Soy Milk and traveling with minor child?

[mompella]

We are sailing on Liberty of the seas in a few weeks and have a couple of quick questions yet. Is there Soy Milk at the coffee shops? My sister can't have milk. And my sister is traveling with her daughter and she is divorced. Does anyone have a link to the document she needs to have for her daughter? I am traveling without my husband and with my children. Do I need to have a form? Thank you for your help!!

[Ourusualbeach]

Soy milk is available on the ships. On the freedom we had no problem getting soy milk at the cafe promenade! WJ or in the MDR.

[Spurschick]

We are sailing on Liberty of the seas in a few weeks and have a couple of quick questions yet. Is there Soy Milk at the coffee shops? My sister can't have milk. And my sister is traveling with her daughter and she is divorced. Does anyone have a link to the document she needs to have for her daughter? I am traveling without my husband and with my children. Do I need to have a form? Thank you for your help!!

 

I have travelled several times with our DD and without my DH and have never filled out any forms, Nor have I been asked for any.

 

It is also recommended to let them know of any dietary restrictions ahead of time, they will make sure she is well catered for.

Edited March 2, 2015 by Spurschick

[mompella]

thank you for your reply. I have been on boards like this for years, but still have yet to figure out what DD and DH stands for. Can you tell me :)

[Esilef]

thank you for your reply. I have been on boards like this for years, but still have yet to figure out what DD and DH stands for. Can you tell me :)

 

 

DD= darling daughter

DH= darling husband

DS= darling son

[cb at sea]

Or, Damn daughter, or Doofus daughter....fill in the blank! Or dusty...or drunk...or devilish....whatever!

[ColoradoGurl]

We are sailing on Liberty of the seas in a few weeks and have a couple of quick questions yet. Is there Soy Milk at the coffee shops? My sister can't have milk. And my sister is traveling with her daughter and she is divorced. Does anyone have a link to the document she needs to have for her daughter? I am traveling without my husband and with my children. Do I need to have a form? Thank you for your help!!

 

Short answer, no. As long as one parent is present, there is nothing needed. Royal Caribbean states this on their website: only one parent needs to travel with the child, not two. Letters are only needed if a non-parent (like a grandparent, aunt, uncle, neighbor etc) is taking the child on a cruise without one of the parents.

 

Why would it be different just because someone is divorced vs someone being married but traveling without their spouse? Is there some secret marriage card people carry around that let's people know you're married? Because I've never had to show a card saying that I'm single. Sorry but this question always bugs me because of the implication that somehow divorced people are wearing some kind of scarlet letter or that married people are more special than single and divorced people and that makes it easier for them to travel with their kids. If your question was really whether or not a parent with a different last name need travel documentation, then that's probably what you should have asked, because I know a few married people who never changed their last names and have different last names from their kids even though they're married, and I know lots more people who are divorced (or like myself, never married) who still have the same last name as their kids.

 

So, to answer the question I think you're asking, which I assume is "can parents with different last names travel without documentation?" Yes, they can, and no they don't need any documentation. I'm not divorced but I'm also not married, but I do have a child and I've never had anyone at an airline counter, customs counter or cruise port ever ask me if I'm divorced or married. Depending on where a person travels, the documentation rules are different. Royal Caribbean only requires children to be with one parent, and as long as one parent is present, they don't care where the other parent is, divorced or married, nor do they ask. There is no documentation needed unless child is traveling without a parent. And if the last names are different, then you will need to have a birth certificate to show the parental connection (this has to be done even if you're married because it's about having the same last name, not about your marital status). If you are traveling by plane to another country, they sometimes do require that you have a letter from the other parent (both married and single people need to do this regardless of last names); example, flying to Mexico requires this. That being said, I flew to Mexico with my daughter a couple months ago and nobody asked me for any letter. I've also cruised twice with my child and have never been asked for a letter (nor do they require one, because only one parent needs to be traveling with the child). Sorry for my rant, I just think the way the question is phrased so often specifying "married vs divorced" rather than "parents with different last names" is ignorant.

