Grandma left behind? No passport or BC

[spursno1]

Another option is you could possibly drive to Houston. The Passport office there is issuing US Passport Cards on site. I believe that these can be used to get on a cruise boat. I know its a haul, but if thats the only way she can go, it's worth the drive.

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/agencies/agencies_913.html

[salty dingo]

We're leaving for NOLA in 4 days, and cruising in 3 more. Grandma flew in to meet with us and we've found she forgot her birth certificate (no passport either).

 

We're going to try and order one from Kansas, expedited, and the folks back home can't find her original.

 

If Kansas can't get it to us, is there NO WAY she can board and remain on ship? only one port, Cozumel.

No way she can board without the BC or passport.

 

If she was born in the US, call up the county clerk in the county where she was born and order a BC, and offer to pay for overnight charges. It should not cost you more than $20 or so, and I think they could get the job done same day if you call early.

[CorvetteLady]

Another option is you could possibly drive to Houston. The Passport office there is issuing US Passport Cards on site. I believe that these can be used to get on a cruise boat. I know its a haul, but if thats the only way she can go, it's worth the drive.

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/agencies/agencies_913.html

 

You have to have a birth certificate to get a passport.

[Magic City Cruiser]

We're leaving for NOLA in 4 days, and cruising in 3 more. Grandma flew in to meet with us and we've found she forgot her birth certificate (no passport either).

 

We're going to try and order one from Kansas, expedited, and the folks back home can't find her original.

 

If Kansas can't get it to us, is there NO WAY she can board and remain on ship? only one port, Cozumel.

 

Did she ever have it, ready to pack? I'm sure you have checked and rechecked her luggage? Could she have left it in the plane/airport? Might make some lost and found calls. Oh, my, this is my nightmare. I truly have dreams about showing up and not having proper ID. So, I carry DL, BC AND Passport!!!

I'll be anxiously following this thread and sending best wishes!!

[ckekjhaze]

 

 

 

Tickets, money, passport! Tickets, money, passport!

 

It's from the wonderful Absolutely Fabulous BBC series. And, of course, there have been times that I had to go back and retrieve some of the above.

 

Sorry for the hijack- I loved that show!

 

I hope Grandma gets to go on the trip- sending positive thoughts

[jakoblovesships]

Our friend's last year thought they needed their social security card's and driver's license to board...We were in Miami the night before the cruise when we figured this out. It was a very stessful night! I thought they will be turned away at the port. Much to my surprise they boarded with no problems. I couldn't believe it. If you don't get it in time, try to board anyway! Our friend's had no problems at any of the ports or at debarkation. Hope it all works out!!!

[*Mach*]

Hey, guys...

I've read this thread and there's some excellent advice the best of which is VitalChek.com

One suggestion, if you're having the BC FedEx'd, and I suspect you are, the document must be signed for. In the event it DOESN'T get there before you leave can you have someone waiting at your house to sign for the package and then FedEx it to the hotel? Since you have a few days there you SHOULD be OK...

Write down this number: 305-406-4779. It's Carnival's travel emergency hotline. You might want to give them a call to alert them to a possible problem with Grandma's documentation.

I'm not quite sure what else can be done but in case there's anything that I might be able to help with feel free to email me. The address is in my signature...

:)

[minnesotalady]

Hey, guys...

 

I've read this thread and there's some excellent advice the best of which is VitalChek.com

 

One suggestion, if you're having the BC FedEx'd, and I suspect you are, the document must be signed for. In the event it DOESN'T get there before you leave can you have someone waiting at your house to sign for the package and then FedEx it to the hotel? Since you have a few days there you SHOULD be OK...

 

Write down this number: 305-406-4779. It's Carnival's travel emergency hotline. You might want to give them a call to alert them to a possible problem with Grandma's documentation.

 

I'm not quite sure what else can be done but in case there's anything that I might be able to help with feel free to email me. The address is in my signature...

 

:)

 

 

Thanks!!!!!!

[Supermomma4]

I'm sure you already know this, but just in case... there is a website devoted to connecting you with expedite birth certificates. I don't have the link but I know many on here can help with that. I want to say Vital Check dot com or something like that. Best of luck to you, and fingers crossed that grandma gets to go!

 

 

Vital Check isn't always timely.

 

It can take up to six weeks to process an order for a birth certificate.

