Denied boarding

[Jilpo]

When my son was born, we got a record of live birth at the hospital. When he was going to be starting school, I went to the clerk's office in the county where he was born and requested his birth certificate. What they gave me was a copy of the record of live birth from the hospital with a blurb on the bottom about how it was a true and correct copy of what the vital statistics office had - it was signed and has a raised seal. Is that a proper birth certificate???

[mgm61]

When my son was born, we got a record of live birth at the hospital. When he was going to be starting school, I went to the clerk's office in the county where he was born and requested his birth certificate. What they gave me was a copy of the record of live birth from the hospital with a blurb on the bottom about how it was a true and correct copy of what the vital statistics office had - it was signed and has a raised seal. Is that a proper birth certificate???

 

 

 

yes with the raised seal it is legal.

[travelgarn]

When my son was born, we got a record of live birth at the hospital. When he was going to be starting school, I went to the clerk's office in the county where he was born and requested his birth certificate. What they gave me was a copy of the record of live birth from the hospital with a blurb on the bottom about how it was a true and correct copy of what the vital statistics office had - it was signed and has a raised seal. Is that a proper birth certificate???

 

 

Yes.

[USA_Cruiser]

When my son was born, we got a record of live birth at the hospital. When he was going to be starting school, I went to the clerk's office in the county where he was born and requested his birth certificate. What they gave me was a copy of the record of live birth from the hospital with a blurb on the bottom about how it was a true and correct copy of what the vital statistics office had - it was signed and has a raised seal. Is that a proper birth certificate???

 

This is exactly what we had. And told us no even after using it for the past 3 cruises.

[mgm61]

boy it seems if it has that raised seal then thats the BC. I think I would throw a big stink if that was the case. :mad:

[LemurCat]

To clarify, the certificate needs to be issued by a governmental agency. How this is done varies from state to state. NJ, for example, has them on record in the township in which you were born. PA has them on record in the county. Many states no longer use a raised seal but rather a digital watermark in the paper.

 

Take a photocopy of a document to a notary does NOT mean it is a certified copy. Only a certificate issued by a governmental agency is a certified copy. Usually it is copy onto watermarked paper or has a stamp and seal noting it is official.

 

Hospital records do not suffice.

[LemurCat]

boy it seems if it has that raised seal then thats the BC. I think I would throw a big stink if that was the case. :mad:

 

Incorrect. It is it's issuance from a governmental agency that makes it a BC.

 

Notaries carry seals as well. A notarial seal is not sufficient to make a certificate official.

[Molly BPOE]

I agree! If it was from the Vital Statstics Department and had a raised seal...I would pitch a fit too! I thought by record of birth you meant the momentos we give the parents of newborns, they are decorative and do not have a raised seal.

[mgm61]

"Closed Loop" Cruises: U.S. citizens who board a cruise ship at a port within the United States, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship may present a government issued photo identification, along with proof of citizenship (an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization). Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the foreign countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

 

 

It still says this is good. Sorry to the OP but I think mine is still good. Otherwise we are just getting the Pass Card. (cheaper) although someone said that is just good for land crossings, but it says in the passport info it just helps you at customs to get thru quicker.

 

U.S. Passport Card – This is a limited-use international travel document valid for entry into the U.S. by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda, per the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. It is not valid for international air travel.

 

 

look I just answered my own question. First passcard is $45. renewals are $25

[patrice1]

I have to say...no offense to anyone....but, it's so easy to get a passport and it's good for so many things, I guess I don't understand why anyone wouldn't have one.

We're travelers, and if we get a chance to go overseas, we snatch it, so it's important for us to have a valid passport at all times. DH is on his second one & I'm on my third. In any other country, everyone has a passport. Just sayin'.;)

[salty dingo]

My only comment is: how do you feel about getting a passport NOW? For someone who cruises rather often, isn't just penny wise and pound foolish to try and get by without one? Considering all the losses this has caused, I hope this is a lesson to others - go get your passport!

[howielovescruisin]

I found the following on another board from the OP.........

Just a couple of questions we are on the Dream in Sept. anyone that has sailed the Dream resently. Is there a past quest party if so I sailed before but my spouse hasn't would he be allow to attend? Also what other parties are on board? Thanks in Advance

 

So I'm really confused, according to this post, her husband has never sail, but in this post he has 3 times. Maybe I'm missing something.....

[flgojo]

I in no way mean this as a flame reply. OP my heart breaks for you but I am curious. Will you now decide to get a passport? When you divide the cost over ten years it doesn't seem so bad.

[onthehighseas606]

I beg to differ - this is only this tip of the iceberg. I don't know how many times I have read: my S&S card was $800-1000-1500-2000, I bought 2-4-6-8 pictures, I booked a Carnival Excursion in every port, I bought 2-4-6-8 Tshirts, I played bingo often, I booked the steakhouse and the list goes on. The cruise price is only a part of what people spend. Believe me, their bottom line still suffered whether people cruised or not.

 

We've never spent that kind of money on any cruise, and I bet there's a lot of other people that don't spend that kind of money either. We don't know what the family's finances are or how much they would have spent. It sucks that they did not have insurance. I think 2 months prior to sailing, that I would have contacted Carnival asking about the certificate. The OP could have been spared all the trouble she went through. Another reason to have a passport and travel insurance. Too late now. Sorry you missed the boat.

