More than 150 cruise ship visits are scheduled for the Island between March 24 and December 2, it emerged last week.

The Department of Tourism' cruise ship schedule for April to December showed 17 ships are scheduled to visit Bermuda for a total of 152 times.

This is one less ship on the schedule compared to 1996 but three more visits.

Amongst other differences from last year are the scheduled visits of the Norwegian Crown , Norwegian Majesty and Horizon .

Gone from last year are the Dreamward and the Meridian which have been replaced by the Norwegian Crown and the Horizon respectively.

Meanwhile last year's Royal Majesty returns renamed as the Norwegian Majesty after being purchased by Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Twelve of the ships scheduled to visit are infrequent callers in that they do not visit Bermuda more than three times during the course of the season.

The Europa kicks off the season when it arrives on March 24 from Port Canaveral, Florida. It is set to spend the day at anchor in the Great Sound before continuing on to Praia da Vitoria in the Azores.

On April 1, the Norwegian Crown is due to make its first visit of 28 scheduled voyages.

It will be out of Port Canaveral for two voyages and then switch to Charleston, South Carolina for its next trip. It will operate its regular run from New York between May 4 and September 14.

The Norwegian Crown wraps up its season with trips from Halifax and Port Canaveral.

Two vessels from the prestigious Seabourn Cruise Line are set to visit the Island in April.

The Seabourn Legend is due in on April 3 while en route from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Ponta Delgada. It will spend the day alongside Front Street.

On April 24 the Seabourn Pride is set to arrive from Fort Lauderdale. It will berth at Number One Shed as well before departing for Ponta Delgada later that day.

Scheduled to join the Seabourn Pride in Hamilton on April 24 is the Fred Olsen Cruise Line vessel Black Watch . The vessel is spending the day in Bermuda while en route from Nassau, Bahamas, to Dover in the UK.

Meanwhile the Horizon makes its first visit to Bermuda on April 12 since replacing the Meridian on the New York to Bermuda route.

However it will operate out of Port Everglades, Florida; Charleston; Wilmington, Delaware; Newport News; Baltimore; and Philadelphia before beginning its regular run from New York on June 23.

On September 16, Horizon returns to operating out of Philadelphia and then switches home ports to Baltimore and Newport News before sailing out of Charleston on its final voyage of the year to Bermuda on October 20.

The Royal Viking Sun makes the first of its three trips for the year to Bermuda when it arrives on April 18 while en route from the Azores to Fort Lauderdale.

It visits the Island again on May 9 from Wilmington and on October 18 from Funchal in Madeira.

And on April 22 the Norwegian Majesty commences its Boston to Bermuda service which will see the liner visit the Island 26 times during the course of the season. Its last trip is on October 13.

Zenith begins her service from New York to Bermuda on April 27. It will visit the Island 26 times before its last voyage on October 19.

On April 30, Holland America Line's Rotterdam is scheduled to steam into the Great Sound where it will anchor for the day. The ship is due to be en route from New York to Horta in the Azores. A second Holland America vessel is due to make two visits to the Island later in the year.

The Veendam will arrive in port at the West End on October 16 while en route from Boston to New York. On October 26, she is slated to overnight in Hamilton while on the same route.

In May, the TSS Topaz is due to berth at Dock One while en route from Ponta Delgada to Port Canaveral, Florida. It will spend the night of May 2 in port before departing.

And Bermuda's fifth regular caller, the Song of America makes its inaugural voyage to the Island on May 6. It will berth in Hamilton while en route from San Juan, Puerto Rico to New York.

On May 12 it starts its regular season of 25 visits from New York to Bermuda which conclude on October 29 when the ship sails back to San Juan.

On July 16 the Regal Empress is set to make her first visit to the Island for the year.

The Regal Cruises liner is slated to arrive on July 16 and spend the night at Penno's Wharf while en route from New York to Martha's Vineyard. It is scheduled to return on similar runs on August 13 and August 27.

On August 7 it is the Leeward's turn to visit the Island in the first of two scheduled voyages from Alexandria, Virginia. The second trip is scheduled for August 14.

The Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2 is also scheduled to make two trips to the Island this coming season.

The QE2 will overnight at the West End on September 6 before returning to New York. However her second trip on November 12 will see her only spend the day at anchor before continuing on to St. Maarten.