A Passport "What Would You Do" Question

[5waldos]

Funny you should mention travel insurance . . . . . . .

 

When they booked the cruise, I encouraged them to purchase travel insurance. They insisted that they didn't need it.

 

I keep reminding myself that they are grown adults and it's their problem if things don't work out. But I still have nightmares at night.

 

You need to relax about it- as you say, they are adults and manage to live their lives without you second guessing everything they do- or I would assume so. They do things differently then you do. Thousands or millions of people cruise every year and most probably prepare the way your friends are.

[Craky]

I'd go and look at the birth certificates to make sure they are the right ones and not those hospital certificates that don't count!! Who knows what she has??

IF they are OK then fine.If not then she's in trouble unless the passports come on time!!

 

This^^^^^ Otherwise, I'll go with what I posted earlier.

[romayer]

We have friends that are going along with us on our cruise next month (SO EXCITED!!)

 

MONTHS ago, I'm talking late summer months ago, I provided our friends with passport applications, and the form that they would need to have the husband sign so that the wife could take the kids to get their passports while daddy was at work. I told her to call me when she needed the forms notarized, as I could do that for them (I'm a notary).

 

A couple of months go by, and I ask friends if they sent in their passport applications. They hadn't. But I figured I had done my part and that they are grown adults and can figure it out on their own from there.

 

Well, we now leave in 30 days and the kids don't have passports. It IS a closed loop cruise (Caribbean) and now the mom is in a bit of a panic because she doesn't have passports for the kids. I told her that she COULD use birth certificates only, even though passports are recommended. She's asked me to notarize everything for her tonight so that she can submit with an expedited passport application - at an additional expense.

 

She's asked me what I think about the expedited passport - if I think that she should just go with the birth certificates or spend the extra money. I honetly don't know what I would do if I were in her situation - I'm one of those OCD planners that wouldn't have waited so long so the whole situation is completely inconceivable to me.

 

If it were your friend asking for advice - expedited passport service or go with a birth certificate alone - what would you tell them?

 

We have just obtained a replacement passport for my daughter and it took about 12 days without expediting it. At the time, they were quoting 2-4 weeks timeframe, so we got it quicker than the minimum. On the State Dept website they quote timeframes for getting new passports, they should check there first.

 

They need to have BCs with embossed stamp, whether it is to travel or to get a passport. If they only have 1 certified copy for each kid, I probably wouldn't risk sending it in. It's supposed to be sent back to them in separate envelope than the passport (ours came 2 days later). If they have multiple copies, I would send for passports without expediting (as long as the sailing is mid-March or later).

 

Good luck and enjoy the trip!

[cmptrwiz]

People like this just kill me. I know you handed them everything on a silver platter. I saw the power point! It's hard to stand back and say OH well I told you guys a long time ago what you needed and now you don't have enough time. I vote for the BC and after the cruise if they really enjoyed themselves (can you say bought future cruise vouchers) then have them get the passports.

 

Wiz

[rodbrod]

One more wrinkle to the debate. My family of 4 going on a cruise in May and we all applied for passports. 3 of them came within 3 weeks and the 4th did not come. Then we received packet of info from state department stating the identification for the 4th passport was not sufficient. Never did get reason why. Anyhow had to send copies of identification and answered a lot of questions, and now waiting to see if corrected. While we wait they are holding the birth certificate we had mailed until they resolve this. Since we do not travel until May, not a major concern, but if we had a time issue, it would be

[G'ma]

If it were your friend asking for advice - expedited passport service or go with a birth certificate alone - what would you tell them?

 

Whooee.

 

You are between a rock and a hard place with your friend.

 

At this late date, I wouldn't touch this with a 10-foot pole. You might say that because time is so short, it's a decision she is going to have to make...that you wouldn't feel it is your place to do it.

 

A little advice? On shore trips, start leading her back to the ship right after lunch.!!:D

[K&P Luv2Cruise]

We have friends that are going along with us on our cruise next month (SO EXCITED!!)

 

MONTHS ago, I'm talking late summer months ago, I provided our friends with passport applications, and the form that they would need to have the husband sign so that the wife could take the kids to get their passports while daddy was at work. I told her to call me when she needed the forms notarized, as I could do that for them (I'm a notary).

 

A couple of months go by, and I ask friends if they sent in their passport applications. They hadn't. But I figured I had done my part and that they are grown adults and can figure it out on their own from there.

 

Well, we now leave in 30 days and the kids don't have passports. It IS a closed loop cruise (Caribbean) and now the mom is in a bit of a panic because she doesn't have passports for the kids. I told her that she COULD use birth certificates only, even though passports are recommended. She's asked me to notarize everything for her tonight so that she can submit with an expedited passport application - at an additional expense.

 

She's asked me what I think about the expedited passport - if I think that she should just go with the birth certificates or spend the extra money. I honetly don't know what I would do if I were in her situation - I'm one of those OCD planners that wouldn't have waited so long so the whole situation is completely inconceivable to me.

 

If it were your friend asking for advice - expedited passport service or go with a birth certificate alone - what would you tell them?[/quote

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The key here is "SHE" didn't apply for the passports earlier, so the extra expense is on her, not you. Expedited or not, the kids should have them, not rely on just the birth certificates...being from Canada, it is mandatory for us to cross the border into the U.S. What would happen if they had to leave the ship in a foreign port...the parents could fly home but the kids couldn't ??

 

I'm an OCD planner too. Kind of figure that if you prepare for everything, you probably won't need it and everything will go smoothly (has worked for me so far :) ).

 

Enjoy your cruise !

[august1963]

It took 10 days to receive my daughter's new passport (expedited).

