Traveling with Children that are not yours? New Royal Policy - Consent Form MUST be NOTARIZED

[Ferry_Watcher]

On July 21, 2023, Royal Caribbean informed Seattle that this policy was to implemented immediately.

Adults traveling with a minor must present an original, notarized letter signed by the child's parents when their parent is absent. This letter must show the adult is permitted to take and supervise the child on the specific cruise and allow emergency medical treatment if necessary.Jun 22, 2023

 

Seattle staff was told that passengers received email updates about this policy.

 

 

[gerif]

I thought that this was always a requirement (just not always enforced). 

[SPacificbound]

As far back as I remember this has always been a requirement, at least when taking a minor out of the US.

[Ashland]

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/minor-traveling-without-parent-or-guardian-form.pdf

 

This is the form that RCI and we have always used when we've cruised with grandchildren.

 

Nothing new about this or the policy.

Edited July 22, 2023 by Ashland

[Ferry_Watcher]

Well, it is being enforced now.  The new part is that the form has to be notarized.  "Guest who fail to to have the form signed and notarized will unfortunately be denied boarding".

 

It also impacts parents who have a different last name than their children.  That parent (if traveling alone with their child) will have to bring a legal document 'proving that the child is in your care.  This can be in the form of a birth, marriage, divorce or adoption certificate'.

[Etta1213]

2 hours ago, Ashland said:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/minor-traveling-without-parent-or-guardian-form.pdf

 

This is the form that RCI and we have always used when we've cruised with grandchildren.

 

Nothing new about this or the policy.

Have you always had a grandchild's passport? My grandchild doesn't have one, and I'd like to take her on a short- notice cruise. (She'll be 15.)

Edited July 22, 2023 by Etta1213

[Ashland]

2 hours ago, Etta1213 said:

Have you always had a grandchild's passport? My grandchild doesn't have one, and I'd like to take her on a short- notice cruise. (She'll be 15.)

Yes, they have always had a passport. However, as long as you have "all" the needed documentation including their "birth certificate" you should have no trouble with a closed loop itinerary. Enjoy...cruising with grandchildren = memories !!!

[Ashland]

3 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Well, it is being enforced now.  The new part is that the form has to be notarized.  "Guest who fail to to have the form signed and notarized will unfortunately be denied boarding".

 

It also impacts parents who have a different last name than their children.  That parent (if traveling alone with their child) will have to bring a legal document 'proving that the child is in your care.  This can be in the form of a birth, marriage, divorce or adoption certificate'.

The link I posted above at the very bottom of the form it clearly has an area to be used by the Notary. This is nothing new.

 

 

[Weluv2cruise2gether]

Took 2 minors (2 neices) in June 2011. Their mother was traveling with us but not their father due to a divorce. She needed to have the notarized form back then. I clearly remember this because the father complained about having to waste his time going to the notary!

[S.A.M.J.R.]

8 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Well, it is being enforced now.  The new part is that the form has to be notarized.  "Guest who fail to to have the form signed and notarized will unfortunately be denied boarding".

 

It also impacts parents who have a different last name than their children.  That parent (if traveling alone with their child) will have to bring a legal document 'proving that the child is in your care.  This can be in the form of a birth, marriage, divorce or adoption certificate'.

OK, the consent form may not be new, but according to this letter, all children are REQUIRED to have a passport?  No more BC allowed?  

 

I do wonder where this letter came from.  If they handed it out at boarding, that's too late to allow parents to get the REQUIRED documents.  Did they mail it (in which case, what's the rest of the date at the bottom of the letter)?  

 

According to the Royal FAQ (https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-family-legal-documents-do-i-need-to-board), if the last names differ, the passport AND BC (official) need to be presented, in addition to the notarized letter. 

Edited July 22, 2023 by S.A.M.J.R.

[ReRe71]

I also thought that this policy was always in place (albeit not always enforced). We cruised out of Bayonne last month and they definitely asked us for it (we had our son’s friend with us). This was our first time needing it and even though I’ve read that most folks weren’t asked for it we didn’t want to take a chance. 
 

And I also assumed that the letter being notarized was required? We used the form in their site.

Edited July 22, 2023 by ReRe71

[little britain]

It’s always had to be a notorised letter.  Nothing new.
 Seen many families refused at Southampton because they did not have the letter or because they had it but had not got it properly notorised. 

[broadwaybaby123]

This is not new, nor is it limited to Royal.  I took my niece on 3 cruises, two of which were on Royal and one on Norwegian and in all 3 cases we needed a notarized form to take her with us.  Our TA was able to advise us on this as well as provide the form.

[klfrodo]

10 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Well, it is being enforced now.  The new part is that the form has to be notarized.  "Guest who fail to to have the form signed and notarized will unfortunately be denied boarding".

 

It also impacts parents who have a different last name than their children.  That parent (if traveling alone with their child) will have to bring a legal document 'proving that the child is in your care.  This can be in the form of a birth, marriage, divorce or adoption certificate'.

Thanks for sharing the new information @Ferry_Watcher. Since you are someone who works at the port and is a person who actually clears people to board the ship, having the information from a SME that the enforcement of the policy is now in effect is important for people to know.

[Ferry_Watcher]

6 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

Thanks for sharing the new information @Ferry_Watcher. Since you are someone who works at the port and is a person who actually clears people to board the ship, having the information from a SME that the enforcement of the policy is now in effect is important for people to know.

