Denied boarding

[karenh1127]

We have short forms from state of Texas but earlier this year we had to get a bc for my niece so she could cruise with us. Hers is the long form. Perhaps they came out with those after a certain date? My sons born in 1996 have the blue official paper but they are short. Mine is green paper and dh has white paper. All have official raised seals and have gotten us on 6 cruises. Even though I plan to get pp before our 2012 cruise, we are sailing in Jan and I dont want to risk not getting the bc mailed back in time for that one. I hope we can board with what we have like in the past.:confused:

[nrdsb4]

Thanks for that info. That is why I mentioned that I wish I had seen it. My son is not always the best source of info. :rolleyes: I still wonder if the cruise line would have required the long form? I had never even heard of it before now.

 

 

Well, depending on how old his short form is, I can't say categorically how much less information it contains than the long form. My daughter's are both newly printed.

 

The long form not only names my husband and I as parents, it states our cities of birth. It states our race/ethnicity. It has our address at the time of her birth. It has our doctor's name and signature, as well as his address. It states the exact time of her birth.

 

The short form just has the basics:Her name, sex, date of birth, county of birth, parents' full names, and date filed.

[Jenbo57]

So unfortunate; I'd be devastated!

 

I think that everyone should have a passport. You just don't know what opportunities will come your way! My daughter traveled to Japan at 16 as part of a sister city exchange; I courier bone marrow for the NMDP and was able to bring my son with me to London because we'd gotten him a passport earlier. They're not that expensive and they're easy to obtain. Be on the safe side...just get one!

[Jimsgirl]

Birth Cert. are not just for travel. My granddaughter was born on a USAF base in UK, she came back to USA on her mothers passport in l975. Went to school in MA, came to FL. worked, married, had 2 children in FL.

 

Recently because of family circumstances and the economy, she applied to go to school for Med Asst. training and was denied admittance at the US citizen rate at because her birth cert did not show she was a US citizen!

 

She had to apply to the Dept of Defence to get a cert that showed the corrected info, before the school would admit her at the lower rate for tuition.

[stressedmomof3]

Birth Cert. are not just for travel. My granddaughter was born on a USAF base in UK, she came back to USA on her mothers passport in l975. Went to school in MA, came to FL. worked, married, had 2 children in FL.

 

Recently because of family circumstances and the economy, she applied to go to school for Med Asst. training and was denied admittance at the US citizen rate at because her birth cert did not show she was a US citizen!

 

She had to apply to the Dept of Defence to get a cert that showed the corrected info, before the school would admit her at the lower rate for tuition.

 

 

her parents should have received a certificate of birth abroad to U.S. parents from the base she was delivered at.

[Unknotted]

her parents should have received a certificate of birth abroad to U.S. parents from the base she was delivered at.

 

The one they issue to babies born abroad has limited use.

 

One of my sons was born at Bitburg AFB in Germany in 1972. He got a German birth certificate which was written in German and registered locally with the German Govt and he also got a certificate of live birth abroad from the US government. When he enlisted in the US Marine Corp in 1990 he had to get a birth certificate from the Dept of Defense. His original American "birth certificate" had been fine for getting him into school and other uses when he was a kid, but he had to have one issued by the US Dept of Defense to enlist in the military.

[roxy13]

We have never had our passports taken "for safe keeping". By any chance were you on a cruise overseas as they often do this. We have only cruised Caribbean area so may this is the reason. Inquiring minds want to know.

 

:rolleyes: Me and DW had passports taken twice from NewYork only after 911. Are last cruise from NewYork we got to kept them. We always use DL photo when off the ship.

[donaldsc]

I do not feel sorry for you in the slightest and you got what you deserve. You said that you travel every other year. At that rate, the cost of the passport would be maybe $20 per trip. Well worth it in my opinion.

 

DON

[lidodeckbound]

To the OP I am sorry this happened. I am wondering "how" you didn't know that you had to have a passport, it should have all been in your cruise documentation. I am not flaming at all, just inquiring. I hope you can get your passports and go on another cruise soon.

