By Tim Greenfield Bermuda's infrastructure could be creaking under the pressure next year as cruise passengers look set to top the 200,000 mark.

Two new ships are due to call next summer, and despite the loss of one regular caller, weekly passenger counts are expected to soar.

It leaves the possibility that daily numbers could top 7,000.

The pressure on the Island, and the lack of berthing areas, has meant that some one-off vessels have been told they will have to find another port.

And a few of the six scheduled ships have had passenger limits imposed in a bid to lessen the strain.

The number of passengers off the ships, if the vessels ran at their agreed limits, could see up to 7,455 a day, Tuesday to Thursday.

Donald MacPherson, of shipping agents John S. Darrell, said the Royal Caribbean's Nordic Empress had been limited to 1,712 people.

"That is quite a reduction for them (Royal Caribbean). There have been complaints about it, of course they don't like to turn away business,'' he said.

"I think they have reached their limit quite honestly. We have already had to turn down cruise lines because they just don't fit with the schedule.

"It is going to be an interesting season. I don't think we will see any less passengers.'' John S. Darrell already has at least four vessels scheduled for occasional calls during the season.

Henry Hayward, boss of Meyer Agencies, agreed that total numbers next year are likely to exceed 200,000.

But he pointed to the cruise and stay element of the Crown Dynasty and the Norwegian Majesty , which offers visitors the chance to have a holiday on land and sea.

In its first year the Crown Dynasty will have 100 cabins designated for cruise and stay, and the Majesty is to utilise any berths above its 1,501 limit for the programme.

During the 1998 season, 200 people took advantage of the Majesty programme.

Although it could be argued that in terms of overall numbers, the cruise passengers are making up for those not staying in hotels, the financial gain does not go anywhere near.

Figures from 1998 show that cruise passengers spent $43 million on the Island, compared to $150 million air visitors spent on entertainment, transport and retail, and contrasting with a total of $438 million total air visitor expenditure.

In terms of spending, land-based vacationers spend nine times as much as their cruise counterparts -- not taking into account the trickle-down effect on jobs of more people staying in hotels.