STRUGGLING tour boat operators are having to hand over up to 50 per cent of their takings to cruise ships which promote their tours to passengers.

That, together with a wet summer, means many operators have had their worst season ever, it has been claimed.

And yesterday promoter Tony Brannon made a last-ditch appeal to Government to give tour boat businesses a break.

Mr. Brannon explained that cruise passengers pay their liner a fee for taking an island tour and that money is later handed over to the tour operators ? less 40 per cent commission.

"That's simply outrageous," Mr. Brannon said.

" 'Commission' shouldn't be a dirty word but 40 per cent? Even real estate agents take just five. This is worse than the practice of shark loaning in the old days when people were jailed for such practices.

"Since the ship is sinking I think I'm crying out for the last time as I'm about to be swallowed up by very gloomy waters."

Asked why operators did not join forces and fight the commission rate, Mr. Brannon said: "If you want to get the business then you have to pay money ? and if you dare to speak out the cruise lines will blackball you."

Mr. Brannon added that cruise ships had another advantage over local tourism operatives. Changes to the law introduced by former Minister David Allen mean the giant carriers can now provide entertainment on board while docked in Bermuda.

"Why would anyone want to buy the local milk when they can get the cow onboard for free?" he asked. "We need to protect island entertainers now if there is to be any future for Bermudian entertainment."

And he highlighted the fact that tour boat operators had to earn their annual salary in just a few summer months.

"How can anyone make a living in Bermuda with a five-and-a-half-month season when 40 per cent is going right off the top to the cruise lines?" he said.

"I have spoken to several tour boat operators who say that 2006 is the worst year in living memory for business. This is no exaggeration. We have had the worst weather, with more rain than in many a year, and now September is down 30 per cent, according to most hotels.

"The Government are fooling themselves and the people of Bermuda if they think any meaningful renaissance in Bermuda tourism and entertainment is going to happen.

"Whilst we have an evangelical or religious stranglehold on this country by Government, who incidentally have shown themselves to be hypocrites when following the religious codes of behaviour as of late, we will never see a true 'Pop & Sizzle' country come to life."

Another tour boat operator, who asked not to be named, said he had handed over nearly 50 per cent of his earnings to the cruise ships.

He added that, because some tour boat operators were getting just half a fee, they were only prepared to give passengers half a tour.

"It reflects very badly on Bermuda because the customer isn't getting value for money," he said.

"The figures just don't add up and the penny just hasn't dropped. I think Government needs to sit down with the cruise ships and put a ceiling on commission rates."

Mr. Brannon spoke out prior to a meeting between the Ministry of Tourism and cruise line chiefs. Last night Tourism Minister Ewart Brown did not divulge what the talks were about, but he did say that, with opinion on cruise ships divided, it was impossible to please everybody.

"We have work to do with the cruise lines, but our work is rendered more challenging by the wide array of opinion about them," he said.

"Some Bermudians don't even want the cruise ships here and others swear they couldn't eat without them. My job? To do what's best for Bermuda."