Denied Boarding

[Talex831]

If the unfortunate fact that their daughter has a medical issue is supposed to make me feel bad about my statement, it is not working. Thank goodness she still got her trip.

 

Are you saying the TA did not inform them of the requirements for travel? It is listed on the information I have gotten on every cruise I have booked.

 

No one is asking for anything from you! You wanted to know how someone so stupid for bringing the wrong BC could manage to find their way to a passport office and then get flights to St. Martin. The question was answered...their TA helped them.

 

 

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[Talex831]

Maybe if you mentioned that piece of crucial information with your initial, you wouldn't' t have received that "snarky" remark. I hope all worked out & the family was able to make some happy memories.

 

What crucial piece of information?

 

It was suggested that these people were incapable of bringing the right documents, so how on earth could they have found their way to getting expedited passports and a flight to St. Martin. My response was simply that the trip was booked by Make-a-Wish through a TA and they received assistance when they ran into trouble. The remark questioning how they ever could have done this is why the additional information was given.

 

Regardless of how the trip was booked, I was inquiring about the BC being rejected by NCL, but a passport was still issued.

 

 

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[Charles4515]

What crucial piece of information?

 

It was suggested that these people were incapable of bringing the right documents, so how on earth could they have found their way to getting expedited passports and a flight to St. Martin. My response was simply that the trip was booked by Make-a-Wish through a TA and they received assistance when they ran into trouble. The remark questioning how they ever could have done this is why the additional information was given.

 

Regardless of how the trip was booked, I was inquiring about the BC being rejected by NCL, but a passport was still issued.

 

 

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As to how the passport was issued I think the possibilities have been covered. As far as the BC being rejected by NCL, NCL has to follow the immigration regulations given out by the government. Since they are not the ones who will be accepting or rejecting the document when a passenger debarks and goes thru immigration they must strictly follow the regulation when allowing someone to board. Whatever actually happens when someone applies for a passport is not relevant to them. Even if the passport agency was inconsistent in what they accepted, NCL can't be. So this is a good lesson for why a passport is the best document. NCL will accept a valid passport. The BC there might be an issue with it.

[bonvoyagie]

Sorry Talex831, but had you disclosed the full story and the Make A Wish involvement from the start it would have probably stopped most of the snarky comments. Someone from Make A Wish probably did not due dilligance in checking all the documents - or took someones word that all was in order - who knows it could have all been left up to the TA - whatever an i was not dotted and a t not crossed - stuff happens.

 

Make A Wish carries a lot of weight and can make things happen on many levels - including getting a temp Passport issued on the QT so the trip could continue. Maybe they did get the proper BC to the passport office unless you were there, you don't know (or have withheld it) It is too bad that they could not make it happen on during embarkation - but it was probably a Sat or Sun and offices were closed.

 

Lessons to be learned here - if you are going on a closed loop cruise in the US make sure that you have the proper birth certificate or a passport and travel insurance and when you tell a second hand story - tell all the facts you know up front.

[cmdchiefthom]

I have friends who were taking their children on the Epic last week and the dad was denied boarding because he only had his hospital issued birth certificate.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Sounds to me like there is more to this story if only the father was denied boarding. Perhaps the birth certificate did not have an official raised seal, and was a regular photo copy, I don't know, but something here sounds fishy.:rolleyes:

[luvtheships]

Sounds to me like there is more to this story if only the father was denied boarding. Perhaps the birth certificate did not have an official raised seal, and was a regular photo copy, I don't know, but something here sounds fishy.:rolleyes:

lol..you are a little late to the party!;)

[njhorseman]

As to how the passport was issued I think the possibilities have been covered. As far as the BC being rejected by NCL, NCL has to follow the immigration regulations given out by the government. Since they are not the ones who will be accepting or rejecting the document when a passenger debarks and goes thru immigration they must strictly follow the regulation when allowing someone to board. Whatever actually happens when someone applies for a passport is not relevant to them. Even if the passport agency was inconsistent in what they accepted, NCL can't be. So this is a good lesson for why a passport is the best document. NCL will accept a valid passport. The BC there might be an issue with it.

 

You're absolutely correct. Earlier in the thread, in post #19, I pointed out the possible alternative documentation the State Department may accept for issuance of a passport if you can't present a birth certificate that meets their requirements.

 

As you said, NCL has no choice but to insist on only documentation that satisfies Department of Homeland Security rules. NCL has no choice in the matter and can't accept alternatives and supplemental documentation that the State Department allows for passport issuance.

