Tourism Minister David Allen revealed.

"We are advancing our plan for a weekend cruise ship. We expect it to be in place next year,'' he said.

Government had received several proposals, he disclosed, and the process of finding the right vessel and line was getting "quite competitive''.

"We are really finding some interest out there,'' he said. "We are very happy about the way that is progressing.'' And hoteliers need not fear the addition of another ship to the Island's weekly cruise schedule, he stressed.

"We cannot look at cruise ships and say they are public enemy number one.

"We are now devising a way for the cruise ship industry to help contribute to local hotels. It's all about reinventing tourism.'' And hoteliers will be consulted for their thoughts on the subject and ideas on how to make it work in their benefit. One idea being pursued is developing Bermuda as a fly-cruise destination.

Under this scheme visitors would either fly or cruise to the Island and stay in a local property before heading home on the opposite form of travel to the way they arrived.

There was a lot happening behind the scenes, he noted, with Government looking to encourage cruise ships to sail from other ports besides the traditional ones on the eastern seaboard.

This could help develop new markets for the Island, he pointed out.

The largest cruise line in the world, Carnival, is known to be interested in operating between the US and Bermuda and has offered to stay at a port of the Island's choice on the weekend.

Representatives from the cruise line and the Port of Baltimore visited the Island and made a presentation to the local community in a bid to drum up interest but the service never materialised under the former Government.