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Is Marriage License needed?

dja31705

By dja31705,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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dja31705

dja31705

Posted
Posted

I am going on a cruisein March out of Miami, and will be taking certified copies of our birth certificates, instead of purchasing a passport. I have heard that your birth certificate and drivers license is not enough for women, that we need to have a copy of our marriage license since our name has changed. Have anyone experienced this.

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allener58

allener58

Posted
Posted

Just get passports and be safe. You have plenty of time and will need them if you have to fly home from one of the islands in a emergency. Why take a chance. I had a friend not allowed to get on the ship because of the wrong ID. Can't go wrong with passports.

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spcopps

spcopps

Posted
Posted

I can't say that it is "needed" but I will be taking my marriage license with my birth certificate even though my married name is on all of my kids birth certificates and I have been married for 11 years. I would hate to arrive at the port and not be allowed to board because I didn't bring it. What is 1 more piece of paper for the piece of mind just in case!

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swcjlc

swcjlc

Posted
Posted
If you've booked your cruise in your married name, then yes, you need your marriage certificate. There needs to be a link between your name on your birth certificate and the name on your driver's license.

 

 

why would you post this if you do not know the right answer ?

 

 

 

 

copied from carnivals website

U.S. citizens must present proof of citizenship in the form of a passport (valid or expired for less than 10 years), original birth certificate, state-issued certified copy of a birth certificate from the Department of Health and Vital Statistics, or original Naturalization papers.

U.S. Alien Residents need a valid Alien Resident Card. Canadian Citizens must present a valid passport, original birth certificate, or certified copy of a birth certificate. Non-U.S. citizens need a valid passport and a valid, unexpired U.S. Multiple Re-entry Visa, if applicable. Guest names on travel documents (passport, Alien Resident Card, birth certificate, etc.) must be identical to those on the cruise and airline tickets. Otherwise, proof of name change (e.g., a marriage license) OR a valid driver’s license (or other government-issued photo ID) must be presented.

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Rirruto

Rirruto

Posted
Posted
why would you post this if you do not know the right answer ?

 

 

 

 

copied from carnivals website

U.S. citizens must present proof of citizenship in the form of a passport (valid or expired for less than 10 years), original birth certificate, state-issued certified copy of a birth certificate from the Department of Health and Vital Statistics, or original Naturalization papers.

U.S. Alien Residents need a valid Alien Resident Card. Canadian Citizens must present a valid passport, original birth certificate, or certified copy of a birth certificate. Non-U.S. citizens need a valid passport and a valid, unexpired U.S. Multiple Re-entry Visa, if applicable. Guest names on travel documents (passport, Alien Resident Card, birth certificate, etc.) must be identical to those on the cruise and airline tickets. Otherwise, proof of name change (e.g., a marriage license) OR a valid driver’s license (or other government-issued photo ID) must be presented.

I would not risk going without it, regardless of the wording of that last sentence. The whole reason of bringing your birth certificate is to prove you are a citizen of the US. Having a birth certificate in one name and having a driver's license in another name does not prove US citizenship. Just because you have a birth certificate saying your name is Jane Doe born on 1/1/1970 does not make you the same person as Jane Smith born on 1/1/1970. The marriage certificate would link both the maiden and married name to the same person saying Jane Doe married John Smith and her name is now Jane Smith. Again, I wouldn't risk the possible hassle and trouble with a customs agent just to save not bringing an extra piece of paper.

 

With all that said, I would just get a passport in your married name and be done with it!

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serene56

serene56

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Posted
If you've booked your cruise in your married name, then yes, you need your marriage certificate. There needs to be a link between your name on your birth certificate and the name on your driver's license.

 

 

a state issued drivers license IS the link between the birth certificate and the marriage certificate. You needed the marriage license to show for the name change on the drivers license.

 

IF you booked the cruise with the name on the Drivers license you do not need the marriage certificate.

 

Most people who are honeymooners or women who never officially changed the drivers license will need that marriage certificate

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carhopsrock

carhopsrock

Posted
Posted

I took my Mom on her first cruise last week. I have been reading so much on here that made me nervous to take her without a passport, but she wouldnt spend the money on one till she knew if she like cruising or not. Her BC was from New York (which I have seen many threads on). I had her order a new copy just to make sure everything was legitimate and didnt look at it till we were almost to Port. Now I can see why they have problems with the New York BC's. The thing didnt even look like an official document! I also had her bring her ML just in case. I think it all depends on who you get checking you in, because they never asked for the ML and barely glanced at the BC.

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Warm Breezes

Warm Breezes

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Posted

According to the law it is only needed if your DL does not match your boarding pass name. I have cruised 8 times with DL and BC and have never been asked for it. I have, however, seen some posts were the poster swears that they were asked for it when their DL and ticket name matched. I started taking my ML with me on the my last 2 cruises (just in case) but I was not asked to show it. If I ever am asked for it, I will be questioning where it is written that it is required before automatically handing it over, because I have not been able to get anyone to show me where it is written...including the Carnival Rep who told me via e-mail that it was. I questioned this once when reading on CC that someone was required to show it. The Carnival Rep stopped responding to my e-mails when he couldn't prove what he was telling me with written documentation.

