Will we be denied boarding?

[navybankerteacher]

He really should discuss the matter with people qualified to advise- his attorney, the case-worker monitoring his catch-up efforts, at least the cruise line. Some of the responses here sound very confident but I doubt that any of the "no problem" folks have any real idea of what they are talking about.

[fi'fi]

Hello all!

 

My brother and sister-in-law are joining my husband and I on a Royal Caribbean cruise next month leaving Puerto Rico and visiting Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Maarten and St. Croix. (We are leaving from Boston, MA)

 

The problem is this. My brother is not able to obtain a passport because of outstanding child support. He currently pays his support and continues to make payments to his previous outstanding obligation. But because it is over $2,500 he is not able to obtain a passport.

 

He has a driver's license and a government issued birth certificate but is there any reason he could be denied boarding? Or entering and exiting the ports? Will he have any problems?

 

He visited St. Thomas 2 years ago and had no problems but obviously this is a bit different and I just want to make sure there won't be a problem!

 

This from rccl website. He should have no problem

 

United States citizens on cruises that begin and end at the same port in the United States*can use a government-issued picture ID (i.e. driver's license) AND a government-issued birth certificate or original Naturalization Certificate.

[bus man]

And maybe you could better spend your time MYOB.

 

If we all did that, these boards would be mighty quiet! :D

[Algebralovr]

It sounds like your question has basically been resolved. One option not mentioned here is to appeal to your home state to have the no-passport order lifted since he is meeting his current contract with them to pay the monthly and the arrears. It might take too long, so I am glad he is able to travel on His BC and DL, but might be worth pursuing as well. If the no-passport order is lifted in time, an expedited passport might be in order to be on the safe side.

[Spoiledliz]

It sounds like your question has basically been resolved. One option not mentioned here is to appeal to your home state to have the no-passport order lifted since he is meeting his current contract with them to pay the monthly and the arrears. It might take too long, so I am glad he is able to travel on His BC and DL, but might be worth pursuing as well. If the no-passport order is lifted in time, an expedited passport might be in order to be on the safe side.

 

Thank you! We are actually going to pursue this. I highly doubt it will be done before this cruise but it would relieve a lot of stress going forward!

 

Thank you to all of you for your comments and posts. You all brought up very good points that gave me questions to ask. Thanks again and safe travels to all!

[grand isle joe]

how much fun can this cruise be if every day you worry about re-entry into this country? It just takes one ya-hoo and bingo...ruined (and expensive) cruise. Think risk-reward...

[Karysa]

Thank you! We are actually going to pursue this. I highly doubt it will be done before this cruise but it would relieve a lot of stress going forward!

 

Thank you to all of you for your comments and posts. You all brought up very good points that gave me questions to ask. Thanks again and safe travels to all!

 

I hope that it all works out for you and your family. For what it's worth I think that you handled all of the ?'s , comments and opinions posted with a great deal of class. I hope that you come back and let us know how things worked out for you. Enjoy your cruise.:)

[smeyer418]

In the realm of discussing travel documents with the issuer of such document (passport), it is the same. A passport is not needed for state to state transit nor is it reqired for this closed loop cruise.

 

So if I have a roundtrip air ticket to Mexico and back to the states, that is a closed loop trip. Why do I need a passport? They may be closed loop cruises but passengers may get off at any port and not return to complete the loop.

because the government has made a determination that cruisers are relatively low risk and responded to a concern of the cruise lines. the same determination was not made for air travel between countries.

[Spoiledliz]

how much fun can this cruise be if every day you worry about re-entry into this country? It just takes one ya-hoo and bingo...ruined (and expensive) cruise. Think risk-reward...

 

Am I an awful sister if I am only worried about him getting on the ship versus when we return? At least we will have had a great vacation if there were ever a problem! I mean, he'll eventually get home right? LOL

 

I hope that it all works out for you and your family. For what it's worth I think that you handled all of the ?'s , comments and opinions posted with a great deal of class. I hope that you come back and let us know how things worked out for you. Enjoy your cruise.:)

 

I appreciate your kind words, thank you!!