Edited March 3, 2015 by ColoradoGurl

[ColoradoGurl]

Sorry for ranting, I know you asked about documentation for yourself as well, but the implication was that it is somehow different for your sister being divorced than it would be for you being married and traveling without your spouse, and the question about yourself seemed like an afterthought given you felt like they were separate scenarios that the customs agents would somehow know the difference between the two of you. This question gets asked often on this board as though for some reason people think anybody knows (or cares) that you're married.

Edited March 3, 2015 by ColoradoGurl

[bighairtexan]

OR you could take her question at face value.

 

I don't know what the rule is now but I travelled w/ my BFF and her daughter. SHE DID have to have a notarized statement granting permission for her to leave the country with her daughter and it WAS asked for each time. Granted this was 20 years ago but the question is not outrageous or fraught with "implications."

[ColoradoGurl]

OR you could take her question at face value.

 

I don't know what the rule is now but I travelled w/ my BFF and her daughter. SHE DID have to have a notarized statement granting permission for her to leave the country with her daughter and it WAS asked for each time. Granted this was 20 years ago but the question is not outrageous or fraught with "implications."

 

I did take it at face value. She asked the question as though BECAUSE her sister is divorced, she needs documentation. And that she, as a married person, might require documentation that is different from the divorced person, which I think is an ignorant and insulting question.

[ColoradoGurl]

OR you could take her question at face value.

 

I don't know what the rule is now but I travelled w/ my BFF and her daughter. SHE DID have to have a notarized statement granting permission for her to leave the country with her daughter and it WAS asked for each time. Granted this was 20 years ago but the question is not outrageous or fraught with "implications."

 

And as I said, if you're flying to another country, you DO need documentation (whether your married or not) but that for a cruise, you don't. Unless of course you are taking the cruise from a different country that requires you fly there.

[Cel_cruise]

I need soy milk for my coffee. I was able to get it at the MDR (but it was on another level so a longer wait the first night when our assistant waiter got it - he brought a cup up for my coffee every night after that as soon as we arrived!)

 

On day 6 of our cruise, I tried to get it at cafe promenade and they were all out - expecting it later that night or the next morning (I left without Starbucks). The next night (night 7) the dining room was out too - they said they were waiting for it to be brought up from supplies but still wasn't out yet...

 

I was able to survive without it...no Starbucks Lattes and only had a single cup with a splash of milk at dinner that night...but just warning that it can happen....I think that if I had a more serious allergy or if it was for my son (when he was little he really needed to drink milk more on a daily basis than now!), I might have pushed more with guest services to get it unpacked. The general consensus was they were all surprised to be out for so long!

[splash_in_the_water]

Or, Damn daughter, or Doofus daughter....fill in the blank! Or dusty...or drunk...or devilish....whatever!

 

Indeed, whatever you want it to be lol

Edited March 3, 2015 by splash_in_the_water

[kasil]

The issue with traveling with children with only one parent has nothing to do with whether or not the parent is married - it has to do with custody and kidnapping. The notarized letter from the non-traveling parent is needed as proof that they know that the child is leaving the country. I've been told that some countries won't let you enter without that proof. I've never been asked for it, but I never travel without documention if the father of my children isn't with us. FWIW, he is my husband.

[Bellyflopchamp]

Royal's website the blurb below on it. To me that reads that if you are the parent and your last names are differnt you will need some type of link (Birth certificate, passport, etc) between your name and the child's name. Keep in mind also that if the child's brith certificate doesnt show the mother's maiden (current) name you will also need court documents/marriage certificates that show the links between all the names. These also all need to be certified copies.

 

Family Legal Documents

Should the last names of the parent and minor child traveling with them differ, the parent is required to present the child's valid passport and visa (if required) and the child's birth certificate (original, a notarized copy or a certified copy). The name of the parent(s) and the child must be linked through legal documentation.

