travel documents for minors

[bubba83]

cruising in 2016, would my 5.5 year old and 3 year old at the time be fine to travel with just their birth certificats? And it has to be the original correct?

[Clarea]

cruising in 2016, would my 5.5 year old and 3 year old at the time be fine to travel with just their birth certificats? And it has to be the original correct?

If the cruise starts and ends at the same US port, and the children are US citizens, then certified copies of the BC are fine.

[cruisenfever]

cruising in 2016, would my 5.5 year old and 3 year old at the time be fine to travel with just their birth certificats? And it has to be the original correct?

From the RCI website regarding Travel Documentation

[bubba83]

thanks, I just get nervous about something happening to the originals. We are starting and stopping out of Baltimore :)

[cruisenfever]

thanks, I just get nervous about something happening to the originals. We are starting and stopping out of Baltimore :)

The Port of Baltimore is one of the more organized boarding facilities.

[Clarea]

thanks, I just get nervous about something happening to the originals. We are starting and stopping out of Baltimore :)

You don't need originals, I'd get certified copies so you don't have to risk the originals.

[CruiseDude_83]

We just got back form sailing out of San Juan on Jewel. We used the certified copy of our DD (1 year old) and we were fine. If it is not the original it must be a certified stamped and/or embossed copy from the government entity that issues the birth records in your area.

[Marie51]

We just got back form sailing out of San Juan on Jewel. We used the certified copy of our DD (1 year old) and we were fine. If it is not the original it must be a certified stamped and/or embossed copy from the government entity that issues the birth records in your area.

 

A copy of a BC does not necessarily have to be stamped or embossed. Some states now have a watermark on their copies instead.

[bubba83]

thanks for all the feedback. I cant wait to see their excitement! my first cruse was when I was 17, so it will be a different experience for them for sure! I already show my daughters pics and videos of the cruise/ship! April 2016 can come quick!

[mollyeilis]

thanks, I just get nervous about something happening to the originals. We are starting and stopping out of Baltimore :)

 

An "original" BC just means the originally-received certified copy of the information kept by the registrar's office. Might be sentimental, but it's no different than any other certified copies you might get. I personally am on my third certified copy of the info from the registrar's office in the county of my birth.

 

 

If you're American and going on a closed-loop cruise to certain countries starting in the US, and your cruise info says BCs are fine, then a BC is fine. For the cruise.

 

Should anyone have an emergency while on the cruise and you have to fly anywhere, have fun getting the passports (at highly increased cost for the expedited/same-day type of passports) when you really want to be on the plane. 'Tis the risk you're taking.

 

But most likely everything will be totally fine, and the BCs will work to get you on the ship and back home with no issues.

[Desert Cruizers]

We take our Passports on every cruise, expedites check in and for those unforseen emergencies and needing a flight home, airlines will want a passport.

[doubledown13]

We did the research about this for our DD's (7 months old) first cruise this Oct and decided to go the passport route. They said that a BC is fine for getting on the ship, but if we needed to get home because of an emergency from one of the ports a passport would be required. It was $80 to get her a passport and we felt it was well worth the piece of mind.

[Jenjer]

We started cruising with our kids at 4 and 6. We would never think of doing it without a passport. Just because you can does not mean you should. Emergencies happen to anyone and I would never want something as stupid as a paperwork delay getting a sick or hurt kid home.

 

You have plenty of time to get them and they become great souvenirs. I look at their first passport pics and they were so little.

[snorkelman]

We take our Passports on every cruise, expedites check in and for those unforseen emergencies and needing a flight home, airlines will want a passport.

 

Are you suggesting that OP get a passport for her minor child for the reasons you listed?

Edited September 26, 2014 by snorkelman

[sapphiregem]

If you go the passport route minors passports only last 5 years so do not get it in 2014 for a 2016 sailing....and give yourself a good 10 weeks to get the passport in....usually it does not take that long, but why give yourself a coronary.