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35 less cruise ship visits in 2013

The Veendam will not be visiting next year.

The Island's forthcoming cruise ship schedule shows a sharp drop in the number of overall calls to Bermuda, according to a shipping source.Next year's cruise schedule will deliver 35 less ships for the season, from 163 this year down to 128.However, a draft of the schedule shows 22 calls from the new liner Norwegian Breakaway.Much of the Island's performance will rise on projected numbers for that vessel — which has a top capacity of 4,000 passengers, which should more than compensate for the loss of the Veendam.That ship, which carried roughly 1,370 passengers per trip and made 19 trips to the Island over this current, final season, will not be returning next year.Regular caller Explorer of the Seas, a large vessel which this season carried about 3,225 a trip, is expected to make 26 calls, down four from 30.And the Grandeur of the Seas — the replacement of the Enchantment of the Seas, and with the same top capacity of 2,446 — will stop 15 times in Bermuda, down ten trips from 25.Norwegian Dawn will hold steady at 22 calls, as it has since the 2011 season, and the Summit will continue with this year's 19 visits.“Low sales” were given as the reason for the drop in calls from the two Royal Caribbean International services.