the arrival of five naval warships and the start of the cruise ship season.

Tomorrow, one Belgian and four Dutch warships will arrive on the Island for a three-day stay of rest and recuperation.

Residents will be able to go on board the ships between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

before they set sail again on Sunday.

Docking in Hamilton will be the tromp frigate the HNLMS De Ruyter , Heemskerck class vessel the HNLMS Witte De With , and the doorman class frigate HNLMS Wilem Van Der Zaan , all from Holland. The Belgian Wielingen class frigate BNS Wielingen will also berth in the city dock. The Dutch support ship the HNLMS Amsterdam will anchor down at Dockyard. Each vessel is part of the Belgian/Netherlands Task Group under the command of Commodor RNLN J.G.A.

Brandt. HNLMS De Ruyter is the flagship.

The task group left its home port, Den Helder in Holland, for a ten-week deployment, and will return home next month.

The cruise ship season kicks off next Wednesday, when the Seven Seas Navigator arrives in Hamilton from Florida for a one-night stay.

Also tomorrow, regular visitor the Bermuda Islander will arrive in Hamilton to deliver 133 containers and 23 refrigerated containers, along with a 145ft trailer and two trash compactors.

And on Friday, the gravel ship the Nordanhav will arrive at Penno's Wharf in St. George's from Nova Scotia to bring new supplies.

Last Sunday, the Oleander arrived from New Jersey, delivering 151 dry containers, and 33 refrigerated containers, two mafies, three flatbed trucks, six cars and one excavator. She sailed out yesterday.