weeks, Tourism Minister David Dodwell said last night.

He spoke amid reports Carnival Cruise Lines were desperate to start a weekend cruise caller to Bermuda -- but frustrated by apparent heel-dragging by Government.

A Carnival spokesman yesterday also claimed the port of Baltimore was prepared to build a special pavilion for Bermuda runs.

This, he said, would enhance the image of the Island in the United States.

Mr. Dodwell said a report on Bermuda's cruise ship policy was in the hands of a Tourism Board product committee.

The committee was now studying the report and speaking to "stake holders'', such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Corporations of Hamilton and St.

George's.

It would go on to produce a series of recommendations, he added.

"I will then look at the report and take the recommendations to Cabinet. I will probably receive them in four to six weeks.'' Mr. Dodwell added: "My hope is to go public with the report as soon as possible after that.

"It may be laid before Parliament this session or the next session.'' Last week, Governor Lord Waddington said in his Throne Speech: "Government has undertaken an extensive review of its cruise ship policy, the results which will be laid before Parliament.'' Mr. Dodwell announced the review of Bermuda's ten-year-old policy this March after the number of cruise ship visitors to the Island fell in 1995 by 2.2 per cent from 1994 levels -- from 172,865 to 169,037.

Complaints about the old policy had come from different corners of the community.

In October, the Coalition for Change called for the policy to amended to allow weekend visits.

However, Mr. Dodwell has previously stated a sixth regular visitor was not the answer to the decline in tourism -- although he had not ruled it out.

He stressed it was not the number of ships but the number of passengers which was important.

"I was referring to the comfortable carrying capacity of ships and the importance of air arrivals,'' he said yesterday.

Mr. Dodwell declined to speculate on what might be in the new cruise ship policy.

"There have been two proposals put to us with regard to cruise ships, and I can say that they are all on hold until we complete this cruise ship policy review.'' TOURISM TOU