The new Government intends to turn around the negative relationship which exists between the hotel industry and the cruise ship industry.

This will come from the introduction of fly-cruise packages during the upcoming season and a concerted effort from hoteliers to market their product to cruise ship passengers.

The message came yesterday from Tourism Minister David Allen during his presentation on the Ministry's activities to date and its intentions for the future in the House of Assembly.

Said Mr. Allen: "I can say confidently that the foundation for a new partnership is being laid.'' Fly-cruise packages -- where visitors either cruise to the Island, stay in a hotel for a minimum of three nights and then fly home or vice versa -- will be offered this season on the Norwegian Majesty . Representatives of the ship's line, Norwegian Cruise Line, approached Government to say it was stretching the ship and adding 250 extra berths, explained Mr. Allen.

Government promptly put its foot down and said those 250 berths could not be filled by regular cruise ship passengers. Instead the line would have to provide some sort of business to local hotels and a deal was struck.

Norwegian Cruise Line was now negotiating with local hotels and would be offering packages as of next month. It has been given until May 1 to get up to steam at which point any of those berths not filled by a fly-cruise passenger will have to remain empty when the ship visits Bermuda.

And by next year a weekend cruise ship will be servicing the Island, continued Mr. Allen. There were three lines interested in offering the service of which two were clearly front runners in the process.

The winner will be a dedicated cruise ship and only visit a single port, he revealed, and a portion of berths will have to be assigned to the cruise ship concept.

When the contracts cone up on the other vessels serving Bermuda, he continued, fly-cruise components will be introduced on them as well.

Shadow Tourism Minister David Dodwell pointed out that the fly-cruise idea was not new and had been part of the UBP's cruise ship policy.

As of the start of the official cruise ship season on May 1, continued Mr.

Allen, there will be expositions at every cruise ship terminal exhibiting all the benefits and joys of a land-based vacation in Bermuda.