week.

And at the end of October, New Yorker Jackie Razil will visit the Island again on the Song of America marking her 100th voyage with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

She has already made 50 voyages on the Song of America .

Ms Razil first visited the Island in September, 1971 on the Sea Venture -- "not the original,'' she joked -- with her mother and father.

She returned in September, 1984 with her mother on the Bermuda Star and in 1985 on the Nordic Prince .

From that point on the pair became regulars, visiting up to seven times a year, until 1994 when her mother died.

At that point there was no stopping her. "Then I kept coming back,'' she said. "I took 69 cruises on her ( Nordic Prince ) and 50 were to Bermuda. The others were to the Caribbean out of Miami.'' In between 1975 and 1984 Ms Razil made 122 cruises from Miami to the Caribbean, she added.

But having been to the Caribbean, she continued, "you see one island and you have seen them all. They can't compare to Bermuda which is clean, has friendly people and where you're not harassed on the street.'' She added: "The cars don't even look like they are falling apart. I don't think I've even seen one with so much as a dent.'' However Bermuda did not hold a lot of appeal for her originally, she noted.

"I was working for a bank which wanted to transfer me down here,'' she recalled. "But the idea of being away from home for months at a time did not appeal to me.'' She quickly added: "It was not the Island that turned me off, it was the working conditions.'' When asked if she had noticed changes to the Island during her frequent visits, Ms Razil replied: "You know something, I know there have been changes but I come so often that I don't really notice them.'' New York woman hits a century! Part of the attraction to cruising was that she lived so close to the terminal in New York, she revealed.

"I live in New York about 15 minutes from the ship. Being so close the cruise line is nice enough to keep my luggage all summer.'' Another draw to the cruising life is all the activities and entertainment that are included in the fare along with the cabin and food.

"You can eat ten meals a day or more if you want,'' she chuckled, "then there is the entertainment and activities in the evening and all day long.

"I think it is a good bargain for the money. I also like the security factor on the ship,'' she added.

And then there is the benefit to the single traveller, Ms Razil continued.

"I like it because I am travelling alone but I feel like I'm at home. I met the Captain and the First Mate in 1976 and I know a lot of the other staff as well.

"I made a gift for every member of staff on the ship this time,'' she said, "So I'll be going home with a lot less luggage.'' Ms Razil also admitted that her dislike of flying also had something to do with the fact that she took so many cruises.

"I think most people that take cruises hate to fly. I would fly if I had to but if I can I avoid it.'' She noted that on Thursday one of her shipboard family tried to get himself in the record books.

Hungarian pianist Charles Brunner played 444 songs between noon and 12.05 p.m.

with a lounge full of witnesses in an attempt to qualify for the Guinness Book of World Records.

"He did not repeat one song,'' she added in amazement.

And when she is not cruising for six months of the year, Ms Razil looks forward to the solitude of her Brooklyn apartment.

"After being on a ship with so many people for so long, I look forward to some peace and quiet. My apartment has a view of the New York sky line so I never feel shut in.'' HAPPY BIRTHDAY! -- Tourism Minister David Dodwell presented Jackie Razil with a plaque this week to commemorate her 100th visit to the Island which coincided with her birthday on Tuesday.