LGBTQ+ cruise ship refused entry to Egypt days after Turkey turned it away

An LGBTQ+ cruise carrying around 2,000 passengers has been refused entry to Egypt, just days after being turned away from Turkey, leaving organisers scrambling to reroute the voyage. Passengers learned of the latest change when notes appeared under their cabin doors informing them the ship could no longer dock as planned. Advocates fear the back-to-back rejections could encourage other governments to follow suit.

Two rejections in one week

The ship, chartered by a tour company specialising in LGBTQ+ travel, had been due to call at the Egyptian port of Alexandria, a stop hastily arranged after Turkish authorities blocked its earlier scheduled visit. The tour operator's chief executive told passengers the company had worked hard to make the Egyptian call possible and had sailed a similar route the previous year without incident. No official reason was given by the Egyptian government.

The earlier refusal by Turkey came with a public statement from local authorities referring to the charter group in disparaging terms and citing public concern. The tour company said it had chartered cruises to Turkey many times over the years without problems. A well-known performer aboard the ship publicly voiced her anger while vowing that the voyage would continue to other ports.

Concern about a wider trend

Industry figures expressed worry that the decisions reflect a broader hardening of attitudes toward LGBTQ+ travellers. The operator of another LGBTQ+ tour company suggested that Egypt's move may have been emboldened by Turkey's, and warned that other countries could feel encouraged to impose similar bans. He also stressed a distinction between government decisions and the attitudes of ordinary people. The ship was ultimately rerouted to alternative ports in the region.

Why it matters

The episode illustrates how quickly the freedoms of LGBTQ+ people can be curtailed at a national level, even for a group of tourists, and how such decisions can ripple outward. For those working on equality and human rights, it is a reminder that the ability to travel safely and be treated with dignity remains uneven around the world.