[flgojo]

I found the following on another board from the OP.........

 

 

So I'm really confused, according to this post, her husband has never sail, but in this post he has 3 times. Maybe I'm missing something.....

 

He could have cruised on other lines?

[LemurCat]

We've never spent that kind of money on any cruise, and I bet there's a lot of other people that don't spend that kind of money either. We don't know what the family's finances are or how much they would have spent. It sucks that they did not have insurance. I think 2 months prior to sailing, that I would have contacted Carnival asking about the certificate. The OP could have been spared all the trouble she went through. Another reason to have a passport and travel insurance. Too late now. Sorry you missed the boat.

 

I wouldn't have bothered contacting CCL, as their answer varies by person. I would have simply ordered a second certificate and traveled with that one as I was certain it was issued by a governmental agency and I wouldn't be taking my only valid copy of a vital document out of the country.

[tiyana4]

"Closed Loop" Cruises: U.S. citizens who board a cruise ship at a port within the United States, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship may present a government issued photo identification, along with proof of citizenship (an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization). Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the foreign countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

 

 

It still says this is good. Sorry to the OP but I think mine is still good. Otherwise we are just getting the Pass Card. (cheaper) although someone said that is just good for land crossings, but it says in the passport info it just helps you at customs to get thru quicker.

 

U.S. Passport Card – This is a limited-use international travel document valid for entry into the U.S. by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda, per the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. It is not valid for international air travel.

 

 

look I just answered my own question. First passcard is $45. renewals are $25

 

Birth records may have a raised seal but they are not official birth certificates. The document issued by hospitals are not official gov't records. The same applies with death certificates. No life insurance company I know will accept hospital records as official proof. It must be issued by the state dept. The same applies for most cruise lines.

 

According to the info you posted it states that they also have the right to request a passport. I would be more concerned with them requesting the latter and not having it.

 

So sorry OP - I can't imagine what your family must have gone through. Please invest in passports for the future. They really do pay for themselves (if nothing more than peace of mind).

[WinnipegCruiser]

I beg to differ - this is only this tip of the iceberg. I don't know how many times I have read: my S&S card was $800-1000-1500-2000, I bought 2-4-6-8 pictures, I booked a Carnival Excursion in every port, I bought 2-4-6-8 Tshirts, I played bingo often, I booked the steakhouse and the list goes on. The cruise price is only a part of what people spend. Believe me, their bottom line still suffered whether people cruised or not.

 

 

I believe it is also a border control, Customs and Immigration issue...

[Working 2 Cruise]

It always was crystal cle

ar that you had to have ar certified birth certificate. Always used it, no problem

 

Do your research.

[C Cruise Dude]

Before you start flaming. I don’t have a passport and don’t travel enough to have one. We cruise maybe every other year and we don’t go out of the country any other time. Now for what happened we were suppose to cruise on the Dream today but when we got to the port we were denied boarding. The Documents we had was my birth cert. and my driver’s license. DH had his driver’s license and a certified birth record which he have used on the other 3 cruises we have been on with Carnival and there was no issue BUT as a 2 weeks ago they no longer except that document. And we weren’t the only ones there were families with children that were refused boarding. I called Carnival and spoke to 3 different people regarding this and was told if we didn’t take the insurance out that Carnival offered we were SOOL this just FYI if you have a certified birth record and have used it before you can’t use it now. You need a birth certificate. We thought since we used it in the past we could still use it. And regular insurance won’t cover them denying you boarding.

 

I'm am so sorry that this happened to you. I was on the Dream in April and it was expensive. What happens now? Did Carnival refund your money or will they let you cruise at a later day after the issue is cleared up? :confused:

[F22Smitty]

This same thing happened to another family last year that posted on another forum. It was also in port Canaveral.

 

The mother, father, and two kids went to board and they did not accept the mothers non-certified birth certificate. They did not sail and they did not refund any monies.

 

Folks, GET A PASSPORT.

[uppitycats]

I'm sorry this happened to you. It does spell it out on the cruise documents that you need a certified birth certificate (or a passport), but I realize many people don't understand the difference.

Times certainly have changed...I think it won't be long before everyone will be required to have a passport, just like in every other country.

[bubbadog]

sorry you didnt catch the change in time for your cruise,I WILL NEVER go anywhere without our passports,just go get them,you will feel alot better,and no hassles when traveling.:p;)

[right trip]

My husband and I just renewed our passports eventhough they do not expire until May. Our November 28th cruise will take us to Israel and Egypt. Both countries require that passports must not expire for six months from the last day of our visit. It has to do with security.

A positive point: Our new passports will be current for 10 years from the date they were to expire. We will not lose that 5 months.:D

[LambKnuckles]

WOW!!! USA... sorry about the frustration and set back! I hope they referred you to Homeland Security or Immigration or Immigrations or whoever it is that sets this rule! I wonder what caused the change of them not accepting it? Have you always cruised from the same port? Is it just the Dream's home port?

 

Is this true, for all ports???

 

I am so sorry you miss your week. :(