Urgent Birth Certificate Question

So how do you score such a great deal?

Casino Offer

Casino Offer

Nice! I have my Passport ready. Want to take me?! [emoji39]

Nice! I have my Passport ready. Want to take me?! [emoji39]

This issue is that I can't go. Boss was okay with me being out this week, BUT if we can't get back to the port Sunday die to Maria, then I may not have a job come the next week. Lol

This issue is that I can't go. Boss was okay with me being out this week, BUT if we can't get back to the port Sunday die to Maria, then I may not have a job come the next week. Lol

Oops yeah. That could put a damper on things! But it’s going to stay away from FL from all the reports I have seen including the 12:00pm update. I think you would be safe.

Wow. I ordered 2 copies just in case I misplaced one. I will always have a Passport and with renewals, you don't need to send it in anymore, but I wanted to make sure I had a couple just in case. I had gotten them 10 years ago as well when I applied for my Passport.

Yea, we knew passport renewal did not need a BC, BC was for a what if or just in case if passports got way delayed for whatever reason, figure we would cruise with BC's....Hell, 10 years ago when we first got our passports, those were turned around too us in like 2 weeks, which for me included getting a copy of my BC because what I sent to the state dept, they sent back to me cause it was one of them hospital things. Got the BC from Vitalchek, sent it to state dept...had passport days later. Each time we cruised after, I was re-amazed at how quick all of that was, when I filled out our boarding info and gave our passport issue and expiration dates, hers and mine were off by more than a week!!

Actually, you should really think about a passport, regardless if the small official BC is acceptable. If anything happens to you on a cruise, where you needed to get home from another island, you would not be able to without a passport. Believe me, you don't think it can happen, but it did happen to me. We had to leave the ship off the coast of St Kitts, get tendered in, as it was not a port stop, fly from there to Antigua, and took an Air Canada flight from there. (There was a family emergency back home) Just save yourself needless worry, and get a passport.

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Except they leave tomorrow. Otherwise I would agree.

I just realized she said she's leaving tomorrow. Why on earth would you wait until the day before a cruise to make sure your documents are ok?? OMG! I leave in 109 days and EVERYTHING is all set to go! [emoji33][emoji33][emoji33][emoji33][emoji33]

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I just realized she said she's leaving tomorrow. Why on earth would you wait until the day before a cruise to make sure your documents are ok?? OMG! I leave in 109 days and EVERYTHING is all set to go! [emoji33][emoji33][emoji33][emoji33][emoji33]

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Posts #14 and #28.

I just realized she said she's leaving tomorrow. Why on earth would you wait until the day before a cruise to make sure your documents are ok?? OMG! I leave in 109 days and EVERYTHING is all set to go! [emoji33][emoji33][emoji33][emoji33][emoji33]

 

 

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We are procrastinators! We function best at the last minute! lol

Once again, it was a FREE CRUISE Casino Offer that was presented TODAY for a cruise leaving TOMORROW!

I have my passport. I'm prepared for our December cruise. I offered to take my cousin on the cruise tomorrow IF she can go on a small birth certificate. She NEVER has had any intentions to go on a cruise... especially possibly leaving within a 18 hour notice!

I have a passport. I'm good.... I'm asking for my cousin that is interested in going and have NEVER had any intentions to go on a cruise until I just asked two hours ago.

 

It is kind of hard to turn down a FREE cruise besides just port fees and taxes, which is less than $100 a piece for a 3 night cruise!

ohhhhh, o.k. Thank you for the explanation. I was very confused with your initial post! :D

I had to completely LMAO when I read this!! I just recently used Vitalchek to get a copy of my birth certificate. I somehow lost mine, and we had a cruise booked for earlier this month, and our passports were expiring at the end of the year. We decided to renew our passports, even the 6-8 week turnaround (actually took less than 3) was well in advance of our September cruise, but in case there was an unforseen snafu renewing our passports, I wanted my BC, "just in case". I requested a copy of my BC through Vitalchek. Their 45-50 business day "turnaround" was still well in advance of our cruise. We started both the passport renewal and BC request back in April. Passports renewed quickly and without issue. BC copy....not so much. Long story short, my BC arrived about 2 weeks before cruise, took almost 5 flippin months through them. I'd would have driven to Pennsylvania to get the BC copy had I known that...and probably would have saved about 50 bucks....

We had the same issue with NY. Got our passports in Ga, but the courthouse said my husband's "certificate of live birth" from NY probably wouldn't be accepted (it was and we got his passport three weeks later). In the meantime I told him to apply in NY for another BC (I HAVE FOUR copies of mine, just in case). It took nearly six months to get a new BC from NY. CRAZY!

