Will a Rose by any other name get on the ship?

[wg6530]

In the definitons they did mention something about using a first initial, so I thought maybe M Colleen Smith. Make me feel like a tycoon like J Paul Getty :D

 

If you can get the authorities to place the name M. Colleen Smith on your passport, great. See if they will do it. Then work on the tycoon bit:D. If the authorities will not use the initial, use your name as on your passport or risk being denied boarding at airport or cruise port.

 

Even before birth my parents selected an unusual first name and a nonintuitive nickname (Wendy). I had to say "call me Wendy" more times than I could count. That got old, but worse, I had a document dilemma. If I signed my legal name, people did not know me well would use my legal name or a more obvious derivative. So, I went through the process of having my name legally changed to Wendy. There was some hassle, so I am not sure I'd do it in your case. Just sign M Colleen Smith on receipts if you want to avoid explanations. I think using the initial on your passport would be your best option.

[MonaCD]

If you can get the authorities to place the name M. Colleen Smith on your passport, great. See if they will do it. Then work on the tycoon bit:D. If the authorities will not use the initial, use your name as on your passport or risk being denied boarding at airport or cruise port.

 

Even before birth my parents selected an unusual first name and a nonintuitive nickname (Wendy). I had to say "call me Wendy" more times than I could count. That got old, but worse, I had a document dilemma. If I signed my legal name, people did not know me well would use my legal name or a more obvious derivative. So, I went through the process of having my name legally changed to Wendy. There was some hassle, so I am not sure I'd do it in your case. Just sign M Colleen Smith on receipts if you want to avoid explanations. I think using the initial on your passport would be your best option.

 

I like the idea of using M Colleen on the passport, I use it on health documents. I'm not sure they'll go for it either, especially since I'm on my third or 4th passport (only good for 5 years here). I had a friend who has only her middle and last name on her passport, when filling out the application she left off her first name entirely and they accepted that. That was done been pre 09/11 not sure she'd get away with it now.

[agabbymama]

Just an interesting side note. When I booked my airfare in December, I gave only our first names and last names and that's what shows on my confirmation. Yet now when I go to the carrier website and look up my reservation, it shows first, middle and last name. So the SYSTEM found me by my first and last name and has converted the reservation to all three names.

 

NCL pre-registration only has a space for first and last name. My reservation there only shows my first and last name.

 

So there are some discrepancies in the SYSTEM.

 

Why fight the system? Use your legal name for travel documents to avoid any problems. Then just tell them, you prefer to be called by xxx once on-board. My friend's name is Elizabeth, but she goes by Betty. Even her driver's license is Betty. But her passport is Elizabeth, so that's what we use for travel docs, then she will usually say she goes by Betty.

[MonaCD]

Just an interesting side note. When I booked my airfare in December, I gave only our first names and last names and that's what shows on my confirmation. Yet now when I go to the carrier website and look up my reservation, it shows first, middle and last name. So the SYSTEM found me by my first and last name and has converted the reservation to all three names.

 

NCL pre-registration only has a space for first and last name. My reservation there only shows my first and last name.

 

So there are some discrepancies in the SYSTEM.

 

Why fight the system? Use your legal name for travel documents to avoid any problems. Then just tell them, you prefer to be called by xxx once on-board. My friend's name is Elizabeth, but she goes by Betty. Even her driver's license is Betty. But her passport is Elizabeth, so that's what we use for travel docs, then she will usually say she goes by Betty.

 

I'm not trying to fight the system, just wanted to see if the system and I could work together :o I've been doing it according to the system for 10 years now so it's not that much of an issue for me. It was when I saw that my friend had used our middle names to book the cruise that ignited the idea that maybe, at last, I could be Colleen at sea!:p

[wg6530]

Just an interesting side note. When I booked my airfare in December, I gave only our first names and last names and that's what shows on my confirmation. Yet now when I go to the carrier website and look up my reservation, it shows first, middle and last name. So the SYSTEM found me by my first and last name and has converted the reservation to all three names....

 

 

Why fight the system? Use your legal name for travel documents to avoid any problems. Then just tell them, you prefer to be called by xxx once on-board. My friend's name is Elizabeth, but she goes by Betty. Even her driver's license is Betty. But her passport is Elizabeth, so that's what we use for travel docs, then she will usually say she goes by Betty.

 

Are you in the airline's frequent flyer program? If so, you may have entered your middle name and date of birth in a profile linked to your frequent flyer number. If not, are you sure you didn't fill out more info when you bought the tickets? US airlines are now asking for the info, though it does not always show on every printout.

[imsulin]

I'm new to (the wonderful) Medicare this year, and must use my legal first name (which I hate and have never gone by) and the first initial of my middle name (which I've always gone by)...and my last name. I've used my legal Passport name for booking purposes for years, though, so I've gotten used to it. It's not a big deal.

[sail7seas]

:confused: Why not go to court and have your name changed legally?

You can choose to have your name be anything you want but your travel documents and your reservations must match.

We don't have to like all the rules; we only have to follow them.

