One Royal Caribbean performer misplaced their job for over 6 months resulting from a visa catastrophe.
Lera, an inventive swimmer from Russia who had labored on Royal Caribbean ships for six years, misplaced a contract when she did not get her visa renewed in time.
Whereas engaged on cruise ships, she had been sharing behind-the-scenes movies of what it is wish to be a crew member on her social media, along with her YouTube channel amassing almost 9,000 subscribers.
These embody tiny cabin excursions, a crew-only seashore in Labadee, and crusing on a repositioning cruise with out passengers.
Final 12 months, she realized her visa was near expiring, so she went to the U.S. Embassy within the Bahamas throughout a port day.
“Spoiler alert: This was the worst resolution ever,” she says in a video shared to her YouTube channel.
Lera booked an appointment for March 25 and introduced all of the required documentation, together with proof of a brand new contract provide.
She claims this interview was totally different in comparison with different ones. She was requested questions on whether or not she was touring to the U.S. for private causes and precisely what number of days she deliberate to be within the nation.
“On the finish of the interview, I believed, ‘That is it. I am positive. Every little thing is sweet,'” Lera explains. Nonetheless, she was given a bit of paper and instructed that her documentation wanted to be despatched for administrative processing.
She started researching what administrative processing was, studying that it is an additional background test. Nonetheless, she by no means discovered why her software was flagged or how lengthy the method would take.
“Imagine me, I’m doing every part legally. I am working with one of many largest cruise ship firms on this planet. I by no means break any guidelines,” she remarks.
Sadly, her hope rapidly light when she found a chat with different foreigners going by way of related points — some had been ready for years!
“No visa means no contract, no work, no nothing…My complete life is constructed round my contract”
Studying feedback about different individuals who had been ready 2 to three years consumed her, and Lera began to really feel down. As a result of she did not have a visa, her subsequent contract was canceled.
“I used to be feeling so unhappy as a result of everyone in my forged began receiving contracts,” she says.
Her husband, Mario, additionally refused his contract as a result of they did not need to spend 10 to 11 months with out seeing one another.
Whereas they need to quiet down and have a household, she claims it is totally different while you’re selecting to make that call versus while you’re pressured to do it.
The final month of her contract wasn’t as completely happy as anticipated. Not solely was she crusing by way of Europe, which was a dream, however her mother and father got here on board.
“I used to be simply so exhausted. I used to be making an attempt to course of every part…My complete life is acting on a cruise ship,” she confesses.
Nonetheless, she had accepted her destiny by the very finish, saying that she remembers telling herself to take pleasure in her final present.
As soon as the contract ended, she returned to Russia and hung out along with her household, however she spent lots of time mendacity in mattress and eager about her subsequent steps.
With time, she started to really feel higher, celebrating her thirtieth birthday:
“I’m wholesome. I’ve my husband. I’ve my household and buddies…I will likely be okay.”
After her birthday, she visited Colombia and stored emailing the Embassy
After six months of ready, she lastly obtained an e-mail instructing her to return to the Bahamas, however not revealing whether or not she would obtain her visa or not.
Initally, Lera booked an Airbnb for 5 days. Due to the prolonged course of, although, she spent over two weeks within the Bahamas. She could not go away as a result of the Embassy had her passport.
“Truthfully, these two weeks [were] the worst,” she says. Since she wasn’t there on trip, she was continuously anxious.
She lastly obtained her passport however was upset to study that she had solely been granted one visa. Lera did not get the visa wanted to journey to Miami, Florida, for rehearsals. Royal, nevertheless, assured her that every part must be positive.
She obtained a contract to work aboard Attract of the Seas
Lera was excited to be working aboard Attract of the Seas, an Oasis Class ship that simply re-entered service after a $100+ million revitalization. Nonetheless, after getting the visa and contract, she felt every part was too good to be true.
With rehearsals scheduled to start in late February, she began planning her life round her new contract. Her intestine feeling was proper, as she obtained an e-mail saying immigration guidelines had modified, and he or she could not journey to Florida with out a vacationer visa.
Lera claims she’s the “most controlling individual ever,” but she had no management over her life.
She felt fortunate that Royal wished to proceed working along with her
As an alternative of revoking her contract, Royal agreed to let Lera journey straight to Attract. She was supposed to go away on the finish of March forward of Attract’s April 11 voyage, however she wanted to acquire a Schengen visa.
This added one other difficult layer to her already tight journey timeline, particularly since she says that proper now is not one of the best time for Russian residents to acquire visas. As a result of she was nonetheless in Colombia, she wanted to return to Russia to use.
“I do not know who cursed me. Please, are you able to carry that curse? I can’t deal with this anymore,” she half-joked.
After making use of for the visa, she was caught in yet one more limbo, ready for the nation to return her passport.
Although that they had confirmed her passport had been mailed, they did not disclose whether or not she was granted the fitting visa. With out the Schengen visa, she could not work on Attract of the Seas, which is the place her husband is working.
Within the meantime, she tried to maintain herself busy by rehearsing utilizing movies despatched to her of the choreography, using her telephone and laptop computer to observe the opposite casts’ actions.
“I am making an attempt to maintain my head excessive and hoping that I’ll get the Schengen visa,” Lera says.
She does not finish the video on a detrimental word
With hopeful music taking part in within the background, Lera opens up a bundle containing her passport. She’s shaking and scared.
Nonetheless, she rapidly breaks down into tears when she realizes she obtained the required Schengen visa.
“I didn’t anticipate to react like that…I will a ship!” she fortunately remarks. For those who’re crusing on Attract of the Seas this summer season, preserve an eye fixed out for Lera, who is able to return to work on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship!
