Does the adult booked in a room actually have to board the ship?

[SoulPhyre]

They are not going in royal or Disney.

 

And each cruise line can have any requirements they want.

 

Carnival does not require the letter.

 

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Yes it does

 

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[Pops, Esq.]

Yes it does

 

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No. It doesn't look like Carnival does. From the Carnival website:

 

Traveling with a Minor

When traveling with a minor where one parent or both parents (or legal guardians) are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent(s) (or legal guardians) authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security.

 

 

It seems to be a matter of convenience, of anything. But, I am all about convenience. If the father is willing to sign one, I would get one.

[Pops, Esq.]

Wrong, if only one parent is traveling out of the country, they must have a document signed and notarized from the other parent. Trust me, this is required. BTDT. So glad my boys are over 16 now and its not required anymore.

 

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And from the Customs and Border Patrol website...(note the specific reference that "the U.S. Does not require this documentation."). But, also note that foreign countries have their own rules.

 

 

Due to the increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and as possible victims of child ***********, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, the adult have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, friends, or in groups*, a note signed by both parents) stating "I acknowledge that my wife/husband/etc. is traveling out of the country with my son/daughter/group. He/She/They has/have my permission to do so." See our Q&A parental consent.

 

* School groups, teen tours, vacation groups.

 

CBP also suggests that this note be notarized.

 

While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if we do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed. If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (deceased, sole custody, etc.) any other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., would be useful.

 

Adults traveling with children should also be aware that, while the U.S. does not require this documentation, many other countries do; failure to produce notarized permission letters and/or birth certificates could result in travelers being refused entry (Canada has very strict requirements in this regard).

[trpschick]

I took my son on a cruise without my husband and I didn't need a letter. We cruised on Carnival.

[GTO-Girl]

You may get lucky and not get asked for it by Carnival but it is very possble you will get asked for it by Customs.

 

It is better to be safe than sorry so as I stated before.....as for me personally I would never risk traveling without it.

 

I would take the advice of others here who have actually had the experience and had to produce the letter.

 

(Just FYI-not sure how Soulphyre posted a quote above that looked like it was from me regarding Carnival not requiring a letter. That was not my quote!)

Edited April 10, 2016 by GTO-Girl

[loxley]

And from the Customs and Border Patrol website...(note the specific reference that "the U.S. Does not require this documentation."). But, also note that foreign countries have their own rules.

 

 

Due to the increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and as possible victims of child ***********, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, the adult have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, friends, or in groups*, a note signed by both parents) stating "I acknowledge that my wife/husband/etc. is traveling out of the country with my son/daughter/group. He/She/They has/have my permission to do so." See our Q&A parental consent.

 

* School groups, teen tours, vacation groups.

 

CBP also suggests that this note be notarized.

 

While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if we do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed. If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (deceased, sole custody, etc.) any other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., would be useful.

 

Adults traveling with children should also be aware that, while the U.S. does not require this documentation, many other countries do; failure to produce notarized permission letters and/or birth certificates could result in travelers being refused entry (Canada has very strict requirements in this regard).

The countries that do require it only require it if that country is your final destination.

 

On a cruise, you are considered in transit. You are not debarking in that country.

 

If you can get it easily and you feel better having it, get it.

 

You will not need it, but, oh well.

 

I just got tired of mostly women being scared by lies. Being told they would not be allowed to cruise without the letter. One woman claimed every time she goes to cozumel, she had to produce the letter. But she could never answer who ask for it or where they were located.

 

Other cruise lines, I don't know for sure. They can have whatever rules they want people to follow, but carnival does not require the letter. Last time we had this discussion, one woman was taking her step daughter and the child mother had called I the port and reported her as kidnapped, and they still did not have to produce a letter.

 

Now honestly, if there was any need for a letter, don't you think it would be for a child that was being reported as kidnapped to the port?

 

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[GTO-Girl]

Okay Loxley.....you are right and all the rest of us who actually had to produce letters for the cruiseline and CUSTOMS are just making all this up. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

I do hope all of you here have a wonderful cruise with smooth seas and warm breezes!

 

I'm outta here......:D:D

[Pops, Esq.]

Okay Loxley.....you are right and all the rest of us who actually had to produce letters for the cruiseline and CUSTOMS are just making all this up. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

 

 

I do hope all of you here have a wonderful cruise with smooth seas and warm breezes!

 

 

 

I'm outta here......:D:D

 

 

But, see, you had them. Therefore you prove only that you may be asked for them (or told to produce them). Because you had them, you didn't find out what happens if you didn't.

 

What we haven't heard is, "I didn't have them and they wouldn't let me board," or "I didn't have them and they wouldn't let me back into the country."

 

That's probably because you would be able to get on the ship and you would be able to get back into the country. You may have to jump through a few (or many) hoops, but both Carnival and Customs say it is not required.

[bobsfamily]

If you can get it easily and you feel better having it, get it.

 

You will not need it, but, oh well.

 

I just got tired of mostly women being scared by lies. Being told they would not be allowed to cruise without the letter. One woman claimed every time she goes to cozumel, she had to produce the letter. But she could never answer who ask for it or where they were located.

 

You have statements directly from Carnival's website and US State's website STRONGLY suggesting you have one, in fact Customs states that although it's not required you could be detained until your relationship with the child is confirmed. That alone should be enough to encourage someone to get the "letter" unless it's almost impossible to get. Not sure you've encountered a mad government employee but it's not an enjoyable experience.