 

[MonaCD]

Had the names changed on our cruise documents to our full names as they appear on our passports and booked our flights under our full names (though booked with FF points so that was the default). The universe is now aligned as it should be ;)

[tgptmp]

Ok, here's my problem. Say my name is Mary Colleen Smith on my Birth Certificate and passport but I am calle Colleen everyday, always have been, always will be. Pre 09/11 I always booked flights and other travel documents as Colleen Smith. Post 09/11 I was advised by travel and booking agents I should make travel reservations under Mary Smith. As you were supposed to book in the name as it appears on your passport.

 

I'm getting really tired of being called Mary when I'm travelling, I am not Mary Smith, that's my cousin. I get weird looks when I sign off my card receipts as Colleen Smith when my cruise account card says Mary.

 

Friends booked our next cruise for us and booked us by our everyday middle names (hubby has the same probelm). I'd like to leave it this way. I think that when they say you must book using the name exactly as it appears on your documents they mean you can't use any nicknames like Rob if it says Robert on your passport or Tony if it's Anthony.

 

So has anyone out there tested my theory and booked their cruise or flights using their middle name if that's the one they are called by? Run into any problems?

 

And please, you future parents out there, let this be a warning to you, never call your child by their middle name!

 

 

Either change your name legally or book under your legal name. Those are your options.

[PennyAgain]

On my most recent passport renewal (US) for some unknown reason, they dropped my maiden name and added a middle name that I hadn't used since marriage.

 

Had to change the name on all my airline accounts so get the positive ID match.

 

The airlines accomplished this by squashing together my first and middle names with no space and no second capital letter.

 

So now I travel as Pennymary Smith.

 

It bothers me, but it is what I've had to put up with.

 

Are we having fun yet?

[agabbymama]

Are you in the airline's frequent flyer program? If so, you may have entered your middle name and date of birth in a profile linked to your frequent flyer number. If not, are you sure you didn't fill out more info when you bought the tickets? US airlines are now asking for the info, though it does not always show on every printout.

 

Nope, no frequent flyer programs. I just assumed it's a TSA master list??? That matched up our names. I did give our date of birth, but no middle names.

 

Wonder why the cruiselines don't use the full legal name? NCL only has boxes for first and last name.

 

Mystery??? I guess I could call the airline, but it's no big deal. They do have the proper information on their site.

[okgirl]

Once again, I do not hate my first name. And I'm not considering changing the name, just the order. If you think wanting to be called by my proper name picky, then I'm guitly as charged. On my DL my name is Colleen Mary.

 

Geez by some of the reactions here you'd think I was trying to smuggle liquor on board or something LOL. That, I don't do.

 

I see you are from Canada and must have different rules than we have here. My drivers license has all 3 names. My married sisters drivers license has her name Barbara, maiden surname, married surname. She lives in Tennessee.

 

I feel your pain as I grew up being called Janey but my 1st name is Beverly, so on the ship, many of my credit cards and the 1st day of every school term I'm called Beverly.

 

In fact when I've been in the Welcome aboard show and they ask my name I joke with them that I have several. Janey to friends and family, Beverly to the crew and Tiffany if I've have a few to many adult beverages.....:p:o

[Cbears]

It's really not as hard as you might think to legally change your name.

Here in the US, the steps you have to take are pretty simple and not very expensive. Simple but must be followed exactly as each agency requires.

 

File the necessary papers with your district court. This usually involves filling out some forms, having a hearing after publishing or posting notice of the hearing to change your name, and filing the signed order. In our state the fees are less than $150.

 

Send a certified copies of name change order to the vital stats office in your state to have your birth certificate amended.

 

Once you have your birth certificate amended, use the new certificate to change the name on your social security card and drivers licence. Then change your name with banks, workplaces, passports etc.

 

You are now legally a new person.

 

You can change all or part of your name, the judge just needs to know you aren't doing it to hide from creditors, the law or commit fraud.

 

You cannot change your name as part of a marriage document, but you can have the judge include a name change as part of a divorce decree, which is much simpler than doing it later.

 

Bascially if your three main documents - Birth Certificate, Social Security Card, and I.D (drivers license, state id card, and/or passport) aren't exactly the same, you will have problems somewhere, someday, guaranteed.

 

(Also worthy to note - it doesn't matter if you'ved used the birth certificate issued from the hospital before, today it is absolutely useless for anything, file it in your baby book, its just a keepsake now. You MUST have the certificate issued from your state. If you don't have one, get at least 2 copies now, before it is needed, some states take several months to issue copies)

[navychop3]

"....I'm getting really tired of being called Mary when I'm travelling...."

 

You think you're tired by being called by a name you don't like? Wait until you are in a rush, not in compliance, and come up upon some bureaucrat who strictly enforces the rules (hides behind the book). For whatever reason, there are more and more of them these days.

[navybankerteacher]

When you book your cruise make sure you use each name exactly as it appears in tghe form of ID you will use. On a recent HAL cruise I did the names exactly right but left out the hyphen in my wife's name when I booked (Mary Ann, not Mary-Ann as on the passport)- because of that we could not check in on line and get boarding pass in advance -- because they confirm the name vs passport number - we had to explain at boarding time -- no serious problem, but they do check to make sure.

