? for grandparents taking grandchildren. Need advice & tips.

[ncbrighteyes]

This is 5th cruise and first time taking grandson and I need to know what papers we need to have with us from his parents if any. We are going on the Breeze to San Juan, St. Thomas, Grand Turk, & St. Maarten. We are getting a passport card and copy of birth certificate just in case. I want to sign him up for camp carnival but was unsure if I need to sign or his parents. It will only be the 3 of us, no parents on this trip. Do I need to get a statement from his parents giving us some kind of legal permission during this cruise?

If any of you have taken your grandchildren without their parents please advise me to anything I may need to know so we have no problems. He is so looking forward to this trip.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[keyarra]

You should call carnival and ask but I found this on there FQA page under traveling with minors. I would guess the letter would need all ports of call on whatever dates you are there and the start and stop dates of the cruise though.

 

"All guests 16 years of age or older must provide an official photo I.D. 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."

[Colorado Kat]

You need to bring a medical release form so you can seek medical care for him.

 

You should also bring a notarized statement sayig you are allowed to take him out of the country.

[dizkid]

You need to bring a medical release form so you can seek medical care for him.

 

You should also bring a notarized statement saying you are allowed to take him out of the country.

 

I agree. We once took a friend of our daughters with us. I had a notarized letter from her parents granting permission, with specific travel dates, to take her on the cruise and to allow us to make medical decisions, if needed. We had no problems.

[Mikesa1721]

Here is a link to the forms you can use for minor children traveling without one or both birth parents. http://www.freewebs.com/docdiva/Minor%20Travel%20Consent.pdf

[travlngrl1996]

My mom and I took my nephew without his parents a couple years ago without his parents and we filled out and got notarized a form like the one listed above. We bought his state issued ID and birth certificate. We also signed him up for Camp Carnival just in case he wanted to participate, but at 16 he just chose to hang out with us or on his own.

[Muumuu]

We have been taking grandsons since age 2. They are now 12 and 17. Both VIP's.

Have always had notarized consent including medical care. The consent had copy of front and back of drivers license on it. Never have been asked for it not even by Camp Carnival.

Tips really depends on age. Just chill and enjoy and they will.

[rjrice1]

We have custody of two grandkids.. took them on their first cruise the Legend back in Feb.. just brought their birth certificates, (papers from court but they never asked for them). We pre reg. for camp carnival and circle c prior.

One didn't want to go to circle c.. we encourage her to go and promise we be back in one hour.. came back she asked if she could stay

We did let the 10 y/o sign himself in and out.. both kids begged to go every night.. one night the 10 y/o did the night owl. $30.00 they stay with supervision from 10p till 3a. They escort each kid back to their cabins.

Cathy

[firstcruiseever]

It may be over the top, but I would have a temporary guardianship or power of attorney letter from the parents that has been notarized and signed. That way if there is an emergency it is legal for you to make medical decisions for the child such as medical evacuation or something similar. Also Carnival does require a letter from the parents for travel. I would also get that notarized.

[old sole]

We have taken Grandchildren on cruises without their parents four times, including Bahamas, US Virgin Islands, Mexico, Europe, and Egypt.

 

They had passports, and we carried notarized letters signed by their parents giving us permission to travel with them outside the U.S. (specifying the dates of travel and listing the ports of call), and to authorize medical care if needed.

 

Not once were we ever asked by anyone to produce the letters.

[2 cruzen]

Here is a link to the forms you can use for minor children traveling without one or both birth parents. http://www.freewebs.com/docdiva/Minor%20Travel%20Consent.pdf

 

THANK YOU! Just printed these out for future use!

[sewut]

We have taken grandchildren with us on cruises and always got the notarized letters. They don't need them to go on the cruise, they need them when you go through customs coming back into U.S. I have had agents that didn't even want to see the form, and agents that scrutinized it. Sometimes they will ask the child questions. Better to be safe than sorry.