Has anyone ever been denied boarding for a nickname instead of full name on booking?

I know it's best practice to have your name exactly as it is on your passport when you set up your booking, but some cruise line reps I've spoken with get really intense about exact name even when identity would be clear to a port official. I assume having Matt instead of Matthew on your booking could result in a hassle on boarding, but I'm wondering a shortened name like this has ever really resulted in denial of boarding. Anyone have a story?

From what I've seen the port officials work hard to get people on board for bigger document screw ups.

I know that people have been denied boarding for not having bridge documents, such as a marriage license, to show the name change from birth certificate to current DL. Cruise contracts are explicit that the booked name must match the ID name exactlly, so Matt vs. Matthew won't cut it. I personally know one port agent who tells me people are denied boarding for one reason or another on every sailing he works. Name mismatch is just one of the reasons, but it definitely happens.

The name has to match the passport, drivers license. This is a security issue since 9/11, and you WILL be stopped. I was stopped because one document had a middle initial, the other didn't, even though the first/last names matched.

I know it's best practice to have your name exactly as it is on your passport when you set up your booking, but some cruise line reps I've spoken with get really intense about exact name even when identity would be clear to a port official. I assume having Matt instead of Matthew on your booking could result in a hassle on boarding, but I'm wondering a shortened name like this has ever really resulted in denial of boarding. Anyone have a story?

 

From what I've seen the port officials work hard to get people on board for bigger document screw ups.

Why would you want to risk it? If you were denied boarding, it would be to late to do anything about it. Just throw away your cruise and pay the change fee and fly home.

Even more of an issue is flying. TSA will most likely turn you away or at least require special inquiries if your full name on your flight reservation/boarding pass does not match your photo ID. Why take the chance?

We heard of a guy who ran into trouble because he was James on one document and Jim on the other.

Why take a chance creating unnecessary aggravation and worry instead of simply booking airline reservations and cruise reservations in the same name that is on your passport.

A lot of it depends on whether the port official is having a good or bad day. Usually it's a bad day so don't give them an excuse to ruin your holiday over something so easily avoidable.

Thanks for the thoughts. Not planning on taking dumb risks myself. I'm just more curious about the reality versus the official policy. Real life stories about what actually happens are interesting.

@uppitycats That's amazing that a middle initial difference. Where was that and how did it work out? Did it seem routine or an overeager security agent?

@room010 My hunch is that you're right on the mood of the agent that day. So many things in life are determined by a decider's personal feelings when they can make a call either way. I actually try to be extra diligent about the little details since people with bureaucratic jobs tend to take a liking to someone who reads the directions and makes their lives easier.

You are best to put your name as it reads on your passport.

Keith

I know that people have been denied boarding for not having bridge documents, such as a marriage license, to show the name change from birth certificate to current DL. Cruise contracts are explicit that the booked name must match the ID name exactlly, so Matt vs. Matthew won't cut it. I personally know one port agent who tells me people are denied boarding for one reason or another on every sailing he works. Name mismatch is just one of the reasons, but it definitely happens.

I've been told the same thing...... there are people stopped from boarding on just about every sailing.

I've been told the same thing...... there are people stopped from boarding on just about every sailing.

 

I've heard this as well, but I saw a really interesting documentary on Discovery or TLC about one of the Royal Caribbean ships. They had an entire segment on getting people onboard and showed how they worked with people who were missing docs. One of the RCCL reps even said they work really hard to make sure everyone gets to sail even though some can't in the end. They had a number of cases. Some were of parents and kids with different last names that had to get notice of permission to sail. There were like four they followed. The only one that couldn't go of all of them was a family that had an issue with a foreign passport that they just couldn't get around.

My DH, from the time he was in high school til 9/11/01 used his middle name (even a shortened form of the middle name) for everything (except DL and passport of course). After 9/11 with all the new regs, we started booking every thing in his legal first name. Problems arose when all the airline/car rental etc frequent flyers program names (middle name) did not match the ticket (legal name). Took us about 2 years to straighten all the loyalty programs out.

I've heard this as well, but I saw a really interesting documentary on Discovery or TLC about one of the Royal Caribbean ships. They had an entire segment on getting people onboard and showed how they worked with people who were missing docs. One of the RCCL reps even said they work really hard to make sure everyone gets to sail even though some can't in the end. They had a number of cases. Some were of parents and kids with different last names that had to get notice of permission to sail. There were like four they followed. The only one that couldn't go of all of them was a family that had an issue with a foreign passport that they just couldn't get around.

That's true of all the major cruise lines.

They all work with the guests to do anyhing/everything possible to get the required travel documents so they can permit them to board. They don't want to leave anyone behind if they can possibly help it. Sadly, just about every cruise there is at least one guest they just cannot permit to board.

