Help with IDs

[FloridaGator]

  Have called RCL twice and gotten different answers. Does anyone know for sure or had recent personal experience what , if any type of ID, do children (ages 4 to 13) need to go on Harmony of the Seas on a closed loop western caribbean cruise from Pt. Canaveral? The parents have passports.   Thanx and Happy New Year.

[Merion_Mom]

As I guess you know, passport is best.

 

If you don't have a passport, each one needs an official government-issued  birth certificate.

[klfrodo]

At minimum, If traveling with both custodial parents, children under 16 would only need birth certificates. 

[lovescats5]

We had both passport and school id for 12 yo granddaughter and were never asked for them.  They just took the set sail passes and were good with that.  This was on Anthem so do not know if it would be different for Harmony.

[Dancingnurse79]

Personally, I’d never risk leaving the country without having passports for everyone. No one expects to be the one(s) left behind at the port but it happens to someone all the time. 

[smplybcause]

All you need to get on the ship for children under 16, assuming parents are getting on the ship, is an official birth certificate (not any hospital issued unofficial one if they still do that).

 

Personally I would have a passport if I took my kids out of the country. Small price to pay for peace of mind. And an excellent excuse to plan more vacations!

[Illbcruzn4life]

2 hours ago, lovescats5 said:

We had both passport and school id for 12 yo granddaughter and were never asked for them.  They just took the set sail passes and were good with that.  This was on Anthem so do not know if it would be different for Harmony.

 

That's very odd. They usually scrutinize the id's at the port of embarkation especially for children.

[SRF]

And the requirement is BOTH parents going, or proof of sole custody, or notarized permission to take child out of the country.

 

You may not be asked for it, but if asked, and you don't have it, you will have issues.

[taglovestocruise]

Took our 12 year old granddaughter on Oasis two years ago. We were advised by Royal to bring her birth certificate, photo ID from her school, which we did not have, and a notarized permission note from the parents.  Flew from LAX on Jetblue and they required nothing,  Checked in at the cruise terminal and they just asked how old she was and that was it. Disembarked, went through customs, checked in at airport kiosk, went through TSA pre check and no one asked for anything.  But as SRF said it is better to have everything and need nothing.