Marriage Certificate Required

We were boarding the Elation on January 2nd. I was using my birth certificate and driver's license for identification. The Carnival person asked for my marriage license because the name on my birth certificate was different from my driver's license. Thanks to Cruise Critic I was prepared! I had my marriage certificate. The Carnival person told me to tell anyone I knew that was going on a cruise and using birth certificates and driver's licenses that were different due to marriage that a marriage license is becoming mandatory. For my next cruise though I think I'm going to take some more Cruise Critic advice and get a passport (they make things so much easier :) !!!) Thanks Cruise Critic!!!

Wanted to let you know that we just received our passport and it took exactly 2 weeks. (regular service not the extra pay "fast" service.) Two years ago it took my teenage son 6 weeks to get his. :)

This is just my opinion - not directed at anyone.

If they are going to start requiring a marriage certificate then they need to put it on their website and on their documents.

We are getting passports - but if I wasn't I still wouldn't bring my marriage certificate. They know the surnames for married women will be different then on a birth certificate. Common sense has to play a role here somewhere - like how do they expect you to have a birth certificate with your married name - so that it matches your drivers license. A first name match and a birthdate match to the drivers lisence should be enough. The only way you could get the drivers license in your married name is to show your marriage certificate in the first place - so I think it is overkill.

I guess it is best to be safe then sorry - but they will have a hard time enforcing it if they don't have it stated somewhere.

Let me just add - that if Carnival requires it then there is certainly a good reason to get a passport.

Just think about it. If you were married - got divorced - but kept your married name - then got remarried the only way you could "prove" the last marriage would be to bring your first marriage certificate plus your divorce decree and your second marriage certificate - talk about overkill. Think about the people who have been married more then twice (more common then you think). Personally I don't think it's any of their business. A birth certificate and drivers license should be enough - otherwise they might as well start requiring passports for everyone.

This is just my opinion - not directed at anyone.

 

If they are going to start requiring a marriage certificate then they need to put it on their website and on their documents.

 

We are getting passports - but if I wasn't I still wouldn't bring my marriage certificate. They know the surnames for married women will be different then on a birth certificate. Common sense has to play a role here somewhere - like how do they expect you to have a birth certificate with your married name - so that it matches your drivers license. A first name match and a birthdate match to the drivers lisence should be enough. The only way you could get the drivers license in your married name is to show your marriage certificate in the first place - so I think it is overkill.

 

I guess it is best to be safe then sorry - but they will have a hard time enforcing it if they don't have it stated somewhere.

Its stating on the website, they just want to cover all bases by asking for the ML

Look at the final paragraph

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Static_Templates/EMB_travel_document.aspx

Proper travel documentation is the responsibility of the guest and is required at embarkation and throughout the cruise. Guests traveling without proper documentation will not be allowed to board the vessel, and will not be refunded the cruise fare.

Documents must be presented at the time of embarkation.

United States citizens need at least one of the following

• A passport (valid or expired for less than 10 years)

• An original birth certificate and photo I.D.

• A state-issued certified copy of a birth certificate from the

Department of Health and Vital Statistics and photo I.D.

• A U.S. Military ID (no dependent IDs)

• Valid, unexpired U.S. Multiple Re-Entry Visa, if applicable

• Aliens eligible to apply for admission under the Visa Waiver Pilot Program must have a valid unexpired passport

• Original Naturalization papers

U.S. Permanent Residents need:

• A valid Permanent Resident Card

Canadian citizens need at least one of the following:

• A valid passport

• An original birth certificate or certified copy of a birth certificate and photo I.D.

Non-U.S. citizens need:

• A valid passport

• A valid, unexpired U.S. Multiple Re-Entry Visa, if applicable

Non-U.S. citizens eligible to apply for admission under the Visa Waiver Pilot Program must still have a valid, unexpired passport.

For sailings calling on Canadian ports of call, certain foreignnationals must obtain a Canadian visa in addition to the multiple-entry visa.

For sailings calling on Bermuda, U.S. Alien Residents will need a valid passport (or a birth certificate and official photo ID) in addition to their Alien Resident Card.

Non-U.S. citizens must contact the appropriate consulates, U.S. Embassy and U.S. Immigration office to inquire about necessary travel documentation. Carnival assumes no responsibility for advising guests of Immigration requirements. All Non-U.S. citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents must surrender their passport and/or Permanent Resident cards at time of embarkation. These documents will be returned upon completion of the Immigration inspection.

Guest planning to debark in Mexico for more than 24 hours must obtain a Mexican Tourist Card from either a travel agent or a Mexican consulate prior to their departure. Additionally, guests debarking with children must have a notarized affidavit from any absent parent indicating permission to travel with the accompanying adult.

