RE: Passport, Flying and Ports

[firefighterjake]

OK, I'm totally clueless having never done a cruise before and having only flown a few times in my life . . . and the only foreign country I've been to has been Canada.

 

So here's my question . . . or maybe it's questions.

 

My wife and I have passports . . . obtained them several years back. So I'm packing everything up for our trip this week when I realize that her passport has her "old" name of Johnson-Blaunk (from when we got married and she decided to keep her old family name) . . . but a few years back she got tired of writing out the long name on medical forms (she's a nurse and would write out her name a lot in the course of the day) so she changed it to Johnson, dropping the "Blaunk."

 

Will this be an issue while flying from CT to Puerto Rico? Will this be an issue getting on or off the cruise ship? Will this be an issue going into any of the ports (Antigua, Barbados, St. Martin, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, Dominica)? Will this be an issue coming back into Puerto Rico? When presenting your passport do you need to also present your driver's license or copy of a birth certificate? If the passport is no longer valid due to the name change, can she get by with only her driver's license and birth certificate?

 

More to the point . . . is the dropped hyphenated name a big deal or am I getting paranoid for no good reason?

 

Thank you to all who can help answer these questions.

[jandjfun]

As long as her passport matches her DL and the booked name for the tickets she will be fine.

[firefighterjake]

As long as her passport matches her DL and the booked name for the tickets she will be fine.

 

Ah, but that's the issue. Her photo and everything else in the passport and driver's license match up . . . except for the last name. "Johnson" in the license and "Johnson-Blaunk" in the passport . . . I'm just wondering if I'm overly worried here or if it really isn't that big a deal. Airline tickets and cruise ship boarding pass are all under "Johnson."

[Gecko7]

Flying into PR is not problem since it's a US territory and not special docs are needed for PR. Currntly the cruises don't require passports, but you sill need to have some other proof of citizenship. If you have time i suggest you get the passport changed and travel with it, so there are no questions. If you have a notorized copy of you marriage license that may clear up the name issue.

 

I suggest you contact CCL direct since they will have the final say on what is right or wrong. We on the boards are mere mortals.

 

Gecko7:)

[chasinraynbowz]

Did she change it legally, or just drop it?

 

A few years ago, after my divorce, my name changed back to my maiden name. I didn't have time to get a new passport before an upcoming trip to Europe, so I just took my divorce papers with me. I had my drivers license that had my maiden name, my passport with my married name and my divorce papers. The only problem (if you would call it that) was with the airlines. Once I showed them the divorce papers, I was fine.

[firefighterjake]

Flying into PR is not problem since it's a US territory and not special docs are needed for PR. Currntly the cruises don't require passports, but you sill need to have some other proof of citizenship. If you have time i suggest you get the passport changed and travel with it, so there are no questions. If you have a notorized copy of you marriage license that may clear up the name issue.

 

I suggest you contact CCL direct since they will have the final say on what is right or wrong. We on the boards are mere mortals.

 

Gecko7:)

 

I'm all set with the flight. After listening to about 7 minutes of pre-recorded messages a real, live American Airlines rep pretty much said the same thing that you did . . . my wife just needs to have an official ID such as her driver's license to fly within the US.

 

I have tried to contact Carnival, but their website is giving me a message about their contacts being down . . . sent in an e-mail to the general mailbox, but who knows who will read that or how long until I hear an answer. Hopefully I'll hear something at some point from them.

 

Unfortunately I thought we were all set for this cruise since I knew we had current passports . . . it wasn't until I was starting to pack some things this weekend that I realized that my wife's passport still had the old name on it so I'm afraid there's no time to make the change.

 

I thought the same as you though . . . thought I would pack along the official court-form that shows how her name was changed with the hypenated name dropped. I'm really, really hoping that the passport along with her current driver's license and the court form will be enough to prevent us from standing on the pier watching the Destiny sail away . . . or keep us trapped on board the ship at the various islands . . . or to prevent us from coming back to the US after the trip.

 

If nothing else this has been a learning experience . . . make sure everything is in order well before a week before you take off . . . making sure to doublecheck everything!

[firefighterjake]

Did she change it legally, or just drop it?

