Sen. Terry Lister said that Carnival Cruise Lines was huge -- and hugely successful, but that an approach by the company three years ago had been rebuffed.

He added that the line owned its own hotels in the Bahamas and had even moved into its own air transportation to Miami.

Sen. Lister said: "It's incredible and we don't want them -- why we don't want them, I don't know.

"My understanding is that Carnival Cruises want to come to Bermuda -- they want to come from Baltimore, they want to come from Florida, from either or both.

"What makes it even better is that they are prepared to come on the weekends.'' And he pointed out that a weekend caller would still keep the Island within its 6,000 cruise visitors a day limit.

He added that there appeared to be a strong resistance to cruise ships -- despite protests to the contrary -- especially in the hotel industry.

Sen. Lister stressed everybody wanted to see busy and profitable hotels in Bermuda.

And he said: "If somebody wants to go on a cruise, nothing the hotels can do can make them change their minds. It just doesn't work that way and it's foolish to pretend otherwise.'' He added that Bermuda was the second most popular tourist destination for several reasons, which included vessels tying up alongside and cutting cruising costs, unlike many cruises in the Caribbean area -- and that the Island should have a more robust approach to negotiations.

And he said: "There is nothing for us to uncomfortable about -- there is no need to be talking like beggars when dealing with these folk.

"We are in a position of strength when we deal with the cruise ship business.'' Last month, Tourism Minister David Dodwell said Carnival had yet to make a formal application to call at the Island.

The cruise line visited Bermuda in March with representatives from Baltimore with a sales pitch aimed directly at Island retailers and offering an 18 trip package for the weekend.

Executives from Carnival admitted Carnival appeared to suffer from a downmarket image in Bermuda -- which they said may have influenced Government.

But cruise line top brass insisted they had worked hard to change their budget image and were attracting new customers.