Turkey has banned a cruise ship carrying members of the LGBTQ+ community from calling at its ports: what is the reason?
CNN reports this.
The cruise in question is a 10-day ‘From Athens to Venice’ itinerary, which sets sail from Greece on 5 July. The ship was due to call at the Turkish cities of Kusadasi and Istanbul, but following a decision by the authorities, the itinerary has been changed — the ship will now sail to Cairo (Egypt) and the Greek island of Crete.
Atlantis Events, which organises themed LGBTQ+ cruises, has stated that this is the first time in its 36-year history that a country has refused to allow a ship to dock because of who its passengers are.
“It is very worrying when a country decides which tourists to allow in and which to turn away,” said the company’s chief executive, Rich Campbell.
There are nearly 1,900 passengers on board, of whom approximately 1,100 are US citizens. The rest are tourists from the UK, Canada, Australia and other countries.
It is worth noting that in recent years, the Turkish authorities have stepped up their anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. In particular, Pride marches have been banned in Istanbul since 2015, citing security concerns.
In June 2025, Turkish police detained at least 30 people in central Istanbul as they attempted to take part in a Pride march that had been banned by the authorities.
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