Leer en espa\u00f1ol<\/a><\/p>\nThe Scarlet Lady, operated by Virgin Voyages and chartered by LGBTQ+ travel company Atlantis Events, departed Athens, Greece, on Sunday and is scheduled to return July 15 after sailing through the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n
The cruise was originally scheduled to stop in Istanbul, Turkey, before continuing to other destinations. However, Turkish authorities barred the ship from docking, citing \u201cmoral standards\u201d and \u201cfamily values.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to passenger Joshua New, a South Florida resident traveling with his husband, the decision came after backlash over a planned LGBTQ+ event in Istanbul.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe says to me, well, one of the gay bars in Istanbul was going to have a party for us, and a prominent conservative paper in Turkey got ahold of it, and it became a political problem,\u201d New said.<\/p>\n
He said many passengers were caught off guard.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople were kind of in a lot of disbelief, angry, upset,\u201d New said.<\/p>\n
The itinerary changed again after passengers learned Egyptian authorities also would not allow the ship to make its planned stop near Cairo, resulting in an additional day at sea.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s when we heard that the Egyptian authorities had said that you weren\u2019t allowed to enter,\u201d New said.<\/p>\n
Despite the disappointment, New said the atmosphere onboard has remained positive.<\/p>\n
\u201cI try to think about positive stuff,\u201d he said. \u201cWe should make the best of this. We\u2019re on a cruise with lots of people that are amazing, and we can make the best of this.\u201d<\/p>\n
New said many travelers choose LGBTQ+-focused cruises because they provide a welcoming environment where passengers can be themselves while exploring new destinations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe choose to go on a gay cruise for this because we can feel comfortable to be ourselves,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a way to gain community. It\u2019s a way to share and be comfortable opening up.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that for some international travelers, cruises like this represent a rare opportunity to feel accepted.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe they live in a place where being gay is not acceptable where (they\u2019re) from,\u201d New said. \u201cAnd this is the one thing they do in a year, maybe in five years, that makes them feel free and alive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, he said being turned away by multiple countries has been emotionally difficult.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels like it\u2019s yet again people are saying, \u2018It\u2019s not OK to be gay, Josh … What you are is not OK,\u2019\u201d New said.<\/p>\n
Even so, he said the LGBTQ+ community has responded the way it often has in the face of adversity.<\/p>\n
\u201cGay men are kind of resilient. For a lot of us, this isn\u2019t something very new. It doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not hurtful,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Speaking from the ship\u2019s deck, New described passengers continuing to enjoy their vacation despite the unexpected changes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s music — people are laughing and clapping,\u201d he said. \u201cLife goes on, and we say, \u2018You know what? We\u2019re going to make the best of this, and we\u2019re going to be resilient, just like we always have been.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Virgin Voyages and Atlantis Events have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the itinerary changes.<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfe0 News From Your Neighborhood<\/p>\n
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