The owners of the Corinthian are currently deliberating whether or not to go ahead with plans to use the ship as a casino.

The Corinthian slipped almost unnoticed into St. George late on Tuesday afternoon from the United States where she was being refurbished.

The 196-foot luxury vessel made headlines early last year when a local company, Corinthian Ltd. announced its plans to set up and operate the ship as a casino off Bermuda's coast.

According to these plans, gamblers would be able to use the casino once it sailed off Bermuda's shore into international waters. The current territorial jurisdiction is 12 miles.

However, the ship would operate in the same way as cruise ships, which must close down their casinos when they approach Bermuda as they are not allowed to operate casinos in port as a condition of their permit.

However, lawyer Llewellyn Peniston who acts for the local company, said yesterday that no decision had yet been made as to whether or not the Corinthian would in fact be used as a casino off Bermuda's coast, or alternatively in another jurisdiction altogether.

He said this would be decided "later this week" and he would have a better idea of the ship's future use sometime next week.

"The vessel has a very well appointed interior and I was impressed by the transformation since she was purchased a year ago in Ecuador," he said.

Mr. Peniston said the ship could easily be used for a wide range of events including specialised cruises, weddings and conventions.

He was confident that a formal press conference would be held on board sometime in the near future to show her off and announce exactly what shewould be used for.