 

Thank you my Friend - I appreciate that you understand that I was just trying to get this information out there to help prevent families be denied boarding.  Staff was told that the same policy will begin for Celebrity Solstice next Friday (July 28th).  We do see some grandparents cruising with  just their grandkids, and it would be such a shame if there was no notarized consent form in hand that they would be denied boarding. 

 

Having seen passengers being told that they are being denied boarding due to document issues is so sad.  There are tears, there is frustration/blaming themselves for not checking what was needed, or not realizing a passport expired.  And while a birth certificate for US born citizens often times can be produced, if a passengers is a US naturalized citizen, a birth certificate can not be used.

 

There are decisions to be made - does the rest of the family go on the cruise?  Does the entire family go home and knowing that there will be not a refund?

And the saddest of all is witnessing the final hugs as the person denied boarding has their luggage returned to them, and it is time for them to leave the terminal, and the rest of the friends/family go to the ship.  It's just heartbreaking.

 

I didn't expect this thread to get a lot of 'oh, it's always been like that - nothing new here'.  The idea was to put it out into the Royal / Celebrity cruising community (and in particular the Alaska bound passengers)  to save folks heartbreak.

[lcpagejr]

Its good to have with you...But you likely will not be asked o show it. Cruised 5x with my grandson between  ages 5-13 and never was asked for it at embarkation or customs. All were Eastern/Southern and/or Western Carribean 7 day or longer cruises. His last name was different from ours too!

Edited July 22, 2023 by lcpagejr

[gerif]

25 minutes ago, lcpagejr said:

Its good to have with you...But you likely will not be asked o show it. Cruised 5x with my grandson between  ages 5-13 and never was asked for it at embarkation or customs. All were Eastern/Southern and/or Western Carribean 7 day or longer cruises. His last name was different from ours too!

I think the whole jist of the OP’s post is that it will now be enforced. So your past experiences are not applicable. I often fly with a show cat. Most airlines require a rabies certificate and recent health certificate. They are very rarely asked for. Do I always have them? You bet. 

[ONECRUISER]

Just now, gerif said:

I think the whole jist of the OP’s post is that it will now be enforced. So your past experiences are not applicable. I often fly with a show cat. Most airlines require a rabies certificate and recent health certificate. They are very rarely asked for. Do I always have them? You bet. 

Thinking same. Carried it myself 2 Decades ago just in case, really would be sad to be left at Port because they never asked for it before...

[lcpagejr]

20 minutes ago, gerif said:

I think the whole jist of the OP’s post is that it will now be enforced. So your past experiences are not applicable. I often fly with a show cat. Most airlines require a rabies certificate and recent health certificate. They are very rarely asked for. Do I always have them? You bet. 

 

16 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Thinking same. Carried it myself 2 Decades ago just in case, really would be sad to be left at Port because they never asked for it before...

 

16 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Thinking same. Carried it myself 2 Decades ago just in case, really would be sad to be left at Port because they never asked for it before...

 

20 minutes ago, gerif said:

I think the whole jist of the OP’s post is that it will now be enforced. So your past experiences are not applicable. I often fly with a show cat. Most airlines require a rabies certificate and recent health certificate. They are very rarely asked for. Do I always have them? You bet. 

I wouldn't count on it...Just cruised on RCL several months ago...not even a look at my grandson. Paperwork (BC) , photo taken and move forward.   However I do agree you need to carry and why on earth wouldn't you have had it notarized anyway???

Edited July 22, 2023 by lcpagejr

[1025cruise]

12 minutes ago, lcpagejr said:

 

 

 

I wouldn't count on it...Just cruised on RCL several months ago...not even a look at my grandson. Paperwork (BC) , photo taken and move forward.   However I do agree you need to carry and why on earth wouldn't you have had it notarized anyway???

The OP works at the Seattle port as one of the check in agents. If they are saying they will be enforcing, they will be.

[neverbeenhere]

In 1977, notarization was required. 

[Tree_skier]

13 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Well, it is being enforced now.  The new part is that the form has to be notarized.  "Guest who fail to to have the form signed and notarized will unfortunately be denied boarding".

 

It also impacts parents who have a different last name than their children.  That parent (if traveling alone with their child) will have to bring a legal document 'proving that the child is in your care.  This can be in the form of a birth, marriage, divorce or adoption certificate'.

I'm very curious about the Passport book line.  We have cruised with our grandkids using only their BC and state ID along with the required notarized consent form.  Is the Passport line a new requirement in addition to the clarification about notarized letter.  Checking in for my GS right now for a cruise 30 days from now still shows BC and state ID as an option...  A change to this at the last minute would cause catastrophic chaos.  

 

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Tree_skier

[lcpagejr]

1 hour ago, 1025cruise said:

The OP works at the Seattle port as one of the check in agents. If they are saying they will be enforcing, they will be.

Sure thing...hahaha.  With the mass of humanity trying to board ships in FL....they barely glimpse at Passports and BC's. But believe what you want

[Ferry_Watcher]

7 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I'm very curious about the Passport book line.  We have cruised with our grandkids using only their BC and state ID along with the required notarized consent form.

 

So far the focus is on the notarized consent form, not the passport being required for kids.  With the Alaska season just hitting it's midpoint, and new/renewed passports nearly impossible to get in a timely fashion, I believe that Royal is for now just pushing the notarized consent form requirement. 

Royal and Celebrity have sent the new expectation/requirements to passengers on upcoming cruises.

 

[SPacificbound]

As far back as 30 years ago I had to have a notarized statement and birth certificate to take my granddaughter out of the US. This is nothing new. 

 

Maybe cruise lines weren't enforcing the law?