u/animalterego

Hi everyone!

I have a question for people who have worked for Royal Caribbean or Starboard.

I'm currently waiting for my first embarkation date. However, I have already received a great job offer in the hospitality industry.

If I decide to decline my first embarkation because I accepted this opportunity, would Royal Caribbean or Starboard blacklist me or make it difficult to work with them in the future?

I'm not trying to waste anyone's time—I just want to make the best long-term decision for my career. I'd really appreciate hearing about your personal experiences.

Has anyone declined their first assignment and later been offered another one?

Thank you!

emotional release, open to advice

My mother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 15 years ago. From then on, she made my life a living hell, abusing me emotionally and financially throughout my adolescence. She couldn't use physical violence against me because I'm taller and stronger and she couldn't do anything to me, but she did try twice.

For 14 years, I justified her behavior, I supported her, I thought it was because of her mental illness. But I started therapy and they told me that she has psychopathic traits, that the things she does are not normal, that she lacks empathy and only cares about her own well-being, not mine.

Then a very good job opportunity came up, but one that required very expensive medical studies. She regained her "economic power" and "power over my future," so the threats returned (which hadn't happened since I turned 21 because I had been able to pay for everything with my work).

She not only threatened not to pay for my studies, but she also tried to sabotage me by denying me a document I needed to apply for my visa, and consequently cause me to lose my job opportunity. It was something very obvious that she later confessed, saying, "I just don't want you to leave, you have to understand."

To all this I must add that when she was exercising the most violence (17 years old) I went to ask for help from her sister and my cousin (60 and 35 years old). They called me a liar because my mother told them I was crazy and that I hit her (obviously lies) I quote them: "We don't know who to believe because she comes here and tells other things about you." (in a sarcastic tone).

Today was her birthday, and I'm trying to pretend everything's fine with my mom, even though I feel so much reject towards her. (also sadness for having a mother who hates me) . That way I can get my job and finally leave, but going to celebrate her birthday with my aunt and cousin today was too much. When I saw them, my heart raced, and it gave me so much anxiety. (To add, my cousin used to make fun of me, belittle me, and invalidate me thousands of times, She was an adult and I was a child/teenager ).

I wrote to my psychologist and she told me it was better for my health not to attend the birthday party and to tell my mother that I could spend time with her at another time. When I told my mother, she went crazy. She yelled at me, "How could you do this to me?" "On my birthday?" "I do everything for you!" "The psychologist is crazy, how could she say that to you?" "This is your last therapy session" (She pays me because it's expensive and I'm not working.)

I had a panic attack, I'm tired, I'm afraid she'll ruin my job opportunity, I'm tired of not being able to relax, of living on high alert and just surviving. I've tried to find other jobs but it's very difficult where I live, I don't know what to do anymore. Sometimes I just want to disappear

Pd: sorry if my english is not perfect

(emotional release) open to advice.

My mother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 15 years ago. From then on, she made my life a living hell, abusing me emotionally and financially throughout my adolescence. She couldn't use physical violence against me because I'm taller and stronger and she couldn't do anything to me, but she did try twice.

For 14 years, I justified her behavior, I supported her, I thought it was because of her mental illness. But I started therapy and they told me that she has psychopathic traits, that the things she does are not normal, that she lacks empathy and only cares about her own well-being, not mine.

Then a very good job opportunity came up, but one that required very expensive medical studies. She regained her "economic power" and "power over my future," so the threats returned (which hadn't happened since I turned 21 because I had been able to pay for everything with my work).

She not only threatened not to pay for my studies, but she also tried to sabotage me by denying me a document I needed to apply for my visa, and consequently cause me to lose my job opportunity. It was something very obvious that she later confessed, saying, "I just don't want you to leave, you have to understand."

To all this I must add that when she was exercising the most violence (17 years old) I went to ask for help from her sister and my cousin (60 and 35 years old). They called me a liar because my mother told them I was crazy and that I hit her (obviously lies) I quote them: "We don't know who to believe because she comes here and tells other things about you." (in a sarcastic tone).

Today was her birthday, and I'm trying to pretend everything's fine with my mom, even though I feel so much reject towards her. (also sadness for having a mother who hates me) . That way I can get my job and finally leave, but going to celebrate her birthday with my aunt and cousin today was too much. When I saw them, my heart raced, and it gave me so much anxiety. (To add, my cousin used to make fun of me, belittle me, and invalidate me thousands of times, She was an adult and I was a child/teenager ).

I wrote to my psychologist and she told me it was better for my health not to attend the birthday party and to tell my mother that I could spend time with her at another time. When I told my mother, she went crazy. She yelled at me, "How could you do this to me?" "On my birthday?" "I do everything for you!" "The psychologist is crazy, how could she say that to you?" "This is your last therapy session" (She pays me because it's expensive and I'm not working.)

I had a panic attack, I'm tired, I'm afraid she'll ruin my job opportunity, I'm tired of not being able to relax, of living on high alert and just surviving. I've tried to find other jobs but it's very difficult where I live, I don't know what to do anymore. Sometimes I just want to disappear

Pd: sorry if my english is not perfect

Hey! I wanted to ask how long it usually takes to be assigned to a ship with Royal Caribbean. I’ve already completed the entire process, my visa has been approved, and I’ve submitted it to them. They told me I just need to wait for my embarkation assignment, so I was wondering how long it typically takes from that point until you actually get on board. Thankss

To give you some context, I met a guy in the United States; we worked together. We started dating, and he was sweet, intelligent, caring, and thoughtful. Spoiler alert: he was love bombing.

We returned to our home countries, on different continents. We couldn't break contact, so we continued our long-distance relationship. I won't go into too much detail and will get straight to the point. At a certain point, we decided that the best thing was for me to go to his country to see him (one year since we met). The first week was perfect, but then all hell broke loose.

He would get angry about everything, treat me badly, ignore me, gaslight me, if I wanted to talk he would shut down and blame me (basically a lot of emotional abuse), And then the physical abuse began. He cornered me against the walls, insulted me, threw me to the floor, stepped on me, choked me, etc.

Besides, he smoked weed almost every day (he was addicted and I didn't know, he confessed when it was already obvious and I was in his country and his house living with him)

I gave him a thousand chances because he always manipulated me and used emotional blackmail to get me to forgive him, saying he was going to change. After 3 months, I went back to my country and ended the relationship.

The thing is, he made sure to tell everyone around him that I used him for money and talk shit about me (he doesn't even have any money). I found out because we have a mutual friend. I had never told anyone because I was so scared and ashamed of what happened. I blamed myself in some point for not leaving sooner.

I'm fine now, I'm in therapy, I no longer have feelings towards him, just disgust.

But I'm left wondering what happens to people like him. Will he continue to abuse women? Will his friends and family continue to think he's a good person, when the truth is he's violent?

I think he's ruining his own life, ignoring his problems, smoking more weed or maybe other drugs, falling into bad habits as usual . The only thing that hurts me is the other girls he's going to abuse.

P.S.: I have evidence (photos, videos, audio, chats) of the abuse, but sometimes I'm afraid it won't be enough or that he'll retaliate. Would you file a police report? It's something that scares me.