LGBTQ+ tourist cruises have recently sparked widespread controversy internationally, following incidents involving port bans and dockings in various countries. These voyages, which cater specifically to the LGBTQ+ community, have caused widespread controversy in recent weeks. The disputes emerged as hundreds of tourists from the LGBTQ+ community disembarked in Tangier, Morocco. This event has noted growing tensions surrounding these voyages and their itineraries.
Banned from Turkish and Egyptian Ports
One ship, the 'Scarlet Lady', was notably banned from docking in both Turkish and Egyptian ports. The cruise ship 'Scarlet Lady', operated by Virgin Voyages and chartered by Atlantis Events, which specializes in organizing trips for the LGBTQ+ community, was banned from docking in both Turkish and Egyptian ports. The vessel, carrying approximately two thousand passengers, commenced its journey from Athens on July 5th. This journey marked the beginning of a series of events that would draw international attention. Turkish authorities subsequently canceled the ship's scheduled reception in Kusadasi and Istanbul, preventing the approximately two thousand passengers from disembarking at these planned stops.
Following the cancellation of the Turkish ports, the 'Scarlet Lady' was slated to dock in Alexandria, Egypt. However, Egyptian authorities also banned the ship from docking. This decision meant that the ship that was banned from Egypt and Turkey was indeed the 'Scarlet Lady'. Before this second cancellation, the company had arranged a full tourist program for passengers, including visits to Cairo and various archaeological sites, which were ultimately unable to proceed. The 'Scarlet Lady' was also banned from docking in Egypt, further escalating the controversy.
Morocco Welcomes Another Cruise
In contrast to the experiences of the 'Scarlet Lady', another ship successfully docked in Morocco. The ship that docked in Tangier was the 'Celebrity Equinox', chartered by 'Vacaya'. 'Vacaya' also organizes Mediterranean tourist trips for the LGBTQ+ community. The 'Celebrity Equinox' journey began from Barcelona on August 6th. The vessel arrived at Tangier port on Sunday morning, docking around 7 AM and departing at 4 PM. Hundreds of passengers from the 'Celebrity Equinox' toured the old city, the Kasbah, main squares, traditional markets, and restaurants in Tangier. The stop in Tangier proceeded without incidents or harassment of tourists, according to reports from the port city, offering a different outcome compared to the bans faced by the 'Scarlet Lady'.
Reasons for Divergent Stances
Egyptian authorities did not issue an official statement explaining the reasons for banning the ship from docking. However, media reports linked the Egyptian decision to ban the ship to the nature of the trip and its chartering company. The controversy surrounding these cruises is specifically tied to their targeting of the LGBTQ+ community and their scheduled entertainment events. The 'Celebrity Equinox' itinerary, for example, includes various artistic activities, concerts, artistic performances, the 'Mister Gay Europe' finals, a concert by Bonnie Tyler, and observing the solar eclipse. These types of events are central to the trips targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Some observers criticized Morocco for allowing the 'Celebrity Equinox' to dock in Tangier while other countries prohibited similar vessels. No official Moroccan stance was issued linking the docking permission to any endorsement of the trip's nature, leaving the reasons for the differing international responses open to interpretation. The controversy is indeed linked to the nature of the trips targeting the LGBTQ+ community and their entertainment events.