end of this month with the arrival of a new cruise ship.

Secretary of the Corporation of St. George's Mrs. Lily Oatley said the town was ready for the May 30 arrival of the cruise ship Royal Majesty which will berth at Ordnance Island from Monday to Thursday.

"We are bringing in overseas entertainment for the visitors,'' Mrs. Oatley said. "Which we will work into Harbour Nights.

"They are good groups and it's going to be really nice.'' She added that the group which was called the New Olympian International Show Team, from Michigan, had performed in Bermuda before and was made up of baton and fire twirlers, dancers, and singers.

Mrs. Oatley said it would be an exchange of culture with the US entertainment and that of Bermuda.

"The new cruise ship coming to St. George's will help the town and the businesses.

"Three groups are coming in and we are working to bring more entertainment groups in to work with the cruise ship season.'' Town manager for the Corporation Mrs. Margaret Emmott said the increase of visitors on the new cruise ship would "certainly bring in more income.

"They (the visitors) will sort of be a captive audience for four days.'' Businesses are looking forward to the arrival of more visitors hoping to increase their sales.

Owner of the White Horse Tavern restaurant Mrs. Carol West said: "I think the increase of visitors due to the new cruise ship will be very positive.

"It will give a boost to St. George's and the visitors won't wait to shop in Hamilton.'' Mrs. West added: "Time will tell. It also depends on the number of people on board the ship. The crew members are also important because they want to get off the ship and spend some money.'' Owner of clothing store Frangipani Ltd. Mrs. Linda Henry said she was certainly looking forward to the arrival of the new ship.

"It will be great for the business and other merchants. I'm really excited about it.'' She added: "We are going to stay open more evenings during the week that the cruise ship is in to service customers and the passengers.'' Manager of the St. George's branch of Crisson Ltd. Miss Junita Christopher said the store was looking forward to an increase in sales.

"I feel good about the new cruise ship, it will bring more business, more sales and more money.'' A Trimingham's spokeswoman thought the arrival of the new ship was great "It's nice to finally get a stationary ship here. Visitors on ships who were just stopping here for a day were not big spenders because they were waiting to shop in Hamilton.'' She added: "We don't think there will be a problem with too many people in St. George's because they will want to go other places and then come back and shop.'' Italian restaurant San Giorgio did not feel they would be affected by the cruise ship because they only got one or two passengers when the other ships were in.

But Mrs. Juliette Hoerrmann of Juliette's Hosiery said she was carrying lots of things the cruise ship passengers would like from accessories to clothing.

"I'm hoping that with the ship in for four days we will get something,'' Mrs.

Hoerrmann said.

"I hope the boutique will benefit and I'm looking forward to having more people in town all the time rather than having them here for one day.'' Mrs. Hoerrmann added that though her store had not benefited from staying open for Harbour Nights, she would definitely stay open on one of the nights the ship was in.

The Corporation of St. George's has also prepared to tidy traffic in the town with a new traffic plan, which is hoped to be completed on May 30, the day the new ship arrives.

They aim to make the town less congestive and more easily accessible to visitors and residents.