 

So, how about this for my daughter. So lets say, you are turning 16 in May of 2011, and you are leaving the country in July of 2011, and your current passport that shows you as a little kid doesn't expire until September 2011. Do you go ahead and apply for the new when you turn 16 and hope it gets processed in time to leave the country in July? Do they let you keep your old passport while the other one is being processed? In case the new one doesn't arrive in time in July? (While we are on the passport conversation?)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

To the OP I am sorry this happened. I am wondering "how" you didn't know that you had to have a passport, it should have all been in your cruise documentation. I am not flaming at all, just inquiring. I hope you can get your passports and go on another cruise soon.

 

So, how about this for my daughter. So lets say, you are turning 16 in May of 2011, and you are leaving the country in July of 2011, and your current passport that shows you as a little kid doesn't expire until September 2011. Do you go ahead and apply for the new when you turn 16 and hope it gets processed in time to leave the country in July? Do they let you keep your old passport while the other one is being processed? In case the new one doesn't arrive in time in July? (While we are on the passport conversation?)

 

where does it say you "need" a passport?

 

It says it is strongly recommended but it is not necessary if you are doing a closed loop cruise and you have the proper certified BC and a govt issued photo ID.

 

Also when you apply for a passport renewal you must send in your old one.

 

Bill

[DebJ14]

The one they issue to babies born abroad has limited use.

 

One of my sons was born at Bitburg AFB in Germany in 1972. He got a German birth certificate which was written in German and registered locally with the German Govt and he also got a certificate of live birth abroad from the US government. When he enlisted in the US Marine Corp in 1990 he had to get a birth certificate from the Dept of Defense. His original American "birth certificate" had been fine for getting him into school and other uses when he was a kid, but he had to have one issued by the US Dept of Defense to enlist in the military.

 

My brother in law was also born in Germany when his Dad was in the Army. His original certificate of live birth abroad was not sufficient for getting a passport. He had to get the birth certificate from the Defense Dept and then apply for his passport. Good thing he had lots of lead time so he could join us on the cruise.

[DebJ14]

OHhhh my gosh! I'm so sorry. I'd have been absolutely devastated.

Please please please consider getting a passport now. They are good for 12 years, I believe and so worth it.

 

Passports are good for 10 years for adults and 5 years for kids.

[DebJ14]

Carnival maks it's profit off the money you spend on the ship, not the fares. Cruise ships need 110% capacity just to break even.

 

Maurice Zermati, former Carnival Executive, now President of Costa Cruise Line, told us that cruise fares account for 85% of revenue on a booking and onboard expenses account for only 15%. For every one of you who run up a huge Sail and Sign bill there are others who get off without spending a dime extra.

[lidodeckbound]

I am not sure where it says you "need" a passport. That is why I asked. Everything seems to be ever changing with security this day in age. I think I would have gone ahead and double and triple and checked again to be sure I had everything. But I understand that there is alot to know about. It sucks that they missed their cruise.

 

Thanks for the infor about sending the passport in. So we might be better off to wait until after July when she gets back to renew? Thanks so much.

[GrandBistro]

Please, everyone, just get a passport. Consider it part of the expense of foreign travel of any kind. You'll never be denied boarding - you'll never have to worry about it at all, whatsoever. The cost of a passport is way cheaper than the cost of a ruined vacation.

[DebJ14]

This may be true for land vacations, but irrelevant for cruises. Reason is that the authorities do not check your passport at any port that I know of, and even if they did, it is silly to require months left on it if they know you are leaving the same day.

 

I asked about this, and found that as long as your passport is good the entire cruise, you are OK. It can expire the day after you return for all they care.

 

Local authorities do not individually check your passport, but when the ship docks the local authorities come onboard and review the ship's record of all passengers and crew before they clear the ship. That is why you cannot immediately debark when the ship docks. If the local authorities so choose they can require any passenger to present himself with his documentation before being allowed ashore.

 

The US does it - ever cruise to Key West or St. Thomas after visiting a foreign port? We were held up for hours because a couple of passengers didn't appear in the lounge as requested. We all had to line up and present our passports or other proof of citizenship.

[DebJ14]

What is a birth record?

 

After my son was born I received a souvenir hospital birth record. Then the state of PA sent us a notification of registration of birth telling us that the birth had indeed been registered. The accompanying letter said that it was a birth record, but was not a birth certificate and they included a form to apply for the Official Birth Certificate. At that time the first one issued was a freebie. Over the years we needed additional certificates (school, passport application, law school application, etc.) and these additional copies say "Certified Birth Certificate" at the top and have a raised seal on them.