Uggh.. just venting!

[wvliz]

I just need to express my frustrations somewhere... so just ignore me if you want. :p

 

My husband and I are taking our niece (who, honestly, might as well be our daughter) on a cruise for her Spring Break. Mom lives out of state. Dad exists, and thats about all. Trying to get her a passport has been such a headache!

 

First I find out that we have to have all that consent to travel/medical POA/passport consent form all filled out and notorized from both parents. OK, no big deal, I waste a week and a half mailing paperwork back and forth with her mom. Only to find out that our post office gave us outdated forms that are no longer accepted! So now we have to do it all over again. We cruise in 39 days, and the paperwork for her passport STILL isn't filed. So now, I'm figuring we should probably just count on spending the extra $$ to get it expedited.

 

So I'm freaking out - it better be here in time!!!

 

 

On another note, I did find us girls some pretty dresses on clearance at the mall today, for the formal nights... yay me. :o

[*Mach*]

You could cut down on the transit time and expense and just use a proper birth certificate and state issued ID...

Just a thought...

:)

[hfweather]

If you have your nieces birth certificate and it's a closed loop cruise, you can use that along with a notorized letter allowing you to take her on board, off at the port and get medical treatment if necessary signed by her parents.

 

I have taken friends of my daughter on the cruise before and have yet been asked to see the letter, but I know the day I didn't have one I would be asked.

 

I hope you get her passport back in time though!

 

Good news about the dresses!!! Have a wonderful cruise!

[luv2cruzfrmtx]

You might want to double check me but....when we booked our cruise last month our PVP told me that if anyone in our party did not have a passport..they could use their birth certificate with their state id. That was a surprise to me because I thought that everyone needed a passport now to travel. It could be our itenerary....were only doing a 4 day to Cozumel and back.

 

Good luck.

[*Mach*]

You might want to double check me but....when we booked our cruise last month our PVP told me that if anyone in our party did not have a passport..they could use their birth certificate with their state id. That was a surprise to me because I thought that everyone needed a passport now to travel. It could be our itenerary....were only doing a 4 day to Cozumel and back.

 

Good luck.

 

 

Your PVP is correct. A passport is recommended, but not REQUIRED, for closed loop cruises from US ports...

:)

[cruisinthemed]

You could cut down on the transit time and expense and just use a proper birth certificate and state issued ID...

 

Just a thought...

 

:)

 

 

Mach, This makes me think of my situation...My DF & I are taking my 13 yo son on his first cruise (Paradise) in May. Our last names are different. Do I need a notorized letter from his father? Does he need a photo ID, such as, school ID? I have his original, notarized BC. He doesn't have a passport, and I am not planning on getting him one before this cruise. Thank you, Shelly

[wvliz]

I know we don't HAVE to have a passport for her... but we just want to be cautious, in case we would have to fly back into the US for any reason... we have family members on both sides who we would worry about becoming ill.

 

It is a good reminder though to just breathe... it's not like we can't cruise if it's not back in time.

[wvliz]

Mach, This makes me think of my situation...My DF & I are taking my 13 yo son on his first cruise (Paradise) in May. Our last names are different. Do I need a notorized letter from his father? Does he need a photo ID, such as, school ID? I have his original, notarized BC. He doesn't have a passport, and I am not planning on getting him one before this cruise. Thank you, Shelly

 

 

I'm new... so is DF... your friend?

 

If he's not your child, you need notorized travel consent letters and medical power of attorney papers from BOTH parents.

 

I don't think he needs a photo ID... probably just the birth certificate and maybe SS card?

 

The passport is not required but would be necessary in an emergency where you had to fly back into the country (family emergency, one of you becoming injured/ill, etc).

