Grandma: "I did not bring my Brith Certificate with me, did I need it?"

[jmjpro]

Well, as much as I thought I was prepared and in control, Grandma threw me a curve ball.

Last Sunday as we are in our taxi approaching the cruise terminal in Tampa I said to everyone in the car... "make sure you do not have your Passport or Birth Certificate in your bags that are going to be taken by the port people, you are going to need them”. My 70 year old Grandmother who was sitting next to me says... "I don’t have a passport". I said, I know grandma, you dont need your passport, just your birth certificate. Grandma: "Oh, I did not bring my birth certificate with me, did I need it?". WHAT???? We had a discussion three weeks prior about her birth certificate and I had her get it out for me so I could look at it and make sure it was the correct one. I told her that she needed to bring it with her on the cruise and how important it was. Two days prior to leaving I asked her about it again and she said she is all ready.

Well, I guess I should have taken it because she just filed it back away in her papers.

Great, what do we do now? So, good thing that it was 11am as we arrived at the port so we had plenty of time to deal with this issue. We immediately talked to the port people and was directed to a supervisor. He had told me if we could get someone to get the BC we could fax it into him and he would allow her to board. Perfect, grandma knew exactly where it was (well, so we thought).

Finally we were able to get ahold of my Aunt. She went to grandmas house and was directed to the box of paperwork. The box of paperwork contained every piece of paper work from the past 70 years! My aunt looked and looked and looked. Finally after about an hour the port supervisor escorted us inside thru security for us to be seated while we waited for the BC to be found. A port agent had to be seated with us the entire time. Finally my cousin went to the house to help look, which as a good thing because I guess my aunt was sobbing because she could not find it. After about 90 minutes of panic by us, we got the call that the BC was found and it was being faxed to the port. The Port Supervisor came over to us with the copy and allowed us to be checked in. We even got to be checked in VIP so we did not have to wait any longer than we already had! That was a nice perk!

We were so thankful that they accepted the faxed copy of the BC so we could enjoy a fantastic cruise!

Moral of the Story? Take grandmas BC with you and file it with your Passport!

[tommie594]

WOW!! :eek: got lucky on that one!!!

[mondello]

You being from Cleveland reminds me of the time we drove up to Cleveland Stadium from Columbus to see Pink Floyd back in '77 and my buddy had forgotten his ticket.

[jmjpro]

You being from Cleveland reminds me of the time we drove up to Cleveland Stadium from Columbus to see Pink Floyd back in '77 and my buddy had forgotten his ticket.

 

Thats funny because last december a bunch of us drove down to Nashville for the Garth Brooks Concert. About 5 hours into our drive my nephew says, umm, I hope mom remembered my ticket! Well, mom did not. Another panic moment until we got information from those ticekts and was able to get reprinted tickets at the gate.

 

Maybe we should just not go anyplace! Well, actually, Me, DH and DD are always prepared, it is those other crazy family members who need to stay home!

[big_duck]

:confused: Why does Carnival make it so difficult to leave the country? :confused:

 

 

 

;)

[arpie05]

I just got my email today from Carnival for my June cruise telling me what we needed to have to board. It always amazes me how people claim they don't know... I know this is NOT what happened with you. You did your best. Grandma's are funny. They will forget what you told them 10 minutes ago but remember what happened 10 years ago. ;)

[sparks1093]

:confused: Why does carnival make it so difficult to leave the country? :confused:

 

 

 

;)

 

roflmao!

[Cozzette2]

That is a good reminder to take charge and make sure everyone has their documents before I even get in the taxi to the airport. Someday my kids will have to do it for me:D

Have a great cruise, I bet you were ready for that DOD

Kris

[crewsweeper]

:confused: Why does Carnival make it so difficult to leave the country? :confused:

 

 

 

;)

Ah! you want that everyone should obtain an exit visa as well as a passport like some other countries? So their Drivers License and ticket like at the airport? It's not a Carnival issue. It's a US Govt regulation issue.

[shof515]

:confused: Why does Carnival make it so difficult to leave the country? :confused:

 

 

 

;)

 

its not carnival, blame the country we live in :(

[GTO-Girl]

WOW!! :eek: got lucky on that one!!!

 

WOW you got really lucky on that one!! We have seen people turned away at the terminal for not have the exact paperwork they were supposed to have.

 

Glad the "cruise Gods" were smiling on Grandma that day.....:D

[big_duck]

its not carnival, blame the country we live in :(

 

You would be surprised. There are people who would actually think this. They are closely related to those who blame Carnival for the weather.

 

 

P.S. This was not intended as a slam on "Grandma".

[CasualGeek]

Ah! you want that everyone should obtain an exit visa as well as a passport like some other countries? So their Drivers License and ticket like at the airport? It's not a Carnival issue. It's a US Govt regulation issue.

 

Sarcasm doesn't translate well on forums. :)

[Rirruto]

Glad everything worked out but it makes me wonder if someone would just have shown up with their driver's license and a Xerox copy of their birth certificate. Wouldn't they make a big stink of it since it wasn't original?

[sparks1093]

Glad everything worked out but it makes me wonder if someone would just have shown up with their driver's license and a Xerox copy of their birth certificate. Wouldn't they make a big stink of it since it wasn't original?

 

Under the final regs a copy is just fine (as evidenced by the email that I just received from CCL with the document requirements).

[helicopter]

You were VERY luck. I thought it had to be an ORIGINAL BC:confused: But I'm very happy it worked for you. I can't imagine getting all the way to the cruise port and finding I didn't have my documents:eek:

[Mumsykat]

Whoa, and this lady was just 70? Does that mean I'm going to lose my mind in the next 8 years?

[billie5]

:confused: Why does Carnival make it so difficult to leave the country?

It is not the leaving (unlike many countries, which require exit visas). It is the returning.:p

 

Bill

[PSRCPA]

Just sharing my story....of MANY years ago :D

We were checking in at the Port, about 30 in our group, my very best friend and I stepped up to the counter and low and behold she handed over her BAPTISMAL Certificate :eek: OMG...we both looked at each other and she began to cry. She lived alone, no one could get in her house, and after many angonizing minutes Carnival had me sign a paper vouching and stating I would be responsible for her.

Glad that is the one and only time we've had an issue over the years ;)

[bunny1954]

its not carnival, blame the country we live in :(

 

For the life of me, I do not understand the problem here. Every country on this planet has some type of requirement to enter it. EU countries require you to present a passport if you leave the EU and re-enter. On cruises, the cruise line just does it up front so that you do not have to show it when you re-enter the country.

[LHP]

When the in=laws travel with us (they are almost 80)...I make them show me their passports before we leave their house.....

[NCTribeFan]

I also received the "important documents" email today for my sailing Saturday.

 

DD has a copy of the inside of my passport and I leave one in my desk drawer at work.

 

I already have my post-it note on the inside of the front door and one on my dashboard that says:

 

TICKETS MONEY PASSPORT!!!

 

It's the last thing I see as I'm leaving, and I check my purse about 15 times to be sure I have everything. :D

[kona_wahine]

I am singing the Adam Sandler Grandma song in my head right now! :p

[geckog]

And now I will be checking everyone's documents before we leave for Galveston next October......:rolleyes:

[relaxedPax]

I'm baffled the risks people take. They spend all this money on a vacation, but don't want to get a passport or don't want to bother checking documentation requirements. With all the changing rules, just get a passport so you don't have to worry what changes they make.

 

I have a passport book & passport card. Cost me $140 for both and they are valid for ten years. That a lot of piece of mind for $14 a year.