Maiden Name on Passport

[aflyingbuttress]

It looks like you'll have to pay $165 to change the name on your passport (if you choose to do that before your next renewal.)

 

Name change:

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/services/correction.html

 

Fees:

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/fees.html

 

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to avoid if possible.

[coevan]

Yes. I've always cruised without one.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

 

One caveat about traveling without a passport. If, god forbid, something happened to you in a foreign port, you could be in big poopy. Leaving a country without proper documentation is not taken lightly. You really should talk to your travel agent or CCL. Traveling outside the U.S. without a passport can be dangerous.

[Texbam]

Wife and I married five years ago. Her passport still showed her ex's last name (which she still went by until our marriage). We sailed on Glory last year. The cruise booking was under my last name. She carried a certified copy of our marriage certificate to show the progression to her new last name. The INS agent at the entrance of the Miami cruise terminal tried to deny her entry due to the difference in the names on the booking and passport despite showing the marriage certificate. Another agent had to intervene to tell our agent it was OK as long as we had the marriage certificate. Then when we got to the check-in counter, the CCL rep seemed confused as well. We were able to sail, but not without a lot of explaining and confusion. This year we decided it was best to just change the name on the passport even though it was still valid for 5 more years. Cost was $110 and she was issued a new passport. If you decide to update your passport, do it quick as the State Dept is taking the full 6 weeks to get it back to you if you don't pay the extra to expedite processing. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Edited August 16, 2015 by Texbam

[Martini Mom]

One caveat about traveling without a passport. If, god forbid, something happened to you in a foreign port, you could be in big poopy. Leaving a country without proper documentation is not taken lightly. You really should talk to your travel agent or CCL. Traveling outside the U.S. without a passport can be dangerous.

 

Yes, I'm aware. I should get one, but haven't yet. Thankfully all has worked out well so far.

[Keith1010]

At this point change your name on the booking.

 

I really would get a new passport going forward.

 

Keith

[ready2cruzagain]

There seems to be a whole lot of people "guessing" on this thread.

 

My passport has my maiden name. I have been on several cruises with it like this. The reason why I did not get it changed is because you have to pay $110 to change the name UNLESS your passport is less than 1 year old. Mine was only 4 years old.

 

I take my passport, marriage certificate, birth certificate and drivers license. Never had one problem whatsoever. Once I did have a customs person when returning to the port terminal, tell me my name did not match, all I had to do was show him my marriage license.

 

Technically, you don't even have to have a passport on a closed loop cruise. You can just show them your DL and BC. I have done that before but still carried my Passport and ML in case we had to fly home.

 

Usually, when we check in I just show all of the paper work to the check in person and let them pick which ones they want to use.

Edited August 16, 2015 by ready2cruzagain

[aflyingbuttress]

There seems to be a whole lot of people "guessing" on this thread.

 

My passport has my maiden name. I have been on several cruises with it like this. The reason why I did not get it changed is because you have to pay $110 to change the name UNLESS your passport is less than 1 year old. Mine was only 4 years old.

 

I take my passport, marriage certificate, birth certificate and drivers license. Never had one problem whatsoever. Once I did have a customs person when returning to the port terminal, tell me my name did not match, all I had to do was show him my marriage license.

 

Technically, you don't even have to have a passport on a closed loop cruise. You can just show them your DL and BC. I have done that before but still carried my Passport and ML in case we had to fly home.

 

Usually, when we check in I just show all of the paper work to the check in person and let them pick which ones they want to use.

 

Yeah, I was curious about whether other people have been successful boarding the ship under these circumstances. I appreciate your response!

 

What I was really concerned about was

1) will I be able to board the ship?

2) Will I be able to visit the ports?

3) if there was a emergency and I had to fly back to the U.S. what will happen if my passport has my old name on it?

 

It looks like the answer to 2 out of three is yes, it'll be no problem. From what I read on the U.S. Customs and Border patrol website it also looks like it shouldn't be a problem.

 

My husband has a passport card so we'd have trouble if there was an emergency. I wonder what actually happen if people do this and then have an emergency? I'm sure you don't get kicked out of the U.S. For good.

[slim501]

I was in the same situation a few cruises ago and just changed my name on the cruise booking to my maiden name. When my passport expired, I got it changed to my married name. A quick phone call to Carnival and it was taken care of.

[Angela61280]

Bring a certified copy of your marriage certificate. Worked for me

[summersigh]

At least for the moment I'm not planning to travel internationally in the next 6 years. I mean, who knows. But the last time I traveled internationally was in 2009. We're just on a tight budget this trip so I was hoping not to have to spend the money.

 

If you decide to renew 9 weeks out - you may want to go to a passport office in person (hopefully you live near a big city with an office which you can find on the US passport web site)

I'm hearing on here and otherwise repeatedly that renewals are taking around 7 weeks to come through even if there are no problems.:(

[Elaine5715]

Yeah, I was curious about whether other people have been successful boarding the ship under these circumstances. I appreciate your response!

 

What I was really concerned about was

1) will I be able to board the ship?

2) Will I be able to visit the ports?

3) if there was a emergency and I had to fly back to the U.S. what will happen if my passport has my old name on it?

 

It looks like the answer to 2 out of three is yes, it'll be no problem. From what I read on the U.S. Customs and Border patrol website it also looks like it shouldn't be a problem.

 

My husband has a passport card so we'd have trouble if there was an emergency. I wonder what actually happen if people do this and then have an emergency? I'm sure you don't get kicked out of the U.S. For good.

