Traveling with a family friend

[TraderThom]

Quick question. My daughter's friend who is 18 will be cruising with us. Does she need to have any other documents besides her driver's license and passport. As we are not her legal guardians or parents and she is under 25 I was not sure.

 

Thanks

[forwardcabin]

Here's Carnival's Policy...

Guests Under the Age of 21 NOT Traveling with Parents / Grandparents

The minor must travel with a guardian 25 years of age or older in the same stateroom. When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security. Please note that a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico.

 

Hope this helps.

[CJinFLA00]

We have cruised with DD friend (19 yr old). Didn't need anything special we just had to split up to book the rooms. We had DD with me in one room and DD friend with DW in another room to book. She also did't have a passport, only a BC and driver license. No problem at all. Enjoy your cruise!

[TraderThom]

Thanks for the response.

 

Still a little confused as she is not technically a "minor" as she is 18 and will be staying in our room and both my wife and me are over the age of 25. It just the legal guardian thing that has me baffled.

 

If she does not have a letter from her parents then will she not be allowed to board the ship?

 

Sorry if I am asking the same question twice.

 

Thanks

[forwardcabin]

Thanks for the response.

...If she does not have a letter from her parents then will she not be allowed to board the ship?...

Thanks

...No. Passport and DL is enough to book and board. This letter (actually a form signed by the friends parents) does a couple things: allows you to be responsible for the friend (Carnival considers anyone under 21 to be a minor--has nothing to do with any other laws in any other states) and to make necessary decisions in case of emergency.

Look for the form online by googling "consent for minor travel without parents" -- the form is easy to obtain, print, fill out, and get signed. We got one when we took our grandson on a cruise without his parents going. You may or may not be asked to present it--just have it with you in case. We never had anyone ask us for it, but we did have it. Our daughter did the same thing when she took her daughters on a cruise without the divorced father. Some people insist you will never need one, but who knows.

[SueG]

Thanks for the response.

 

Still a little confused as she is not technically a "minor" as she is 18 and will be staying in our room and both my wife and me are over the age of 25. It just the legal guardian thing that has me baffled.

 

If she does not have a letter from her parents then will she not be allowed to board the ship?

 

Sorry if I am asking the same question twice.

 

Thanks

 

You will not need a letter from the parents. She is an adult.

[nodogkisses]

My daughter is 22 now but for the past four years, we've always brought one of her friends with us, age under 21. Although we always taken a letter from her parents stating their permission to let her leave the country on a cruise with us, we were never once asked for it. I would definitely take it, but don't expect to need it.