Do I need a certain form for daughter whos dad will not be cruising?

Looks like you have your answer, but to add to the Yes vote, I was asked twice during a July 2017 European cruise/trip from the US to produce my notarized parental consent form for minor travel, because Dad was not traveling with us. The first was during the embarkation process in Rome at the cruise terminal, the second was at customs in the Toronto airport arriving from Rome. Son's last name differs from mine.

Looks like you have your answer, but to add to the Yes vote, I was asked twice during a July 2017 European cruise/trip from the US to produce my notarized parental consent form for minor travel, because Dad was not traveling with us. The first was during the embarkation process in Rome at the cruise terminal, the second was at customs in the Toronto airport arriving from Rome. Son's last name differs from mine.

Is there a certain form that I need to print up or can it be a written letter that's notarized? Thanks again for all of the advice!

Is there a certain form that I need to print up or can it be a written letter that's notarized? Thanks again for all of the advice!

Here is the form I customized and had notarized. It also includes a medical authorization. Note, I am not an attorney, but this worked for us.

PARENTAL CONSENT FOR MINOR TO TRAVEL AND MEDICAL AUTHORIZATION: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K9ppdaZ7JccSh05EuNpimllNIVl9iDy4k3wa9RG56_4/edit?usp=sharing

Here is the form I customized and had notarized. It also includes a medical authorization. Note, I am not an attorney, but this worked for us.

 

PARENTAL CONSENT FOR MINOR TO TRAVEL AND MEDICAL AUTHORIZATION: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K9ppdaZ7JccSh05EuNpimllNIVl9iDy4k3wa9RG56_4/edit?usp=sharing

You're awesome- thank you!

You should also have a form allowing you to have medical treatment on her. You probably do not need it but it can't hurt. We definitely needed that form when we took our granddaughter on a cruise w us.

DON

is this your experience or is this Carnivals Answer? your experience will differ from others so the best bet is to go by Carnival's policy and the department of homeland security.

 

Traveling with a Minor

When traveling with a minor where one parent or both parents or legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent(s) or legal guardians authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security.

you can ignore it at your own risk but at least you are aware

You don't need any letter to go on a cruise with your child. My daughters last name is not my last name. We have gone on 10 cruises on carnival. No letter ever asked for...no questions even asked.

Think about it....anyone can sign a letter saying they are a parent (not secure at all)...and what about the absentee parents who cant be found or wont sign anything.

You don't need any letter to go on a cruise with your child. My daughters last name is not my last name. We have gone on 10 cruises on carnival. No letter ever asked for...no questions even asked.

 

Think about it....anyone can sign a letter saying they are a parent (not secure at all)...and what about the absentee parents who cant be found or wont sign anything.

nope. not true. NOTARIZED letter cant be done by anyone and its HIGHLY recommended and people in this thread HAVE NEEDED IT. so I HIGHLY recommend it despite the rarely of its need

also this from carnival https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2544/~/minor-guest-policy

SMH....... Guess carnival worker don't know the answers!!

SMH....... Guess carnival worker don't know the answers!!

how does carnival workers not know the answers?

We have taken our granddaughters on several cruises and we have been asked for the notarized letter three times.

Once by Royal Caribbean, once by Disney and once by Customs.

Both cruise lines made a copy for their records and I kept the original.

There is no way I would travel without it!!

My daughter had a notarized consent from her children’s dad before cruising last year.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I always have the letter but never asked for it. But I'm not paying all that money to cruise and get turned back for not having it.. They can ask for it

how does carnival workers not know the answers?

They are asking the question here and not calling Carnival..... Like they don't know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm also in the group of have it even if you don't need it.

I'm divorced over 5 years. Older son is now almost 20, younger one is 15. I send my ex the letter each and every time, asking him to sign and have notarized. Since I'm the one carrying the medical insurance, I don't need permission to have my younger son treated (and as the parent I can do that...if I were the grandparent or friend, I'd definitely include that).

He signs and has notarized and returns to me. Our custody agreement specifically states that we each have to give the other 2 months notice when taking a vacation in order to allow for such consent letters if leaving the country. Needless to say, ex-H has never taken them anywhere but once to Disney and one time to Virginia with the younger one.

I no longer have the same last name as my sons. They both have passports.

Thanks all for the advice! I will go ahead and get the notarized letter just to be safe :-)

Yes better to be safe then to be told you can't get on the boat. I got one notarized from my kids dad for our feb cruise. I just found a general one online that also gave me permission for all medical..... Again just to be safe.

Hmmmmmm........ I just called Carnival (5 different times) and asked the same question.....

Received the same answer all 5 times.

IF YOU NAME IS ON THE CHILD BIRTH CERTIFICATE A LETTER FROM THE OTHER PARENT IS NOT NEEDED

Hmmmmmm........ I just called Carnival (5 different times) and asked the same question.....

Received the same answer all 5 times.

IF YOU NAME IS ON THE CHILD BIRTH CERTIFICATE A LETTER FROM THE OTHER PARENT IS NOT NEEDED

Curious. Carnival may accept this, but law enforcement would not. Many border authorities would also laugh at the argument.

Hmmmmmm........ I just called Carnival (5 different times) and asked the same question.....

Received the same answer all 5 times.

IF YOU NAME IS ON THE CHILD BIRTH CERTIFICATE A LETTER FROM THE OTHER PARENT IS NOT NEEDED

so the verbiage on the website is wrong as well as CBT? interesting.

Since I know customer service is barely 50/50 with right answers... I will stick to whats actually printed.

also - in cases of one divorced parent taking their child out of the country without permission of the other... a birth certificate is not useful at all... sorry.

SHOCKER... CUSTOMER SERVICE GAVE YOU BAD INFORMATION

(not to mention others saying IN THIS THREAD that they needed it) lol

so the verbiage on the website is wrong as well as CBT? interesting.

