A French luxury cruise ship stuck in Longyearbyen for weeks due to COVID-19 issues is suddenly in need of finding 60 crew members with tourism skills for a nearly two-month voyage east to Russia, Japan and Hawaii – that begins on Monday.
Gee, wonder if there’s anyone here with both the perfect skills and motive able to keep the company from having to seek out people not on Norway’s virus “red list” and fly them here?
The 400-passenger Le Boreal operated by Ponant Cruises published its urgent help-wanted notice the same day Longyearbyen’s municipal government officially offered travel-home grants to the hundreds of foreign residents who’ve been laid off due to the pandemic, nearly all in tourism and service occupations. But unlike the numerous qualifiers and obvious downer factor of departing Svalbard in such a manner, the pitch for joining the Boreal’s cruise is considerably more enticing.
“On Sept. 7. the ship Le Boreal will go from Svalbard to East Russia for a cruise, then via Japan to Honolulu, Hawaii,” the online notice by the ship’s hotel manager states. “The total trip (is) until approximately Oct. 28.”
The ship is seeking the following for its 60 positions: receptionists, cleaners, barbers/hairdressers, food servers and chefs.
The company provides successful applicants airfare to Longyearbyen (obviously moot for locals) and to return home from Honolulu.
Interested persons can contact hotelmanager.boreal@ponant-ships.com, or David at WhatsApp at + 34678087705.