Newbie ~ Tons of Questions!!

[househunter]

Boy do I feel better!! Thanks for the info!! The only person I am concerned about, health wise, is my husband with his asthma and he has a passport.

I have issues with my childrens father and there would be no way in hell that he would allow them to get a passport, just to spite me. So taking them on a cruise would be the only way I could show them other places then just the USA.

 

Now before I call that poor customer service rep again, can anyone tell me if this passport issue is just for children? My 19yr old doesn't have a passport either (but can get one) can she just use her birth certificate also??

 

From all this reading, MAN HAVE CRUISES CHANGED from the last time I was on one!!

 

I am getting more excited about this because of my kids going then when my husband and I spent 12 days in Jamaica this past Sept.

 

Look forward to a bunch more questions from me!!!

Thanks again!!

 

Hate to tell you that you will need your children's father's permission to take them out of the country even on a cruise.

[househunter]

You do not need permission unless there is something in your specific divorce papers that say so. I did not get "permission" from my ex. I took my children on a vacation. We have joint custody, I have residential custody. If, a grandparent or other friend/relative is taking the children, a letter is needed to give that person permission to make medical/emergency decisions. Like I stated earlier, I just cruised in September. No one questioned my authority over the children.

 

You were just lucky that the person checking you in did not request you to show the letter- it is required.

[Penguinpirate]

Ok, You guys got me scared once again and I have been on the phone!!!

 

I talk to Royal Caribbean who stated that as long as I can prove that I am the birth mother (Name on birth certificate) then there is no issue. BUT... if I wanted to put my mind at ease I can bring along my divorce papers showing that I have full and complete custody of my children. (Which I do) He also said that even if I only had joint custody that proves to the cruise line that I have the right to be with my children and I am not a "flee" risk. He said that this letter that you guys are speaking about is for when a parent does not have full or joint custody of a child or like a grandparent or even a parent that only has visitation, then the letter is needed. He said the cruise line is just protecting themselves from being sued. I can understand that!!

 

My two younger girls are 10 and 12. I can not get them passports without their fathers consent, it is in our agreement because the judge thought that their FATHER may flee with them. He hasn't seen them in 7 yrs so me taking them on a cruise is not high on his priority list!!

 

I have never changed my name so my last name is different then theirs, but my name is on their BC.

 

I will bring every single piece of court paperwork with me, but I dought they will want to do some heavy reading!!

 

Thanks for all of the Sushi info, that REALLY bummed me out!!!

[cruiseguy1016]

I don't remember you saying that you had full custody until now. That makes this a whole different issue. With full custody you DO NOT have to have the letter of consent from your Ex. Make sure you have their official BC and the papers that prove you have full custody and you shouldn't have a problem.

 

I'm not 100% sure but I think that if you have full custody, you can apply for their passports without his consent.

[Penguinpirate]

Yes, normally with full custody you CAN get them a passport without the other parent BUT our judge added to our agreement that neither one of us could get them passports because their Father was a flight risk, so I can't even get them one when they are 14 or 16. They have to wait until they are 18. At the time the kids were so little that it didn't bother me and I felt like it was protecting them, but NOW it kind sucks, I would LOVE to take them all over the place but other then cruises we are stuck in America!!

 

When they are older I may go back to court and see if I can get that removed, now that the passport requirements have changed it may be easy to do and their father would never even know!!

[CanuckMO4]

Boy do I feel better!! Thanks for the info!! The only person I am concerned about, health wise, is my husband with his asthma and he has a passport.

I have issues with my childrens father and there would be no way in hell that he would allow them to get a passport, just to spite me. So taking them on a cruise would be the only way I could show them other places then just the USA.

 

Now before I call that poor customer service rep again, can anyone tell me if this passport issue is just for children? My 19yr old doesn't have a passport either (but can get one) can she just use her birth certificate also??

 

From all this reading, MAN HAVE CRUISES CHANGED from the last time I was on one!!

 

I am getting more excited about this because of my kids going then when my husband and I spent 12 days in Jamaica this past Sept.

 

Look forward to a bunch more questions from me!!!

Thanks again!!

Listen always expect the unexpected.Get the passports and the notorized letter.I had that letter from my daughter and son inlaw when I took my grandchildren on a cruise.I left the letter in the safe as I was told to do by the cruise line never thinking that I would have a problem in my own country,I was wrong,I had passports and ship cards of coarse in hand but they took the kids away from me at the port.I almost died.Thought we were going to miss the ship,after a while and a good telling off the kids were returned to me and we were able to reboard.Dont take the chance,The stress is not worth it.