If I let my daughter take a friend on a cruise how hard is it paper work wise

[Mommawo]

Normally we let my daughter take a friend on vacations with us.  Have never taken her on a cruise before. Actually none of us have lol  Hubby and I are actually taking our first ever alone trip on the Dream in March. Been married 28 years and didn’t even take a honeymoon back then   Anyways we always take a friend for her on vacations. Long ago someone mentioned they did this. They always take a child that would not normally get to experience a vacation. Love her idea and hey it keeps her happy also.  She is 14 now so taking a friend now is much easier than it use to be.  Anyways has anyone ever taken someone else’s child on a cruise and if so how difficult is it ? 

[WorkerBee74]

If you want to take me instead it would be very easy.  I have my own passport and I'm 44.  

 

 

Honestly though, I imagine there might be some paperwork required to take a minor out of country without their legal guardian... you may have to get permission from their parents somehow so hopefully circumstances allow for that!

 

EDIT: I just found this for you @Mommawo - it's a similar deal in Canada.

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/3643/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNTQzNDE5NjQ5L3NpZC9NOWoxVVgqbg%3D%3D

Edited November 28, 2018 by WorkerBee74

[Mommawo]

4 minutes ago, WorkerBee74 said:

If you want to take me instead it would be very easy.  I have my own passport and I'm 44.  

 

 

Honestly though, I imagine there might be some paperwork required to take a minor out of country without their legal guardian... you may have to get permission from their parents somehow so hopefully circumstances allow for that!

I’m 44 as well lol and yeah permission from parents probably a great idea when taking kids out of country 😂 kidding btw  guess I really should research the rules for this before I mention to my kiddo    So far it has always been a very positive thing to do. Especially now that we are down to one kid at home.  Wait well the older ones still go on vacation with us though 

[Mommawo]

7 minutes ago, WorkerBee74 said:

If you want to take me instead it would be very easy.  I have my own passport and I'm 44.  

 

 

Honestly though, I imagine there might be some paperwork required to take a minor out of country without their legal guardian... you may have to get permission from their parents somehow so hopefully circumstances allow for that!

 

EDIT: I just found this for you @Mommawo - it's a similar deal in Canada.

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/3643/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNTQzNDE5NjQ5L3NpZC9NOWoxVVgqbg%3D%3D

Thanks !

[WorkerBee74]

1 minute ago, Mommawo said:

I’m 44 as well lol and yeah permission from parents probably a great idea when taking kids out of country 😂 kidding btw  guess I really should research the rules for this before I mention to my kiddo    So far it has always been a very positive thing to do. Especially now that we are down to one kid at home.  Wait well the older ones still go on vacation with us though 

 

I edited my post above as I found some info for you on the CBP site.  As well, hate to say this but I'd hope that the child and the child's parents are born in the US given the silliness happening right now.  You wouldn't want them to be denied entry on the way home.  Sad that you have to worry about that but I would definitely take that into consideration.

[Mommawo]

1 minute ago, WorkerBee74 said:

 

I edited my post above as I found some info for you on the CBP site.  As well, hate to say this but I'd hope that the child and the child's parents are born in the US given the silliness happening right now.  You wouldn't want them to be denied entry on the way home.  Sad that you have to worry about that but I would definitely take that into consideration.

True and yes definitely US citizens and born in he US.  But good point there 

[bury me at sea]

The information you need is all on Carnival's website.

 

Basically you need approved forms of id; a passport is gold.

 

You need a notarized letter signed by both parents giving you permission to take the child out of the country, permission for the child to go ashore in specific ports and participate in excursions, and authorizing you to make medical decision's on the child's behalf.

 

Aside from proper documentation, based on reports posted here it's a good idea to have an understanding with the other parents regarding who will be responsible if the child decides not to go after final payment date.  Someone will eat the loss.

[ishap]

We did this last year with my 17 year old and her 17 year old friend.  We have no problems.  We just made sure that the friend had her passport.  That was really all we needed.  Just to be on the safe side, we also got a letter from the mother stating that she was allowed to cruise with us and we were allowed to get her medical treatment if necessary.  We booked the two girls a room next to ours and then the wife and I were able to have our own room.

 

We did not have any experience where we needed to show any type of documentation, except passport when embarking and debarking.  All the ports we visited only needed sign and sail card.

[serene56]

1 hour ago, Mommawo said:

Normally we let my daughter take a friend on vacations with us.  Have never taken her on a cruise before. Actually none of us have lol  Hubby and I are actually taking our first ever alone trip on the Dream in March. Been married 28 years and didn’t even take a honeymoon back then   Anyways we always take a friend for her on vacations. Long ago someone mentioned they did this. They always take a child that would not normally get to experience a vacation. Love her idea and hey it keeps her happy also.  She is 14 now so taking a friend now is much easier than it use to be.  Anyways has anyone ever taken someone else’s child on a cruise and if so how difficult is it ? 

  the problem is- if you book them in their own cabin- one of the adults will need to be booked in with her.  since her parents are not on the ship.    BUt once onboard you can move back into your cabin-- ask guest services for the two extra cabin cards.  (since she is a minor they will not reissue sign and sail cards.