 

As for those telling you to just get a passport....it's not required for a closed loop cruise and the chances of needing one in the few hours you are on foreign soil are extremely slim and not insurmountable (if the gov't wasn't able to handle emergency exceptions then the law wouldn't exist). If you are comfortable with that small risk then sail away with no worries and ignore those who think they need to demand everyone do what they do even though its not required. I'm comfortable with the paperwork I have and with taking the small risk...there are no worries in my mind when we sail off.

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iTouch

iTouch

Posted
Posted
I would not risk going without it, regardless of the wording of that last sentence. The whole reason of bringing your birth certificate is to prove you are a citizen of the US. Having a birth certificate in one name and having a driver's license in another name does not prove US citizenship. Just because you have a birth certificate saying your name is Jane Doe born on 1/1/1970 does not make you the same person as Jane Smith born on 1/1/1970. The marriage certificate would link both the maiden and married name to the same person saying Jane Doe married John Smith and her name is now Jane Smith. Again, I wouldn't risk the possible hassle and trouble with a customs agent just to save not bringing an extra piece of paper.

 

With all that said, I would just get a passport in your married name and be done with it!

 

Your drivers license is a "bridge document" for the name change........

OP you don't need to bring your marriage license....

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tracyanns

tracyanns

Posted
Posted
According to the law it is only needed if your DL does not match your boarding pass name. I have cruised 8 times with DL and BC and have never been asked for it. I have, however, seen some posts were the poster swears that they were asked for it when their DL and ticket name matched. I started taking my ML with me on the my last 2 cruises (just in case) but I was not asked to show it. If I ever am asked for it, I will be questioning where it is written that it is required before automatically handing it over, because I have not been able to get anyone to show me where it is written...including the Carnival Rep who told me via e-mail that it was. I questioned this once when reading on CC that someone was required to show it. The Carnival Rep stopped responding to my e-mails when he couldn't prove what he was telling me with written documentation.

 

As for those telling you to just get a passport....it's not required for a closed loop cruise and the chances of needing one in the few hours you are on foreign soil are extremely slim and not insurmountable (if the gov't wasn't able to handle emergency exceptions then the law wouldn't exist). If you are comfortable with that small risk then sail away with no worries and ignore those who think they need to demand everyone do what they do even though its not required. I'm comfortable with the paperwork I have and with taking the small risk...there are no worries in my mind when we sail off.

 

Not to argue with you as I know plenty of people that cruise without them, but it is not the point as to whether the gov't would be able to do something, but more like WHEN. If you have an emergency at home and need to fly out within a few hours, good luck with that.

 

Personally, if you have the time and you can afford the fee, I would get the passport if not JUST because it is easier to carry that one ID than having to worry about 2 or more IDs...

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iTouch

iTouch

Posted
Posted
Not to argue with you as I know plenty of people that cruise without them, but it is not the point as to whether the gov't would be able to do something, but more like WHEN. If you have an emergency at home and need to fly out within a few hours, good luck with that.

 

Personally, if you have the time and you can afford the fee, I would get the passport if not JUST because it is easier to carry that one ID than having to worry about 2 or more IDs...

 

 

If you need a flight out in a couple hours on any of those small caribbean islands......good luck..passport or not lol!

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Warm Breezes

Warm Breezes

Posted
Posted
Not to argue with you as I know plenty of people that cruise without them, but it is not the point as to whether the gov't would be able to do something, but more like WHEN. If you have an emergency at home and need to fly out within a few hours, good luck with that.

 

Personally, if you have the time and you can afford the fee, I would get the passport if not JUST because it is easier to carry that one ID than having to worry about 2 or more IDs...

 

IMHO that is one of the lamest reasons for spending $500 to get passports for a family of 4. I see more justification in getting them if you were a worrier about having an emergency, which I'm not. I have a small credit card sized envelope that fits in my wallet sized purse. It's what DH had his BC in when we met. I can easily fold all 4 of our BC's into this envelope and put it into my small purse that I carry across my body with my DL and DS's DL (DH carries his own DL) and my CC when traveling to/from the embarkation port and when at our destination ports. How in the world is carrying around 4 passports (which are bigger BTW and would not fit into my purse) easier than that?

 

I also have to say that if you have an emergency at home and need to fly out within a few hours from an island....what makes you think you will easily get a last minute seat on a plane off an island. I tell people when we leave that if there is an emergency before we leave or after we get back from our cruise then we will immediately head for home. If the emergency happens and we are on the cruise, then we are gone for the duration of the cruise. More than likely it would probably take us just as long to find a way home with a passport as it would to finish the sailing and have a travel plans ready to go once we got to our home port. I'm willing to take that chance. Some people aren't. They are the ones who need to get a passport.

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scooterpopsnana

scooterpopsnana

Posted
Posted
I can't say that it is "needed" but I will be taking my marriage license with my birth certificate even though my married name is on all of my kids birth certificates and I have been married for 11 years. I would hate to arrive at the port and not be allowed to board because I didn't bring it. What is 1 more piece of paper for the piece of mind just in case!

 

 

Isn't your married name on your driver's license? That would surfice.

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