 

My sister booked domestic flight tickets in her maiden name because she bought tickets before they finalized the wedding date. She did change her name and her driver's license immediately. At the airport, TSA would not accept her driver's license as identification since it did not match her tickets. Fortunately, her smarter sister had made her take her passport which did match the name on her tickets. She was allowed to fly.

[Elaine5715]

My sister booked domestic flight tickets in her maiden name because she bought tickets before they finalized the wedding date. She did change her name and her driver's license immediately. At the airport, TSA would not accept her driver's license as identification since it did not match her tickets. Fortunately, her smarter sister had made her take her passport which did match the name on her tickets. She was allowed to fly.

 

What happens it you go to the nearest US Consulate and apply for an emergency passport. You remain in that country at your expense ( the Consulate provides neitherhousing nor financial assistance).

[kelkel2]

What the OP should do is get the passport changed to reflect her married name. I understand that there may not be time for this at this point due to the close proximity of the cruise. It looks like listed above in an earlier post is this

 

I didn't find this until after I posted the question but U.S. Customs and Border Control says:

 

"US Citizens: US Citizens who change their name due to marriage, divorce, or because of any other circumstance may travel using your US passport or other WHTI approved document in your prior name provided you bring proof of your name progression such as; a marriage certificate, a divorce decree or court documents showing a legal name change."

 

I would say keeping the booking your married name, carrying the passport with the maiden name and a marriage license is your best bet according to what I read above and posted as a reference.

Edited August 16, 2015 by kelkel2

[aflyingbuttress]

If you decide to renew 9 weeks out - you may want to go to a passport office in person (hopefully you live near a big city with an office which you can find on the US passport web site)

I'm hearing on here and otherwise repeatedly that renewals are taking around 7 weeks to come through even if there are no problems.:(

 

We're not exactly near a big city but we're going to the post office for my daughters passport on Tuesday and requesting expedited service. She's 3 and I believe she can travel with just her birth certificate, but I'm not taking any chances with that. Absolute worst comes to worst I could have a family member fly home with her.

Edited August 16, 2015 by aflyingbuttress

[cruisinfanatic]

We're not exactly near a big city but we're going to the post office for my daughters passport on Tuesday and requesting expedited service. She's 3 and I believe she can travel with just her birth certificate, but I'm not taking any chances with that. Absolute worst comes to worst I could have a family member fly home with her.

You're making this whole thing a LOT more complicated than it is.

Do one of 2 things. They will work the same

 

1 Change the name on your cruise documents to the name on your passport. You won't need anything else

 

2 Take your passport and marriage license to prove your new name with the one on the cruise docs

[aflyingbuttress]

You're making this whole thing a LOT more complicated than it is.

Do one of 2 things. They will work the same

 

1 Change the name on your cruise documents to the name on your passport. You won't need anything else

 

2 Take your passport and marriage license to prove your new name with the one on the cruise docs

 

I've already said I was going to do number 2. I haven't complicated the process beyond that. I'm not sure how getting a passport for my 3 year old complicates anything that has to do with my own travel documents.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

Having another family member possibly have to fly home with your child in the event of an emergency? Why would you even think to do this? Suck it up and pay for the proper passport.

 

After reading all of your responses, it appears that you are wanting reassurance from other cruisers.....the bottom line is that you have no concrete guarantees that anything but an updated passport will in fact work.

 

Paying the fee for a passport in your new last name is a small price to pay for all of the aggregation that you are describing.

 

Either change the booking to the name that matches your passport or replace it with a new one. Taking a marriage license, birth certificate is no guarantee...it's just a big PITA..... $110 is basically equivalent to an excursion.....give that up or save up and just do it right.

 

Bottom line is...don't get upset with fellow Cc'ers when they're trying to give you good advice and you do not agree.

 

.

 

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Edited August 17, 2015 by FlaGrl4Evr

[aflyingbuttress]

Bottom line is...don't get upset with fellow Cc'ers when they're trying to give you good advice and you do not agree

 

By another family member I meant my mom or my husband. I don't really see what is wrong with that as a back up plan when I'm carrying a valid passport and marriage license and the U.S. Customs and border patrol say I can travel with that. It's not like I'm talking about traveling with nothing.

 

I posted my question because I wanted to know what experiences others have had doing this and traveling with Carnival. I never asked anyone to make the decision for me, nor have I once said that anyone did not offer sound advice.

 

And I haven't gotten upset with people. I've merely responded to comments. Because it wasn't an agreement every time doesn't mean I'm sitting over here all hurt by the responses. It just means I had a different opinion. I haven't lashed out at anyone. I am completely calm. I'm honestly not sure how I could have responded any more reasonably.

[aflyingbuttress]

And actually, there have been a variety of suggestions and scenarios brought up in this thread. I responded to people in order to participate in a conversation that I started. It's not like I could have the same response to everyone when they advised different things. Or I could, but it would just be "ok, thanks." And that kind of defeats the purpose as it doesn't garner any additional information.

[cruisinfanatic]

I've already said I was going to do number 2. I haven't complicated the process beyond that. I'm not sure how getting a passport for my 3 year old complicates anything that has to do with my own travel documents.

I said nothing about your 3 yr old

[aflyingbuttress]

[/b]I said nothing about your 3 yr old

 

Your response quoted a post I made about getting a passport for my 3 year old so it seemed like saying I was over complicating it has something to do with that.