Has anyone ever been denied boarding for a nickname instead of full name on booking?

[EdmPair]

We all know how phone books work. Your name is not unique and yet the cruise company MUST follow law and so it has to know the same person is sailing as who provided the information when booking. Close is not good enough. Phone books were and Google is filled with people with all the subtle variations of your name. (Unless your name is really rare but that has to be rare on an international level, not just the city where you live.)

[Bowie MeMe]

This isn't exactly what you're talking about, but my husband is a Junior and it causes him occasional headaches when traveling. All his documents include Jr., but still he's questioned occasionally:

 

A couple times when we've presented ourselves to the counter for cruise-check-in, the computer screen has popped up with a big red STOP at his name. After a few questions, he's always been sent right on.

 

Once we were on an airplane, and the flight attendant called out, "Passenger ______, please identify yourself." And she checked his ID again.

 

He says he gets this on a rather regular basis when he travels for business, and it's never actually delayed him -- after all, he uses his "real name" and his "real name" appears identically on all his documents. It's just a minor hassel, but IF we'd had a son, he wouldn't have been a third.

 

We too have had this problem. Junior is on all papers but so hard to get it there. Cheapo air just refuses to allow it as part of the name and thus could get his passage denied (MY First of many reasons not to buy from consolidators!). But now that you finally get the Jr. on forms you open the mail and find Dear Mr. Junior!!:D:p From the health insurance no less. No juniors for us.

[fleckle]

We too have had this problem. Junior is on all papers but so hard to get it there. Cheapo air just refuses to allow it as part of the name and thus could get his passage denied (MY First of many reasons not to buy from consolidators!). But now that you finally get the Jr. on forms you open the mail and find Dear Mr. Junior!!:D:p

You just reminded me of the time long ago when my son once ordered a magazine subscription in his dog's name.

 

We all know how companies sell mailing lists.

For many years thereafter mail kept arriving for "Dear Mr. Dog" soliciting contributions for charities and politicians, and urging Mr. Dog to buy insurance, cemetery plots, vinyl siding, lube jobs, pharmaceutical products and lawn care services.

 

He was also invited to attend worship services and other special events at a number of churches., but I think he must have been an atheist because he never went.

 

My very favorites of all were the credit offers that Mr. Dog received telling him how he has been specially selected because of his excellent credit rating.

Edited August 20, 2012 by fleckle

[Halehuaka_i]

I'm bumping this to the top for a question. My passport, airline and cruise booking all match, BUT I use my middle name all the time. Most people don't know it's not my first name.

So is there a way to have my middle name printed on my SeaPass instead of my first name? Or should I just cover it with a post-it?

Thanks!

Lei

[GTO-Girl]

I'm bumping this to the top for a question. My passport, airline and cruise booking all match, BUT I use my middle name all the time. Most people don't know it's not my first name.

So is there a way to have my middle name printed on my SeaPass instead of my first name? Or should I just cover it with a post-it?

Thanks!

Lei

 

Your SeaPass will be in the name you booked. I too go by my middle name but I just accept being called by my first name when traveling. Its not a big deal to me.

 

Guess you will need to bring that post it....

[gooch47]

I worry that I'm going to get caught out sometime. The major communication company I worked for insisted that we married ladies use our maiden name for our middle name. They also paid for my first passport. So my middle name on my passport is my maiden name. But my driver's license and other documents have my real middle name.

 

When we fly it isn't a problem. I could use either one whichever matched the airline ticket. But that wouldn't work for cruises. So I check carefully.

[LA_CA_GAL]

 

When we fly it isn't a problem. I could use either one whichever matched the airline ticket. But that wouldn't work for cruises. So I check carefully.

 

Why wouldn't it?

 

If your passport has the name Jane Smith Doe and you book your cruise under the name Jane Smith Doe, all you need to show the cruise line is that passport.

[agabbymama]

I'm bumping this to the top for a question. My passport, airline and cruise booking all match, BUT I use my middle name all the time. Most people don't know it's not my first name.

So is there a way to have my middle name printed on my SeaPass instead of my first name? Or should I just cover it with a post-it?