[njmomof2]

Had this issue with some clients who cruised last summer. They did their booking and moved it to me, then told me that they realized that they booked the friends using their "known as" names, rather than their "legal" names.

 

Called the cruiseline and told them...luckily, we could change it so that their documents matched their booking. Since they were not flying, there was one less issue.

 

It's a pain, pure and simple. And annoying, if you've never in your whole life been called by that "legal" name but by some other. But we are living in a whole new world since 9/11 and things are getting more and more restricted in order to keep us safe.

 

As for how you sign your name, have you seen people's signatures these days? If you saw mine, you'd have a hard time trying to figure out my last name. It looks like some sort of swirly circle instead of a name. And several of my partners sign and it appears like 3 initials instead of a name.

 

How you sign documents is your own preference. Once you sign (like at the bank or other institution) and it's on a signature card somewhere, that's your signature and as long as it matches, they take it. I see very few instances where signatures must match the way the name is written (and one of those is on your will...I do a lot of will witnessing). Otherwise, sign as Colleen, tell them you'd prefer being called Colleen, and enjoy your cruise.

[kikismom88]

I booked my last cruise under my correct legal name as it was ammended to on my passport, but the person checking me in on the ship somehow used my maiden name when checking me in. That was interesting trying to get them to fix my name on the ship my tickets said one name, my s&s card said the same name, but when we looked on the monitor to check charges my maiden name came up. Then they tried to tell me I would have to pay to make the correction, I told NCL they better figure out how to fix their mistake, because I wasn't paying, and good luck finding the person you want to charge because she doesn't exist anymore. They did figure out how to fix it, and blaimed everyone but themselves for their mistake.

[navybankerteacher]

I booked my last cruise under my correct legal name as it was ammended to on my passport, but the person checking me in on the ship somehow used my maiden name when checking me in. That was interesting trying to get them to fix my name on the ship my tickets said one name, my s&s card said the same name, but when we looked on the monitor to check charges my maiden name came up. Then they tried to tell me I would have to pay to make the correction, I told NCL they better figure out how to fix their mistake, because I wasn't paying, and good luck finding the person you want to charge because she doesn't exist anymore. They did figure out how to fix it, and blaimed everyone but themselves for their mistake.

 

How do you think they knew which maiden name to use? Just a coincidence, I suppose, since you did not make any mistake in either booking or checking in.

[Taxguy77]

Works both ways:

Flew half way across the country to see my uncle who had been in hospital 2 weeks. Name not on roster, our last name is uncommon in Calif. (several pages in London phone book) so I asked if anyone with the surname was there, but remembered his first name about that time. That's him!

DW has a name that's not common in the U.S., but has always gone by a nickname. If I answer the phone and they ask for her by her name, it MAY be OK, if they mispronounce it, it's just a sales call so I tell them I'll have her call them.

[chive]

"If you call me Francis, I'll kill ya."

 

"Lighten up, Francis."

[RoofingPrincess]

I'm still considering the name order change thing. Anybody know if I write it that way on my marriage certificate when I get married in July if that's considered a legal name change? No wait, that's a question for another forum ;)

I don't know about the legalities, but I think that if you're changing your last name due to marriage, that would be the time to do the Mary Colleen flip-flop as well. That way you're changing all your documents and accounts only once.

 

When my son was born, his father insisted he be named after him: Francis Joseph. I capitulated, but on the condition that he be called by his middle name. I didn't want "Junior" or "Big Frank and Little Frank".

Eight year after the divorce, when we were still both using the ex's last name - which was an alias, not his birth name! - my son had to do a family tree for school and was upset that his last name didn't match anyone else's on the tree. So we went to probate court and changed our last name back to my maiden name. At that point, since he'd been Joey his entire life, we moved that up to his first name and gave him a new middle name (actually, his paternal grandfather's last name, to tie him to both sides of the family).

[Slo_Pokey]

(hi everybody! 1st post!)

 

You can do like I did and legally drop the first name (or switch them if you want to keep it). I had a first name, a second name, and a third name, then finally my last name. It is a little bit of trouble for the name change, but it has saved me many years of complicated paperwork, explanations, and "please call me ----". Now my Social Security Card & my drivers license both say the same thing. The only record I have of that 1st name is on my birth certificate.

[tulsacubfan]

I can't imagine THAT many people will be calling you by name during travel, after looking at your passport/BC, or whatever. Once you're at your destination, you tell them what name you wish to be called, and that's what they'll do!

 

Obviously you weren't saddled by your parents with being called by your middle name. Trust me, it doesn't matter what you tell people to call you...they are going to use the name on the document.

[tulsacubfan]

My mom also used her middle name. You could tell the people who didn't know her because they called her by her real name.

 

Everyone on the ship called me Mrs. ____ at first and then the second night, the waiters asked what we would like them to address us by.

 

Yep! When someone calls asking for Mary Doe instead of Ann Doe....I know it is some solicitor! I will usually say "you must have the wrong number."

[SciFiCruiser]

I flew a few weeks ago from Boston to LA and back to Boston. Apparently I had a secret sex change and went from a Ms. to a Mr. on my boarding pass. I would have thought it would be a big problem I had no problems with TSA at all.