Hospital issued Birth Certificate vs Vital Records Birth Certificate

[rybreadsmomshubby]

1. "Ignorant" and "stupid" are not synonymous.

I deny all culpability for such lexicographical inexactitudes. Blame Forrest.

[gracie65]

Not a bad idea. However, they have addressed this pretty clearly on their web site in the FAQ's section:

 

What is the required travel documentation for all ports? TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION - ALL PORTS

Proper travel documentation is required at embarkation and throughout the cruise. Even though a guest has completed registration using FUNPASS, it is still the responsibility of the guest to bring all required travel documents. Guest should check with their travel agent and/or government authority to determine the travel documents necessary for each port of call. Any guest without proper documents will not be allowed to board the vessel and no refund of the cruise fare will be issued. Carnival assumes no responsibility for advising guests of proper travel documentation.

CRUISE TRAVEL

U.S. Citizens

Carnival highly recommends all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel). Although a passport is not required for U.S. citizens taking cruises that begin & end in the same U.S. port, travelling with a passport enhances your disembarkation experience, as delays may be expected upon your return to the U.S. if you do not have one. Additionally, passports make it easier for you to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port should you miss your scheduled port of embarkation, or need to fly back to the U.S. for emergency reasons.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) allows U.S. citizens (including children) sailing on cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port to travel with one of the following WHTI compliant document:

 

• Valid U.S. Passport
  
• Passport Card
  
• Original or suitable quality copy of a Birth Certificate (Issued by the department of vital statistics)
  
• Certificate of Naturalization
  
• Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)
  
• Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card, e.g., Nexus Card, Sentri Card or Fast Card
  
• A Consular Report of Birth Abroad
  

A government-issued photo ID is also required for all guests, including children 16 and over. For a complete list of WHTI-compliant documents Click Here

Important: Baptismal and Hospital Certificates, copies of U.S. Passports and Naturalization papers, are not WHTI compliant documents, therefore, NOT acceptable.

 

 

Thanks for posting this was hoping someone would. Once again though my main point was for those people who had used a birth certificate in the past to now double check that they were using the vital records document as your post clearly states.

People who don't travel very often aren't going to retain all the info & assume I have my birth certificate I used it before to discover they were wrong. The info. you have posted is very explicit and while we all understand it many still just assume.

While it's their own ignorance I can still human enough to have compassion for those who show up and then don't get on the ship. My thread is just a reminder to read the above contract info. and make sure you have what it says cause what may have worked before may not now.

[rybreadsmomshubby]

We're all aware of your agenda, but, you have totally missed the point of the thread. There are plenty of other passport cheerleader/bc basher threads. I don't believe the OP intended this thread to be one of them. Perhaps one of the other threads might be better entertained by your elitist name calling.

I'm not advocating passports over any other travel documents, and I'm not bashing birth certificates.

 

What I am advocating is for people to consider a little cerebral exercise when it comes to travelling and the required documentation.

 

Again, it's great to have a birth certificate that is universally recognized and accepted as being "official" by everyone...but is it acceptable travel documentation for when I next travel?

 

And please don't call me elitist. I'm a snob, not an elitist. :D

[LemurCat]

I deny all culpability for such lexicographical inexactitudes. Blame Forrest.

 

You cannot deny culpability for your own selection of verbiage.

 

Exercises in vocabulary aside,

 

I totally agree with what you're saying. People need to verify they have the right documents, plain and simple, every time regardless of what happened three years ago.

[rybreadsmomshubby]

While it's their own ignorance I am still human enough to have compassion for those who show up and then don't get on the ship.

Ultimately that's what we all want - that everyone gets on that ship/plane and gets home safely from their travels.

 

Your way is to educate with smiles and compassion. My way is to educate with a pointy stick. :D

 

So long as everyone learns in the end then we know we've done good...

[futaba951]

My thread is just a reminder to read the above contract info. and make sure you have what it says cause what may have worked before may not now.

 

Thanks for the reminder. Always good info. Unfortunately there will always be some on these boards who lack reading comprehension and/or are just naturally inclined to be combative and try to pick an argument when none is necessary or required. :)

[LemurCat]

Your way is to educate with smiles and compassion. My way is to educate with a pointy stick. :D

 

 

I'm waiting for you to bust out with a Frank Rizzo-esque "You're on my list!"

