The Veendam cruise ship should head straight to Hamilton rather than “wasting everyone’s time” anchoring off St George’s.This is the view of Shadow Transport Minister Kim Swan who says the tendering process is so timely that it threatens to ruin people’s experience of Bermuda.It is estimated that it takes about an hour to get passengers from the cruise ship at Murray’s Anchorage, off St George’s, into Penno’s Wharf.Mr Swan said it would be “better use of everyone’s time” if the ship only docked at Front Street leaving passengers plenty of time to make their own way to St George’s.Instead of the Veendam stopping at both ports, he would welcome a dedicated cruise ship to dock in St George for the 2012 season.He is also calling for a “more regular and reliable ferry service” to St George whenever a cruise ship is in port at Dockyard.Mr Swan, who is leader of the United Bermuda Party, said being moored off St George’s was “a wasted day” for cruise ship passengers.He said: “The Veendam anchors offshore but it would make more sense if it just went straight to Hamilton.“People would still find their way to St George’s, it would serve us just as well, it would just cut out the whole tendering nightmare.“A limited tendering service to get passengers back and forth doesn’t really work, it’s too timely. By the time they get to shore, it’s time for them to return to the ship. Their plans are dictated by the tender.“Only docking at Hamilton would give passengers a lot more flexibility and access to Bermuda. It would maximise the time they spent on land.”The Veendam arrived off St George’s on Wednesday last week for the first of her 24 planned visits for 2011. The vessel is too big to fit through Town Cut and dock in port.The ship, which carries 1,300 passengers, was moored off St. George’s for the afternoon before heading the short distance to Hamilton for a two-day stay.A delay leaving New York meant the Veendam only got to spend about four hours off St. George’s last week. The cruise ship’s regular schedule includes a 24-hour offshore mooring in the east end, but this is dependent on calm seas.As reported in The Royal Gazette, St George’s welcomed the much-needed boost to business last Wednesday.But the Bermudian, which acts as the tender, can only carry up to 750 passengers so Mr Swan thinks St George would be “better off economically” if the ship only docked in Hamilton.A long-time St George business owner, who did not want to be named, said: “It just takes too long for passengers to be tendered in.“It would be easier and quicker for them to be in Hamilton and to take the bus to St George’s. Then they are free to come spend the day and have a good experience, visit our shops and eat in our restaurants.“This tendering business doesn’t make sense. It takes about an hour once everyone has disembarked and embarked.“And they drop them off at Penno’s Wharf which must feel like the end of the world. These people should be in the Square and Ordnance Island.“An hour to get here and an hour back. Saying the Veendam spends a day in St George is false advertising as the ship doesn’t truly come here.”The business owner added that cruise ships would be better off docking in only St George and Hamilton, as she says Dockyard is “completely soulless.”She said: “Business is down dramatically this year and what’s worse is there’s no sign of things changing. I’m very, very scared for the future.“We want people in St George’s, we want them to take their time and spend the day.“The whole transport thing is being very poorly managed right now. If things aren’t going to change, the least we can have is a regular ferry service from Dockyard to St George’s when a ship is in.”Mr Swan, who is also a St George’s resident, said: “We’re very concerned about St. George’s when it comes to transportation.“We shouldn’t be tendering passengers in and out, we should be concentrating our efforts on finding St George’s a dedicated cruise ship for the 2012 season.“We need our own ship at the pier rather than a dual-port ship stopping offshore.”Transport Minister Terry Lister did not respond to requests for comment over the weekend.