Traveling with 18 month old - Need/Recommend Passport?

[Womack21499]

We will be cruising with our 18-month-old grandson next year and wanted to find out if anyone has done this with and without a passport?  Any issues without?  Recommendations?

[twangster]

What is your nationality, where do you live and where are you cruising?

[Womack21499]

U

3 minutes ago, twangster said:

What is your nationality, where do you live and where are you cruising?

American,USA, travelling to CocoCay, St Kitts, St. Thomas

[Another_Critic]

Are the parent's also going?  If not, you should get a notarized letter signed by the parents giving you permission to take their child on the cruise.  While you most likely won't be asked for it, it's good to have. 

[twangster]

The standard caveat applies to cruising without a passport.  If something occurs mid-cruise and you need to fly home, you would not be able to fly internationally without passports for everyone, baby included.   

[topnole]

10 minutes ago, Womack21499 said:

U

American,USA, travelling to CocoCay, St Kitts, St. Thomas

Have cruised with young kids that age.  With and without passports.  Only matters if you for some unlikely reason had to fly home mid cruise.  I wasn’t worried about it myself, but some would be.  A passport for a kid that age is only good for 5 years.  And the same price as adult passports that are good for 10 years (thanks state department).  Pretty expensive if you’ll never use/need again.  

[Womack21499]

Yes parents will be with us.  Good point about flying home.  Will obtain a passport.  Thanks.

[topnole]

2 minutes ago, Womack21499 said:

Yes parents will be with us.  Good point about flying home.  Will obtain a passport.  Thanks.

Fyi.  Both parents need to present at the government office when you apply or you need to have a notary sign off on the parental approval form.  It is also a very long wait for passports right now.  If cruising in the next 3-4 months, best to do expedited or you likely won’t have it back in time.  

[Womack21499]

1 minute ago, topnole said:

Fyi.  Both parents need to present at the government office when you apply or you need to have a notary sign off on the parental approval form.  It is also a very long wait for passports right now.  If cruising in the next 3-4 months, best to do expedited or you likely won’t have it back in time.  

Ok Thanks.  We still have a year before we cruise.  

[topnole]

3 minutes ago, Womack21499 said:

Ok Thanks.  We still have a year before we cruise.  

Then you’ll probably have it back in a month.  😂😂😂

[twinmommy08]

Never to young for a passport. The twins were 2 months old when they got their first one issued. On their 3rd renewal already 

[njkruzer]

Granddaughter had her first passport at 2 and global entry too since her parents were getting that.  She's 10 1/2 and passport was renewed recently, as was her global entry. 

[fpcruiser]

On 6/10/2023 at 8:04 PM, Another_Critic said:

Are the parent's also going?  If not, you should get a notarized letter signed by the parents giving you permission to take their child on the cruise.  While you most likely won't be asked for it, it's good to have. 

We were took both our grandkids on separate cruises from 2 different ports. Both ports we were asked for the notarized letter, which we had. They also had passports.

 

[njkruzer]

37 minutes ago, fpcruiser said:

We were took both our grandkids on separate cruises from 2 different ports. Both ports we were asked for the notarized letter, which we had. They also had passports.

 

Did you use Royal's form that is online?  We're supposed to be taking our granddaughter next summer.  Couldn't tell whose signature has to be notarized.  I assume just the parents' and not ours but it wasn't clear.  We'll be flying into LA, near where our children live and sailing from there, the day before and want to make sure we don't have to something just before boarding the ship.

[fpcruiser]

10 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

Did you use Royal's form that is online?  We're supposed to be taking our granddaughter next summer.  Couldn't tell whose signature has to be notarized.  I assume just the parents' and not ours but it wasn't clear.  We'll be flying into LA, near where our children live and sailing from there, the day before and want to make sure we don't have to something just before boarding the ship.

We used the form on Royal's website.  Both my daughter and myself signed the form in front of the notary.

[njkruzer]

Just now, fpcruiser said:

We used the form on Royal's website.  Both my daughter and myself signed the form in front of the notary.

Thanks. That's what I thought. We'll have to make plans to do it before heading to the port unless our flt arrives early the day before. 

[Mum2Mercury]

On 6/10/2023 at 7:52 PM, Womack21499 said:

We will be cruising with our 18-month-old grandson next year and wanted to find out if anyone has done this with and without a passport?  Any issues without?  Recommendations?

Age has nothing to do with documentation.  If you judge that you yourself need a passport, then you should get one for your grandson too.  

