Adding A Friend

[Mysticks1]

My DD's friend has now (10 months after I booked and asked:( ) decided she wants to go with us. I am trying to work out the details on making that work. Our room is a max of 3 so I can't add her to our cabin (I have 7688 on Mariner and am not giving it up.:D )

My in laws have a cabin as well so the only option I can see is to add the friend to their booking and just have her camp out on an aerobed in our cabin. Does anyone have any experience with a situation like this? I need info on what documentation I need from her parents allowing her to travel, is there an official form?

Is it possible to get an extra key to our cabin when we board? Opinions on if the steward would go along with this and provide extra bedding? I know an extra tip amount would be in order for our steward and help with that decision. :) Thanks in advance for your suggestions, opinions and information.

[cruiseguy1016]

Can you afford to get another room for the girls? How old are they? Maybe you can get one of the inside staterooms near 7688 and put the girls in there. I don't blame you for not wanting to give up the corner aft. Four people in a room is tight and sharing the bathroom with 3 females and one male is even worse. A second cabin would give you a second bathroom. You can put her on you in-law's reservation provided their cabin will sleep 3. Getting extra cards for the rooms is not a problem. You can either ask for one at check in or go to the guest relations desk later and get one there.

[lady_cruiser]

Too bad you didn't tell your DD's friend that she had to let you know before a certain date. Its not too late to tell her, or her parents, they waited too long to let you know and you just can't come up with a solution that will work. You can also tell her that there will probably be other cruisers and you will let her know when the next cruise will be.

[willysgrandma]

I don't know how you are going to fit an aero bed in a cabin that already has three people in it. How are you going to get to the bathroom in the middle of the night?

[silentbob007]

It is very easy to get extra keys ... just go to the purser's desk and ask for one when you board the ship. It will say "duplicate" on it.

[louanne93]

We added my daughter's friend at the last minute. It was very easy. We had two cabins, a Grand Suite and an inside across the hall. The inside held two people and the Grand Suite held 5. We had my daughter and my MIL assigned to the inside and my husband, myself, my two sons, and my daughter's friend assigned to the Grand Suite. When we boarded, all of the kids wanted to stay in the inside and we had my MIL stay in the GS with us. The cabin steward brought in a cot for the kids and it was fine. They had two beds, a couch, and a cot. It was tight, but workable. We got extra keys for everyone at the pursers desk. For my daughter's friend we had a note noterized from her parents. I wrote one up and the notery place had an official form to fill out.

 

Even though it seemed tight in the rooms, we really were not in the rooms that much. Everyone had a blast!

[cruiseguy1016]

I need info on what documentation I need from her parents allowing her to travel, is there an official form?

 

 

 

You will need a notarized letter from her parents that gives you permission to take her out of the country. It has to be signed by both parents (even if they are divorced) unless one parent has sole custody of the girl. You should also get a notarized letter giving you authorization to make any medical decisions on their behalf in the event that something should happen to the girl and she needs medical attention.

[Mysticks1]

Thanks to everyone for your replies. I think it is getting too complicated. My in laws room was a max of 2 passengers so we couldn't add her to that one without moving them. The cost of doing that was going to add a good bit to the price of the 1st and 2nd passengers that I added to the price so they have pretty much decided that it would cost them too much. The mom wasn't too crazy about her being gone and out of the country for such a long period of time as well which I can understand. Their whole family will have to try an join us again on a future cruise. Thanks again for all the replies. :)

[beachchick]

Next time, I would give the friend a deadline for yes or no. For one thing, it's not always possible to add another pax at the last minute. If the ship has reached capacity for cabins with X number of people, you can't add another even if the cabin is rated for that many. If it's a holiday/summer/school break time, the ship could be sold out well in advance. Explain the complexities (including how much extra work it is for you to try to do this at the last minute!) and give the friend and her parents a "must decide by" date.

 

beachchick

[Travel Angel]

You will need a notarized letter from her parents that gives you permission to take her out of the country. It has to be signed by both parents (even if they are divorced) unless one parent has sole custody of the girl. You should also get a notarized letter giving you authorization to make any medical decisions on their behalf in the event that something should happen to the girl and she needs medical attention.

 

Hope this helps those who may be in need for future travel with minor children:

 

AFFIDAVIT OF PARENTAL CONSENT

For Travel outside the United States of a Minor Child

 

 

 

I, _____________________________, <relationship>of said minor child, do hereby authorize__________________, <relationship> of said minor child_______________, age ____ to travel to the following countries;_________________,__________________. From ___/___/___ thru ___/___/___.

____________________________

Signature:

(Signature of Non-traveling birth parent * To be signed in front of a notary public only)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subscribed and sworn to before me this _________ day of _______________, 2008

 

Signature of Notary Public: ____________________________________________

 

Notary Public in and for the Country of ___________, and the state of __________

 

My Commission Expires: ______________________________________________

 

Affix Notary Seal At The Right Side of Page

[TigerLady]

My DD's friend has now (10 months after I booked and asked:( ) decided she wants to go with us. I am trying to work out the details on making that work. Our room is a max of 3 so I can't add her to our cabin (I have 7688 on Mariner and am not giving it up.:D )

 

My in laws have a cabin as well so the only option I can see is to add the friend to their booking and just have her camp out on an aerobed in our cabin. Does anyone have any experience with a situation like this? I need info on what documentation I need from her parents allowing her to travel, is there an official form?

 

Is it possible to get an extra key to our cabin when we board? Opinions on if the steward would go along with this and provide extra bedding? I know an extra tip amount would be in order for our steward and help with that decision. :) Thanks in advance for your suggestions, opinions and information.

 

 

I know they have roll away beds, but they may not allow you to use it in your room, due to max occupancy. Other than that, I'm not much help..

[lady_cruiser]

Thanks to everyone for your replies. I think it is getting too complicated. My in laws room was a max of 2 passengers so we couldn't add her to that one without moving them. The cost of doing that was going to add a good bit to the price of the 1st and 2nd passengers that I added to the price so they have pretty much decided that it would cost them too much. The mom wasn't too crazy about her being gone and out of the country for such a long period of time as well which I can understand. Their whole family will have to try an join us again on a future cruise. Thanks again for all the replies. :)

 

Thank you for keeping us informed. I am glad it worked out for you, without you having to be the "bad person" and telling your daughter's friend it would not work out. And this will give her parents the opportunity for them to save money for a future cruise that they all can enjoy together as a family.

 

Happy Cruising!

[pmfan]

Sounds like the best solution is a future cruise with both families.