[blindrid]

But what if you fall off of the pier and need to be flown home immediately? Or, what if the boat sneaks away while you are tying your shoes? Or, or, or.....

 

Oh, that's right, a BC and picture ID is all you need for an emergency Passport issuance too.

 

Good choice!

 

And you probably wouldn't have it with you anyway....... Another thought of something that has a very minimal chance of happening. By the way, I never take shoes that have to be tied for that very reason :rolleyes:.

 

Back to the OP's consternation, I'm always a bit leery regardless of using a PP or BC. My son and GF are going with us in November and I'm all over them as to having proper doc's and signing up for their FunPass etc. As mentioned earlier it does really suck that they accepted the wrong one a few years ago.

 

In saying that, it was still their responsibility to make sure all documents were in order. I understand that they would be upset with CCL so in this case there is no winners, just losers as I don't know how I would react if I was not allowed to board, for whatever reason after looking forward to a cruise.

[Lady N Red]

GET a Passport Card or Book...!!!!!!!

[nrdsb4]

That's what I'm trying to say, but thanks for finding another way to make my point. What may have worked 3 years ago may not be the same thing so just trying to let those that don't know.

 

Hopefully you have done just that. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that the people who most need to read your OP are exactly the ones who won't because they probably are not the type to research things very carefully by coming to sites like CC.

 

But we can hope, right?:p

[gracie65]

Hopefully you have done just that. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that the people who most need to read your OP are exactly the ones who won't because they probably are not the type to research things very carefully by coming to sites like CC.

 

But we can hope, right?:p

 

I know but my hope was that we'd all be more aware to tell our friends that don't go on cc. Had I seen a thread like this 3 weeks ago it would in the very least had me tell the people in our group to double check. I knew he had cruised The Glory less then three years ago so assumed he had the proper birth certificate & didn't mention it.

[cherylandtk]

Maybe put an explanation next to the "Birth Certificate" option in the online travel docs?

1. Issued by a state or county in the US and is certified by the issuer

2. Does not have footprints and/or a gold sticker nor is it issued by a hospital

3. Is not an abstract or short-form certificate (must contain your parents names and data). Size does not matter, information does.

4. If you are not sure, you can go to your state's vital records department and investigate. Google examples of what certified ones look like as well as what non-certified ones look like from your state.

5. Just because you previously used a non-conforming certificate for

-travel

-school

-joining the military

-applying for a passport before 2006

does not make it a certified BC. Get a new one that meets the requirements.

[Maverick1795]

1. Issued by a state or county in the US and is certified by the issuer

2. Does not have footprints and/or a gold sticker nor is it issued by a hospital

3. Is not an abstract or short-form certificate (must contain your parents names and data). Size does not matter, information does.

4. If you are not sure, you can go to your state's vital records department and investigate. Google examples of what certified ones look like as well as what non-certified ones look like from your state.

5. Just because you previously used a non-conforming certificate for

-travel

-school

-joining the military

-applying for a passport before 2006

does not make it a certified BC. Get a new one that meets the requirements.

 

South Carolina's BC's that are issued by the Department of Vital Statistics have a small gold seal on the upper right hand corner that is lightly raised. So just because it has a gold seal, that doesn't mean it isn't valid. Also, the short-form certificate is what South Carolina issues and it is a certified birth certificate. It does not have parents names and whatnot on them. It has the persons name, Birthday, where they were born (county). Your information isn't completely correct. When I called the Charleston Port Authority yesterday 2 times, I was told both times that the short form was okay.

[halos]

We're all aware of your agenda, but, you have totally missed the point of the thread. There are plenty of other passport cheerleader/bc basher threads. I don't believe the OP intended this thread to be one of them. Perhaps one of the other threads might be better entertained by your elitist name calling.

 

It's not an agenda, it's an opinion.

A valid one at that.

Constantly reminding people that they should do a little research prior to traveling...whether it's about documents, safety in the area they are going, proper clothing to bring, local customs etc. cannot be repeated enough here because there are WAY too many people who hop on a ship and/or plane and leave the US and think the place they are going is going to have the same laws/customs and rules as we do.