Thanks!

Lei

 

As others have said your booking name will appear on your seapass card. And I have always been called Mrs. Smith, not by my first name when on a cruise.

[MCC retired]

OP asks if anyone has been denied boarding due to a name issue as his.

 

Although many have noted problems , so far no one posts that they were denied boarding because of their name issue.

 

Rules are rules . I wouldn't chance it at all , don't need the hassles , and make the corrections now.

[peacelovemickey]

We have just run into this problem, old passport, DL, social security card all in one name, BC in a different last name. He asked mom for copy of court order to use as the bridging document, she said there never was one... Any ideas/tips for boarding? No time for passport! Yikes!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Guest maddycat]

We have just run into this problem, old passport, DL, social security card all in one name, BC in a different last name. He asked mom for copy of court order to use as the bridging document, she said there never was one... Any ideas/tips for boarding? No time for passport! Yikes!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I don't know if you have the time for this, but you can get an "expedited at agency" passport in 8 business days.

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english.html

[Mytime2014]

That's true of all the major cruise lines.

They all work with the guests to do anyhing/everything possible to get the required travel documents so they can permit them to board. They don't want to leave anyone behind if they can possibly help it. Sadly, just about every cruise there is at least one guest they just cannot permit to board.

 

I'm going to be down to the last minute getting my new passport and they have my only certified birth certificate. I think I"ll order a new BC just in case the passport gets delayed. At 6 weeks prior to the cruise - the passport was anticipated in "4-6 weeks".

BC takes about 2 weeks, costs ~20 dollars - I'm not going to risk the cruise for something that simple and inexpensive!!!

[Capt_BJ]

a friend of mine just got hired to be a 'reception agent'. in Port Canaveral (line not mentioned intentionally) They check folks in for their cruise . . .

 

Altho they have a 'professional license' they are retired and took this job because of perks (cheap cruise tickets) even tho the job pays minimum wage .... most interesting stories after just a few weeks:

 

they are told to follow the rules, do not interpret or make decisions .... if things do not match 100% call a supervisor. Either everything is RIGHT or you don't handle it . . .

 

They've already related most AMAZING stories of cruisers they've encountered:

 

- you need shoes to cross the gangway, "didn't bring any"

- only luggage was a black trash bag . . .

- no I do not have a credit card to give you and I only brought $20 cash ... the cruise is all inclusive . . .

- my driver's license isn't enough ID?

[MsViola]

My passport has my maiden name (first name, middle name, last name). *renewed the same way after being married for 10 years. This is the name I use on a daily basis.

 

My driver's liscence has first name, maiden name, married last name. I always book under the name on my passport. I have been on 15 cruises with no problems. Just in case, I always bring a state issued, miniature copy of our wedding certificate.

 

It may also help that I have a unique first name....

 

Happy Sails!

[spunkyhungry]

I have had a couple stressful name situations at the airport.

 

1) My dad bought tickets over the phone, and the agent spelled our last name incorrectly (missing 1 letter). We didn't realize there was a problem until we arrived at the airport and received our boarding passes. It took a while, but eventually we were cleared to fly.

 

2) My dad bought me round trip plane tickets in my maiden name (he must have momentarily forgot about my married name?). I realized it as soon as he emailed the ticket to me, but they wouldn't let us change it without paying more money, and it was already more than we could afford. The airline said to bring birth certificate, passport, marriage document, basically every document I had, and it would be ok. I was so nervous about it, but luckily I had no problem at the airport. All my airline passes (for 2 flights each way) were originally in my maiden name, and at the first airport I was able to change them all to my married name.

[dwjoe]

I'm bumping this to the top for a question. My passport, airline and cruise booking all match, BUT I use my middle name all the time. Most people don't know it's not my first name.

So is there a way to have my middle name printed on my SeaPass instead of my first name? Or should I just cover it with a post-it?

Thanks!

Lei

Hi Lei, nice to have you on Cruise Critic.

 

It's better to make a new thread rather than bump a two year old one.

 

That way, people will respond to you as opposed to the older posts.

 

Thanks