As the last major cruise ship is scheduled to dock in Hamilton today, the arrival of mega ships at Dockyard next season has left Front Street businesses uncertain.

While a few smaller ships will berth in Hamilton next season, for shorter visits, Dockyard business are expecting a boost after Government opted for Ireland Island as a mega ship hub.

The Royal Gazette spoke with area store managers and taxi drivers yesterday, who wondered how the new arrangement would effect their bottom lines.

Charles Pitt, manager of Chatham House, a landmark cigar and tobacco shop on Front Street, believed the move will result in a trickle-down effect for all businesses including taxi drivers.

He said: "It's going to have an effect that multiplies all the way through the different shops, including the restaurants and taxi drivers. We all work together... it's pretty hard to tell though, we know that it would be much slower. We've had ships on Front Street since 1930 and this shop has been here since 1895."

Michelle Lindo, 23, a student who's worked at the store off and on for years, didn't mind the mega ships heading to Dockyard as she believes that tourists will still come to Hamilton to explore.

"My main concern for Dockyard is that they respect the architecture and maintain the structures, the Bermudian structures," she explained.

"I think it's beautiful, I think Dockyard and St. George's are two beautiful places on the Island. Dockyard is like a hidden gem, it's so sleepy, so it's not a bad thing.

"Tourists will naturally want to see the hub (Hamilton) and they'll make their way through town and other places."

In the past, West End Development Company (WEDCO) head Andrew Dias, described plans to transform the west into a new tourism hub for the Island.

He's on record telling this paper: "We are talking to shops to remodel existing buildings here and open stores. We are looking to expand our retail sector to include major department stores.

"Our philosophy is that we want people to work, live and play here. We want to provide a place where you can shop, eat and walk around, for visitors and locals."

Fearing the impending effects of Tropical Storm Noel, Norwegian Majesty prematurely departed Hamilton on Wednesday, with the Norwegian Crown cutting short its stay in Bermuda and leaving yesterday afternoon instead of today.

It was the final visit to Hamilton for both ships.

The last cruise ship to come to Bermuda for the season, Blackwatch, was last night scheduled to arrive at 2 p.m. today, however, officials said there was a good chance the ship could turn back, given the looming weather conditions.

Two-time air visitor to the Island, Paul Hazen, from Cleveland, Ohio, thought: "We find the city charming, very wonderful and the shopping is always fun.

"My wife and I prefer to come to Hamilton over Dockyard because there's more variety, more shops, there's also an ambience here.

"Dockyard is very nice to see but there's more to do in Hamilton."

One taxi driver, who did not wished to be named, said most shops depend heavily on cruise ship passengers. "We've got about 600 cabs on the road and not everybody can be in Dockyard," he worried.

Moreover, it is understood that a few regular cruise ship callers will continue to sail into the Island to Dockyard and St. George's until the season ends at the end of November.