 

Since I know customer service is barely 50/50 with right answers... I will stick to whats actually printed.

 

also - in cases of one divorced parent taking their child out of the country without permission of the other... a birth certificate is not useful at all... sorry.

 

SHOCKER... CUSTOMER SERVICE GAVE YOU BAD INFORMATION

 

(not to mention others saying IN THIS THREAD that they needed it) lol

You trust a cruise board over the cruise worker??

LMAO

Some people will buy a half of bridge in the Gulf of Mexico.... very interesting.

Customer service must be volunteers like people on this thread..... :confused::confused:

Curious. Carnival may accept this, but law enforcement would not. Many border authorities would also laugh at the argument.

Guess you will never know until you try it....

Hmmmmm when I came back with my daughter border authorities told me to have a great day!!!

:confused::confused::confused::confused:

You trust a cruise board over the cruise worker??

LMAO

Some people will buy a half of bridge in the Gulf of Mexico.... very interesting.

 

Customer service must be volunteers like people on this thread..... :confused::confused:

no, I believe in what carnival tell me in their documentation.. and what CBT tells me and many other law enforcement authorities. you believe your experience dictates what everyone has to be follow. very very very interesting.

bless your heart

for the record - here is what I believe over a customer service rep

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/3643/kw/single%20parent%20travelling%20with%20children/session/L3RpbWUvMTUxMzQxNDM2Mi9zaWQvcG5FVHZrQW4%3D

no, I believe in what carnival tell me in their documentation.. and what CBT tells me and many other law enforcement authorities. you believe your experience dictates what everyone has to be follow. very very very interesting.

 

bless your heart

 

for the record - here is what I believe over a customer service rep

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/3643/kw/single%20parent%20travelling%20with%20children/session/L3RpbWUvMTUxMzQxNDM2Mi9zaWQvcG5FVHZrQW4%3D

Awww...... if you look the CBP says "strongly recommend " not you "need" proof or documents to have with you....

Bless your heart..

And as you say you believe in what carnival say and not critics from a board...... very interesting. :cool:

Every situation is different....

I trust a person that works for a company over hear say.

People over exaggerate information when they never experienced the problem....

(Only to mention people on this thread is 50/50 with right answers) Lol

Oh, Lord. Time for me to exit this thread. It’s affecting my blood pressure.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

not to mention others saying IN THIS THREAD that they needed it......

Do I need a certain form for daughter whos dad will not be cruising?

Quick answer: you don't need anything if you are the child's parent. I've taken my kids on multiple cruises without my husband and no one has ever asked for any documentation either on the ship or in any port.

I've been called a liar on these forums when I've related our experience of DH traveling to England with our oldest son and being asked for the letter - and we knew nothing about the letter. They did get to go, but not without our jumping through some hoops. I will only suggest what others have - see what Carnival recommends.

I always had a letter from my ex and never needed it, but I always felt better having it just in case.

Ditto. (y) I take my little guy twice a year and never bring a letter. Never occurred to me before.

I am divorced. My kids have come along on 3 cruises all post divorce & obviously without their dad. First cruise I asked him for a notarized letter. Jerk didn't understand what "notarized" means & simply signed a letter. My kids don't have passports so I use their BCs. My last name matches my son but not my daughter who was born before marriage. I brought my marriage license & divorce certificate along with the unnotarized letter. They never asked for the letter & when I handed over my marriage & divorce decrees they were promptly handed back with a "we don't need this"

The next 2 cruises we sailed sans letter & with no divorce or marriage decrees. No issues, no questions.

A notarized note is really meaningless.

There are so many scenarios where one parent is unavailable.

My experience traveling with a minor who has a different last name: I took my underage nephew on several land vacations and cruises. The cruiselines didn't care one way or another during the boarding process.

US Customs and Border Patrol did care when we returned back to the USA from the cruise. I had to provide the notarized letter of consent to travel from his mother, ostensibly to prove I wasn't a pedophile or human trafficker. (I'm a senior male, different profile than a Mom with a child).

I also had a proxy letter of medical consent, giving me the ability to make emergency medical decisions for my nephew in case of an accident or emergency while we were abroad.

So 2 very different things, the cruiseline requirements for boarding and US Customs on return.

I think the best answer if you have the time is to have passports for the children. Mine were both teenagers when their dad passed away. I have traveled with them several times by cruise and plane and as long as they have their passports no one questions anything. We have different last names. They are old enough to travel as unaccompanied minors, though.

You don't need any letter to go on a cruise with your child. My daughters last name is not my last name. We have gone on 10 cruises on carnival. No letter ever asked for...no questions even asked.

Think about it....anyone can sign a letter saying they are a parent (not secure at all)...and what about the absentee parents who cant be found or wont sign anything.

I always have the letter but never asked for it. But I'm not paying all that money to cruise and get turned back for not having it.. They can ask for it.

As I see it the question was "is there a form" she needed....

OVER HALF OF THE PEPOLE POSTED(above)

I CAN'T FIND 1 THAT SAID THAT THEY NEEDED IT...... WOW

Awesome experiences everyone shared..... Thank you!!

Sorry to say..... Every situation is different.

Have a great holiday!!!

OVER HALF OF THE PEPOLE POSTED(above)

I CAN'T FIND 1 THAT SAID THAT THEY NEEDED IT...... WOW

Awesome experiences everyone shared..... Thank you!!

Sorry to say..... Every situation is different.

Have a great holiday!!!

you couldn't find one person on this thread that needed it? really... I see reading skills is only an option and not a requirement

and if every situation is different as you correctly pointed out, wouldnt it be better safe than sorry and have it since someone else situation might be different from yours as many posters already proved?

bless your heart