In addition to the above requirements, all guests 16 years of age or older, must provide an official photo I.D. It is important that guest names on travel documents (passport, Permanent Resident card, birth certificates, etc.) be identical to those on the cruise and airlines tickets. If not, proof of name change (i.e., a marriage license) OR a valid driver’s license or government issued photo ID (i.e., U.S. Military ID) must be presented.

WOW - I do believe that is something new. I have never seen that before. Thanks for clarifying it. Seems it is either a new policy or they don't enforce it as I have been on 4 Carnival cruises and they have never asked.

My last cruise...I had my birth certificate...(obviously birth name)...my drivers license (former married name)...my marriage decree...my divorce decree.....note from dad stating he knew the kids were with me....etc.

The Carnival rep at the beginning before we boarded looked flabergasted even with her boss right next to her (she had called her over for something prior to me stepping up). She said all she wanted to see was my BC and my DL...none of the other things....

go figure...lol

Esmerelda

That's more or less what I'm talking about. They don't seem to enforce it - so how do they expet to enforce it :confused:

wow i had not heard this at all! i have never been asked for mine, I am glad I plan to use a passport in the next few weeks so i dont have to drag all our documents along with me.

Wouldn't that statement in the last paragraph about the Driver's License negate the need for the ML? The statement does say OR.

I have also never been asked for a marriage certificate , something else is my IL birth certificate has"Birth Record" not "Birth Certificate" listed on it, but it has a raised seal and footprints and I still almost didnt get on my last cruise...which was 2 years ago. We (my family ) are going to get a pass port for "no worries"!!!

We took our marriage certificate last cruise but Carnival never asked to see it.

I was also born in IL but mine is reads "Certificate of Birth" and my wifes doesn't really say anything!

We had planned on getting Passports but the last time they looked at our B/C's & D/L's for a total of about 2 seconds before handing them back so I figured we'd save the $$ this time again and play the wait and see game a little longer.

Wouldn't that statement in the last paragraph about the Driver's License negate the need for the ML? The statement does say OR.

That's exactly what I thought when I read the last paragraph! Which leaves me wondering how they can even think about enforcing a "requirement" for marriage licenses!

Now I've heard everything! That is completely inane. I'm guessing that 99.9% of all women do not have the last name they were born with! Dumb Dumb Dumb.:rolleyes:

Im sure this is a result of Homeland Security measures. Enforcement will more than likely be lax.

This is precisely the reason that when I was married, I kept my maiden name as my middle name... ALL my names are on my DL and my Passport... It eliminates all questions. Now, if I would just get off the $300, I drop that nasty "married" name.... LOL!!

Yup, really getting stupid. Can you imagine all the posters on here screaming if Carnival really required a marriage certificate. Hundreds of people would be denied boarding every weekend and we'd be hearing it.

Call me paranoid. But on every one of our past cruises I have taken our marriage license, just in case. I have never had anyone request to see it, though.

This past August we flew to Bermuda and I was asked for my marriage certificate, in the past I had only brought along my drivers license and BC. They still let me in but he suggested I bring it along next time. I just ended up getting a passport. Much easier but it seems you still need the drivers ID to.

I can see where there would be frustration about this but a passport would eliminate all the questions. It's not too difficult to cross to Canada but it was really surprising how easy it was with a passport. They just kind of looked and waived us through.

Now I've heard everything! That is completely inane. I'm guessing that 99.9% of all women do not have the last name they were born with! Dumb Dumb Dumb.:rolleyes:

I totally agree. When did we start throwing common sense out the window?

Okay, this is going to get complicated. We just booked a last minute cruise to the Bahamas. I have my birth ceritifacte, driver's license and marriage license. However, my birth certificate last name is "Black." I was adopted by my step-father at young age and my last name was changed to "Smith". Now on my marriage license is my maiden name "Smith" as well as my married name "Doe". Am I going to need my adoption papers as well as my marriage license to prove my name changed three times? BTW, my driver's license is my married name "Doe" also. Sorry if this is confusing anybody, oh and I don't have time to get a passport, we leave in two weeks.

When did we start throwing common sense out the window?

I guess about 3 1/2 years ago when the entire world changed, including the way we travel. I guess whatever they have to do to try to keep us safe, I'll follow along, even if it means carrying an extra piece of paper. I have a feeling that most of the things we took for granted as "common sense" things, were some of the very reasons we, as a country, were vulnerable.

We have never taken anything but Birth Certificates...but we do not have any name issues.

For this upcoming cruise we went the passport route. I figured it was time....obviously we are going to contiune with this kind of travel. The point that pushed to finally do the passport is that this time we are flying to San Juan to board.

I know that San Juan is a is a US territory, but for me it is still different that boarding at Port Canaveral.

We have the passports....now we do not have the whole birth certificate hassle factor!

Happy, passports definitely eliminate the hassle.... I use mine everywhere I travel whether internationally or nationally.... just so much easier!!!!!