Bermuda in 1994, its top marketing officer said last night.

But it's a risk the company is willing to take because the Island is the "ideal destination for cruise ships,'' Mr. Al Wallack said.

The cruise company, which currently sends the Horizon and the Meridian to the Island, has told Government it will take up its option for the third ship in 1994.

Although Mr. Wallack said he preferred Chandris's third ship be allowed to call at both Hamilton and St. George's, he had no problem sending it only to St. George's.

"I'm in favour of the two-port concept,'' he said. "But I have no problem personally with St. George's. It's not as good a port as Hamilton. Still, St.

George's is not a bad second.'' Mr. Wallack said Chandris' decision to go with a St. George's-only berth for its yet-to-be-named third ship was based in part on the performance in the late 1980s of Chandris' Amerikanis , which "did very well''.

The rosy Chandris outlook on Bermuda, however, is tempered by continuing difficulties at the West End.

Mr. Wallack said the company's Dockyard passengers complained of a sense of isolation and transportation problems.

"If there is one constant comment we get, it's that feeling of isolation,'' he said.

He attributed the Meridian's sub-par performance this year and last to the far-from-everything berth at the West End pier.

"The Meridian is lagging because of the West End,'' Mr. Wallack said. "The ship gets high marks among passengers.

"But the West End is a transportation problem. The bus and taxi service is very difficult. There are numerous reports of people saying they can't get back from Hamilton at night.'' Mr. Wallack said Government had to come to terms with its objectives for the West End.

"It has to decide is the West End really a long term commitment. If it is, they're going to have to make it more appealing. They're also going to have to find a way to make it more economically viable for operators such as taxi drivers.'' Chandris's decision to take up its first refusal option for the fifth regular calling cruise ship scotched applications from at least three other companies.

Mr. Wallack said operating three ships successfully in a five-ship market created challenges. There was a risk of too many berths coming into the Island. And he was not confident that the economy along the US east coast would turn around by 1994, the start-up time for the company's third ship.

On the plus side, he said the company would enjoy improved economies of scale that would reduce its per berth operating costs such as advertising, publishing materials and general overheads.

Mr. Wallack said Chandris did not yet have a clear-cut plan for its third ship. He thought the company would probably keep Horizon on her New York/Hamilton/St. George's schedule and Meridian on its New York/West End routing.

He thought the third ship might sail from Boston or Baltimore, or possibly from further south.

Whatever the case, Bermuda remained the jewel for Chandris.

"I am an unabashed supporter of Bermuda,'' he said. "It's the ideal destination for cruise ships. Whenever I talk to people in the Caribbean I say: `Just go to Bermuda because it's the best it can be.' "It's got a great infrastructure to support the quality cruise market.''