[clean1owner]

Why I am responding to your snarky response I am not exactly sure.

 

Everything was done through the Make-A-Wish Foundation because their youngest daughter has a brain tumor and the travel agency took care of everything for them.

 

 

Doesn't matter if the trip was booked through Make-A-Wish, directly with NCL, or through the President of the United States, you still have to bring the proper identification to the pier. I can't believe that someone going on a trip like this wouldn't read the rules and be prepared. I also can't believe that whomever was handling the booking didn't make them aware of what was required.

 

When I took my first cruise in 1984, the T/A I booked through specifically pointed out what I needed for proper ID, and I had to have my Mother go to the courthouse, get a cretified B/C, and mail it to me.

 

"Be Prepared" It's the motto of the Boy Scouts

[clean1owner]

Not sure why you're quoting the Royal Caribbean web site on the NCL board and the OP was talking about an NCL cruise, but in any event you can find similarly-worded information on NCL's site. Once again,please note that no mention is made of a need for the BC to be issued by the state, which seems to be the issue you're concerned about. As cited above, it only has to be government-issued.

 

 

And the one the Hospital gives you is NOT Government issued

[roger001]

Hey. It's not just NCL. I watched a TV program a few months ago involving either RCCL or CCL, can't remember which. It was an hour show on the Embarkation activities before a cruise. One of the traumatic parts of the show was the cruise line reps having to tell a family they (or a family member) couldn't board because of not having the correct documentation. Was sad to see the family turned away. But the cruise line had no other choice.

[blindrid]

No one is asking for anything from you! You wanted to know how someone so stupid for bringing the wrong BC could manage to find their way to a passport office and then get flights to St. Martin. The question was answered...their TA helped them.

 

 

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Geez, the medication time must have been missed.

 

With all of this conversation going on, I had one interesting comment mentioned by a NCL staff member when I brought that up. They did allow someone to board when someone faxed a copy of their BC. I would think that would be the same as a photocopy but at least those folks get on anyway.

 

In that case, I'm glad sanity broke out anyway.

[cherylroslyn]

I wonder if it would work. It says certifiedwith the seal and the county and town etc... and all match the criteria on the other BC's. The other children BC's have all the vital info.(weight etc.) I will have my passport (the kids WILL get theirs ASAP...now lol, but I went thru a long difficult divorce. Two are not minors and one will be 18 in 6 mos) So if you put all that info together, it all configures. BUT, I don't know if we want to chance them saying "It's NOT State issued :/ For a few min of her time and a couple of dollars, its worth the peace of mind to get a state issued one!

Hey sorry to chime into your personal business but does everyone have the same last name? Sometimes they require a note from the parent who is not present stating that it is ok for the minor to travel abroad with the parent. I have been asked for that once.....it was irrelevant in my situation but it still scared me.

[DMLyons]

Hey sorry to chime into your personal business but does everyone have the same last name? Sometimes they require a note from the parent who is not present stating that it is ok for the minor to travel abroad with the parent. I have been asked for that once.....it was irrelevant in my situation but it still scared me.

 

Divorcees I know often travel with the court orders for the child custody and/or that very note of approval, if the court requires it. Depending on the circumstances, the custodial parent may not need it at all, and if the kids are adults at time of sailing, certainly not. Thank goodness.

 

I had an airline give me problems once. Well, the supervisor overrode it, but the fact that my son is 'the third' and has III after his surname confused their computer and made them think I was traveling with a child who didn't have the same last name I do. Head desk. Thank goodness the supervisor managed to outsmart the machine. Grin...

 

DML

[dwjoe]

You're absolutely correct. Earlier in the thread, in post #19, I pointed out the possible alternative documentation the State Department may accept for issuance of a passport if you can't present a birth certificate that meets their requirements.

 

As you said, NCL has no choice but to insist on only documentation that satisfies Department of Homeland Security rules. NCL has no choice in the matter and can't accept alternatives and supplemental documentation that the State Department allows for passport issuance.

 

This is the crucial point, I think.

 

Government agencies have discretion to follow alternate procedures if you don't have correct documentation and can otherwise prove that you are who you say you are. I suspect that's what happened with the State Department.

 

Carriers such as NCL have no such discretion, b/c they have to make a decision at boarding time whether you have the correct documentation to get back into the country. They do not have discretion to make exceptions the way that the State Dept or CBP can, and they are subject to heavy penalties if they try. Furthermore, there is no government authority at the pier to appeal to, b/c you don't deal with CBP until you return.