My family and I are going on our first cruise in just over a week (yikes!) and when printing our set sail passes I noticed that our TA booked us with last name as Mcg--- (lower case g) and birth certificates, etc. are McG--- (upper case G). Does anyone know if this will likely be an issue??:eek:

Do you have the confirmation from your TA? Was your name spelled properly on that? I wouldn't say whether it will be a problem or not but I would not risk anything that could deny boarding. If the name is wrong, the TA made the error. You have a week before sailing so I would ask that TA get your name corrected and there will be time to print new passes.

My family and I are going on our first cruise in just over a week (yikes!) and when printing our set sail passes I noticed that our TA booked us with last name as Mcg--- (lower case g) and birth certificates, etc. are McG--- (upper case G). Does anyone know if this will likely be an issue??:eek:

Passports have names in all upper-case letters, so you shouldn't have a problem.

Did you not look at your documents until now? Very dangerous -- be thankful she only made that one small error.

Passports have names in all upper-case letters, so you shouldn't have a problem.

 

Did you not look at your documents until now? Very dangerous -- be thankful she only made that one small error.

We don't have passports, only birth certificates (plus marriage certificate for me) and drivers licenses. The DL's are in all caps but not the BC's or MC. I did notice the lower case g before but didn't think anything of it since it happens all the time. It wasn't until I printed the set sail passes a few days ago and saw where it said names on all documents must match exactly that I started to worry... TA says it's no big deal but I think I will take sail7seas advice and ask her to change it anyway :)

My DH, from the time he was in high school til 9/11/01 used his middle name (even a shortened form of the middle name) for everything (except DL and passport of course). After 9/11 with all the new regs, we started booking every thing in his legal first name. quote]

 

Same here. Never used my first name until it became mandatory. Now, that's just another pain when traveling since my delayed reaction (just a few seconds before I turn around or whatever) to first name probably makes it seem like an alias. Once, when paged in airport, DH had to point out they were calling me since that first name just doesn't register with me. It's a common name so lots of people called by it.

I just have to tell people on cruise (spa, steward, etc) what I prefer to be called but would never take a chance on something like that keeping me off a ship!

Also took me a couple of years to get everything completely matching so all med records, passport, license, etc. all say the same name! (I hope)

Honestly don't know how women who marry frequently and change names even bother! A woman today told me her SIL had been married 7 times and changes it each time. Sheesh!

It's not a cruise story, but some years ago we took my sister to Tenerife. I booked her ticket in her married name, and only found out the night before that her (new) passport was in her maiden name. (She was divorced)

Had to ring Gatwick airport in a panic! They said as long as she brought her divorce papers with her it should be OK. And it was.

So long as the spelling matches on all the documents, it should not matter if it is "lower case" on one, "upper case" another.

I had an issue at San Pedro, because my cruise card said "Micheal" instead of "Michael". The guard made a point of telling me he was being nice by letting me go. Not sure if he was fishing for a tip or not LOL. He was the last guy I had to show stuff to before boarding the ship and I felt like complimenting him for catching that while everyone else in the process missed the typo.

Like some others, I also use my middle name. I actually thought of going through the legal process to change my first 2 names around. Before 9-11, even my passport had my first 2 names in the order I use, not on my birth certificate. And of course, all my cruise line and airline loyalty cards had my middle, not first name, so none of them gave me credit and I had to go through the hassle of switching them around.

I had an issue at San Pedro, because my cruise card said "Micheal" instead of "Michael". The guard made a point of telling me he was being nice by letting me go. Not sure if he was fishing for a tip or not LOL. He was the last guy I had to show stuff to before boarding the ship and I felt like complimenting him for catching that while everyone else in the process missed the typo.

That guy definitely deserves a badge for observation skills. I had to read the names a couple times to spot the difference. I think my brain just sees them the same unless I pay attention. I've hear that at some point our brain just starts looking for whole word shapes rather than parsing each letter in a word. The "e" and "a" are both so similar and don't really make Michael as a whole look different enough to quickly spot a difference.

This isn't exactly what you're talking about, but my husband is a Junior and it causes him occasional headaches when traveling. All his documents include Jr., but still he's questioned occasionally:

A couple times when we've presented ourselves to the counter for cruise-check-in, the computer screen has popped up with a big red STOP at his name. After a few questions, he's always been sent right on.

Once we were on an airplane, and the flight attendant called out, "Passenger ______, please identify yourself." And she checked his ID again.

He says he gets this on a rather regular basis when he travels for business, and it's never actually delayed him -- after all, he uses his "real name" and his "real name" appears identically on all his documents. It's just a minor hassel, but IF we'd had a son, he wouldn't have been a third.

My passport has a space where there should not be just due to the way you must fill out the application online.

my given name is Dawnmarie My passport has me listed as DAWN MARIE

the agent had to get a supervisor to come by and override the system.

Our experience has been that airlines are much stricter than cruise lines. Of course, you cannot leave the country via air without a passport and your passport better match your airline tickets. While you can get an override from a supervisor for a minor difference, you can also miss your flights while waiting to get approval. It all depends upon the person(s) checking your I.D. Don't think it is worth the risk of missing your plane/cruise by having identification that does not match.