Twice-rejected American cruise puts spotlight on rollback of LGBTQ rights, passengers say

By Billy Stockwell, CNN

(CNN) — Greg Morley has spent decades sailing around the world on LGBTQ+ cruises with his husband, visiting far-flung destinations across the Americas, Asia and Europe – all from the safety of a ship where, he says, “everyone belongs.”

So, when the 59-year-old Philadelphian, who now lives in Paris, embarked on his latest “Athens to Venice” voyage, overseen by LGBTQ travel company Atlantis Events, he said he couldn’t wait to see the “amazing and iconic” sights on offer.

But those plans were derailed on Thursday when Egyptian authorities blocked the ship, the Scarlet Lady, from entering its waters at the last minute, according to Atlantis Events, days after the vessel was refused entry to Turkey.

“We had full approval and they denied us clearance at the 11th hour,” Rich Campbell, the president and CEO of Atlantis Events, told CNN.

In a memo to passengers on Thursday morning, seen by CNN, Campbell said: “I know how much this visit meant to so many of you. We successfully sailed a similar itinerary last year without issue, so we were surprised by this unfortunate decision.”

For Morley, the last-minute turnaround brought a huge feeling of disappointment, but he said passengers have turned their frustration into a sense of “recommitment to the community,” including those living in Turkey and Egypt where human rights groups warn of eroding LGBTQ rights.

CNN has reached out to Turkish and Egyptian authorities for comment.

‘Two countries in one week’

Last week, Turkish authorities blocked the Scarlet Lady cruise ship, which is hosting more than 1,000 passengers from the US, from docking in two of the country’s ports, with officials claiming the vessel was chartered by groups “known for behaviors incompatible with the fabric of our society and our moral values.”

Atlantis quickly diverted the ship to Cairo, but Egypt followed Turkey’s lead and moved to ban the cruise from entering its waters, according to Campbell, who called the decision “outrageous.” On Friday, the cruise ship sailed to the Greek island of Crete instead.

“My mind went to the LGBTQ communities in Egypt and Turkey where LGBTQ individuals don’t have the opportunities to just sail away,” passenger Morley told CNN. “Discrimination and the lack of opportunities that come with the shortsighted marginalization of LGBTQ people and other minorities damages far beyond a cruise ship rescheduling.”

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party has adopted increasingly harsh rhetoric against the LGBTQ community over the past decade, sparking condemnation from rights groups. Authorities have banned Pride marches in Istanbul since 2015, citing public safety and security concerns.

Meanwhile, in Egypt, morality laws are often used to prosecute LGBTQ people, with the UK-based organization the Human Dignity Trust reporting that members of the community are subjected to frequent arrests, harassment and the forced payment of bribes.

For some cruise passengers, like UK-based actor Rob Houchen, the bans have been a “real wake-up call” regarding the plight of LGBTQ rights globally.

“Things aren’t getting better, and there needs to be awareness of that,” he said on Thursday on social media. “Look out for all those around you, all those queer people, and keep them safe.”

Morley said it was time for the LGBTQ community to “recommit how we spend our considerable discretionary travel dollars.”

Approximately 1,100 of the 1,900 guests on the voyage are from the US, according to Campbell. The remaining travelers are from the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, among other nations.

Impact on local businesses

Passenger Randy Slovacek, who CNN interviewed last week about Turkey’s decision, said many people on the ship had gone to sleep early Wednesday night in preparation for morning departures to the pyramids in Cairo – tours which had to be canceled.

As a result of such cancelations, local tour operators, restaurants, taxi drivers and shopkeepers would likely have lost paying customers and the “opportunity for cultural exchange that changes hearts and minds about our community,” according to Meg Ten Eyck, the chair of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association’s board of directors.

“A cruise ship being turned away from two ports in one week is one of the more visible versions of something LGBTQ+ travelers navigate constantly, in smaller ways, all over the world,” she told CNN.

Echoing this sentiment, Kyle Olsen, the owner of LGBTQ travel company Hermes Holidays, said the cruise bans reflect a “broader global trend” and were a “sad reflection of what’s happening around the world.”

“We’re seeing a rise in right-wing governments and increasingly conservative political movements, and in many places LGBTQI+ rights are being rolled back as a result,” Olsen told CNN. “The decisions by Turkey and Egypt don’t exist in isolation.”

Despite these challenges, Morley concluded by testifying to the resilience of LGBTQ people.

“Redirecting this ship has created an even greater sense of community onboard,” he said. “It is beautiful to experience.”

The-CNN-Wire
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