being frustrated by long queues of cruise ship workers tying up booths for hours.

And angry commuter said this week that she spent 45 minutes trying to find a phone that wasn't monopolised by "three or four men'' at a time.

"I was driving around town at about six in the evening looking for a telephone,'' said the woman, who started her search at the bus terminal.

"I couldn't make a call because every single phone was being used and there were three or four men sitting around each booth waiting to make calls as well.

"You could tell they were cruise ship workers. When I asked them if they were going to take long, or if I could make a quick call, they turned their back, didn't say anything.

"I realise many of them do not speak English but when they responded to me they were hostile, throwing their arms around, shouting and being very angry.

"I asked around and discovered the phones were always tied up when the cruise ships are in Hamilton,'' she said.

The woman said she checked every phone booth she could find on Victoria Street, Church, Reid and Front Streets. All -- including the phones in City Hall and Par-La-Ville car parks were being used.

"After looking around town for over 45 minutes, I finally gave up,'' the commuter said.

Bermuda Telephone Company Corporate Communications Officer, Carla Lacey Minors said BTC had never received a complaint about Hamilton phone booths being unavailable, although she did concede BTC has noted an upswing in phone booth useage during cruise ship season.

"We are aware of peak times and quiet times for public telephone use,'' she said. "There are times when usage is very high, and we've noticed more use when the cruise ships are in, but we have not had any complaints.''