 

A few years ago, after my divorce, my name changed back to my maiden name. I didn't have time to get a new passport before an upcoming trip to Europe, so I just took my divorce papers with me. I had my drivers license that had my maiden name, my passport with my married name and my divorce papers. The only problem (if you would call it that) was with the airlines. Once I showed them the divorce papers, I was fine.

 

Legal change . . . just dropped the hyphenated maiden-name.

 

From the sounds of it (and I'm really hopeful) I may be OK (well actually I'll be more than OK since my name hasn't changed at all -- it's my wife that is the problem . . . or rather my wife's passport that is the problem . . . my wife is no problem at all :D ;) ) . . .

 

While I haven't heard from Carnival, American Airlines said a driver's license is all she needs (and that has her current name on it.) I'm hoping that if she brings her passport, driver's license, birth certificate and court form that shows her name was changed that we will be OK . . . but until I hear a definitive answer from Carnival I'll still be fretting.

[Gecko7]

The passport rules for the cruise lines are still pretty lax compared to the airline passport regulations. You are kind of like newly weds so i would worry too much, but If I were you, I would get on the phone to CCL and make sure you get names and dates in case you have an issue later.

 

When do you sail? Is there time to get to a federal building and ask for an expedited passport?

 

Gecko7:confused:

[firefighterjake]

The passport rules for the cruise lines are still pretty lax compared to the airline passport regulations. You are kind of like newly weds so i would worry too much, but If I were you, I would get on the phone to CCL and make sure you get names and dates in case you have an issue later.

 

When do you sail? Is there time to get to a federal building and ask for an expedited passport?

 

Gecko7:confused:

 

We sail next Sunday so even an expedited passport would arrive too late -- I'm still kicking myself for not checking this earlier . . . just figured we were within the 10 year expiration limit . . . totally forgot about her name change since she did it several years back.

 

I've got an e-mail into Carnival, but I couldn't locate their phone number on their website. Anyone here happen to have it handy???

[Gecko7]

Try 1-800-819-3902, They should be able to help or at least direct you.

Gecko7:)

[firefighterjake]

I'm also a little unclear . . . you obviously need to show some sort of ID to fly. Right now if I'm reading things correct a current driver's license is OK to use when flying in country. If this is the case, she's OK to fly.

 

You also need to show some sort of identification to board the cruise line. If I'm reading this correctly most folks use a passport or a driver's license and birth certificate. If this is the case, I'm assuming she could get by with her driver's license, birth certificate and the court name change form letter.

 

I'm also assuming that once you return from a cruise you need to show proof of identity . . . here I'm a little fuzzy as to whether you definitely need a passport or if the forementioned driver's license, birth certificate and court name change form letter would suffice.

 

Also, if I understand things correctly . . . you do not need your passport to disembark at the ports of call (Carribean islands), but you do need your Sail/Sign card to prove that you belong on the ship. Is this correct?

 

I am very, very sorry to ask all these questions and trust me, I very much appreciate everyone who has taken the time to respond to my questions. Just from having to deal with this issue at the "last minute" is fraying my nerves. . . . I need a vacation just from dealing with this. ;) :D

[firefighterjake]

After some e-mails and phone calls I think I'm set . . .

 

American Airlines said my wife only needs to have her driver's license so we should be all set in terms of flying.

 

I was able to get the TA to change the cruise ship information to match my wife's passport so I'm assuming getting on board will not be an issue now as she can use her passport.

 

I am assuming that once we get on the ship we will be able to get off at the various ports without using a passport since I have seen many discussions about the pros- and cons- of bringing one's passport on the islands.

 

I can only assume that once we get back and need to clear customs that my wife will be able to use her passport to get back to the US . . . either that or she'll have to learn how to make towel animals as she may be stuck on board the Destiny . . . kind of a Carribean version of Charlie on the MTA. ;) :D

 

That said.

 

A) When we come back we will be changing her passport to reflect her current name ASAP!

 

and

 

B) Just in case, we'll be bringing her birth certificate and the name change documentation . . . better safe than sorry.

 

Thanks to all who have taken time to respond to this thread . . . your comments and information was truly appreciated.