The LGBTQ+ cruise featuring Patti LuPone has been denied entry into Egypt after being turned away from Turkey. It has been confirmed by CNN that the Scarlet Lady, owned by Virgin Voyages, was not allowed to enter Egyptian waters. Rich Campbell, CEO of Atlantis Events, stated, "We had full approval, but at the last minute, our entry was denied."

This development comes after LuPone announced on Instagram on July 2 that she had been turned away from Turkey. Tony Award winner LuPone expressed, "I'm in shock. The Atlantis cruise ship I was supposed to perform on next week was denied entry into Turkey. A fabulous ship full of gay men. And me. Entry into Turkey was denied solely because of who was on the ship."

While LuPone is angry about the situation, she noted that the ship will be stopping at other ports. "I'm upset but I'm going on the road because I'm ready to perform for the wonderful men on this Atlantis ship. They deserve so much more than this," she said. According to Atlantis's website, the Egyptian stop was added to the itinerary after the ship was denied entry into Turkey.

Egyptian authorities have not provided an explanation for why the ship was blocked. However, the Aydın government stated in a social media post, "The organization planned by groups known for behaviors that do not align with our societal structure and moral values has been canceled, and the ship chartered by these groups, which was set to dock at Aydın Kuşadası Port on July 7, 2026, has been halted." The organization referred to here is the LGBTQ+ cruise line Atlantis.