Bermuda fights for cruise business

In an attempt to win back some lost and much-needed revenue, the government of Bermuda has overturned a long-held ban on the operation of cruise ship casinos and suspended a cabin tax levied on ships calling on the island. The new legislation will try to revive Bermuda's popularity as a cruise destination, especially among luxury lines, which have cut the number of visits they make to the island. Since 2003, when Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the last luxury cruise company to offer seasonal sailings to Bermuda, pulled out of the regular schedule, no major cruise company has had a Bermuda-only itinerary. Why has this happened? First because Bermuda decided cruise liners must close casinos and shops at 10 pm and second because it imposed a £7 a day cabin tax. The result ahs been that on three ships NCL's Norwegian Dawn, and Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas visit regularly on multi-day itineraries, while a few other lines including Fred Olsen, Crystal and Princess, occasionally visit Bermuda's ports for a day-long stop. It remains to be seen if this will be enough to restore Bermuda’s cruise fortunes.