 

It took them 4 weeks to get a copy of my husband's BC from MA

[LemurCat]

Vital check can take up to six weeks to process an order for a birth certificate

 

It's not VitalChek that takes up to 6 weeks, it's the states they are requesting the birth cert from that can take up to 6 weeks. VitalChek is just the middleman (and in some cases, the outsourced provider of documents). They either have to present the request to a documents clerk at a state or county level (depending upon the state) or access the state database and process the request directly themselves (if they are the state's service provider for online requests).

 

However, there is *always* a way to procure same-day service for this sort of thing. The issue is if the state allows a surrogate or proxy to handle it for the person requesting the documents.

[Sierra2]

Wonderful, WONDERFUL info here. I'm very hopeful from all this help.

 

Update: Faux stuff coming from her home (old registrar's certificate of her birth and 10 year expired passport).

 

Kansas clerk promising to send out BC next day mail after hearing story.

 

One or both should be here Friday. We leave Saturday before the post. If not, we'll do as you all suggest with having someone forward to the hotel, or contact the Carnival people.

 

This trip is all about Grandma, and maybe her last (cancer this year), it's got to take place!

[robsvacation]

Just keep in mind it's not the cruise line that decides if you can board or not, it's Customs and Border Protection (formed in part from the agency formally know as INS). If you look around they always have officers in the port. If documents look fishy or there's another issue the cruise agent walks it over to the CBP agent who makes the call.

[imsulin]

Slightly OT, but back in about 1999 (I had retired and was working as a TA), I had booked a couple on a 4-night CCL cruise (Fantasy) from Port Canaveral. They stayed with family in Orlando the night before the cruise, and the wife suddenly realized that she'd forgotten her DL...it was at home. Port Canaveral is about an 8-hour drive from our area, and Orlando is a 7-hour drive. The couple was so concerned about having the certified BC, that the "government-issued photo ID" issue got left behind. So, they called their daughter, and asked her to get the wife's DL, and drive it to them in Orlando. The daughter had lost the key to her parent's home, so she tried to break in through a window. A neighbor called the police to report a break-in. The daughter tried to explain the situation, the police called her parents in Orlando, they called me at home, and I spoke with the police, advising them about the cruise and boarding requirements. The police allowed the daughter to retrieve her Mother's DL (which was in another purse). The daughter and her husband jumped into their car and drove for 7 hours in the middle of the night to Orlando and delivered her Mom's DL. They made the cruise (their first), and all was fine. This was back in the days when cell phones and internet were a "premium" thing, and most people didn't have them. It was also a time when cruising started to become really affordable. My bread and butter were the 3 and 4 night cruises on the CCL Fantasy and the RCCL Sovereign. Only ten short years later....look where we are now!

 

Best of luck to OP and Grandma! Sounds like everything will be fine.

[minnesotalady]

Wonderful, WONDERFUL info here. I'm very hopeful from all this help.

 

Update: Faux stuff coming from her home (old registrar's certificate of her birth and 10 year expired passport).

 

Kansas clerk promising to send out BC next day mail after hearing story.

 

One or both should be here Friday. We leave Saturday before the post. If not, we'll do as you all suggest with having someone forward to the hotel, or contact the Carnival people.

 

This trip is all about Grandma, and maybe her last (cancer this year), it's got to take place!

 

DH used to work for INS as a regional supervisor. He said to tell you to take all you have to the port. If your circumstances are referred over to a US authority for review, ask to speak with the immigration official also. If allowed, speak patiently with the official and explain the complete circumstances. DH feels you will have no difficulties if you have the expired passport and birth documents you have with your explanation. That is only his opinion as there are exceptions to any rule. If Grandma has a drivers license and social security card, take those to the official also. That will help verify her status in the US. Did you call the number Host Mach gave you to Carnival? Do that also!!!! Hope this helps.

[minnesotalady]

Wonderful, WONDERFUL info here. I'm very hopeful from all this help.

 

Update: Faux stuff coming from her home (old registrar's certificate of her birth and 10 year expired passport).

 

Kansas clerk promising to send out BC next day mail after hearing story.

 

One or both should be here Friday. We leave Saturday before the post. If not, we'll do as you all suggest with having someone forward to the hotel, or contact the Carnival people.

 

This trip is all about Grandma, and maybe her last (cancer this year), it's got to take place!

 

What ship are you going on?

[NCTribeFan]

Before I sent my BC off to get my new passport, I ordered two certified copies from TN, online. It was something like $4 each, and they arrived in days.

