Traveling with someone else's minor child

[BLAMBKY]

If my college age daughter does not get time off from work (will find out in one week :() then my nephew, who would never get a chance to go otherwise, is going along with my son...... So excited about possibly taking him! I know my son would be THRILLED :D with the trade!!! All this to say thanks for good info, even though I know I will be stressed about it until we are all checked in and on board! :)

Edited April 7, 2015 by BLAMBKY

[mabelcat]

My daughter is bringing her friend along on our cruise (August 29th, 2015)

They are both 17. I always get a letter from the parents when I bring friends along, but is it necessary to get it notarized. As long as they have signed it shouldn't it be okay

 

I also am bringing a 19 year old that isn't mine. My understanding is I don't require anything from her parents?

[Merion_Mom]

My daughter is bringing her friend along on our cruise (August 29th, 2015)

They are both 17. I always get a letter from the parents when I bring friends along, but is it necessary to get it notarized. As long as they have signed it shouldn't it be okay

 

I also am bringing a 19 year old that isn't mine. My understanding is I don't require anything from her parents?

 

Always do more than what you think you need, never less.

 

Get that letter notarized. Prevent issues later.

[uksimonusa]

My daughter is bringing her friend along on our cruise (August 29th, 2015)

They are both 17. I always get a letter from the parents when I bring friends along, but is it necessary to get it notarized. As long as they have signed it shouldn't it be okay

 

I also am bringing a 19 year old that isn't mine. My understanding is I don't require anything from her parents?

 

Is it just the 4 of you going? What are the room arrangements, RCI have a rule that you can only supervise 1 unrelated minor for each related minor, not sure if this applies to the 19 YO though, as they are not a minor, BUT they are to young to sail on their own.

[BillOh]

I really have nothing of value to add to this discussion from a practical experience perspective. When I first joined this forum back around 2006 there was a post about a family who allowed a teenage boy to take a friend with them on a cruise. Something happened to the boy on the cruise and he was suicidal. He got into a crew only area and threatened to jump. The whole family was put off the ship at the next port. That story has stuck with me. You are fully responsible for that kid.

[njmomof2]

I am just over a week away from taking my 13 yo, my 17.5 yo and three 17-17.5 year old friends on Freedom.

 

I prepared for each family a letter to be signed by both parents and notarized allowing me to take them, to sign waivers for various on board activities and to make medical decisions.

 

I have a copy of each domestic medical insurance card, and I purchased independent travel insurance. All but one of the teens has a passport; I had the mother check and send me a copy of the BC for the remaining teen to be sure it was suitable for identification purposes (not a hospital issued variety).

 

Only one of the kids (the one with the BC) has any medical issues. But she's almost 18, has dealt with these issues for years, carries a med pack with her at all times and knows when something is not right. But we will speak to the dining room staff about any food ingredients that might present a problem. I offered to contact special needs, but the mother did not think it necessary. Basically, the kid is almost vegetarian and has some nut allergies so we'll be sure to watch the choices (heck, she's been doing this herself for years so she knows how to handle it).

 

They are great kids, and know how to behave, but I've told them that there are a few rules and I expect them followed. Also, my 17.5 yo knows that if something goes wrong, he's as much on the hook as they are.

 

I will go now and make a copy of each of the notarized letters in the event that check in staff wants to keep the copies.

[mabelcat]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

We have a adult booked in with each minor

I talked to Royal and they said that the 19 year old doesn't require any permission letter

 

Does anyone have a sample letter that they have used that I could copy. Can I get the letter notarized after his parent sign or do they need to sign in front of a notary? Do yo know how much the cost of that is?

 

Thanks all

[orville99]

Only two things to add:

 

1) make extra copies of everything, and make sure you have everything in your carry-on when you get to port. We've taken our GS on several cruises, and sometimes they ask for the documentation, and sometimes they don't. Once they actually wanted to take the documents at check-in - good thing we had copies of everything :)

 

2) Make sure that the birth certificate is a government issued one with a seal (county or wherever it was issued) clearly visible on the copy. "Happy Feet" certificates issued by the hospital are not accepted.

 

Here's the template we use (MS Word file)

Travel Letter Template.docx

[orville99]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

We have a adult booked in with each minor

I talked to Royal and they said that the 19 year old doesn't require any permission letter

 

Does anyone have a sample letter that they have used that I could copy. Can I get the letter notarized after his parent sign or do they need to sign in front of a notary? Do yo know how much the cost of that is?

 

Thanks all

 

The parent who signs the letter needs to have it notarized when they sign it. Usually their local bank will do it for free if they have an account there.

[bubba83]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

We have a adult booked in with each minor

I talked to Royal and they said that the 19 year old doesn't require any permission letter

 

Does anyone have a sample letter that they have used that I could copy. Can I get the letter notarized after his parent sign or do they need to sign in front of a notary? Do yo know how much the cost of that is?

 

Thanks all

 

 

There was a sample letter on page one that someone has used....

 

 

the parents will have to sign it in front of the notary. Typically if there is a notary at the parents bank they will do it for free. Or you can find a local notary and it may cost them $5-10, its not expensive at all.

[njmomof2]

Or you can find a local notary and it may cost them $5-10, its not expensive at all.

 

I am a notary and do it all the time as part of my job. I also will notarize personal stuff for co workers (and they will do mine). I know when I was first commissioned in NY years ago, there was some sort of cost guide and I think it was $.25 per notary.

 

In NJ, the most I can charge privately would be $2.50 for an acknowledgement or administering an oath/affirmation.

 

If I could make $5-$10 on each notary I did at work, I'd be getting rich LOL!

[bubba83]

I am a notary and do it all the time as part of my job. I also will notarize personal stuff for co workers (and they will do mine). I know when I was first commissioned in NY years ago, there was some sort of cost guide and I think it was $.25 per notary.

 

 

 

In NJ, the most I can charge privately would be $2.50 for an acknowledgement or administering an oath/affirmation.

 

 

 

If I could make $5-$10 on each notary I did at work, I'd be getting rich LOL!

 

 

 

 

That's what notaries charge around here... I think I paid $5 a few years back for something I needed done

[mabelcat]

We are from Canada so who knows what they charge here..... probably alot more than that !!!! Will let you know

[mabelcat]

So I just checked $50.00!!! here in Vancouver

[Desert Cruizers]

We hope to do a family cruise in 2017, and our unmarried granddaughter's son goes by his fathers last name, but his father isn't involved in his son's life. I explained to our daughter that our GD would need an authorized letter to take her son on the cruise since he has a different last name then his mother. Would there be anything else our GD should have.