Bridging Documents and 3 Marriages!

[vinsheer]

I am the OP, and I was just relaying my recent personal experience. Others shouldn't rely on this happening for everyone or every ship and of course a passport would be best. I just thought this might relieve some of the tension for those that don't have a passport or bridging docs and don't have time to obtain them before their cruise:)

[matj2000]

For cruises which will be returning to a U.S. port, it has everything to do with security. All those people who got on the ship, will be getting off it. The reason ship's manifests must be submitted before the ship sails is so they can remove/possibly have arrested wanted people or those who Custom and Border Control section of Homeland Security can determine if they want them. If they are security risks, the cruise line would like to know that before they sail away with them and not when they return (hopefully safely and this 'uncleared person' has done no harm) and CBP will not let them enter the country. What is the cruise line to do with them if they are denied re-entry in U.S.?

 

 

OP, this is not your best source of information. It is not official and it is only opinions in many cases. You need much better sources than us for something important like this.

 

You must work for the government to actually believe they are organized enough to handle this type of situation...Or in the slim chance they could. They would have to do it going 10 Billion over budget......

[sail7seas]

No. I don't work for the government and I would not want to be the one taking the chance. Everyone's risk tolerance is different. My is idea of risk tolerance is to 'follow the rules'. :) If you do what is expected in the way it is required, you (hopefully) will not have a problem. At least no problem as pertains to that issue.

 

[janice2348]

You don't need all those bridging documents they talk about. Just bring what you have and it will be fine. My mother just got back and she only had a BC & DL and she has been married 3 times. How many woman actully keep copies & records of all that stuff? Probably 10%. They would be turning away 25% of the female pax away at the gate if that were the case.

Don't let these people scare you.

 

I have been to the DMV and needed all three marriage licenses and divorce papers. Never say never...safer to have the passport.

[fleckle]

Wow! If there was ever an explanation of a good reason why so many women just keep on using their maiden names after they get married these days, this thread is it. :D

[Gloria Mundi]

Wow! If there was ever an explanation of a good reason why so many women just keep on using their maiden names after they get married these days, this thread is it. :D

 

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing (DH is my second husband and I've never changed from my birth name). OTOH, don't get me started on what a picnic it was for me to get a passport for DS when he was too young to apply on his own and we had different last names.:rolleyes:

[I_heart_vaca]

You are going to need to connect your names. Yes, I know some people say you don't or they haven't had to, but since every cruise line says you have to, why take the chance. So, if your BC doesn't match you DL - and if shouldn't if the DL shows your married name; then you will need your latest Marriage Cert regardless of what what name (madien or 2nd married) is shown.

 

My suggestion is get a copy of it (you will need it to obtain a passport if you go that route anyway) and see if your madien name is on it. If it is, your done. If it isn't you need to find marriage and divorce certs to bridge the documents. I used to work in the Motor Vehicle Admin giving DLs our and we spent lots of time tracking names from doc to doc as it is required by the government.

 

FYI: I called and asked my married sisters (I have several) and one has her madien listed on her 2nd marriage cert and one didn't - so it must be different depending on state.

[debshomespun]

Let me tell you my first hand experience with this situation. Going on Navigator Jan/10. Our Aunt was 82 yrs old at the time, brought her DL and BC. Different names. She had been married 2 times, and first time divorced, 2nd husband deceased. Since the names were different, RC officials wanted to document she was who she said. They were NOT going to let her board. She did not have copies of her divorce decree, or 2nd husband's death. RC did let us call the funeral home from the port (I used my cell phone), and we were able to have the funeral home fax a copy of 2nd husband's death certificate. Somehow this made a paper trail for her. I still don't quite understand how the connected the names. This took about 3 or 3 1/2 hours. We just made the deadline by about 1/2 hour for her to be allowed to board. She was cruising with her 3 daughters to celebrate one of their 50th birthday, along with about 12 other family members.

 

The cruise line says you are supposed to have proper documentation. If not, they CAN and WILL deny you boarding. Many of the port agents will bend the rules, or they just don't check all that closely. If it were me, I certainly would not want to take the chance. I have had a passport for the last 7 years. I still worry about loosing my passport on the way to a cruise, or forgetting it at home!

[Bonnie J.]

We have had passports and renewed them. But my NC driver's license now has my maiden name on it along with my 1st and married name! never had a problem before we had passports and never took or was asked for anything but birth certifitcate and driver's license.

[navybankerteacher]

You don't need all those bridging documents they talk about. Just bring what you have and it will be fine. My mother just got back and she only had a BC & DL and she has been married 3 times. How many woman actully keep copies & records of all that stuff? Probably 10%. They would be turning away 25% of the female pax away at the gate if that were the case.

Don't let these people scare you.

 

"Just bring what you have and it will be fine"

 

What a relief to get a definitive answer. We assume, of course, that matj2000 stands behind his confident assurance with a guarantee to refund any losses anyone incurs because they relied upon his advice.

[beachchick]

Let me tell you my first hand experience with this situation. Going on Navigator Jan/10. Our Aunt was 82 yrs old at the time, brought her DL and BC. Different names. She had been married 2 times, and first time divorced, 2nd husband deceased. Since the names were different, RC officials wanted to document she was who she said. They were NOT going to let her board. She did not have copies of her divorce decree, or 2nd husband's death. RC did let us call the funeral home from the port (I used my cell phone), and we were able to have the funeral home fax a copy of 2nd husband's death certificate. Somehow this made a paper trail for her. I still don't quite understand how the connected the names. This took about 3 or 3 1/2 hours. We just made the deadline by about 1/2 hour for her to be allowed to board. She was cruising with her 3 daughters to celebrate one of their 50th birthday, along with about 12 other family members.

 

The cruise line says you are supposed to have proper documentation. If not, they CAN and WILL deny you boarding. Many of the port agents will bend the rules, or they just don't check all that closely. If it were me, I certainly would not want to take the chance. I have had a passport for the last 7 years. I still worry about loosing my passport on the way to a cruise, or forgetting it at home!

 

I don't know how death certificate forms are constructed everywhere and my experience is pretty limited, but I think I may know how. When my mom died last year, I had to deal with all the paperwork, etc. On her death certificate it has lines for spouse, children, etc. and includes full names and birth dates of everyone. It also includes lines for information about her parents.

 

I remember that she is listed on my dad's death certificate, including her full maiden name and birth date. I don't have one handy and can't recall, but I think it also had included additional information on the spouse lines such as date of marriage--but don't hold me to that. So I can see how a death certificate with detailed information that would show how a woman went from name A to name B could be acceptable.

 

beachchick

[vinsheer]

Being the OP just wanted to let everyone know my experience with my recent August cruise on NCL. Certified Birth Certificate and Driver's License was still all I was asked for. Next time I hope to have a passport to save on the stress :rolleyes:

[janice2348]

Wow! If there was ever an explanation of a good reason why so many women just keep on using their maiden names after they get married these days, this thread is it. :D

 

 

Yes, it's very frustrating-you gentlemen have it so much easier:D

[sherilyn70]

Unfortunately, she would probably need all marriage certificates and divorce decrees to get the passport as well....

 

I did not need any marriage certificate or divorce decree to get my passport in a name different from my birth certificate. I just had to provide them with details about my previous marriage.