[live2cruise2011]

He will be fine with Id and birth certificate as long as his name is not flagged in the gov data base you can call your local us customs office and they will tell you if he is flagged but generally speaking they only flag for someone they fear is a threat to national security they can always give u a hassle but can not legally deny reentry into the country.

 

Signed wife of a us customs officer

[johneeo]

how much fun can this cruise be if every day you worry about re-entry into this country? It just takes one ya-hoo and bingo...ruined (and expensive) cruise. Think risk-reward...

 

Just curious. What happens when the ship docks in the USA, and they do not let an American citizen back into their country?

 

If your scenario plays out, what do they do with him?

 

Personally, I think that the possibility of this happening is beyond ridiculous.

[marco]

Regardless of whatever answers and/or suggestions you get on this board.....CALL AND ASK THE CRUISE LINE!!!!!!!!

[Gordie Howe]

Ah forget the rules ... just smuggle him onboard inside some rum runners!

[fritolayNY]

A very big difference--even though departing and returning to the same US port, the ship will be leaving the US! A person ineligible for a passport cannot cross the land border to Canada or Mexico; to me it is a pretty safe assumption that it would also be illegal to travel by sea to any Caribbean nation. I'm not making any legal conclusions here--I don't know what will happen when ICE sees his name on the ship's manifest, just that it behooves you to find out in advance.

 

Living 3 miles from a canadian border crossing you are wrong . Anyone with a passport OR an enhanced license (from you local DMV office) can cross the canadian border. I have many times with just an enhanced license. But back to the subject.. these are not countries but US territories I believe, Atleast Puerto Rico is, so the point is "Is he really living the country?" Good luck to your brother and congrats on his sobriety.

[sail7seas]

Living 3 miles from a canadian border crossing you are wrong . Anyone with a passport OR an enhanced license (from you local DMV office) can cross the canadian border. I have many times with just an enhanced license. But back to the subject.. these are not countries but US territories I believe, Atleast Puerto Rico is, so the point is "Is he really living the country?" Good luck to your brother and congrats on his sobriety.

 

 

Presumably, someone who cannot get a Passport or Passport card cannot get an enhanced license either...... for just the reason you cite.

 

 

Op's brother is leaving the U.S. because in addition to San Juan and St. Croix, which are U.S., the ship is also calling at Barbados (?), Antigua, St. Lucia and St. Maarten.

Edited January 11, 2012 by sail7seas

[RandyinDEN]

I had a similar problem on our cruise last November. If you leave a port on US soil and return via a port on US soil you will be fine with a drivers license and birth certificate. You will more than likely be grilled on return, and have your luggage searched, but will not have any other problems. You might get asked stupid questions by the imigration staff, but have patience, give yourself extra time and enjoy the cruise.

[Gordie Howe]

Why is this still an issue??

 

Just make the necessary phone calls and clear up all these assumptions.

[Langley Cruisers]

Why is this still an issue?? Just make the necessary phone calls and clear up all these assumptions.

 

Errr.... it will be "an issue" for as long as the thread is open and people keep posting on it. OP replied in posts #55 and 59, presumably for the final time, yesterday evening. I'm sure she'll figure it out. It's other members who keep adding to the thread.

[sherilyn70]

I commend your brother on his sobriety and hope he continues on the right path. HOWEVER, maybe your could better spend your money paying the $2500 FIRST to the mom raising his child without benefit of support for many years (probably also had to deal with his "wrong path" shenanigans).

 

At no point and time was the claim made that he only owed $2,500. It was stated that the reason he could not obtain a passport was that it was OVER $2,500. 5 years of missed child support is probably at least $20,000.

[cruzingthebriny]

Hello all!

 

My brother and sister-in-law are joining my husband and I on a Royal Caribbean cruise next month leaving Puerto Rico and visiting Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Maarten and St. Croix. (We are leaving from Boston, MA)

 

The problem is this. My brother is not able to obtain a passport because of outstanding child support. He currently pays his support and continues to make payments to his previous outstanding obligation. But because it is over $2,500 he is not able to obtain a passport.