 

Same with Carnival, no it's not REQUIRED, yet it's amazing how slow an employee can be when try to determine if a child is really, really, really with who they should be with. Sooooo slow that the ship might leave without, oh dang!

 

So yes you might be correct factually, and thanks for the factual information... I've taken in the past friends of our children on cruises, NEVER left without a letter (notarized) from Both parents.

To each to his/her own, personally I would take the time to get a letter and take with me... I try to limit as much as I can my interaction with government employees.

[loxley]

Okay Loxley.....you are right and all the rest of us who actually had to produce letters for the cruiseline and CUSTOMS are just making all this up. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

I do hope all of you here have a wonderful cruise with smooth seas and warm breezes!

 

I'm outta here......:D:D

I am not saying you are making it up.

 

I am simply saying it would not stop you from getting on the cruise or coming back into the country.

 

Taking a cruise is basically like me taking my next door neighbors 14 yr old daughter to Mississippi from Louisiana.

 

I do not need a letter. If I get stopped by the police, they can ask her who she is and why she is with me. As long as her mother said she could go, all is fine.

 

I will say I do not believe anyone at check in will ask for the letter. But if they do, and you are not comfortable saying, I do not have it, just say you left it in the car. Step out of line, wait a few minutes and go to a different check in person.

 

Customs ask for it. If you do not have it, they may ask the child a few questions. Who are they traveling with, where they live, simple stuff.

 

Last discussion, several people that had this so called all important letter still had the children questioned.

 

If you can easily get the letter, get it. I don't care if you have one or not.

 

I am putting this out there for those that can't. You will not need the letter. Do Not let these people scare you.

 

In all my years here, there was one report of someone being denied boarding. Of course it was a friend of the poster who had no internet access and it was on another line. But still, she claimed her friend and her friends son was denied boarding because they did not have the letter. She did not know what cruise line or which port. The friend could not answer the questions due to no internet access. Details were sketchy at best. But that is it. In all these years. I understand a large cruising population does not use this site, but it just seems to me, somewhere along the lines there would have been one.

 

There was one woman years and years ago that said she was asked about one for her daughter, she said she didn't have it, still got on the cruise with no problems.

 

There was also a woman that claimed to be a carnival check in person. She claimed she always asked. I asked her every time she made that claim, what happened if they didn't have it. Do you know not one time did she give me an answer. Not once. At one point I stalked her because I really wanted to know the answer. Pretty soon, she stopped coming here or changed her name. Now I don't know about you, but that really told me a lot, so I did further research. That is why I can confidently tell you, it is not required.

 

The next time you are standing at check in for a carnival cruise with your letter, try to give it to them. They don't want to see it. Because it is not required. If it was required, it would be required of everybody. Try to get on without something that is required. It is not going to happen. No gov picture id, you don't get on. I don't care how many other kinds of id you have.

 

 

 

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[Pops, Esq.]

Just to be clear. Despite my insistence that it is not required, if I were in a similar situation, I would have one (assuming cooperation by my spouse). As I said in an earlier post, I am all about convenience, and when customs starts using phrases like "you may be detained until...." it begins to sound rather inconvenient. That sounds like somebody just got put in the BACK of the line.

[Pops, Esq.]

I am not saying you are making it up.

 

 

The next time you are standing at check in for a carnival cruise with your letter, try to give it to them. They don't want to see it. Because it is not required.

 

Better yet. Next time you are asked for the letter (that you have). Tell them you forgot it. See if they deny you boarding. If they do, you can "find" the letter.

[riclop]

I booked a cruise with Early saver with myself in one room with 2 kids and my husband and 2 kids. We are suddenly separated and while I still think the cruise is a good idea, he's not so sure. The kids are looking forward to it. They are 13, 10, 5, and 3. Is there any way to keep the room I booked for him and have the oldest ones stay in it or would he actually have to board? The rooms are oceanview and are next to each other but not adjoined. Thanks.

 

You will be ok.

[loxley]

Better yet. Next time you are asked for the letter (that you have). Tell them you forgot it. See if they deny you boarding. If they do, you can "find" the letter.

I wish someone would so I can finally find out what happens.

 

Only have ever seen one person say she was asked and told them she didn't have it. Nothing was done according to her.

 

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[momof3cruisers]

But, see, you had them. Therefore you prove only that you may be asked for them (or told to produce them). Because you had them, you didn't find out what happens if you didn't.

 

What we haven't heard is, "I didn't have them and they wouldn't let me board," or "I didn't have them and they wouldn't let me back into the country."

 

That's probably because you would be able to get on the ship and you would be able to get back into the country. You may have to jump through a few (or many) hoops, but both Carnival and Customs say it is not required.

 

My BIL was asked when boarding a DCL cruise if he had permission from his son's mom to take his son out of the country. He said, "Well, she's dead." That was it. FTR his ex wife is not dead. In fact, she has full custody and he has every other weekend. Of course he had her permission, but he didn't have anything saying that and didn't feel like dealing with it.

Edited April 11, 2016 by momof3cruisers

[loxley]

[quote name='momof3cruisers']My BIL was asked when boarding a DCL cruise if he had permission from his son's mom to take his son out of the country. He said, "Well, she's dead." That was it. FTR his ex wife is not dead. In fact, she has full custody and he has every other weekend. Of course he had her permission, but he didn't have anything saying that and didn't feel like dealing with it.[/QUOTE]
Well there we go. Another cruise line, one I might add we were told earlier in this thread that it is required, but again letter not needed.

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