 

but that is the only issue.   We have sailed a fw years with kids that are not ours  now.  A medical power of attorney  plus an authorization letter from the parents.

 

[ishap]

15 minutes ago, serene56 said:

  the problem is- if you book them in their own cabin- one of the adults will need to be booked in with her.  since her parents are not on the ship.    BUt once onboard you can move back into your cabin-- ask guest services for the two extra cabin cards.  (since she is a minor they will not reissue sign and sail cards.

 

but that is the only issue.   We have sailed a fw years with kids that are not ours  now.  A medical power of attorney  plus an authorization letter from the parents.

 

We booked through our Carnival agent, not the website, and this wasn't a problem.  As long as they were within a few cabins of us they could be booked into their own cabin.  Here is the Carnival policy on staterooms:

• Guests 12 and younger
  If the relative or guardian insists on booking separate staterooms, minors must either be directly across the hall or next door. Guests 12 and under may not be assigned to a balcony stateroom without a relative or guardian (25 years of age or older).
• Guests 13 - 17 years of age
  Can be separated by up to 3 staterooms from a relative or guardian (25 years of age or older).
• Guests 18 – 20 years of age
  Do not have any restrictions and may book whatever location they prefer. 

But you are correct in that you can go to guest services and request the key card.  Still, my suggestion is to call Carnival and book through an agent rather than through the website.  The website will balk at minors in their own cabins whereas the agent can do it. I can certainly recommend an agent for you.  Just shoot me a message.

[sc4125]

1 hour ago, ishap said:

We did this last year with my 17 year old and her 17 year old friend.  We have no problems.  We just made sure that the friend had her passport.  That was really all we needed.  Just to be on the safe side, we also got a letter from the mother stating that she was allowed to cruise with us and we were allowed to get her medical treatment if necessary.  We booked the two girls a room next to ours and then the wife and I were able to have our own room.

 

We did not have any experience where we needed to show any type of documentation, except passport when embarking and debarking.  All the ports we visited only needed sign and sail card.

 

I had basically the same experience.  I took my daughter's friend - 15 years old at the time - on the Pride years ago.  She had a birth certificate only.  I can't even remember if I had a letter from her parents or not - no one asked anything. 

 

My daughter has cruised with us many, many times from the age of 13 or 14 on.  Her last name is different from mine and I was never asked for anything to prove that she was mine. 

 

In reference to getting a letter advising that the parents gave permission for her to travel & receive medical treatment - I was once told that the letter needed to be notarized. 

[elvisrocks]

We have also taken my daughter and her friend on a cruise. Be sure to get notarized letter from parents. You can find sample letter on internet. We never had to show the letter to anyone, but less stress to have it and not need it than to go without. We also booked them into their own room across hall from us. No problems at all. We did get extra key for their room just in case. I think your daughter will be very happy to have her friend along.

[Gin505]

We had a letter from her parents to take our niece on a cruise to see her Aunt get married.  Worked out fine

[cooled_pinky]

We took our 14 year old granddaughter on an Alaskan cruise.  She did have a passport.  Thankfully, we did our research and did get a notorized letter from her parents with all the needed information include because we were asked to see the letter during check in.  It was not taken, but it needed to be shown.  We also took the letter with us at each port, in case of some emergency.  We also took a copy of her health insurance card for that reason.

[Athankfulheart]

We have done this as well. You have received good advice but I will add one more thing. Insist that your charge has good travel insurance and bring the declarations page with you. 

[Davey Wavey]

We have done this three times and aside for the permission for travel/medical from the parents, we insisted they had to have a passport. If anything happens where you have to miss the ship, imagine trying to get an emergency passport for someone else's child. And I include them in my travel insurance that would actually provide transportation for a parent to come to the child. All that isn't mandatory, but not having these 2 things in place would turn a bad situation into a real nightmare.

[jennas_mum]

My daughter has taken a friend on 4 different cruises and we made sure to get a notarized permission letter from the parents and insurance cards. Not once did we get asked for them. I made sure we had them just in case but not a word was said about it.

 

Enjoy your first cruise!! I know my daughter always had a better time when she took someone with her and we didn't feel like we had to entertain her the whole time. 

 

Donna

[loanshark]

We did this in 2017...  As others have stated, get a letter signed/notarized by both parents authorizing travel / medical care.  When we returned through customs, the customs agent specifically requested to see a notarized letter authorizing travel, after she saw the different last names in our passports.  Luckily, we were prepared, and the agent let us through after she read the letter authorizing our child's friend to go.

 

Also, we just returned from another cruise on 11/17/18....   Directly in front of us in line was a 17 year old that had a birth certificate and driver's license. However, he was traveling with his older brother, but did not have a letter authorizing travel.  The customs agent let the brother  go through, but detained the 17 year old, specifically due to not having a letter authorizing travel. 

 

This was actually the second time I have seen people detained in customs right in front of me in regard to this subject.  The first incident, which was a few years ago,  involved an adult and 2 children.  The children did not have the proper documentation, and all 3 were detained.

 

So.... moral of the story is as follows:

1. Bring a notarized letter signed by the parents authorizing travel for any children that are not yours.

2. Do not stand directly in line in front of me when going through customs.