive, resort takeovers, themed parties, and big social sailings.
This particular cruise was marketed as a Mediterranean gay cruise from Athens to Venice, with a route originally including Greece, Turkey and Croatia.
The problem came when Turkish authorities objected to the ship visiting Turkish ports. According to reports, officials in Aydın Province, where Kuşadası is located, said the planned visit had been cancelled and referred to concerns around “moral values” and the “structure of society.”
Atlantis later told booked guests that both Turkey port calls had been removed “due to circumstances beyond our control,” and that efforts to reverse the decision had not worked.
The New Itinerary
The good news, if there is any good news in this rather grim little travel plot twist, is that the cruise has not been cancelled.
Instead of calling at Kuşadası and Istanbul, Atlantis says the revised itinerary will add:
Alexandria, Egypt, with tours to Cairo and the Grand Egyptian Museum
Heraklion, Crete
The rest of the itinerary appears to be staying intact, so this is not a case of the whole sailing falling apart. But let’s be honest, losing Istanbul is not exactly a tiny shuffle.
Why Was The Cruise Blocked?
This is where the story gets uncomfortable.
According to the Aydın Governorship statement reported by Bianet, the local authorities objected to the arrival of the group and described the event as incompatible with local social and moral values.
The cruise was not blocked because of the ship itself. Scarlet Lady is a Virgin Voyages ship and Virgin Voyages does call at Turkish ports.
It was not blocked because cruise tourism is suddenly unwelcome in Kuşadası either. Local authorities reportedly stressed that other cruise tourism would continue as normal.
So the obvious issue here is not the cruise ship.
It is who was onboard.
Atlantis CEO Rich Campbell reportedly said this was the first time in the company’s long history that it had been directly blocked because of who its guests are.
Where Does Virgin Voyages Fit Into This?
This was an Atlantis Events charter aboard Scarlet Lady, which is part of the Virgin Voyages fleet.
That means Atlantis essentially takes over the ship for this sailing, while Virgin provides the vessel, crew, onboard experience, and wider cruise operation.
Virgin Voyages itself has built a brand around being adult-only, modern, inclusive, and a bit more playful than your classic cruise line. Their ships even have drag performers as part of the onboard entertainment mix, which makes them a pretty natural fit for Atlantis.
So the irony here is quite something.
A ship known for being bold, adult-only, drag-friendly and proudly different was booked for a gay Mediterranean cruise, then hit a wall when local authorities decided the vibes were not welcome.
It is giving “we love cruise tourism, just not like that.”
Is This Common?
Not really, and that is part of why the story is getting attention.
Cruise ships miss ports for loads of reasons, but a full-ship LGBTQ+ charter being blocked because of identity is not a routine port disruption.
Atlantis has been operating for decades and has taken LGBTQ+ travellers around the world. Their cruises are not new. Gay cruises are not new. Charter cruises are not new. Virgin Voyages working with Atlantis is not new either.
This was not dressed up as a vague scheduling issue or port capacity problem. The objection was tied to the nature of the group and the perceived values of the event.
That makes it feel less like a travel hiccup and more like a political and cultural statement.
What Does This Mean For Passengers?
For passengers, the practical impact is pretty simple: they are getting a different cruise than the one they booked.
Some people will be excited by Egypt and Crete. Others will be disappointed to miss Istanbul and Kuşadası. Both can be true.
If someone booked this cruise partly because they wanted to visit Turkey, that is a genuine letdown. A cruise itinerary is never guaranteed, of course, but destinations are still a huge part of why people choose one sailing over another.
Atlantis has said shore excursions booked for the cancelled Turkey stops will be refunded automatically, and Virgin Voyages is updating tour options for the replacement ports.
Still, that does not change the emotional sting of the situation.
Because for LGBTQ+ travellers, this is not just “oh no, we missed a port.” It is another reminder that not every destination welcomes you equally, even when you arrive as a tourist ready to spend money, behave respectfully, and enjoy the place like anyone else.
Should Cruise Lines Avoid These Ports?
This is where it gets tricky.
Some people will say cruise lines and charter companies should avoid destinations where LGBTQ+ guests may not be fully welcomed. Others will argue that visibility matters, tourism can challenge assumptions, and avoiding entire countries is not always the answer.
Both arguments have weight.
But what this incident does show is that cruise companies need to be very clear-eyed when planning LGBTQ+ charters, especially in regions where local authorities may object.
Passengers deserve transparency. They deserve safety. And they deserve not to find out, days before sailing, that a country has decided their cruise is a moral panic with a gangway.