28, residents will see a ship specially designed to win customers in one of the most hotly contested industries in the world.

The 624-foot vessel was put together at a time when cruise companies were racing to catch up with enormous demand while girding themselves for an anticipated shakedown that will leave the industry with a few big players.

Dreamward promotional material shows a ship geared to bringing her passengers the best possible shipboard experience.

The 41,000-ton ship has four formal dining rooms with none more than 282-seats big -- the aim being to get away from the dressed-up "mega dining rooms'' experience.

Dreamward has also incorporated "panoramic'' windows and floor terracing to enhance shipboard views.

Mr. Douglas Falk, president of Kloster subsidiary Norwegian Cruise Lines, said Dreamward was designed to express his company's vision of tomorrow's vacationers, whom he described as "increasingly active travellers who want freedom and easy access to many entertainment, sports and dining options''.

NCL positions the ship as a mid-sized alternative to today's "mega-liners''.

Design innovations offer more space for passengers and roomier outside staterooms some of which have floor-to-ceiling windows.

Dreamward's other features include a two-storey terraced main show room and a two-deck high casino. There are eight bars and a full-size basketball court.

The ship will also broadcast live ESPN, NBA and NFL programmes at sea in its Sport Bar & Grill.

Ship pricing ranges from $1,275 to $2,995 per person for her weekly Bermuda-New York voyages.

Dreamward's arrival on the scene -- she was launched in December -- comes at a time when the booming cruise industry is gearing up for even more expansion.

In the past four months, some of the industry's major players, including Chandris's Celebrity and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, have announced nearly $3 billion in orders for eight new ships.

Together, the new ships will accommodate about 16,000 more passengers, or 17 percent of the industry's current total capacity. Analysts say the new ships and the drive toward onboard "quality'' experiences will drive out smaller operators with older ships.

Company heads say they are gearing up for an expected increase in demand by the turn of the century and they need the hardware to survive. Recent interviews in Tour & Travel News shows an expectation that the industry will be dominated by a few large carriers.

Mr. John Chandris, chairman of Celebrity Cruise Line, which sends the Horizon and Meridian to Bermuda, said there is a "clearcut understanding that there will only be a few cruise lines dominating the cruise business and they must have the necessary and suitable hardware to take part in that''.

"They (cruise lines) are wishing to maintain market share and remain major players,'' he said. "One can't afford to be small and one can't afford to have the wrong ships.

Mr. Dermot McDermott of Cunard Line said: "Obviously, it's a good thing to be big.'' COMING SOON -- The new Dreamward arrives in Bermuda for her first visit on April 28.

FIRST CALL -- Celebrity Cruise's Meridian gets a little help from a Government tug on Monday during her arrival at the West End for the first cruise visit of the year.