Valid US travel documents

[Herbaltees]

How did you word your invitation, so that your guests know they must have valid US travel documents in order to attend?

[Carnival_Brides]

We didn't put it in our invitations because we couldn't integrate it into the aesthetic we were trying to create. We left it to our website and word of mouth since it's such a small group (<50) invited.

 

The phrasing we used was "Carnival is currently one of the most lenient cruise lines when it comes to the documents they require. Since our cruise is a closed-loop, leaving from and returning to Baltimore, they only require a valid state issued birth certificate and your driver's license. We strongly encourage you to consider investing in a US Passport, as emergencies do occur, but it is not required at this time."

[Bostoncruiser35]

My save the dayes and invitations will have our website on them. I will incorporate the travel doc needs there along with other cruising infomation. Websites are free and help alot!

[Herbaltees]

We didn't put it in our invitations because we couldn't integrate it into the aesthetic we were trying to create. We left it to our website and word of mouth since it's such a small group (<50) invited.

 

The phrasing we used was "Carnival is currently one of the most lenient cruise lines when it comes to the documents they require. Since our cruise is a closed-loop, leaving from and returning to Baltimore, they only require a valid state issued birth certificate and your driver's license. We strongly encourage you to consider investing in a US Passport, as emergencies do occur, but it is not required at this time."

 

What do you mean by 'closed loop sail'?

Does carnival offer a 'cruise to nowhere' from Baltimore? Oh please tell me yes. I'd love to try one.

[Carnival_Brides]

What do you mean by 'closed loop sail'?

Does carnival offer a 'cruise to nowhere' from Baltimore? Oh please tell me yes. I'd love to try one.

 

They don't do a cruise to nowhere. I think the only ones that do that in the area are/were NYC and Norfolk and they're considered closed loop, too. A closed loop means that it embarks and debarks in the same port. So the Baltimore->Canaveral->Nassau->Freeport->Baltimore is a closed loop. If you did the Alaska cruise that starts in Seattle and ends in Vancouver that is an open loop or a cruise like the Concordia was doing where guests can embark and debark in most any port like a luxury taxi service. I hope this makes sense.

 

Are you planning to do/have you done a website? I'd be willing to email you mine if it's something you're thinking about. :-)

[Herbaltees]

They don't do a cruise to nowhere. I think the only ones that do that in the area are/were NYC and Norfolk and they're considered closed loop, too. A closed loop means that it embarks and debarks in the same port. So the Baltimore->Canaveral->Nassau->Freeport->Baltimore is a closed loop. If you did the Alaska cruise that starts in Seattle and ends in Vancouver that is an open loop or a cruise like the Concordia was doing where guests can embark and debark in most any port like a luxury taxi service. I hope this makes sense.

 

Are you planning to do/have you done a website? I'd be willing to email you mine if it's something you're thinking about. :-)

 

Yes, please email me a copy of you site. I'm herbal_tees at yahoo dot com

 

I've started a site at the knot, but it's pretty generic.

[jebuell]

I didn't include anything. I guess I just assumed it was common sense. Of course, that bit me in the butt last week when my FFIL informed me that he didn't have a passport or a birth certificate and would just show his driver's license and not get off the boat when it was in other countries. Really?

[brklyn78]

I didn't include anything. I guess I just assumed it was common sense. Of course, that bit me in the butt last week when my FFIL informed me that he didn't have a passport or a birth certificate and would just show his driver's license and not get off the boat when it was in other countries. Really?

 

Apparently there are cruise lines where that works (or at least used to a few years ago), but I know that does not work on Carnival as of now. I bet it is one of the changes that happened with the new passport laws a a few years ago.

 

For sailing guests, they are told this info when they book, so I don't know if you need to put it on your invitations. For non-sailing guests, all they need is a gov't-issued photo ID (like a drivers license). Most people don't need to hunt for this, so I wouldn't worry about putting this on the invitations either. At least three weeks prior to the wedding, you are going to have to turn in the names and DL numbers for all of your non-sailing guests to get on the boat. Unless you are putting this on your reply cards (which may not be a bad idea) you are going to have to call them for this info. This is a good time to remind them that they need to bring this ID with them in order to get on the boat.

[LarAndShar]

 

here is the inside of our RSVP....

 

we also posted it on our invites (we had trifold invites) I'll try to post that also.

[LarAndShar]

well, I can't figure out how to get the pic of the invite to post but... here is the hard copy i sent to the printers... we did have a tri-fold invite, which made it very easy for us to include all the info we wanted.

:)

 

 

1st section of Invitation

 

 

Sharon

&

Larry

Invite you to share in

a celebration of love

As we exchange

our marriage vows

Friday, April Thirteenth

Two thousand twelve

Aboard the Carnival Spirit

Port of San Diego

San Diego, California

 

```````````````````````````````````````````````

2nd/Center section of Invitation

 

 

Guests must arrive at the

ship terminal by 10:30 AM

for security clearance

and priority check in

 

All guests must provide

government issued

photo identification.

A birth certificate or passport

for children under 16

is required

 

Any wedding guest who fails to

provide proper identification

will be denied boarding

 

`````````````````````````````````````

3rd section of Invitation

 

Wedding Ceremony

Followed by

Cocktail Reception

 

 

Guests not joining us

for two weeks of

fun and celebration

will need to disembark

the ship immediately

following the reception

approximately 3pm

[Herbaltees]

well, I can't figure out how to get the pic of the invite to post but... here is the hard copy i sent to the printers... we did have a tri-fold invite, which made it very easy for us to include all the info we wanted.

:)

 

 

1st section of Invitation

 

 

Sharon

&

Larry

Invite you to share in

a celebration of love

As we exchange

our marriage vows

Friday, April Thirteenth

Two thousand twelve

Aboard the Carnival Spirit

Port of San Diego

San Diego, California

 

```````````````````````````````````````````````

2nd/Center section of Invitation

 

 

Guests must arrive at the

ship terminal by 10:30 AM

for security clearance

and priority check in

 

All guests must provide

government issued

photo identification.

A birth certificate or passport

for children under 16

is required

 

Any wedding guest who fails to

provide proper identification

will be denied boarding

 

`````````````````````````````````````

3rd section of Invitation

 

Wedding Ceremony

Followed by

Cocktail Reception

 

 

Guests not joining us

for two weeks of

fun and celebration

will need to disembark

the ship immediately

following the reception

approximately 3pm

 

thanks LarandShar, I really like the wording of your RSVP! I hop you don't mind if I emulate that a bit.

[Artemis908]

Be sure to make it clear to people that you need the exact name that is on their drivers license number. You wouldn't believe the amount of people who I didn't know their full/real names!

 

Also, I got a lot of lash back about handing over license #s. One person wouldn't even come because of it. I had a slip of paper in the invitation envelope that said : "Due to homeland security, all non-sailing guests are required to submit their drivers license #, full name, and date of birth to me by ---. And I gave myself an extra week before it was actually due. Problem is that I was STILL calling people asking for the information up until the last day! Also had to remind people to bring their ID/License.