Travelers need to educate themselves.

Enough of this feel-good-teaching method. Tough Love is necessary because people just don't get it.

 

I'm waiting for you to bust out with a Frank Rizzo-esque "You're on my list!"

 

 

 

Rybreadsmomshubby hasn't been in Philly long enough to know Rizzo.

 

I miss Old Frank :D

[gracie65]

South Carolina's BC's that are issued by the Department of Vital Statistics have a small gold seal on the upper right hand corner that is lightly raised. So just because it has a gold seal, that doesn't mean it isn't valid. Also, the short-form certificate is what South Carolina issues and it is a certified birth certificate. It does not have parents names and whatnot on them. It has the persons name, Birthday, where they were born (county). Your information isn't completely correct.

 

 

Post 74 has the best description from the Carnival web site, makes it cut & dry. Everyone that travels with a birth certificate even if they used it before needs to be made aware of that post before they get to the port.

[WestTxCruiser]

I know but my hope was that we'd all be more aware to tell our friends that don't go on cc. Had I seen a thread like this 3 weeks ago it would in the very least had me tell the people in our group to double check. I knew he had cruised The Glory less then three years ago so assumed he had the proper birth certificate & didn't mention it.

One of the girls that cruised with us in June had a hospital issued BC......I had no idea until we got to the port and were getting ready to start the boarding process......she pulled that thing out and I went "OH CRAP".........she got very lucky and was allowed to board.

I'm thinking it wouldn't happen now, after reading this.

Thanks for the info. In the future I will check all my friends documents prior to leaving home....just to be safe.

[gracie65]

One of the girls that cruised with us in June had a hospital issued BC......I had no idea until we got to the port and were getting ready to start the boarding process......she pulled that thing out and I went "OH CRAP".........she got very lucky and was allowed to board.

I'm thinking it wouldn't happen now, after reading this.

Thanks for the info. In the future I will check all my friends documents prior to leaving home....just to be safe.

 

She was lucky indeed!!! Did they question it at all? Thanks for helping to spread to word to non cc posters!!!!

[okwriter]

And are you suggesting that people who, for whatever reason, fail to properly research their documentation requirements before travel aren't ignorant? Stupid is as stupid does.

 

Sharing experiences is all fine and dandy, but how about we simply cut to the chase.

 

It's a simple mantra, to be repeated until everyone gets the message:

 

"Check your documentation requirements before travel", "check your documentation requirements before travel"...

 

I did not "suggest" anything. I simply thanked the OP for starting this thread to convey valuable information (what worked before may not work now).

 

Your decision to call people ignorant and stupid was out of line.

[WestTxCruiser]

She was lucky indeed!!! Did they question it at all? Thanks for helping to spread to word to non cc posters!!!!

The first lady that was checking Fun Passes and BC/Passports....right before you go thru security screening kind of looked at it funny and took a little longer than with others.....but let her thru.

Then we she checked in for S&S, they did not say a word....nor did Customs coming back into Galveston.

I'm very thankful, that would have been a horrible situation to have to leave her behind.

 

[Tbay-eh]

One of the girls that cruised with us in June had a hospital issued BC......I had no idea until we got to the port and were getting ready to start the boarding process......she pulled that thing out and I went "OH CRAP".........she got very lucky and was allowed to board.

I'm thinking it wouldn't happen now, after reading this.

Thanks for the info. In the future I will check all my friends documents prior to leaving home....just to be safe.

 

Your doing a service to your friends - but I would go one step further and check their ID either before you book or right after. If you wait until you are leaving you may not have time to get correct - acceptable ID. She was indeed lucky.

[cherylandtk]

South Carolina's BC's that are issued by the Department of Vital Statistics have a small gold seal on the upper right hand corner that is lightly raised. So just because it has a gold seal, that doesn't mean it isn't valid. Also, the short-form certificate is what South Carolina issues and it is a certified birth certificate. It does not have parents names and whatnot on them. It has the persons name, Birthday, where they were born (county). Your information isn't completely correct. When I called the Charleston Port Authority yesterday 2 times, I was told both times that the short form was okay.

