Help! - Ditzy Daughter

[tutak]

We are taking the whole family on a cruise in less than 3 weeks. There will be 10 of us including three yound grandchildren. For over 6 months, I have suggested passports. Since our children our young with small children, they opted not to get passports since they probably won't be out of the country for years to come. The Ditzy Daughter (yes, she is a blonde) said, "my birth certificate is in the sewing room downstairs." Now, as time is runnning out, she can't find it. She called the Vital Statistics Department to order a new one. She got a letter today from the brilliant municipal employees that they have no record of her. Keep in mind that she has a B.S.N. from an Ohio university and is a Registered Nurse here in Ohio. She says "Don't worry, Dad, I will take care of this." Is there any other way to prove citizenship and gain entry to a Carnival ship. I have told her that if she can't get a hold of a birth certificate, her husband and daughter can sail without her.

[MyImagination]

We are taking the whole family on a cruise in less than 3 weeks. There will be 10 of us including three yound grandchildren. For over 6 months, I have suggested passports. Since our children our young with small children, they opted not to get passports since they probably won't be out of the country for years to come. The Ditzy Daughter (yes, she is a blonde) said, "my birth certificate is in the sewing room downstairs." Now, as time is runnning out, she can't find it. She called the Vital Statistics Department to order a new one. She got a letter today from the brilliant municipal employees that they have no record of her. Keep in mind that she has a B.S.N. from an Ohio university and is a Registered Nurse here in Ohio. She says "Don't worry, Dad, I will take care of this." Is there any other way to prove citizenship and gain entry to a Carnival ship. I have told her that if she can't get a hold of a birth certificate, her husband and daughter can sail without her.

 

WOW. I only ask this because you called her ditzy. Did she give them her maiden or married name?

[Cruisegirl6]

Call the county of the state she was born in....they will give you the proper number to the area where you can speak requesting her copy of the birth certificate, it must be the country, I recall this as I had a similiar problem years ago. For a fee, I was able to choose shipping and received it in just 3 days overnight. :)

[momof4boys]

In Missouri, if you go to the county health department, they will give you a certified copy of your birth certificate immediately! I also received my passport (along with the other 5 people in my family) in exactly two weeks. I paid regular not the "fast" service fee. Good luck!!:)

[tutak]

My Imagination, I sure that she gave them her maiden name (she is only "dishwater" blonde).

 

Lyndamr, she ordered in thought the City of Cleveland (hence the problem) they handle anyone born in a hospital in the City of Cleveland. Now, they say that she has to go to the state capitol, Columbus.

[Cruisegirl6]

What a runaround! Ok, every state must be different, my son was born in Long Island New York and I had to contact the county he was born it....is there a site online for your state that would allow you to order birth certificates, I think its worth a try to find this as nothing is open this time of night. Maybe if you get nowhere, if you can remember the name of the hospital she was born and call them and get the proper department maybe somebody can direct you to the proper source of getting a copy? Its just an idea....

 

Just tell her to keep looking in the meantime, its something that isn't thrown out, maybe it in a very safe place and she doesn't recall putting it there? Tell her to keep looking and then call the hospital and the state capital asap. I do hope things work out.....there must be a way hopefully somebody else has had this problem in Cleveland and they can let you know what to do. Sorry I cannot help. :(

[cbabe]

Hi Tutak,

 

She can do one of the following

Go to Colombus (I don't know how far that is for her) and get it the same day, that's according to your states website http://www.odh.state.oh.us/VitStats/certified.htm or she can still get a passport, but beware, it will cost big! http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_831.html

 

Good Luck!

[tutak]

CBABE066, She told me taht she will "handle it even if she has to drive to Columbus which means that her father-in-law babysits while I take the day off and drive her to Columbus. In regards to the passport, doesn't she need a birth certificate to get a passport, which means I was too lazy to check this out on the everything on the link you sent about passsports.

[Legend]

go here and order one

 

 

http://www.vitalchek.com

[cbabe]

Hi Tutak,

 

You've got a point!

[peanutzmom]

I was born in Ohio (Wayne County, to be exact), and when I needed my birth certificate last year to get my passport, I was able to go through the http://www.vitalcheck.com website that someone already listed and get it with no problem in less than a week. I'd check it out -- it would save you the drive to Columbus!

[serene56]

Oh Tutak- I would be killing ....lol. dont worry about it. Im sure she will get one.

But do not let her leave home without one...she will need it to get onboard.

[tutak]

I talked to my son in law tonight. He is an engineer. That's right your cruising with 2 engineers. Can you imagine how boring it would be at our table during dinner? But having an engineer husband versus ditzyness is like matter coming in contact with anti-matter. Besides both of them exploding and forming pions, it should result in a birth certificate. They will take the preivous advice and contact the offices in Columbus and have one FedExed up here.

[SheilaS]

Well, I for one, would never want to do it, but............. last year we were at the airport when the couple flying out with us remembered they had forgotten their passports. No birth certificates either since they should have had their passports with them. From the airport, they called Carnival. Carnival said come on without them, but no matter what, don't get left behind on an island.

 

We didn't breathe easy tho until we were headed to our cabin. I just knew we would get there and they would not let them board. :0)

 

Sheila<-------------------has almost:rolleyes: everything ready for my cruisethis Friday

[CrazyMums]

We had to get a birth certificate in a matter of days for my daughter-in-law for a last minute cruise. We used http://www.vitalrec.com which appears to link off to the vitalchek already mentioned. It was expensive but they were very efficient and sent it overnight mail. Good luck!

[Karter]

I don't know if this helps but last summer I received a call from my son when he was at embarkation telling me that he forgot both his passport and birth certificate. This was about 3 hours before the ship was to sail and a 2.5 hour drive to the port in good traffic for me to take them to him. Fortunately he had his drivers license and social security card so they let him on the ship. If you can't get a replacement birth certificate you may want to call Carnival and see if they still take alternate ID's.

[tutak]

Thanks for all the suggestions. DD called Columbus. The woman at the Columbus office acted very professionally and gave her a confirmation number and starting Monday she will be able to track the Birth Certificate through FedEx. I guess DD is not that ditzy after all, just a procrastinator.

[ppeckham]

I hope people don't think all blondes are this way. I'm one (dishwater blonde that is), but I certainly know where the birth certificates and passport is.

 

A couple years ago I cruised with friends/co-workers. They teased me at how organized I was. I'm almost annal about it. My daughter (also a blonde) is turning into an organizational freak too.

 

I'm glad she got it straightened out!

 

Keep warm in Akron today! My parents and brother (a doctor) live in Warren.

[Buckeyefan]

Let me just say that a drive to Columbus is not bad. I rather enjoy Columbus!

 

Kathleen

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Oh Tutak- I would be killing ....lol. dont worry about it. Im sure she will get one.

But do not let her leave home without one...she will need it to get onboard.

Just a couple of weeks ago someone posted that they didn't have their b/c and they were leaving the next day. Everyone and I mean everyone replied that she would not be going on her cruise. Guess what? She cruised without it.

I would exhaust every way I could to get the b/c but if by some strange circumstance you can't there is still a chance.

 

Bill

[sea_u_onboard]

I'm almost annal about it.

I can vogue for that - I'm one of her co-workers. :D

 

Sorry Phyllis - I couldn't resist.