A more consistent ferry service and raising awareness of other transport options were highlighted by the Mayor of St George as key ingredients to help deliver cruise-ship passengers from Dockyard to the East End.

Quinell Francis suggested that shuttle buses could help fill gaps in the evening so that visitors will not fear they might become stranded.

She said last week: “St George’s is looking for a consistent ferry, especially for the cruise-ship season; so looking around April, May straight to October when we have consistent ships in Dockyard.

“We are pushing for a consistent ferry, not a day here or day there.

“It’s not just visitors who use the ferry, but locals as well. You can only use it if you know it’s a consistent schedule.”

The Orange Route ferry runs from Dockyard to St George’s during six months of the year.

In 2023, services operated on specified days or dates from mid-May until late October. The first ferry left Dockyard at 9.45am and the last one from St George’s was at 6pm.

A more consistent schedule was announced in July when Wayne Furbert, the Minister of Transport, said that an assessment would be made to determine whether the revised summer schedule would be maintained or expanded further in the next Budget year.

Additional departures were also added to the timetable for Cup Match in 2023.

Services were disrupted last August when the route was suspended temporarily owing to mechanical issues at the Hunter's Wharf loading ramp.

During the cruise-ship season, the Norwegian Cruise Line will ferry its passengers to St George's.

Ms Francis said: “The need for a ferry is required and NCL has provided us with a ferry for every ship.

“That ferry is very consistent, but when you have other ships in Dockyard, they can’t use that NCL ferry.”

She acknowledged a need to rely on other modes of transport to reach St George’s.

Ms Francis said: “I think we are quick to criticise the gypsy cabs but some days they do fill a void where the taxis or minibuses are not available. But evenings are the biggest issue — we don’t have a ferry.

“Our last ferry is usually at six o’clock, so most of the cruise-ship passengers feel if they don’t catch that ferry, they are stranded.

“That myth needs to be taken away because there are other modes of transportation, like using a bus.”

Ms Francis, who was re-elected to become the Olde Towne’s mayor last year, had talks with the Ministry of Transport about the possibility of a shuttle bus from St George’s to Dockyard.

She noted the expense of a late ferry service but suggested that a shuttle running directly from the East End to the West — bypassing Hamilton — could be an alternative.

Ms Francis added: “Prior to May 2023, they didn't have as many buses. Now I know they have more buses and maybe we can see if that’s an option that can talked about.”

The mayor has also spoken with the minibus and taxi associations to see how they can work together.

She added: “The minibuses do offer tours around St George’s over to Southside and up to Crystal Caves.”

Ms Francis said that talks with large resorts in the eastern parishes showed their “biggest concern is transportation”.

She added that “sometimes people can get to St George's but they can’t get out of it, so transportation is key”.

Ms Francis said: “I don’t think we have a problem in the daytime, it’s a problem in the evening times and people coming out to eat and not able to get back.

“With a lot of the restaurant owners and staff they have been trying to source taxi drivers in advance, or at least tell the visitors or anyone who needs a taxi, ‘when you are ordering dessert, let us know so they can make sure someone is here on time’, rather than at the time, ‘oh, I need a taxi’, sort of a thing.”

She took part in a meeting with the transport minister and other MPs as well as representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, the Bermuda Tourism Authority, the Department of Marine and Ports Services, and others on Friday — after The Royal Gazette spoke to Ms Francis — to discuss the consistency of ferry services.

The Gazette was unable to learn the outcome of those talks by the time of publication.