week with the arrival of the luxurious Crystal Cruise liner Crystal Symphony .

The 780-foot long, 51,044-ton vessel arrived at King's Wharf in Dockyard on Tuesday with 836 passengers and remained alongside overnight before departing for Tortola in the British Virgin Islands early yesterday morning, announced John S. Darrell spokesman Saleem Talbot.

The $250 million Japanese owned cruise liner was built in Finland and last visited the Island on her maiden voyage in May, 1995.

It can accommodate 960 passengers and 500 crew. Fodor's Travel Publications said it should be "counted among the world's most luxurious ocean liners''.

Its sister ship, the Crystal Harmony is due to make her second visit of the year on October 27. It was last here in May.

In other cruise ship news, Mr. Talbot reported that the Song of America arrived on Tuesday in St. George's with 1,436 passengers on board. It switched to Hamilton yesterday and was due to depart tomorrow.

Also arriving in St. George's on Tuesday was the Royal Majesty from Boston with 1,067 passengers, said Meyer Agencies spokesman Stephen Paynter.

The vessel is scheduled to depart tomorrow and will make her last voyage of the year next week.

Mr. Paynter added that the Zenith arrived in Hamilton on Monday with 1,378 passengers and shifted to St. George's yesterday. It is due to leave today and will also make its last trip of the year next week.

Elsewhere, the Bermuda Islander arrived on Monday morning and offloaded 80 containers including 13 which were refrigerated plus a horse box with three horses. It left for Salem, New Jersey that afternoon.

Mr. Paynter said the Somers Isles arrived on Tuesday -- a day later than normal due to last week's overtime ban on the docks -- and was due to depart today.

Meanwhile it will offload 83 containers including 11 reefers, two boats, a van and 45 bundles of steel.

Container Ship Management Limited spokeswoman Glynnis Dickinson reported that the Oleander arrived on Sunday and offloaded 35 refers, 102 dry containers, 12 cars, a truck and a van, plus two open containers containing steel and a dumpster. It left on Tuesday.

York to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.