regular visitors to be a little tardy this week.

But agents said their charges would be back on schedule by the weekend.

Meyer Agencies Ltd. spokesman Stephen Paynter reported that the Somers Isles arrived four hours late on Monday with a boat and 89 containers including ten refrigerated containers.

It was due to leave this afternoon to return to Florida.

Mr. Paynter added that the Bermuda Islander was a day late, arriving on Tuesday with 83 containers and 11 reefers. It set sail yesterday morning.

And a spokesman for Container Ship Management Ltd. said the Oleander also arrived a day late on Monday.

It left the Island yesterday after unloading 140 dry containers, 35 refers, a car, a horse trailer and some structural steel.

Meanwhile cruise ships arrived a day late in their attempt to secure a less bumpy ride for their passengers.

Mr. Paynter said the Dreamward arrived on Tuesday and bypassed St. George's, berthing instead at Hamilton with 1,254 passengers.

It was due to leave this afternoon along with the Zenith which arrived on Tuesday with 1,388 passengers.

The Zenith over-nighted in Hamilton and shifted to St. George's yesterday.

Both vessels were out of New York.

And Mr. Paynter said the Meridian arrived yesterday morning and berthed at King's Wharf in Dockyard. It was due to sail tomorrow.

He was unable to provide figures for the number of passengers on board yesterday.

John S. Darrell spokesman Tim Southern reported that the Queen Elizabeth 2 made its third and final trip to the Island this week and anchored in the Great Sound on Tuesday.

It was carrying 1,591 passengers who spent the day in Bermuda before leaving in the afternoon for the return trip to New York.

And he said the Royal Majesty arrived from Boston on Wednesday and berthed in St. George's with 805 passengers.

It was due to sail tomorrow along with the Song of America which arrived from New York on Wednesday with 1,380 passengers.

He added that the Song of America also bypassed St. George's and berthed in Hamilton.

In other shipping news, Mr. Southern said the 269-metre motor tanker Granite stopped by the Island briefly on Saturday and anchored off the East End where two crew members disembarked.

The two men -- a surveyor and a technician -- returned home the following day.

The Granite was out of New York and enroute to Angola when it made the unscheduled stop over.

And he said the US Navy's Aubrey Fitch -- a Perry Class frigate -- was expected to stop in at the Island tomorrow and refuel at the Flagship Berth in Dockyard. It was due to leave the following day.