Furious Broadway veteran and Disney’s Agatha All Along star Patti LuPone has lashed out at Turkey and Egypt as both Muslim-majority countries lined up to close their waters to a LGBTQQIAAP2S+ cruise ship “full of gay men” she would be performing for.
CNN confirmed Friday that Egyptian authorities did not allow Virgin Voyages’ cruise ship Scarlet Lady and its 2,000 gay passengers to enter its waters.
Rich Campbell, the president and CEO of Atlantis Events, told the outlet, “We had full approval and they denied us clearance at the 11th hour.”
The Hollywood Reporter notes Patti LuPone took to Instagram on July 2 to reveal the ship had been turned away from Turkey.
The Tony Award winner wrote, “I am shocked. The Atlantis cruise I am performing on next week has been banned from entering Turkey. A ship — a magnificent ship — full of gay men. And me. Denied entry to Turkey simply because of who is on board.”
The 77-year-old Tony award winner continued to vent her anger, adding, “I am furious, but I am sailing, as the ship will make other ports of call. I am ready to perform for all the wonderful men on this Atlantis cruise, who deserve so much better than this.”
Per Atlantis’ website, the Egypt stop on the cruise was added to the itinerary after the ship was not allowed to dock in Turkey.
Egyptian officials have not shared why the cruise ship was blocked, though the Aydin government shared a post on X.
The 10-day Athens to Venice cruise was blocked after authorities published a statement online saying the cruise was chartered “by groups known for behaviours that do not align with the structure of our society and our moral values… We don’t allow this madness.”
The passengers’ lifestyle goes against our “moral standards” and “family values,” the Turkish statement set out clearly.
The ship’s arrival had been cancelled after it “sparked significant public concern,” they added. “There is absolutely no possibility of the group in question visiting our province for an event of this nature.”
Passengers onboard were quick to vent their anger and hurt feelings at the decisions while backing Patti LuPone and her statement of disgust.
Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady set sail on July 5 and will finish its voyage in Italy on July 15.
The cruise was described as “an epic all-gay voyage from Athens to Venice to the Mediterranean’s most iconic destinations — Mykonos, Santorini, Istanbul, Dubrovnik, and more. We’ll dazzle 2,500 guys with stellar entertainment, the world’s best parties, and awesome experiences aboard Virgin’s Scarlet Lady” in a May Instagram post made by Atlantis.
The ship was subsequently rerouted a second time and will be docking in Chania, Crete, before reaching Montenegro for another shoreside layover for the passengers.
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