Angry residents are drawing up a petition demanding action to halt a noisy vibration from a cruise ship which they claim is keeping them awake and even shaking pictures off walls.

The Royal Majesty has berthed about 700 yards from home-owners at Convict Bay for the last one-and-a-half seasons, but now residents are calling for an end to the noise.

Officials from the Ministry of the Environment are also investigating the problem which it regards as "very serious'' and tests have been carried out to gauge the level of noise pollution.

The cruise ship, which has a hull converted from a car ferry, berths at St.

George's and keeps its generators on to supply power.

Yesterday, one resident Mr. Adrian Ridgeway, said: "We've had cruise ships coming here for years and this is the only one that has caused problems.'' He claimed people cannot sleep, pictures are shaken off walls, noise levels drive shoppers away and the floor of one person's condominium shakes when the ship is in port.

Mr. Ridgeway said if there was enough support for the petition the possibility of taking legal action to stop the racket would be explored.

"Extra baffling could be installed or the ship could be plugged into shore power to cut the need for generators,'' added Mr. Ridgeway.

"The ship could also be moored in the harbour, berths could be rotated and the ship could be sent to Hamilton for a night or the length of stay could be shortened.

"In this day and age of acute environmental awareness, it is totally unacceptable to subject people to pollution of this sort,'' he said.

Majesty Cruise Line has conducted tests in America and the results have been within regulations according to the company. Noise tests have also been carried out in Bermuda at the Government's request, but the results are still pending.

Dr. Tom Sleeter, an environmental engineer with the Department, said he took an engineer around the St. George's Old Town and to other areas where the sound is bad.

"It is definitely a serious problem,'' said Dr. Sleeter. "Health, Marine and Ports, Tourism and ourselves are all aware of it and working together to find a solution.

"We are dealing with it as a very serious problem and we are waiting to hear back from the ship owners as to what solutions they may have.'' Last night, Mr. Don Macpherson, president of Majesty's Bermuda agents John S.

Darrell, said the Majesty Cruise Line had admitted there was a problem, but was unable to find a cause and therefore a solution.

"We have been extremely diligent in trying to find out what we can do, but I don't there is a quick fix,'' he said.

Talks have taken place with the ship's makers in Finland plus Majesty's own technical experts and tests carried out in the US, which found noise levels were within regulations.

"We are not denying that there is a problem, it's not new, we had it last year. None of the answers I can give at the moment will satisfy the residents, but we are working hard to solve the noise.''