child traveling with one parent

[Marie51]

I am looking for a form to fill out if only one parent will be taking a child on a cruise. Is this necessary?

thanks

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Yes you do need a form and it has to be notarized.

 

I type one up and it reads:

 

My child (name of child) has the permission to travel with his mother (your name) outside of the United States.

 

 

_________________________________ ____________

 

father's signature date

 

(Parent needs to sign it in front of the notary)

[4CruisingSake]

This is the official passport consent form I found on the govt website. I'd imagine it can be used for the cruise too.

passport_consent.pdf

[Onessa]

Yes you do need a form and it has to be notarized.

 

I type one up and it reads:

 

My child (name of child) has the permission to travel with his mother (your name) outside of the United States.

 

 

_________________________________ ____________

 

father's signature date

 

(Parent needs to sign it in front of the notary)

I'm not finding the one I pulled together when my niece travelled with me but it was similar to RebeccaLouise's.

 

I know I had included the dates of the trip (with two day's padding in front of the trip, and four day's afterward -- just in case!). And a very rough itinerary (travel to/from Europe with planned stops in Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, and Greece) and in retrospect would probably have made it more broad (Europe or the Carrbbean or whatever)

[momto2js]

I took my boys on a closed loop trip with out DH. No one blinked an eye. I took hos deployment orders (which generally are enough to allow me to do most things without questions) but I was never asked.

It is a good idea to have something but I you likely won't need it. If traveling with a child that is not yours, it is a different story.

 

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[rebeccalouiseagain]

Contact the cruise line pertaining to parents traveling alone with a child. Some closed looped cruises REQUIRE that the child not only have the letter of consent but ALSO a passport.

 

Here is where the issue arises so be prepared. If a parent is traveling on some trips solo, with a child and no other adults in their party- you HAVE to have a passport. Birth certificates are no longer accepted.

 

Definitely get passports for all members of your family if this is the case. I had no problem on my last bahama cruise traveling alone with my son and his birth certificate but read on a thread where a single Mom was turned away. She had the letter of consent but no passport for her daughter- just a birth certificate. This was a close-looped Hawaiian cruise from LA. She was not allowed to board.

 

I didn't believe this but I looked into it and you should check with the cruise line if you are planning on traveling with just a birth certificate.

 

PASSPORT REQUIREMENT WHEN MINORS TRAVEL WITH ONE ADULT ON VOYAGES GOVERNED BY U.S. WESTERN HEMISPHERE TRAVEL INITIATIVE ("WHTI") (includes travel within BERMUDA, CANADA, CARIBBEAN, MEXICO, UNITED STATES)

 

When minors are traveling with only one adult 21 years of age or older, Carrier requires that all passengers must be in possession of a valid passport. Carrier has implemented this requirement so that Your party remains together should an emergency arise that requires one or more in your party to be disembarked in a non-U.S. port. Carrier cannot guarantee that all members of Your party will be allowed to disembark with only a WHTI-compliant document or birth certificate. Failure to present a valid passport for all passengers traveling together will result in denial of boarding without refund of the of the cruise or cruisetour fare.

(iv) Arrive at least two hours before the scheduled or amended sailing time and have with You all required documentation. Attach a completed Princess Cruises luggage tag to each piece of baggage.

(v) Be sure that You and any person in Your care are fit to take the Cruise. (See Section 8).

Edited March 6, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[sweetpea1714]

I wouldn't risk cruising without the letter. Maybe they won't ask for it. but if they do, you are out of luck, out of money, and have no fun vacation.

[JinxyB]

rebeccalouiseagain, that is the first I have heard of the passport requirement on a closed-loop cruise. Is this only on Princess or all lines? I'm a single parent and cruise with my son (just the two of us) and while he does have a passport now, I'm not sure his biological father will be willing to sign the form when it comes time to renew the passport. I will have to look into this-thank you for bringing this to my attention!

 

About the notarized letter-I have had it only once and never been asked for it. I did get one for my upcoming cruise because I paid a lot of money and would hate to be denied boarding!

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Jinky B- this was from the Princess website but now that it has been brought to my attention... I thought I'd share with you. I did not know about this rule regarding solo adults with minors. It MAY be only Princess policy but I would definitely check before departing on a cruise if..

 

You are the only adult traveling with kids.

[nursemom23]

This is the first that I have heard about this. I will be travelling alone with my three children, 21, 18 and 14. My husband has just recently passed away. Do I need something for my 14 yo? We are travelling with birth certificates. Should I take a copy of my husband's death certificate? Would this be enough?

[Kerry's Girls]

Yes, a certified copy of the death certificate is what you bring in the case that the father listed on the birth certificate is deceased.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

Best,

Mia

[CNDKangaroo]

Okay, I get if the parents are separated etc. but what my husband and I are happily married and my mom and I are taking the kids on a cruise. Everyone has passports. I guess I don't understand why I would need a letter too?

[Kerry's Girls]

Okay, I get if the parents are separated etc. but what my husband and I are happily married and my mom and I are taking the kids on a cruise. Everyone has passports. I guess I don't understand why I would need a letter too?

 

Because there's no way for immigration to know that you're happily married. They want proof that the other parent is aware and ok that you're taking the children out of the country. Without that consent, there is no way for them to know if you are separated and trying to take the children away. It's just too bad that they don't ask everyone alone with kids. They probably won't ask you, but it does happen.

 

All the best,

Mia

[bearette]

I just talked to my travel agent and he said it is a new rule for Princes and the other lines will probably follow suite soon but they are requiring all minors to have a passport. They will no longer accept minors with only a birth certificate. It causes problems when families need to depart early as the children are not allowed to fly home.

[RoDel]

I haven't cruised alone with my son, but I did just fly back to Canada from Mexico via the US with him (this past weekend).

All 3 immigration authorities asked for a letter from my husband (his father) - I did not have one, but I did have my son's birth certificate and passport and a copy of my husband's passport. This seemed to suffice, but not without a good scare.

 

All three officers said I should always carry a letter - and I will!

 

 

 

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