Cruise jobs have been on the rise throughout the Caribbean since last summer
SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC — A slew of cruise jobs are up for grabs again in the region as the cruise industry gets back in full swing after months of closure during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the past two weeks, a major cruise liner has hosted a series of job fairs in the Dominican Republic, prioritizing multilingual candidates and hiring for a wide range of positions from entry-level to management.
It follows similar hiring sprees undertaken by cruise companies in the Caribbean since last summer.
In a statement on the matter, the government of the Dominican Republic revealed, “The Ministry of Labor, in conjunction with the MSC cruise line and the National Institute of Professional Technical Training (INFOTEP) announced job fairs will be held where people can find employment on cruise ships that dock in Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo or La Altagracia.”
The statement emphasized that candidates with “language skills and experience” would be most highly preferred.
Additionally, it noted, “There will be job fairs for basic and management employment positions.
“There are job openings in service jobs and management positions — waiters, bartenders, cooks, cleaners, entertainers and multilingual reception desk clerks.”
Applications have been open and accepted over the past two weeks, with in-person interviews held on January 19 and January 20 at the Montemar Hotel School, Puerto Plata.
The second batch of interviews were conducted on January 23 and January 24 in Santo Domingo, at the Ministry of Labour’s headquarters.
Finally, the most recent round of interviews took place on January 26 and January 27 in Higuey, La Altagracia, at the INFOTEP Training Centre itself.
More cruise jobs in DR
Further interviews and job fairs for cruise jobs in the Dominican Republic and throughout the Caribbean are likely forthcoming in the future as the cruise industry slowly ramps back up to pre-pandemic levels.
After being nearly decimated by a global shutdown of travel, the Caribbean tourism industry — including cruise tourism — has been on a rapid rebound since the beginning of 2022.
The latest hiring spree in the Dominican Republic is just the latest in a huge round of hirings that have taken place over the past several months.
This return of cruising is expected to restore thousands of direct jobs in the tourism and maritime sectors.
But it is also expected to create a dramatic economic boost for indirect jobs, for instance in hospitality and food and beverage; as well as in the informal job sector, for jobs such as tour operators and other vendors.
Overall, the economy of several Caribbean countries are expected to benefit from the return of the cruise industry.
Find the latest jobs in the Caribbean via Caribbean Employment Services Inc.