Cruise documents

[Cruzin RN]

We always use our passports, so we are not sure the answer to this:

 

2 adults family members cruising with us, leaving from/returning to port canaveral (closed loop) US citizens. Told by RCI that they could use certified birth certificate, photo ID..female must show marriage certificate (because name on birth cert different than photo ID, married 40+ yrs [emoji1])

 

Does this sound correct? Can anyone confirm that you have used the above for documentation....dont want any surprises at the port.

 

Looking for at least 10 ayes before I feel comfortable! Thanks CC peeps!

[knbcruisers]

I don't know the answer to this....however keep in mind that if one of them is injured or sick enough to need to return to US in a hurry,you can't board a plane from a foreign country without a passport.

[majarosh]

You must display name trail

[Langley Cruisers]

Official info is at this link:

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise <--click here

 

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[Cruzin RN]

True..they are going to try to get a passport, but need a back plan in case they dont receive it in time. They dont want to spend the extra money to put a rush on the passport.

[DonnaK]

yes, this paper trail is adequate. I've used exactly the same thing in Port Canaveral (and they DID ask for my marriage certificate to connect the names)

 

Keep in mind that if they apply for their passport, they have to send away their BC (which is returned with the passport), so if it doesn't come back in time, then make sure they have another certified copy of the BC to take with them.

[majarosh]

So anyway...I know this to be true as my daughter and husband do not have passports and this is also what I was told....please tell your family to BE SURE the birth certificate is "LONG FORM" certificate....long story short...my very first cruise post 911 I showed up at the dock with a "SHORT FORM" and the folks at the pier wouldn't take it...had to go up the ladder emptied my wallet with tons of ID...including my original social security card...pre marriage. ..don't know why I had it in my wallet...anyway...got on ! Promised myself to start the process to obtain a passport. It took me over 6 months to obtain a long form and DIRECT intervention from my US SENATOR MARCO RUBIO to settle everything ONE WEEK before my NEXT cruise !!!

[Cruzin RN]

yes, this paper trail is adequate. I've used exactly the same thing in Port Canaveral (and they DID ask for my marriage certificate to connect the names)

 

Keep in mind that if they apply for their passport, they have to send away their BC (which is returned with the passport), so if it doesn't come back in time, then make sure they have another certified copy of the BC to take with them.

 

 

Great point donna k., about the birth cert..

 

thanks, I wanted to hear that someone did this successfully.. This is my family members 1st RCI cruise, going with us.. Since we brag about royal, we didnt want them to have bad experience!

[cb at sea]

Your BC and DL are fine for "closed loop" cruises. Marriage lic. is not needed.....but if they want to bring it...it's a piece of paper!

[sjb317]

Yes, I've cruised twice using birth certificate & DL, and, no, I was not asked for my marriage certificate. And both of my parents cruised with us in January, 2014 without passports, no problems. My mom was not asked for her marriage certificate either. It's probably a good idea to bring it with you but obviously, it is not routinely asked for.

 

Sherri:)

[waterbug123]

(closed loop) US citizens. Told by RCI that they could use certified birth certificate, photo ID..female must show marriage certificate (because name on birth cert different than photo ID, married 40+ yrs [emoji1])

 

Does this sound correct?

 

Yes, that is correct. You must show proof of identity and proof of citizenship. A passport proves both, so that's why if you have a passport you don't need anything else. For others such as your family members, the birth certificate is needed to prove citizenship, and the photo ID is needed to prove identity.

As mentioned already, the birth certificate needs to be an official, certified birth certificate. A souvenir certificate like those issued by some hospitals won't be accepted. If your state issues both a long form and a short form, use the long form. Photo ID needs to be government issued. And yes, if the names on the BC and the DL don't match, a marriage certificate is needed to show the link between the two.

 

True..they are going to try to get a passport, but need a back plan in case they dont receive it in time. They dont want to spend the extra money to put a rush on the passport.

 

I think someone mentioned this, but I'll say it again- when you apply for a passport you need to send your birth certificate off with the passport application and it is returned with the passport. So unless the family members in question have two official copies of their birth certificate, they might want to see how quickly they can get another, so that they have a back up in case the passport (and mailed in birth certificate) does not come back in time.

[mollyeilis]

It took me over 6 months to obtain a long form and DIRECT intervention from my US SENATOR MARCO RUBIO to settle everything ONE WEEK before my NEXT cruise !!!

 

All that should have been needed was to pay for a new certified birth certificate from the county of your birth. The ones they sent out should have been the correct format. That's what happened after things changed a few years back; the ones they sent out after the change were the correct one. Mystifying that it took so long.

 

Thankfully both my state and DH and DS's state of birth have always had the needed info (spots for both parents) and there's no difference in the info on them.

 

 

 

OP, bringing the marriage certificate is awesome, and I hope they are asked for it. Freaks me out that they let women onboard willy nilly without proving why the name is different, or that the person is the same at all. Mary Jones shouldn't be trusted to have been Mary Smith without a reason for the name change! After all, once DH changes his name to mine (something he's wanted to do for years but won't while his mom is around), they surely won't let HIM on without a certified paper trail of why/when his name changed...

[garycarla]

Question is asked almost daily.

 

The answer is they are fine.

 

Then, most times everyone wants to jump in and tell the poster they should get passports. And of course the usual argument about flying back home without a passport.

 

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

[majarosh]

Being adopted in the state of NJ in 1953 and me being in Florida not was THAT easy..didn't need to be concerned about short vs long pre 911....sigh...but...got it done !

[nyer]

Your BC and DL are fine for "closed loop" cruises. Marriage lic. is not needed.....but if they want to bring it...it's a piece of paper!

 

 

This is incorrect information. The BC and DL are in two different names. She has to show the paper trail to her married name.

[flowers44]

True..they are going to try to get a passport, but need a back plan in case they dont receive it in time. They dont want to spend the extra money to put a rush on the passport.

 

When you get your first passport, you have to send in your Birth Certificate with the application. If they are not sure the passports will come back in time with regular service, they will need that birth certificate when boarding the ship and they would not have it back in time. I think I would just do the expedited service and be done with it.

[knbcruisers]

The expedited fee per the State Dept is $60 pp for a document with a 10 year lifespan. If they are getting passports already I would encourage them to pay the extra. Think how easy to will be to take another trip some where great , just pack and go :). If they were not getting passports then I would understand why the questions.