 

He has a driver's license and a government issued birth certificate but is there any reason he could be denied boarding? Or entering and exiting the ports? Will he have any problems?

 

He visited St. Thomas 2 years ago and had no problems but obviously this is a bit different and I just want to make sure there won't be a problem!

 

Same thing happened to my brother in law. Got behind in child support due to any injury and was disabled. During that time he was recovering he racked up the arrears. The interest rate in Calif. for this is sky high. He pays a small amount from his disability check (child is now 39 yrs old) but because the amount is over $2500 he is unable to get a passport. He has no problem doing a close-loop cruise, and he cruises yearly. All he needs is his State ID and his BC. Your brother-in-law will be leaving and returning to the same US port. BTW, my-brother-in law did the So. Caribbean cruise, sailed out of Miami, but visited the same ports you mentioned.

[reallyitsmema]

I am hoping Spoiledliz is subscribed to this thread and gets emails because I am curious to know how this cruise went. Did your brother have any issues? Here's hoping he made it on and you had a wonderful cruise.:)

[sail7seas]

Thanks for reviving the thread.

I'm also curious if it went smoothly for them.

 

[BallFour4]

You'd do well to ask if he has a warrant. That has potential to ruin the entire trip for him.

 

I've seen a college aged girl escorted from the boarding line for an unpaid speeding ticket. It took her dad's credit card and about an hour on the phone to get her aboard.

 

Manifests are rarely checked prior to sailing, but the local authorities can, and do run them sometimes.

 

Since ship has sailed, I too am curious.

 

.

Edited March 24, 2012 by blusry

[notentirelynormal]

Interesting that he can't afford to pay that $2500 he's short on his child support, but he can afford to take a cruise! Something is not right with his priorities. I feel bad for his kid! :eek:

 

No one said he only owed $2500 - it is if you owe MORE then $2500. For all you know it could be $50,000. Why would you feel bad for his kid? You don't know the circumstances and it's wrong of you to judge unless you do. He is paying the current amount due and the back payments. For all you know he was hospitalized or unemployed for years and is just now able to pay the money back. I feel bad for people that make rash judgements without all the facts.

Edited March 24, 2012 by notentirelynormal
.

[MrsPete]

Thank you for all of your advice.

 

My brother had taken the wrong path after the birth of his daughter for several years. He has been paying his weekly support in addition to his arrears for 4 years now. This cruise is a gift from my husband and myself to him to celebrate his 5 years of being sober. I understand the preemptive strikes against his character but I ask you to judge when all facts are known. He has made his mistakes and is working diligently to correct them.

I grew up the child of a father who didn't pay child support. From the day he left, lack of money affected every single day of my childhood, and the fingerprints of his bad decisions are still inlaid on my personality (and that of my siblings, especially the youngest) today. The details of why he behaved this way aren't important: What is important is that I have vivid memories of having been hungry, of having to wear shoes that were too small, of having to wait for eyeglasses, of waiting in line for government cheese and peanut butter, of being embarassed by getting free lunch at school. As such, I find it hard to molify child neglect with terms like "took a wrong path". Harsh? Grow up as the child in the scenerio, and you will likely take a severe line with deadbeat dads too.

Just curious. What happens when the ship docks in the USA, and they do not let an American citizen back into their country?

In reality, this doesn't happen. Here's why:

 

When you board the ship, your ID is checked by the cruise line.

When you return to the US, your ID is checked by the US Customs office.

 

The cruise line doesn't really care whether you have ID or whatever. They're a business; they just want your money.

 

BUT the cruise line is diligent about checking your ID (whether it's a passport, birth certificate, or whatever) when you board the ship because they know that when you return to the US, the Customs officials DO CARE that you're a legitimate US citizen. The government cares very much whether you're a citizen . . . and the cruise line won't allow you to get into a situation where you can't re-enter the country. They don't want you stuck in their terminal, so they won't let you board unless they know for sure they can get rid of you at the end of the week!

Edited March 25, 2012 by MrsPete