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We had the same issue with ANY. Got our passports in Ga, bit the courthouse said my husband's "certificate of love birth" from NY probably wouldn't be accepted (it was and we got his passport three weeks later). In the meantime I told him to apply in NY for another BC (I HAVE FOUR copies of mine, just in case). It took nearly six months to get a new BC from NY. CRAZY!

 

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Edited to say NY

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We have those short form ones from the state too. I am not sure if all states issue them but they are legitimate. We have never used them to get on a cruise, but I would think they are fine. I have heard that they will even take a copy of your birth certificate or a fax if you are desperate. I am not sure if they are supposed to but i have read some trip reports stating that they did.

The BC would work fine. My ex husband had one like that and we never had an issue.

I have a passport. I'm good.... I'm asking for my cousin that is interested in going and have NEVER had any intentions to go on a cruise until I just asked two hours ago.

It is kind of hard to turn down a FREE cruise besides just port fees and taxes, which is less than $100 a piece for a 3 night cruise!

??? How are you taking someone at the last minute on a cruise? They dont typically do name changes so close to leaving? Just curious....:confused:

??? How are you taking someone at the last minute on a cruise? They dont typically do name changes so close to leaving? Just curious....:confused:

Read the thread. You will find your answer.

??? How are you taking someone at the last minute on a cruise? They dont typically do name changes so close to leaving? Just curious....:confused:

The OP was offered a free casino cruise day before it was to leave. She has cruised before but her cousin hasn't.

Casino Offer

Dang, I must not spend enough time in the Casino. I get Casino offers, but nothing like this :)

Dang, I must not spend enough time in the Casino. I get Casino offers, but nothing like this :)

I'm very surprised that I got one. I may lose $300-400 of my money max on a cruise in the casino! Once your factor in theoretical loss, I'm sure that number is a lot more, but I'm no where near a high roller.

I'm very surprised that I got one. I may lose $300-400 of my money max on a cruise in the casino! Once your factor in theoretical loss, I'm sure that number is a lot more, but I'm no where near a high roller.

That's weird. I lost much more than that on my 4 nt. sailing in July (and I don't even want to talk about my 11 nt. sailing in April) and NEVER get calls like that. I wonder what I need to do to get on "their list" :)

That's weird. I lost much more than that on my 4 nt. sailing in July (and I don't even want to talk about my 11 nt. sailing in April) and NEVER get calls like that. I wonder what I need to do to get on "their list" :)

I don't know what I did. It just showed up in my VIFP offers yesterday.

While what you have may be fine, why take a chance? You can get a certified birth certificate here: https://www.vitalchek.com/birth-certificates

 

Personally speaking, I'd rather have a definite certified copy just in case.

My mother was born in the 50s. Her full birth certificate is the size of a folded index card. That was the only type that Iowa issued at the time. It has all of the required information, proper signatures, and a visible seal.

Thankfully I was able to get an expedited birth certificate directly from Tennessee Vital Records. A certificate is $15, and they only charge $5 to expedite it. From Louisiana, I mailed(USPS Priority 2-Day) the form, check, and return envelope on a Tuesday and got the copy of my certificate the following Tuesday. They sent it USPS Priority 2-Day.

Actually, you should really think about a passport, regardless if the small official BC is acceptable. If anything happens to you on a cruise, where you needed to get home from another island, you would not be able to without a passport. Believe me, you don't think it can happen, but it did happen to me. We had to leave the ship off the coast of St Kitts, get tendered in, as it was not a port stop, fly from there to Antigua, and took an Air Canada flight from there. (There was a family emergency back home) Just save yourself needless worry, and get a passport.

If you are a US citizen, you can ALWAYS fly from abroad back to the US without a passport. In fact, that is the only place you CAN fly to (generally). Expect about an additional hour of screen and verification when you go through customs.

If you are a US citizen, you can ALWAYS fly from abroad back to the US without a passport. In fact, that is the only place you CAN fly to (generally). Expect about an additional hour of screen and verification when you go through customs.

The problem may be getting an airline to carry you. While you can be admitted after proving you are a US citizen, an airline may not want to carry you since they don't want to be responsible to take you back if you can't be admitted.

We had the same issue with NY. Got our passports in Ga, but the courthouse said my husband's "certificate of live birth" from NY probably wouldn't be accepted (it was and we got his passport three weeks later). In the meantime I told him to apply in NY for another BC (I HAVE FOUR copies of mine, just in case). It took nearly six months to get a new BC from NY. CRAZY!

 

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I'm a registrar of vital statistics in NY. Did you go through Vital Check or the town/city he was born in? Our town is low tech and I just look up the record in my books and can spit out a new one. The nearby towns with hospitals in them can look them up on their computers and do them on the spot in person, or within a couple days once they get the form and $20 from the applicant.