Hamilton retailers have been granted a one-day Sunday pass from the Public Holidays Act — and are allowed to stay open all day to accommodate the first cruise ship of the season.The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce was behind the initiative to lobby Government for the exemption, which will allow merchants to open from 9am to 9pm on Sunday, March 17.In making the announcement Chamber executive director Joanne MacPhee explained: “The Azamara Quest, the first cruise ship of the 2013 season will arrive in Hamilton on Sunday morning, March 17, and will only be at dock until 5pm, so it was vital that stores of all sizes be permitted to open early to meet the demand. Government has been fully supportive of our application for the exemption and now it is up to the merchants themselves to make the most of this opportunity.”According to the 2013 Cruise Ship schedule the Azamara Quest, carrying 688 passengers, is due to come alongside the Number 5/6 dock at 10am. Stores over 1,000 square feet that would otherwise not be able to open until 1pm will, in accordance with the exemption as published in today’s Official Gazette, be permitted to open as early as 9am.Even though the ship is scheduled to sail at 5pm, in order to be consistent with similar applications, the Chamber requested a 9am to 9am exemption. As always, the exemption is superseded by the Liquor Licensing Act, which means that merchants will not be permitted to sell even Bermuda-made liquor products to visiting passengers on Sunday.“While we are extremely pleased that the exemption waiver has been written into the Act, allowing for random applications such as this one, we will continue to lobby Government for a complete review of the outdated 1947 Act and bring it more into line with today’s economy,” said the Chamber. “We contend that any impediments to free trade should be removed allowing consumers to decide how and when they will shop.”