Hapag-Lloyd's MS Europa , which sailed into the Great Sound.

The 199-metre-long luxury cruise liner spent Tuesday in Grassy Bay after arriving from Florida with 464 passengers on board.

It left that afternoon for the Azores, reported John S. Darrell spokesman Saleem Talbot.

Built in 1995, the vessel boasts two outdoor pools and one indoor pool. It has 316 cabins and capacity for 600 passengers. Her officers are German and she has an international crew.

The ship is understood to have been sold to Star Cruises for US$75 million and is slated to become the MegaStar Asia in early 1999.

Looking ahead, the Island is scheduled to host the Japanese-flagged car ship MV Century Leader this Saturday. The vessel will spend the day in Hamilton Harbour where it will off load 115 cars and 36 boxes of spare parts.

The 200-meter-long ship is stopping off in Bermuda while en route from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to Nassau in the Bahamas.

Also due to arrive in Hamilton on Saturday is the cable ship Sir Eric Sharpe which is due to return to Bermuda after carrying out cable repairs in Baltimore.

In regular shipping news, Bermuda's three year-round callers were delayed slightly by bad weather between the Island and the US.

Meyer Agencies spokesman Stephen Paynter said the Bermuda Islander arrived on Monday with 105 containers including 14 reefers.

Off loading was delayed until Tuesday because of the poor weather and the ship returned to Salem, New Jersey, yesterday morning.

Mr. Paynter added that the Somers Isles arrived on Tuesday morning with 90 dry containers, 13 reefers and some loose cargo including three boats and 40 bundles of lumber, plywood and steel.

The vessel is set to return to Fernandina Beach, Florida, today.

And Container Ship Management spokeswoman Glennis Dickinson reported that the Oleander arrived on Monday with 28 reefers and 135 dry containers from Port Elizabeth, New Jersey.

The vessel left on Tuesday after off loading seven flat beds of steel, an open container of steel, 20 cars and a boat.

AND IT'S OFF -- Bermuda's cruise ship season got underway this week with the arrival of the MS Europa which sailed in the from Florida on Tuesday carrying 464 passengers. After a brief visit, Europa weighted anchor for the Azores.