 

Adults who are not the parent or Legal Guardian of any minor child traveling with them are required to present the child's valid passport and visa or the child's birth certificate (original, a notarized copy or a certified copy) and an original notarized letter signed by at least one of the child's parents. The notarized letter from the child's parent must authorize the traveling adult to take the child on the specific cruise, must authorize guardian to sign legal documentation/waivers for participation in any activities requiring them (i.e. Rock Climbing, Flowrider, Bungee Trampoline, Inline Skating, or Ice Skating) and must authorize the traveling adult to supervise the child and permit any medical treatment that must be administered to the child. If a non-parent adult is a Legal Guardian, the adult must present a certified certificate of Guardianship with respect to the child.

 

Link to where this can be found is:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=329&faqSubjectName=Cruise+Documents&faqId=2814

 

I am sorry for any backlash that you might have gotten on here for an innocent question about forms that you may need. Uncalled for IMHO.

 

Oh and I have no clue why everyone needs to abreiviate husaband, wife, son, daughter on forums. To me it is more of a pain to do the capital DD than to write out daughter. Again just my opinion.

[bubba83]

The issue with traveling with children with only one parent has nothing to do with whether or not the parent is married - it has to do with custody and kidnapping. The notarized letter from the non-traveling parent is needed as proof that they know that the child is leaving the country. I've been told that some countries won't let you enter without that proof. I've never been asked for it, but I never travel without documention if the father of my children isn't with us. FWIW, he is my husband.

 

right! If in the custody order it has something to do with travel then they should abide by that. And I would get a notarized letter where the father is giving the mother permission since its travel outside of their state of residence just to be on the safe side.

It could be something she would never have to show the cruise line but just so the father cant say she kidnapped the child.

[brillohead]

I used to travel with my son a couple times a year through Canada on the way to/from my MIL's house in NY from our home in MI.

 

Even though I was married, I always carried a notarized letter signed by my husband stating that I had his permission to travel on specified dates to specified places for specified purposes. Customs officials always looked at the letter and we never had any problems.

 

I had a Canadian friend whose husband died when her son was only one year old. She had a hard time boarding a flight five months later when she was coming to a gathering in Washington, DC, because she didn't have her husband's written permission to leave the country with the baby. (They did ultimately let her on the plane, but it was a long, drawn-out process that almost made her miss her flight.) After that, she always made a point of carrying a copy of her husband's death certificate with her when traveling out of the country.

 

So while it may not be officially required when one parent (married or divorced) is traveling out of the country with a minor child, I always strongly encourage people to get written permission, notarized, with specifics (dates/times/places). Sometimes it's not possible to get such a letter -- let's face it, sometimes your ex is just a PITA. In that circumstance, I would at the very least bring custody paperwork that shows that you have both legal and physical custody of the child. Someone with legal/physical custody is unlikely to kidnap their child -- that's typically the m.o. of the non-custodial parent.

[brillohead]

Some official governmental backup for my comments in the previous post:

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/268/~/children---child-traveling-with-one-parent-or-someone-who-is-not-a-parent-or

 

If a child (under the age of 18) is traveling with only one parent or someone who is not a parent or legal guardian, what paperwork should the adult have to indicate permission or legal authority to have that child in their care?

 

Due to the increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and as possible victims of child pornography, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, the adult have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, friends, or in groups*, a note signed by both parents) stating "I acknowledge that my wife/husband/etc. is traveling out of the country with my son/daughter/group. He/She/They has/have my permission to do so." See our Q&A parental consent.

 

* School groups, teen tours, vacation groups.

 

CBP also suggests that this note be notarized.

 

While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if we do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed. If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (deceased, sole custody, etc.) any other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., would be useful.

 

Adults traveling with children should also be aware that, while the U.S. does not require this documentation, many other countries do; failure to produce notarized permission letters and/or birth certificates could result in travelers being refused entry (Canada has very strict requirements in this regard).

[mompella]

Sorry I didn't mean to offend anyone. I kinda forgot to mention that my sister has changed her name back to her maiden name. So her and her daughters names do not match. That should have been my real question.