Angry taxi drivers hit out yesterday after claiming thousands of passengers on the Carnival Legend were warned not to take a cab unless it was absolutely necessary.

Drivers said around 100 cabs were at Dockyard waiting to pick up passengers on the Legend's maiden voyage to Bermuda - but only 18 got a job.

The drivers turned up in force because of fears that passengers would get stranded due to bus drivers refusing to take people between Dockyard and Watford Bridge.

Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott, whose Department helped arrange transport for the passengers because of the bus dispute, said he was not aware of any directive not to use taxis, although it could have come from the cruise line.

There appeared to be no problems shifting the 2,205 passengers and 963 crew yesterday as a mini-train was laid on to take people from the dock to next to Pirate's Landing Pub, where six minibuses were on hand to shuttle them onwards to Watford Bridge for regular buses.

Government also laid on ferries to take passengers into Hamilton.

David Burgess of West End Minibuses, which Government has hired to take people from Dockyard to Watford Bridge, said yesterday the cruise passengers had been moved around without problems.

"Everything has been going like clockwork - there have been no hold ups and its been smooth sailing," he said.

But taxi drivers who sat for hours without work said they were furious, claiming some cruise cruise passengers told them they were told to buy bus or ferry passes and only take cabs as a last resort.

One driver, who asked not to be named, told The Royal Gazette yesterday: "The Minister of Transport (Dr. Ewart Brown) is always complaining that taxis are not available, yet so many of us have turned up today and got virtually no work.

"We were told by some passengers that they were told not to get a taxi, but to take the little railway to Pirate's Landing where they can get the minibus to Watford Bridge or the ferry.

"It's ridiculous. The passengers should be allowed to choose which type of transport they want.

"There were about 100 cabs and only 18 got jobs. The rest of us were just sitting around thinking of turning round and getting out of Dockyard.

"People will be needing tours tomorrow but a lot of drivers are saying they just won't bother turning up.

"We are fed up and have had just about had enough. Those Members of Parliament and the present government have put their position on the line because a lot of the taxi drivers have said they will not vote for them at the polls because they have done us such an injustice."

Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott said last night: "I don't know about any such instruction (not to take taxis), and I would be surprised if such an instruction was issued given that it was all hands to the deck.

"I am very pleased that the taxi drivers turned up in such numbers. I hope that it is not so, unless the request was made by the cruise ship itself.

"We had a trial run (taking passengers off Dockyard) to Watford Bridge. They were gravely tested today, and I hope folks were not too inconvenienced."