All cruise ships docked in Bermuda were forced to leave in a hurry last night as Hurricane Nate approached the Island, leaving many visitors wondering where the next stop would be, and some unaware they were even leaving.

Passengers on the in Hamilton, and the in Dockyard were all aware of their 6 p.m. deadline, but some passengers on the and both berthed in Hamilton ? believed their vessels would not be leaving until the scheduled time of 1 p.m. today.

Passengers in the know bustled along Front Street yesterday afternoon, trying to make the most of what little shopping and dining time they had left on the Island.

When asked how they felt about their premature departure many tourists were very disappointed.

One California resident said: "I feel like I got gypped."

After a rough ride all the way here, he said, he and his wife felt they had missed out on what the Island had to offer. passenger Siobhan Silke, who had travelled all the way from Ireland with 11 others, including her brother, expressed similar sentiments.

"I'm a bit p****d off actually," she said, adding that her group had planned a variety of activities, including boat trips, for the following two days of their intended stay. However, another Irish traveller on seemed more jovial about her return to the seas, comforted by the knowledge that it was sure to be "an Irish party at sea". The liner had adopted an Irish theme for the week.

She also expressed regret that her group would be unable to continue shopping and sightseeing in Bermuda, and the Island itself would have lost out on the business that would be generated by the cruise ships' presence.

Passengers from thedining at The Beach on Front Street regretted that they had not seen any of the Island's real beaches. When asked how she felt at leaving, one woman replied: "Sad, of course."

Despite their disappointment, all those interviewed said they would definitely return to Bermuda, especially since most missed out on seeing the entire Island ? but the general consensus was that in future it would definitely be by air, and not by sea.

For those passengers of the and that did not know about their accelerated departure, the air might just end up being their only option back home.