Turkish authorities have denied port access to a Mediterranean cruise chartered for LGBTQ+ travelers, prompting organizers to reroute the voyage before it reaches Turkish waters.

The cruise, organized by Atlantis Events, was scheduled to depart from Athens on July 5 with planned stops in the Turkish port city of Kuşadası and later Istanbul, The Caspian Post reports via CNN.

The organizers said Turkish authorities refused permission for the ship to dock, citing "moral standards" and "family values." Officials reportedly stated that the vessel had been chartered by groups whose behavior they considered incompatible with the values of Turkish society.

The ship, Scarlet Lady, operated by Virgin Voyages, is expected to carry more than 1,000 passengers, most of them from the United States. Following Türkiye's decision, the itinerary has been changed to include stops in Cairo, Egypt, and the Greek island of Crete instead.

Atlantis Events President Rich Campbell said that in the company's 36-year history, this was the first time it had been explicitly told that a ship could not dock because of the identity of its passengers.