On 6/10/2023 at 8:09 PM, twangster said:

The standard caveat applies to cruising without a passport.  If something occurs mid-cruise and you need to fly home, you would not be able to fly internationally without passports for everyone, baby included.   

It's pretty hard to fly home mid-cruise with or without a passport.  

On 6/10/2023 at 8:21 PM, topnole said:

Fyi.  Both parents need to present at the government office when you apply or you need to have a notary sign off on the parental approval form.  It is also a very long wait for passports right now.  If cruising in the next 3-4 months, best to do expedited or you likely won’t have it back in time.  

Yes, getting a passport for a child is a hassle because both parents must be involved in the process (and we all understand why).  And then it's only good for five years!

1 hour ago, fpcruiser said:

We were took both our grandkids on separate cruises from 2 different ports. Both ports we were asked for the notarized letter, which we had. They also had passports.

 

We took our nieces on a cruise, and no one asked for the letter.  Still, I wouldn't have gone without it.  I would never have risked being turned away at the port.  

[twangster]

5 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

It's pretty hard to fly home mid-cruise with or without a passport.  

 

I flew home mid-cruise when a death occured in the family.  Wasn't that hard really.  Kind of expensive though.  I have my passport.  

 

Stuff happens in life, sometimes unexpected stuff.

 

The ship has a designated crew member to work with you for the unexpected.  

[topnole]

2 hours ago, fpcruiser said:

We were took both our grandkids on separate cruises from 2 different ports. Both ports we were asked for the notarized letter, which we had. They also had passports.

 

I still find it surprising they don’t require a BC in the sense that it is the document that proves the parental relationship.   With just a passport for the child, for example, wife and I could easily bring a niece or nephew with the same last name and no one would be the wiser at checkin.  But if I’m only one parent, I need a notarized form or I can’t even bring my own child.  Just seems proof of relationship would be required when traveling and a BC does that.  

[Mum2Mercury]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

I flew home mid-cruise when a death occured in the family.  Wasn't that hard really.  Kind of expensive though.  I have my passport ... 

What I mean is, you've gotta wait until the ship reaches an island (which, depending upon your itinerary, could be a day or two), then the small island airport has to have a flight going out to your area, and you've gotta be able to pay big bucks for that last-minute ticket.  With or without a passport, putting that all together isn't easy.  

26 minutes ago, topnole said:

I still find it surprising they don’t require a BC in the sense that it is the document that proves the parental relationship.   With just a passport for the child, for example, wife and I could easily bring a niece or nephew with the same last name and no one would be the wiser at checkin.  But if I’m only one parent, I need a notarized form or I can’t even bring my own child.  Just seems proof of relationship would be required when traveling and a BC does that.  

You make a good point, though -- in theory -- only the parent could get his or her hands on the child's passport.  

[Sunseeker20]

I just did this research because I took my kids on a cruise last month.. RC wants all children to travel with passports whether the country you visit requires one or not

[FamilyCruiserUK]

Just get a passport solves sooo many issues, what ifs, maybe's.....🤷

 

If your spending all that money on a cruise and other costs, buying a really important document is a no brainer. (I hold two passports, then it gets expensive to renew, but still they last 10 years and cost £90 a time so less then £10 a year in theory) . Also a keepsake for when the child is older 👍 we have all our old ones. 

 

We took our neice ( same surname) away on a cruise with princess, yes we had to fly and i had to have a written consent letter from my sister to travel on flights and onboard as well as everyone having passports.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

9 hours ago, Sunseeker20 said:

I just did this research because I took my kids on a cruise last month.. RC wants all children to travel with passports whether the country you visit requires one or not

Where do you get that information?

[S.A.M.J.R.]

2 hours ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

I hold two passports, then it gets expensive to renew, but still they last 10 years and cost £90 a time so less then £10 a year in theory)

Except in the US, it's $135 ($100 application fee + $35 acceptance fee), and a child's passport is only good for 5 years.  

[FamilyCruiserUK]

1 hour ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Except in the US, it's $135 ($100 application fee + $35 acceptance fee), and a child's passport is only good for 5 years.  

Childrens passports in the UK are only valid for 5 years as well. 135 usd over 5 years thats not much tbh..., i am guessing people spend more then that in a month or two on takeaways, mcdonalds etc. I dont see it as a huge spend tbh.

Edited June 18, 2023 by FamilyCruiserUK