URGENT: At the airport; wife's passport is in her maiden name!

[FrankSpatafore]

Sorry for the abruptness but we are to sail on the Oasis today and we think we might not be able to get on! We are recently married and my wife thought her last name was changed on her passport. It turns out that we find out while waiting to board the flight to Florida today that her passport still has her maiden name! She is crying, we tried calling Royal Caribbean's emergency line but they said no one can help us for another 2 hours! Our flight will already be leaving by then!

 

Will they not let us on the cruise? Her driver's license is in her new name. It would stink (but would be understandable) if we are not allowed off the ship at the ports of call, but it would be HORRIBLE if we would not even be able to get on the ship at all!! Someone from Royal Caribbean, when we called the emergency number back, said we will not even be allowed on the ship! We are hoping she was just mistaken....is there anything we can do or anyone we can call??? :( :( :(

Edited May 10, 2014 by FrankSpatafore

[dz9yvr]

Sorry for the abruptness but we are to sail on the Oasis today and we think we might not be able to get on! We are recently married and my wife thought her last name was changed on her passport. It turns out that we find out while waiting to board the flight to Florida today that her passport still has her maiden name! She is crying, we tried calling Royal Caribbean's emergency line but they said no one can help us for another 2 hours! Our flight will already be leaving by then!

 

Will they not let us on the cruise? Her driver's license is in her new name. It would stink (but would be understandable) if we are not allowed off the ship at the ports of call, but it would be HORRIBLE if we would not even be able to get on the ship at all!! Someone from Royal Caribbean, when we called the emergency number back, said we will not even be allowed on the ship! We are hoping she was just mistaken....is there anything we can do or anyone we can call??? :( :( :(

 

 

Does anyone have access to a copy of your marriage license or your wife's birth certificate? If so I would have them get the documents and be prepared to FAX them to you?

 

Perhaps you can use your wife's drivers license to establish a paper trail that documents her name. In any case, you need to fly to Fort Lauderdale and settle it there.

 

Good Luck and let us know how what happens.

Edited May 10, 2014 by dz9yvr

[FrankSpatafore]

Does anyone have access to a copy of your marriage license or your wife's birth certificate? If so I would have them get the documents and be prepared to FAX them to you?

 

Perhaps you can use your wife's drivers license to establish a paper trail that documents her name. In any case, you need to fly to Fort Lauderdale and settle it there.

 

Good Luck and let us know how what happens.

 

Thank you for the reply. Luckily my dad is trying right now to find our marriage license (he is watching after our pets so he is in the house) but we don't know which number to fax it to since the emergency number we called said they don't really know anything until 2 hours when supervisors get in.

[banderboo]

Have your dad take a picture of the documents with his phone and text them to you while you figure out the fax number. They will most likely still need the fax but at least you'll have something with you to show them.

[celebrity]

Thank you for the reply. Luckily my dad is trying right now to find our marriage license (he is watching after our pets so he is in the house) but we don't know which number to fax it to since the emergency number we called said they don't really know anything until 2 hours when supervisors get in.

 

I am pretty sure they can be faxed once you get to the pier. I recall seeing that happening when I watched a TV show on Oasis of the Seas where passengers had insufficient documentation.

Please keep us posted. I am so sorry you Nd your wife are going through this. :(

[FrankSpatafore]

I am pretty sure they can be faxed once you get to the pier. I recall seeing that happening when I watched a TV show on Oasis of the Seas where passengers had insufficient documentation.

Please keep us posted. I am so sorry you Nd your wife are going through this. :(

 

Yeah this is 1000% our fault, I wish I knew to book the cruise in her maiden name and this would be all fine. I tried logging into the pre-boarding thing on Royal's website to see if I could change her name but it does not look like I can.

 

Have your dad take a picture of the documents with his phone and text them to you while you figure out the fax number. They will most likely still need the fax but at least you'll have something with you to show them.

 

His cell phone is from 1998 but I will try to explain to him how to scan (this will be fun) and email it to me. At this point we are willing to live with not being allowed to leave the ship (since that would be a local law thing; totally understood) and we'll just stay on the ship on port days, but we're really scared we won't even get on the ship.

 

Thank you for the idea though; as soon as we get the fax number I will have him fax it, but until then we are petrified something is going to go wrong.

 

I actually think my wife *DID* get a new passport with her new name, but she probably took the old one (which does not expire until 2020) by accident!

Edited May 10, 2014 by FrankSpatafore

[celebrity]

At least you have a number of hours to get this sorted out. Please try and stay calm.

[celebrity]

Yeah this is 1000% our fault, I wish I knew to book the cruise in her maiden name and this would be all fine. I tried logging into the pre-boarding thing on Royal's website to see if I could change her name but it does not look like I can.

 

 

 

His cell phone is from 1998 but I will try to explain to him how to scan (this will be fun) and email it to me. At this point we are willing to live with not being allowed to leave the ship (since that would be a local law thing; totally understood) and we'll just stay on the ship on port days, but we're really scared we won't even get on the ship.

 

Thank you for the idea though; as soon as we get the fax number I will have him fax it, but until then we are petrified something is going to go wrong.

 

I actually think my wife *DID* get a new passport with her new name, but she probably took the old one (which does not expire until 2020) by accident!

 

Is there a neighbor with a Smartphone? Perhaps they can take a photo for your Dad and send it to you.

[FrankSpatafore]

Is there a neighbor with a Smartphone? Perhaps they can take a photo for your Dad and send it to you.

 

He actually is trying to drive it to the airport right now! Hopefully there is no issue with my wife having to go through security a second time. Wish us luck! Gotta get dad a nice gift for this one....