[*Mach*]

Mach, This makes me think of my situation...My DF & I are taking my 13 yo son on his first cruise (Paradise) in May. Our last names are different. Do I need a notorized letter from his father? Does he need a photo ID, such as, school ID? I have his original, notarized BC. He doesn't have a passport, and I am not planning on getting him one before this cruise. Thank you, Shelly

 

 

The birth certificate is fine. Yep... you'll need a letter from his father authorizing you to take him out of the United States. However, at 13 he's not required to have a photo ID:

A government-issued photo ID is also required for all guests, including children 16 and over. For more information, a complete list of WHTI-compliant documents or to obtain a passport application, visitwww.travel.state.gov.

:)

[Naomi John]

I just need to express my frustrations somewhere... so just ignore me if you want. :p

 

My husband and I are taking our niece (who, honestly, might as well be our daughter) on a cruise for her Spring Break. Mom lives out of state. Dad exists, and thats about all. Trying to get her a passport has been such a headache!

 

First I find out that we have to have all that consent to travel/medical POA/passport consent form all filled out and notorized from both parents. OK, no big deal, I waste a week and a half mailing paperwork back and forth with her mom. Only to find out that our post office gave us outdated forms that are no longer accepted! So now we have to do it all over again. We cruise in 39 days, and the paperwork for her passport STILL isn't filed. So now, I'm figuring we should probably just count on spending the extra $$ to get it expedited.

 

So I'm freaking out - it better be here in time!!!

 

 

On another note, I did find us girls some pretty dresses on clearance at the mall today, for the formal nights... yay me. :o

 

How old is the niece? If she is 16 or older, you don't need parents permission to get a passport.

 

 

On another note, ;) great job on the dresses. I love shopping for cruises.

[wvliz]

She is only 7. Can't WAIT to take her but it is sure making things hard!!

[cruisinthemed]

I'm new... so is DF... your friend?

 

If he's not your child, you need notorized travel consent letters and medical power of attorney papers from BOTH parents.

 

I don't think he needs a photo ID... probably just the birth certificate and maybe SS card?

 

The passport is not required but would be necessary in an emergency where you had to fly back into the country (family emergency, one of you becoming injured/ill, etc).

 

 

DF=Dear/darling fiance'

If you read what you wrote, you will realise you were not able to answer my questions with any certainty. These are very important questions and unless you know, I would suggest not giving your opinion, or thoughts as a reply. It could cause someone a lot of problems. These were not general question, where certainty didn't matter. Since you asked what DF was, I feel the reply was directed to me and say, he is my son....as I stated.

[tassycatt]

ok, here's a question....If I take my daughter on a cruise, just the 2 of us, do I need a note from her father? We are happily married, btw...DH and I are cruising in a month but I told DD who will be 12, Ill take her on a short cruise and Disney next year. DH hates Disney so he is staying home.

[cruisinthemed]

The birth certificate is fine. Yep... you'll need a letter from his father authorizing you to take him out of the United States. However, at 13 he's not required to have a photo ID:

 

A government-issued photo ID is also required for all guests, including children 16 and over. For more information, a complete list of WHTI-compliant documents or to obtain a passport application, visitwww.travel.state.gov.

 

 

:)

 

Thanks Mach

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I know we don't HAVE to have a passport for her... but we just want to be cautious, in case we would have to fly back into the US for any reason... we have family members on both sides who we would worry about becoming ill.

 

It is a good reminder though to just breathe... it's not like we can't cruise if it's not back in time.

 

Since you need to send the BC to get the passport make sure you have an extra copy or your niece won't be able to cruise if it's not back in time.

 

Bill

[Neotericisis]

I'll join in on your vent, still didn't get my expedited passport renewal back yet, but hey this is the 2nd week, and they said 2-3 weeks, I'm just getting antsy.

 

Good luck with everything. I know (for obvious reasons), why getting a passport would make you feel more comfortable, but its not necessary. One thing, like another poster said, if you do decide to file for it, make sure you have another official copy of her birth certificate or she won't be able to cruise at all. The expedited fee is only $60, so its annoying, but doable.

