This season's cruise passengers have forked out more than $40,000 in fines after another 11 visitors appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with possessing drugs.

Since the beginning of May, 36 visitors have been caught with drugs and fined a minimum of $1,000 each, according to Royal Gazette court reports.

That is more than enough to cover one year's salary ($37,525) for a Bermuda traffic warden.

Some of the visitors who appeared yesterday said the cruise lines had not given them adequate warnings about the dangers of bringing drugs with them.

Earlier this month, lawyer Mark Pettingill said it was time cruise passengers got wise to Bermuda's attitude to drugs.

He said: “We need to let tourists know that we view these matters a lot more seriously than other jurisdictions do.”

Others passengers yesterday complained about the Bermuda Police and Customs officials bringing drug-sniffing dogs on board the ships.

“I don't understand how they can go on the ship and go into my room. That's like illegal search and seizure. I'll never come back,” said one man. Appearing before Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves, ten of yesterday's visitors were convicted of cannabis importation, while one, Cecilia Pocciarelli, 40,also pleading guilty to importing 0.8 grams of cocaine. Though the quantities of marijuana seized varied from 0.5 grams to 40 grams, each defendant was fined the customary $1,000 for importation.

Ms Pocciarelli was fined an additional $1000 for bringing in the cocaine.

Drug sniffing dogs discovered the illegal substances when authorities raided the ship on Monday.

“They must be singing ‘who let the dogs out',” said Mr. Greaves, after he heard five of the 11 charges.

Crown counsel, Wayne Caines, agreed: “The dogs were working overtime.”

Despite the fines, some of the visitors found that the trip to Magistrates' Court was the entertainment highlight of their Bermuda experience.

“We had more fun here than on the boat,” said Megan Graham who was fined $1,000 for 0.7 grams of cannabis.

Still, she said, it was “ridiculous” to be fined $1,000 for 0.7 grams of cannabis.

All agreed that Celebrity cruise lines should have warned them of Bermuda's strict anti-drug policies. When they read the cruise line's brochures, several of the tourists were led to believe that the drugs would simply be confiscated if detected.

Leonard Huntley, a 27-year-old New Yorker, told The Royal Gazette: “I'll come back when I'm a senior citizen, because that's all I see here.”

Only Richard Taylor said he would definitely be back. Taylor, 39, is also from New York and was caught with almost ten grams of cannabis.

“I approached my room and there was a dog and ten people in there,” he explained.

“But the Island is beautiful and the Police were very hospitable, he said.

This is the second Bermuda cruise for Mr. Taylor, who calls himself an “occasional” pot-smoker.

“They didn't have dogs on the ship the last time I was here.”

Another man offered : “I think on my next vacation I'll stay in my backyard and smoke.”