 

I was paranoid that my passport application would get lost with my only BC with it.

 

Now I have 3 BCs and a passport! But that's better than having none.

 

I know passports are not cheap, but they're good for 10 years (adults), and they are valid identification anywhere.

 

Anyway, back OT...

 

hope everything works out!

[MicksMom]

Ok, guess after reading this thread, I had a terrible dream last night. We got to the cruise terminal in Galveston & forgot our passports!!! We live 5 hours away. Somehow, (only in a dream) we were able to get back home to get passports & made it back to terminal, we were the last ones to board. LOL

 

Suitcase is still out from a short trip recently, think I am going to leave it out & start throwing a few things in it (we cruise in 60 days) first thing in carry on will be passports!!

[lady_cruiser]

...........

 

Write down this number: 305-406-4779. It's Carnival's travel emergency hotline....

:)

 

 

Thanks Mach -

 

I just added this phone number to my cell phone.

[ejd]

2 years ago sailing out of Mami by passport was stolen on the way down at Newark International Airport, not lost stolen. Flew to Mami anyway, went straight to passport office and almost got a passport that day, only had a drivers license on me. I say that day because the passport was not going to be ready until after 3:30 PM, and @178$. Ship the Pearl, left at 4PM. At @3:15PM gave up on passport & had taxi driver make a mad run to terminal. At same time had kids fax copy of old passport to "dock master". Got to terminal at @3:45, was only person entering, One agent still on duty. She took the faxed copies of old passport and processed me through, no problem.

 

Took a while for stress level to get out of the red zone!:eek:

[jayesouthworth]

I have a red pocket binder with divided sleeves. I put all of our travel documents into this binder and I carry this with me when traveling. It's nice because it's sectioned off with cruise, hotel, airline, insurance, phone numbers. There's a small pocket in the binder for our passports as well. This binder is really neat, everything is right there--and it's red so there's no missing and looking for it. I also added Carnival's emergency number to my cell phone and the insurance company as well. Thanks Mach for the number.

[Froufie]

I have a red pocket binder with divided sleeves. I put all of our travel documents into this binder and I carry this with me when traveling. It's nice because it's sectioned off with cruise, hotel, airline, insurance, phone numbers. There's a small pocket in the binder for our passports as well. This binder is really neat, everything is right there--and it's red so there's no missing and looking for it. I also added Carnival's emergency number to my cell phone and the insurance company as well. Thanks Mach for the number.

 

I also put the Carnival emergency number on my luggage tags and I even print out an 'itinerary' (flights/hotels/ship/ports) whch includes my cell number and carnival numbers which I place INSIDE my suitcase in case my luggage goes missing and it needs to find me! :D

[BIG_Steve]

2 years ago sailing out of Mami by passport was stolen on the way down at Newark International Airport, not lost stolen.

 

Would be interested in knowing what happened (if you don't mind.) Would be one more scenario to file away in the back of my mind.

 

Hey! I just noticed my count down clock is on single digits! Doing the happy dance!

[Sailor2Cruiser]

Hey, guys...

 

I've read this thread and there's some excellent advice the best of which is VitalChek.com

 

One suggestion, if you're having the BC FedEx'd, and I suspect you are, the document must be signed for. In the event it DOESN'T get there before you leave can you have someone waiting at your house to sign for the package and then FedEx it to the hotel? Since you have a few days there you SHOULD be OK...

 

Write down this number: 305-406-4779. It's Carnival's travel emergency hotline. You might want to give them a call to alert them to a possible problem with Grandma's documentation.

 

I'm not quite sure what else can be done but in case there's anything that I might be able to help with feel free to email me. The address is in my signature...

 

:)

 

 

Mach - I have 877-885-4856 as the Carnival Travel Hotline number. Is the 305 number local to Miami?

[Sierra2]

Update:

 

My husband just sent this, Kansas came through!

 

"I got an automated phone call on my cell this morning from UPS Saying they are delivering an overnight package from Kansas today. It Said someone needs to sign for it so grandma needs to be ready….

[Sailor2Cruiser]

Update:

 

My husband just sent this, Kansas came through!

 

"I got an automated phone call on my cell this morning from UPS Saying they are delivering an overnight package from Kansas today. It Said someone needs to sign for it so grandma needs to be ready….

 

 

 

Yea!!! Go Grandma!

 

Bon voyage.