Government has been warned against raising hopes of a huge tourism boost from cruise lines.

The cruise industry says a new cruise and stay package will not provide an instant fix to the Island's tourism woes.

They were reacting to Tourism Minister David Allen's announcement that vacationers staying on Island as part of their cruise deal would bring up to 30,000 extra bed nights next year.

He said extra berths created by larger vessels coming to the Island will be designated for cruise and stay -- and if they are not filled, the ships will sail empty.

For this year, at least 450 berths on the Norwegian Majesty and Nordic Empress have been assigned to vacationers who will stay in a hotel as part of their holiday -- flying or cruising to or from Bermuda.

Next year even more cabins will be cruise/stay on new weekend vessel Crown Dynasty .

The Minister told travel wholesalers that the berths would "have to be filled by people staying in hotels''.

But one cruise line source said the Minister was wrong to claim the policy would bring thousands of extra bed nights immediately.

And he warned him against making public statements that gave the indication the cruise lines were "under the heel'' of the Ministry, when it came to cruise and stay.

Only yesterday, Mr. Allen told tour wholesalers that he had "held the cruise companies feet to the fire'' on the numbers.

Of Norwegian Cruise Lines, he said the company had been told the extra 251 berths on their newly refitted Majesty would only be for passengers also staying in Grotto Bay or Castle Harbour for three days -- or the cabins would remain empty.

And with the larger Nordic Empress coming in place of the Song of America , he added: "We have contractual leverage...if they put a larger ship on, those extra berths have to be for hotel stays.'' The industry source, who wished to keep his anonymity, said the concept was still in its infancy and it was an impossible situation to have to allocate a number of berths for one category only.

Because of the way cruises are booked, often right up until sailing, it is difficult for a wholesaler or cruise company to determine how many cruise and stay and how many cruise-only packages they can sell.

And, he said, no company will want to sail with empty cabins that could have been sold to cruising vacationers, because they were designated for cruise and stay.

For example, he said Mr. Allen's statement that the newly stretched Norwegian Majesty would not be allowed have to fill its extra 250 berths with regular cruise passengers, but instead cruise and stay, was way off the mark.

There was more value to the economy from having extra holidaymakers visit, than none at all, he said.

That said, the industry is enthusiastic about the concept -- first proposed by cruise lines to the former UBP Government -- and believes it will add an interesting attraction to holidaymakers.

But they are keen to stress that so far, they have little experience in marketing the scheme and need time to develop the programme.

Bill Panoff, editor in chief and publisher of top selling cruise magazine Porthole, says the concept is sound and will bring business for Island hoteliers.

"There has always been this competition between the ships and hotels, this will bring the two together,'' he said.

And he said no matter how the people come to the Island, it will lay the foundation for future visits.

"The more people that visit Bermuda, statistics have proved that a good percentage will return for a land-based vacation.'' Mr. Panoff, whose magazine sells 100,000 copies twice a month to US vacationers, agreed that the Minister was optimistic in his predictions.

He added that the new Crown Dynasty would lead the way with its cruises from Philadelphia, backed by the marketing expertise of Apple Vacations.

Both cruise professionals agreed that it will take time.

"It is a very exciting product, but it requires a real gestation period to bring together various elements to make the very best experience for holidaymakers,'' the source said.

"But the level of expectation is higher than the reality.'' Taking care of business: Tourism Minister David Allen with US and Canadian tour operators at their annual wholesalers retreat at the Sonesta Beach Resort.

CRUISE SHI