Single parent documentation

[ahracer]

Toto,

 

I agree, on our last cruise with the kids there is no way they would have let us on if we did not have the proper documentation. They reviewed it very carefully.

 

In the past few years the international child custody laws have gotten alot more attention.

 

Anyone taking a child on a cruise without the proper documentation runs the risk of being denied passage. If BOTH parents are not travelling then a notarized letter must be obtained from the non travelling parent regardless of the circumstances unless you have a court order granting you sole custody.

 

Scott

[kradogna]

I just got off the Regal Princess last week and the Sapphire Princess last October. On both cruises I traveled with my single-parent sister who has two children. One of the children has the same last name as her, but the other one has a different last name. On neither cruise was she asked to show any court documentation or notarized statements from their fathers (I would have thought a different last name would have been a red flag). It wouldn't have mattered because she did have court documentation with her proving that she has sole custody of both kids, but they never asked for it so she never gave it to them.

 

Even still, I would not risk trying to take the kids without the proper documentation. It's just too risky both from a financial and a legal standpoint.

[laginog]

The cruise is over and done. Her ex-husband is an alcoholic drug addict that doesn't even want custody of the kid, doesn't pay child support, doesn't even work, and wouldn't sign the papers just to be a butt-head to make so SHE couldn't go on the cruise, not even necessarily the kid!! If he would get custody by any miracle, the boy would probably end up dead in a drunk driving accident!! I agree with all of you...this probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. I'm just telling you what her TA told her to do!! And...she happened to know sombody that worked with a girl that would notarize it for her. So....it all worked out and the kid could go. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to go.

[WCAB]

Isn't it sad that some parents use their children as pawns to punish a parent.

Kids should always come first.

 

Carol

[crazy4themouse]

If anyone needs a good Permission to Travel letter to print and fill out, you can find one here:

 

http://***************/permission_ltr.htm

 

 

Princess is pretty strict about this, from what I can gather from talking to them. Oddly enough, my son and I cruise Disney every year, and I have never had to show anything. Go figure.

 

And if any other single parents hassling with this have any spare prayers, my court date is finally this Friday... and if everything goes my way, which it should simply because of how reckless my ex has been, I will walk away with sole custody and no more headaches over traveling with my own child!!

 

-gina-

 

 

 

EDIT: Mods -- why did it blank out my link?? This is an important resource... good grief. Like I'm advertising something. Well, if anyone wants the link to the form, I'll be happy to send it to you!!

[Princess Di]

However, you do not show your e-mail address. Please e-mail me (below).

That T.A. should have her IATA card pulled, as well as the Notary lose Her Seal.

Most importantly (other than the Mum's risking prosecution), what did this teach the Child???

Answer:

That Forgery, Lying, and sliding through the system is accepted by her.

Truly, this Mum will not admit to her Son that she, indeed, is a criminal. Not convicted - but a criminal nonetheless.

Life has Rules so that Society has Order.

[spongerob]

The cruise is over and done. Her ex-husband is an alcoholic drug addict that doesn't even want custody of the kid, doesn't pay child support, doesn't even work, and wouldn't sign the papers just to be a butt-head to make so SHE couldn't go on the cruise, not even necessarily the kid!! If he would get custody by any miracle, the boy would probably end up dead in a drunk driving accident!! I agree with all of you...this probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. I'm just telling you what her TA told her to do!! And...she happened to know sombody that worked with a girl that would notarize it for her. So....it all worked out and the kid could go. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to go.

 

No problem, Kathi. It's just bad advice. The consequences just aren't worth the risk. The TA might have been motivated by wanting to make a sale, and put her clients at potential risk. What's done is done, but let's encourage the people reading this to do the right thing, not try to go around the system designed to protect children and non-custodial parents.

[laginog]

You are exactly right Rob. I shouldn't have posted it in the first place. I wasn't thinking "ahead of time" and got "flamed". My husband and I wouldn't have done what she did ourselves, but...we weren't fortunate enough to be able to have children so we don't know the things parents will do to spend time with them...and make them happy!! But....we love kids so much that we borrow other people's children to take on cruises. So....we have used the "documentation" letter many times taking other children but...not as single parents. I am sorry for "ruffling" everyone's feathers.

[crazy4themouse]

I didn't realize the email-another-member thing had been disabled on these boards... weird. I'll add my email to my sig as you have done.

 

Sending you the link now!

 

-gina-

[AlaskanNewby]

Crazy4themouse

 

Could you please repost the link to the sample permission letter...I cant get the one you posted above to work.

Thanks

 

Oops - didn't see the next message. I will email you privately for the link

[cherylandtk]

So that Gina does not get inundated with emails, anyone can easily find the page by doing a google search on "cruise permission letter" and the site will come up.

[Dreamer333]

However, you do not show your e-mail address. Please e-mail me (below).

That T.A. should have her IATA card pulled, as well as the Notary lose Her Seal.

Most importantly (other than the Mum's risking prosecution), what did this teach the Child???

Answer:

That Forgery, Lying, and sliding through the system is accepted by her.

Truly, this Mum will not admit to her Son that she, indeed, is a criminal. Not convicted - but a criminal nonetheless.

Life has Rules so that Society has Order.

 

In my personal opinion, I think you are going overboard here (no pun intended). But that was just too harsh.

I'm sure the kid didn't even know what the mom was doing!

You called her a liar and a criminal... Have you ever lied before? Have you ever broken the law (gone above the speed limit, perhaps?)

I think that you should be hesitant to judge others unless you've been in their shoes.

 

Anyway... back to the OP...

My DH and I took our niece on a Disney Cruise, and they didn't ask for any info from the parents. She has the same last name as us, so that may explain why they didn't ask for anything. However, if they had, I only had a notarized letter from my sister-in-law (the mom). The "dad" (I use that term lightly), is nowhere to be found. And they were never even married! I wonder what would've happened in a situation like that?? That would've been such a shame if that little girl was denied a cruise because she happened to have a crappy father!!!

 

Actually, I don't know if my SIL even put his name on the birth certificate (The mother has an option to leave it blank)... So what would happen in that case??

[Dreamer333]

EDIT: Mods -- why did it blank out my link?? This is an important resource... good grief. Like I'm advertising something. Well, if anyone wants the link to the form, I'll be happy to send it to you!!

 

Gina, can you re-post the link, but just put spaces between the letters...

For examply:

 

www. c r u i s e c r i t i c .com

[crazy4themouse]

Oh, okay! Lemme give that a shot:

 

http://c r u i s e diva.com/permission_ltr.htm

 

 

:)

 

 

 

[Northender]

You do not have to wait for them to turn 14 for a passport. My step kids are 10 and 13 and have had their passports for almost two years.

 

I understand. What I was trying to say was that at 14, you do not need parents permission, etc. Can get on your own without parents having a passport.:)

[luv2cruise99]

If the father's name is blank on the child's birth certificate than for legal purposes she has no father and no permission is required from Mr. Deadbeat.

 

If Mr. Deadbeat wanted to exercise his rights as her father then he would first have to go to court and prove paternity. Once he proved paternity then he could ask the Judge to give him visitation rights and order that his name be added to the birth certificate, but the Judge could deny these requests based on his years of deadbeatedness (is that a word?).

 

Actually, I don't know if my SIL even put his name on the birth certificate (The mother has an option to leave it blank)... So what would happen in that case??