 

Also, when my husband got promoted he had to go on a business trip to Japan and they sent him to an office in Chicago where he was able to get a passport quickly. Perhaps if you live near a large town......

[5waldos]

People live life differently. I would hope that the friends here are not completely dependent on the OP for living their lives. Since she knows what the bc should look like, she could certainly take a look and make sure it is what is necessary. But by this time of night, my guess is that something has happened- or not.

[skyscanr]

Well we are a passport family and even take them with US when we leave the boat. We do this just because if something happens and we miss the boat or anything else while off the boat instead of trying to get hold of a us consulate , with the passport we just take the next plane out no fuss no muss

[1965]

With kids involved I'd get the passports. Bless your heart. If your friend is this scattered re. passports, how will she be to travel with? Have you done that before now? Wishing you much luck. Hope you have a great trip.:)

[Crusin6]

let her figure it out all by herself....but do remind her to look at the BC's to make sure they are the right ones.....

 

 

Wonder how this family is going to function on the ship? Should be very interesting.

[QVickiB]

Non-expedited passports are coming in 3-4 weeks right now, so she SHOULD be able to get expedited ones back in time without a problem.

That said, I don't like "should" and "without a problem" in the same sentence.

 

I have friends I sailed with last november who hadn't bit the bullet for passport. I guided them, tarting with "On a day when you feel you look good, with your hair done and make up & all, get your picture taken at the drug store". (step one!) I nudged, I urged, to no avail.

 

At 8 weeks before cruise, one started talking about how she was going to do it in two weeks when DH got paid. I told her at that point to just wait. I was not going to wait it out to see if it came back in time, or if she wouldn't have even her birth certificate for sailing...

 

Since they have BCs, and money might be an issue, at this point, tell her to use BCs. She may not be biting her nails till they come in, but you sound like me, and YOU will be.

[bankerbabe]

Well, we talked about it all last night. She is going to go with the birth certificates. I asked her to go home and double check them, to make sure that they clearly state "Office of Vital Records" and to make sure that they have the raised stamp. I told her to call me if they aren't and I'd help her figure out how to get the official ones.

 

Basically I just pulled up the Carnival website and showed her what they said. I told her that I would be happy to notarize anything that she wanted me to notarize and help her in any way that I could, but I gave her all of the information for her to make the decision.

 

Everyone's different, and everyone approaches travel from a different perspective. I am OCD, I admit it, I even enjoy my little disorder. But I FULLY understand that not everyone is OCD - my husband definitely is not - so I try not to push my personality off on anyone else. I've given our travel companions all of the information that they need to make an informed decision, and I've tried (up to this point) not to give my own opinion so that they are free to form their own ideas. I only offer opinions when asked for them.

 

So, now that they have made their own decision, if it doesn't work out for them, then it's not my problem. If I repeat that over and over and over enough times, maybe I'll stop worrying about them. :)

 

They have travelled before without my help, and they'll do just fine. They've just never travelled with their kids and it's been YEARS since their last cruise.

 

Thank you, everyone, for your advice. I really appreciate having fellow "planners" to discuss this with.

[mcwebber]

If it were your friend asking for advice - expedited passport service or go with a birth certificate alone - what would you tell them?

 

I would tell them to save their money and go with the birth certificates as that is all that is required. The people that claim there's an advantage to having a passport sound like they make money off of the registrations. There is no factual data to say that a passport is better on a closed loop cruise aside from some hypothetical imaginary situations where some fictional person becomes a man without a country when stranded in a port. I have mine and cruise with someone who uses a birth certificate. We both get through customs in the same amount of time. We both get on and off the ship in the same amount of time.

[blindrid]

Birth cert's are fine. Don't get overly worried as it's not that big of a deal. There are a ton of people that do it and don't have any issues. IMHO, those that worry about the minimal chance of needing one are over worrysome.

 

Relax.

[hankandteri]

since they didn't listen to your advice the 1st time, why give additional advice now? Give them the options as you see it and then stand aside and let them (hopefully) learn from their decisions.

 

+1.

[bankerbabe]

There is no factual data to say that a passport is better on a closed loop cruise aside from some hypothetical imaginary situations where some fictional person becomes a man without a country when stranded in a port.

 

There are a few ports that I wouldn't mind getting stranded in . . . . maybe I should leave my passport at home. :D

[Crusin6]

Non-expedited passports are coming in 3-4 weeks right now, so she SHOULD be able to get expedited ones back in time without a problem.

That said, I don't like "should" and "without a problem" in the same sentence.

 

I have friends I sailed with last november who hadn't bit the bullet for passport. I guided them, tarting with "On a day when you feel you look good, with your hair done and make up & all, get your picture taken at the drug store". (step one!) I nudged, I urged, to no avail.

 

At 8 weeks before cruise, one started talking about how she was going to do it in two weeks when DH got paid. I told her at that point to just wait. I was not going to wait it out to see if it came back in time, or if she wouldn't have even her birth certificate for sailing...

 

Since they have BCs, and money might be an issue, at this point, tell her to use BCs. She may not be biting her nails till they come in, but you sound like me, and YOU will be.

we got our first time regular passports for the kids in 7 days...non expedited....i would bet there are not as many people looking to travel far and wide as there used to be due to the economy

[Warm Breezes]

Birth cert's are fine. Don't get overly worried as it's not that big of a deal. There are a ton of people that do it and don't have any issues. IMHO, those that worry about the minimal chance of needing one are over worrysome.

 

Relax.

 

I totally agree with you. Too much worry over something that has an extremely small chance of happening and is not insurmountable even if it does.