[celebrity]

He actually is trying to drive it to the airport right now! Hopefully there is no issue with my wife having to go through security a second time. Wish us luck! Gotta get dad a nice gift for this one....

 

Good luck! Please let us know what happens.

[FrankSpatafore]

She just texted me that he already got it to her (she was waiting outside the airport for him) and luckily we live 20 minutes from the airport; they are boarding my flight now but she is at the x-ray thing so we should be fine. Hopefully I will run into one of you nice people on the ship and get someone a beer or something :)

Edited May 10, 2014 by FrankSpatafore

[Signet]

If she did actually send in for a name change on her passport, they do not change the picture page name. The name change is typed in on the last page of the passport. They do not change the first page until you renew.... Check the last page and see if the name change is there. Of course she would have to have sent the passport

[celebrity]

She just texted me that he already got it to her (she was waiting outside the airport for him) and luckily we live 20 minutes from the airport; they are boarding my flight now but she is at the x-ray thing so we should be fine. Hopefully I will run into one of you nice people on the ship and get someone a beer or something :)

 

What great news! Now you can relax and hit the bar for a tall drink at the Pool Bar.

Congrats on your wedding and Happy Sails!

[chengkp75]

Get to the terminal as soon as possible, and try to get in line first. That way, there will be the maximum amount of time to get the document faxed. There should also be a "floating" coordinator, walking the lines, and if you can get their attention and explain the problem, you can possibly get earlier assistance.

 

Thinking on it, you might be okay. She has a drivers license with a photo in her married name? And this is the name on the booking? That shows identity. The passport will take the place of the birth certificate as proof of citizenship, and also has a photo, so both can verify her identity. Passport is a better proof of citizenship than BC. Since both have photos, the "bridge" document of a marriage license may not be required. Having said that, when travelling with documents showing different names (marriage, divorce, or adoption) bridge documents are required but rarely asked for.

 

As far as getting off in foreign ports, they typically use the documentation provided at embarkation, as this goes on the passenger manifest, and everyone is cleared as transit passengers, so there should be no problems (not sure of which countries you're going to), and the ports will generally only ask for a photo ID. Hope all works out.

 

edit: Okay, seems like it was resolved while I was typing. Have a good time.

Edited May 10, 2014 by chengkp75

[Cruisegirl6]

Go find a kinko, office max something somewhere that it can be faxed over to you! Even a ups store too. I think it be ok anyways. Opsie I see it all good so glad to hear that what a relief, I am heading to south Florida in a couple of hours for my cruise on the Allure tomorrow, Bon Voyage!

Edited May 10, 2014 by lyndamr

[cruisinfanatic]

I am pretty sure they can be faxed once you get to the pier. I recall seeing that happening when I watched a TV show on Oasis of the Seas where passengers had insufficient documentation.

Please keep us posted. I am so sorry you Nd your wife are going through this. :(

Don't think the op needs the marriage license in this case. With the Oasis issue, none of the docs that person had matched the name on the cruise booking. In this case the passport in maiden name and drivers license in the name of the cruise docs is actually much better than just a BC and drivers license

[hollon]

I just said a prayer for you that you will be able to get on, I know the worrying is very upsetting. We've all been there. Please let us know if you get on and relax and have a good time :)

[NeuroQueen]

I can't imagine the morning you have had. Hope it all works out and you have a fabulous time. We will be boarding when you leave. Have a nice stiff drink upon arrival.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Good luck! I also saw the TV show about the Oasis, and they said RC makes every effort possible to get people with documentation issues like this on the ship...have a wonderful cruise!

Edited May 10, 2014 by sunsetbeachgal

[dacsmom]

What an incredibly stressful morning, glad you discovered the name mismatch before you got on the plane. Hopefully everything is fine now. Please let us know when you board that everything is ok.

[33tekfan]

If she did actually send in for a name change on her passport, they do not change the picture page name. The name change is typed in on the last page of the passport. They do not change the first page until you renew.... Check the last page and see if the name change is there. Of course she would have to have sent the passport

 

Moot point now as the O/P seems to have settled this but this information is not true. I just had to replace my passport as I was married in August and traveled in April. I had to send in as though I was applying for a whole new passport (including the $140 fee!) and my passport has my new name on the same page as my picture. Perhaps your information was true at one point, but from my experience it is not any more.

[lovesthebeach2]

I'm sure this will all work out. Please let us know you made it on the ship. Good luck and have a great cruise!

[mspink98]

Moot point now as the O/P seems to have settled this but this information is not true. I just had to replace my passport as I was married in August and traveled in April. I had to send in as though I was applying for a whole new passport (including the $140 fee!) and my passport has my new name on the same page as my picture. Perhaps your information was true at one point, but from my experience it is not any more.

 

Wow, that really stinks. When I got married back in the dark ages of 1997 ;) I can confirm that I just sent it in, they endorsed the last page with my new name, and sent me back the exact same passport. More importantly, there was no fee.

[KALCJ1]

If she did actually send in for a name change on her passport, they do not change the picture page name. The name change is typed in on the last page of the passport. They do not change the first page until you renew.... Check the last page and see if the name change is there. Of course she would have to have sent the passport

 

Actually, I went to do a name change in December and I had to pay for a brand new passport with a new picture.

[KALCJ1]

She just texted me that he already got it to her (she was waiting outside the airport for him) and luckily we live 20 minutes from the airport; they are boarding my flight now but she is at the x-ray thing so we should be fine. Hopefully I will run into one of you nice people on the ship and get someone a beer or something :)

 

So glad to hear everything worked out. Have a great time on your cruise!!