[tmt218]

ok, here's a question....If I take my daughter on a cruise, just the 2 of us, do I need a note from her father? We are happily married, btw...DH and I are cruising in a month but I told DD who will be 12, Ill take her on a short cruise and Disney next year. DH hates Disney so he is staying home.

 

Yes you will need a noterized paper giving you permission to travel out of the country without him.

[LaurieHoffman]

ok, here's a question....If I take my daughter on a cruise, just the 2 of us, do I need a note from her father? We are happily married, btw...DH and I are cruising in a month but I told DD who will be 12, Ill take her on a short cruise and Disney next year. DH hates Disney so he is staying home.

 

 

Technicially you do need your husbands permission to take your child out of the country. It needs to be notarized too. I have done this twice on cruises where my husband didn't go with me and the kids and I have not once been asked to show it. I don't want to chance it though and will have one with me for each cruise I go on sans hubby.

[pacarolinagirl]

I will tell you that we had our son's passport back 2 1/2 weeks to the day after we applied. We just got his birth certificate back on Friday (4 weeks after we applied).

 

Make sure you have a certified back up b.c. if you apply.

 

Great score on the dresses! :)

[august1963]

My daughter's expedited took 10 days

[Diamond Graham]

You could cut down on the transit time and expense and just use a proper birth certificate and state issued ID...

 

Just a thought...

 

:)

 

 

 

That is of course assuming that the person was born in the United States, born elsewhere still requires a passport.

[Naomi John]

ok, here's a question....If I take my daughter on a cruise, just the 2 of us, do I need a note from her father? We are happily married, btw...DH and I are cruising in a month but I told DD who will be 12, Ill take her on a short cruise and Disney next year. DH hates Disney so he is staying home.

 

I just went with my girls in January and did not need to produce anything from my husband. Of course, we all had passports.

[brfan]

The birth certificate is fine. Yep... you'll need a letter from his father authorizing you to take him out of the United States. However, at 13 he's not required to have a photo ID:

 

A government-issued photo ID is also required for all guests, including children 16 and over. For more information, a complete list of WHTI-compliant documents or to obtain a passport application, visitwww.travel.state.gov.

 

 

:)

 

 

Aren't photo IDs required at ports by their security before they will allow you into the secure area to reboard the ship?

[Cruise, J.D.]

Aren't photo IDs required at ports by their security before they will allow you into the secure area to reboard the ship?

 

Not for kids. At least we've never been asked for photo-ID for our son and we've been to quite a few ports with him. They have asked to see his sail-n-sign card.

 

It would be dumb for the port authorities to require this when the cruise line doesn't and the US government doesn't and the country waives its passport requirements for cruise passengers. In other words, a lot of passengers are not going to be carrying photo-ID for their kids under 16 and the port authorities should know this.

 

I'm not saying it couldn't happen though. Likely outcome would be double checking with the ship manifest and the ship photo record and clearance to enter.

[LHP]

I just need to express my frustrations somewhere... so just ignore me if you want. :p

 

My husband and I are taking our niece (who, honestly, might as well be our daughter) on a cruise for her Spring Break. Mom lives out of state. Dad exists, and thats about all. Trying to get her a passport has been such a headache!

 

First I find out that we have to have all that consent to travel/medical POA/passport consent form all filled out and notorized from both parents. OK, no big deal, I waste a week and a half mailing paperwork back and forth with her mom. Only to find out that our post office gave us outdated forms that are no longer accepted! So now we have to do it all over again. We cruise in 39 days, and the paperwork for her passport STILL isn't filed. So now, I'm figuring we should probably just count on spending the extra $$ to get it expedited.

 

So I'm freaking out - it better be here in time!!!

 

 

On another note, I did find us girls some pretty dresses on clearance at the mall today, for the formal nights... yay me. :o

 

 

Your neice is so blessed to have you in her life.

 

You sound like a very special "aunt" ( another word for MOM).....

 

Hope you all have a wonderful cruise....