locally-produced tourist publication on board.

It will mark the first time in four years that local merchants will be able to get their advertising message out to the estimated 120,000 passengers on board the ships.

It is a far cry from the days when Bermuda magazines were literally thrown down the gangplank in favour of the cruise companies own publications.

This week, the two publishing companies behind Bermuda Cruise, paid tribute to the Chamber of Commerce for bringing about the thaw in relations between the cruise lines and the local business community.

Roxana Kaufmann, one of the publishers of Bermuda Cruise, the glossy, upbeat magazine that takes the wares of Bermuda merchants to the passengers who are cruising to the Island, was enthusiastic about the future.

Bermuda Cruise is a joint venture between Preview of Bermuda and the Bermudian Publishing Company group. As a sign of the owners' optimism, the business applied to be incorporated this week.

When it began two years ago, it ended up being on board just two ships. This year, even the dedicated St. George's ship will have the complimentary publication. Negotiations are still underway with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line to bring the fifth ship on board. There is optimism that an arrangement can be made for next year.

But Mrs. Kaufmann remembers the painful severing of the relationship with previous cruise lines back in 1989.

"I thought that I would never have the opportunity to get back on the ships,''she said. "It's thanks to the Chamber of Commerce.They worked with the ships and paved the way for an understanding.'' She recalls the unceremonious dumping of a stack of one of her publications from one cruise ship.

"I remember once when the crew of this one ship were ordered to remove the cruise edition of Preview Magazine, and they were literally thrown down the gangplank at Number Six Shed!'' Cruise lines in the 1980's became increasingly concerned to protect the rights of publishers more intimately connected with the ships and Bermuda merchants were frustrated.

Mrs. Kaufmann said: "It upset the merchants because they couldn't get their message across.'' The ships were more interested in protecting the interests of fleet-wide publications, said Mr. Kevin Stevenson, publisher and Bermuda Cruise managing editor.He added,"They have to be cognisant of agreements they already have in place, and they don't want to violate them.

"At the same time, I think that they understand the need to have something from Bermuda. And, we've made the point that it is in their interest to provide this opportunity. The Chamber of Commerce has been extremely helpful in brokering the deal. Without them, this wouldn't have happened.

"Cruise lines have very stringent requirements. We have to be careful about both the editorial and advertisements, that they don't conflict with the interests of the cruise line. They do have varying interests.'' Sixty thousand copies are being printed for this year, with the cover being custom-printed in North Carolina for each cruise line, as the magazine's requirments could not be met locally. All other aspects of the publication are locally produced.

The magazine takes six to eight weeks to produce and consists of a 60 to 64-page compilation that includes a 60/40 mix of editorial and advertising.

It is designed to acquaint cruise passengers with the Bermuda experience, including sighteeing and shopping.

CALMER WATERS -- Bermuda Cruise, launched at a time when relations between cruise lines and Bermuda merchants were cool, is getting a warmer reception now.