years ago when the town had its own cruise ship and business was booming.

And they did not understand why it was taking so long for tourism officials to secure a liner dedicated to the East End.

Nearly all of the business folk interviewed by The Royal Gazette said they would welcome any ship -- including Carnival's "fun ship'' Tropicale -- as long as it had no trouble sailing through Town Cut channel in bad weather.

"A ship's a ship. And whether it's a millionaire's dollar, a middle-class man's dollar or a poor man's dollar, it's all the same,'' said souvenir store manager Mr. Robert Sinclair.

Crown Colony Shop manager Mrs. Joan Hayward pointed out: "The Kazakhstan (which called in April) was nothing to look at compared to the other liners and her people spent very well.'' Her colleague Mrs. Fay Wilkinson agreed: "I'll take any ship so long as it has no problem getting into St. George's.'' She added: "The shops here have as much to offer as anywhere else. We get an awful lot of people from Dockyard coming all the way here to shop. The people don't like the bustle of Hamilton.'' The latest on the issue came from Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan this week. He said Government was making "every effort'' to secure a "suitable'' ship, but offered no guarantees that St. George's would have one by next season.

The only cruise line which seems to be seriously interested in sending a ship is Carnival, which has complained its application is receiving scant attention.

St. George's Mayor the Wor. Henry Hayward has not been supportive of the Tropicale , saying her 1,000-passenger load would put a "strain'' on the town.

Deputy Mayor Miss Lois Perinchief, who owns a gift shop, said: "If we don't get a ship it means the whole town will suffer. I see nothing wrong with Carnival. Beggars can't be choosers.'' Other shopkeepers said their stores were on the verge of folding.

It was evident the twin-port concept was not working in their favour, they said. The only one of the three ships they enjoyed good business from was the Horizon , which spends its last day in St. George's instead of its first.

"It is an understatement that we need a ship,'' said Mrs. Delores Thompson of the Archie Brown and Son branch store.

Ms Naomi Francis of Taylor's sweater shop said her store "would just about survive'' next season without a dedicated cruise ship.

Liquor store manager Ms Paulette Smith said business was so poor she could only afford part-time help.

"When (the passengers) come here first and then go to Hamilton they don't shop. They even come in here and say `we'll wait until we get to Hamilton'.

"I remember the good days when we had the Amerikanis and business was great.

This past year the store has not done well at all. We haven't even got a full time sales person in.'' Ms Smith added she was at the town meeting this week to discuss the issue and felt Carnival's ship was suitable.

Mrs. Jill White of the Book Cellar said: "St. George's does need its own ship. What is happening is the only people we get good business from are those off the Horizon which spends its last day here.'' Vera. P. Card manager Ms Helen Smith, who was keeping her china shop open until 10 p.m., said: "I'd welcome any type of ship as long as it's our own.

The business from the ships we are getting now is just not guaranteed.'' Miss Denise Gardener of the Bermuda Railway Company said: "I remember before when we had the Amerikanis . You can really see the difference in sales now.

People basically just look around.'' However, Miss Gardener felt the Carnival line was "not in keeping with Bermuda's image''.

"We should have two ships in at a time!,'' Frangipani manager Ms Debbie Nisbitt said. "We need the people, and now that we have the road blocked off, we should have them,'' Gift shop manager Ms Linda Mullen commented: "The only ones who benefit from the so-called up-market visitors are the hotels and big department stores. We need to spread the business around. I have no problems with Carnival -- a dollar's a dollar.''