before sailing back to New York.

The Regal Empress , built in the 1960s, is due to berth at 3 p.m. for the first of three visits she will be paying to the Island this year.

Formerly called the Olympia , she has not been to Bermuda for more than 12 months and will only be cruising from New York and staying for just a day.

Her passengers will bring the total number arriving on cruise ships this week to more than 7,700 as the vessels arrived near or beyond capacity.

On Tuesday the Royal Majesty arrived with 1,221 passengers. The Song of America with 1,435; the Horizon with 1,548 people on board; the Dreamward with 1,385 visitors; and the Meridian with 1,309.

John S. Darrell said the Royal Majesty , which leaves tomorrow, was more than 100 percent full, as its usual capacity is 1,056.

On Sunday, the Mauritius-registered cement tanker, the Starfish , will arrive for the first time to supply the Bermuda Cement Company.

The 109-metre long vessel is carrying about 5,000 tonnes of Portland Grey cement from Venezuala.

In other shipping movements this week, the 117-metre long 16-knot Oleander arrived from New Jersey on schedule last Sunday.

She was carrying 171 containers, 41 of which were refrigerated, a 45 feet trailer carrying steel and an oxygen truck. She sail on Tuesday.

Mr. Stephen Paynter, of Meyer Agencies, said the Somers Isles arrived from Florida on Sunday with 104 containers and nine reefers. She also carried 67 bundles of steel decking.

The Bermuda Islander came in from Salem, New Jersey, on Monday, 24 hours ahead of schedule, loaded with 90 containers and seven reefers, leaving a day later.