1. I used the words "gold sticker" not "gold seal" specifically to differentiate between dimestore lick-and-sticks vs. the real authenticating certifying seal. You missed the entire point of the hospital certificate.

2. Regardless of what the Port Authority told you, here is what the State of South Carolina says:

1.A computer-generated long form (needed for travel)

The computer-generated long form contains the:

◦state file number,

◦name of registrant,

◦date of birth,

◦county of birth,

◦father's name (if listed on the original birth certificate),

◦mother's maiden name,

◦date record filed, and

◦the date issued.

The computer-generated long form can be issued only by the state office location – DHEC, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201. The 46 county branch offices cannot issue the computer-generated long form.

2.A short form certification or birth card (cannot be used for travel)

The birth card is a wallet-size certification that contains the:

 

◦state file number,

◦name of the person whose certificate is being issued,

◦date of birth,

◦sex,

◦county of birth, and

◦the date the birth was filed.

The short form certification or birth card can be issued for any South Carolina birth, regardless of the county of birth, by the state office and the 46 county branch offices.

I think you may want to have a back-up plan.

 

http://www.scdhec.gov/administration/vr/birth.htm

[Maverick1795]

Through the port authority, I was able to get the cellphone of the supervisor who handled check-in and all for charleston cruises and explained what we had and everything to her and she again assured me that we would be okay. Lots of people travel with those BC's every day!

[cherylandtk]

Then I wish you the best of luck. The words 'can be used for travel' and 'cannot be used for travel' are South Carolina's, not mine. For your sake, let's hope the Port of Charleston does not hear about this until after your cruise.

 

But anyone else, be forewarned...abstract BC's without parents names and data are not accepted for passport applications and are not supposed to be accepted for RT cruises. I suspect they are part of the reason for the recent increase in denied boarding posts, particularly from those who have previously used them on cruises but are now finding out at the pier that they have a wrong document.

[shecart]

Then I wish you the best of luck. The words 'can be used for travel' and 'cannot be used for travel' are South Carolina's, not mine. For your sake, let's hope the Port of Charleston does not hear about this until after your cruise.

 

But anyone else, be forewarned...abstract BC's without parents names and data are not accepted for passport applications and are not supposed to be accepted for RT cruises. I suspect they are part of the reason for the recent increase in denied boarding posts, particularly from those who have previously used them on cruises but are now finding out at the pier that they have a wrong document.

 

I agree 100% I had to order my son's actual bc because I had his abstract when I went to get his passport. It paus to be sure. If I had tried to use it on the cruise I shudder to think what could have happened. Better to be safe than sorry.

[halos]

I think they have had enough people trying to baord with improper identification, that they finally are making a point to make sure people are aware of what they need.

I just received this seconds ago:

 

September 29, 2010

 

Dear Carnival Guests:

Your FunShip cruise is right around the corner, and while you may not be packing just yet, we thought we'd remind you of what "not to forget". Yes, yes, your dancing shoes and your bathing suit ARE a must, but so is bringing proper proof of citizenship with you! Without your travel documents, you can't check-in or get on this FunShip! So be prepared.

U.S. Citizens, we suggest you bring your passport, but for other acceptable travel documents, see below or visit us at Carnival.com. If you are a Non-U.S. citizen, please consult your travel agent or consulate.

• Passport Card
  
• Original or suitable (legible) quality copy of a Birth Certificate (Issued by the Department of Vital Statistics)
  
• Certificate of Naturalization
  
• Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)
  
• Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card, e.g., Nexus Card, Sentri Card or Fast Card
  
• A Consular Report of Birth Abroad
  

Copies of the following will NOT be allowed:

• U.S. Passports
  
• Naturalization Papers
  

Originals, nor copies, of the following will NOT be allowed:

• Baptismal Certificates
  
• Hospital "Certificate of Birth"
  

A government-issued photo ID is also required for all guests, including children 16 and over. For more information on WHTI-compliant documents, Click Here.

And while we have you, don't forget to pre-register for your cruise at Carnival.Com/BookedGuests and print your boarding pass.

Thanks for choosing Carnival! We can't wait to welcome you onboard and show you all the fun and exciting activities we have in store for you.

See you soon!

Carnival Cruise Lines

 

 

There is no excuse for anyone, anymore.