consent form to take grandkids on cruise

[K D cruiser]

We've booked an Alaska cruise for July and plan to take our two grandchildren, ages 13 and 9. Do we need their parents to sign a consent form to take the kids? I just called Princess and the CSR I spoke with said it is no longer required. Both kids have passports.

 

Has anyone had any recent experience with this? I'd hate to be denied boarding because we didn't have the proper documentation.

 

Thanks for any help.

[cruiseryyc]

I think the customer service rep at Princess might have been wrong. I would never take someone else's child on a trip (even within my own country) without getting written permission from their parents. The letter should also give you permission to make any medical decisions in case of an emergency.

 

A quick search and I found this information from US government site (presuming you are from the US)

 

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/268/~/children---child-traveling-with-one-parent-or-someone-who-is-not-a-parent-or

Edited March 31, 2014 by cruiseryyc

[Colo Cruiser]

Take one, it would be bad if you arrived and they asked for it.

Better to have one anyway.

[SBGbrady]

Oh and please have it notarized. Very common in the Bahamas and Mexico to have a notarized letter, as well as with some of the airlines. Good luck.

[Colo Cruiser]

Oh and please have it notarized. Very common in the Bahamas and Mexico to have a notarized letter, as well as with some of the airlines. Good luck.

 

Yes they all should be notarized anyway!

For whatever thats worth in Mexico. :eek:

[eandj]

Our friends took a couple of her minor grandchildren to Alaska last summer. They were not required to have a letter of any kind. However they did bring all the medical insurance info along with a statement giving them authority to make decisions in an emergency.

Things can be different if leaving the country.

[mek]

We've taken 5 grandkids on cruises, all minors at the time, and have always had a notarized letter of authorization to take them out of the country and another to for emergency medical care. Why would anyone take a risk that the documents might be needed?

[luv2c00k]

I know when my children visited my older brother in Washington State & he took them to Vancouver he needed a notarized letter signed by my husband & myself saying it was okay for him to travel with them. Not sure your cruise makes a stop in Canada or not. Also - it is a good idea to have it stated in the letter that in the case of an emergency you can make medical decisions for them. Better to have it and not need it.

 

That said - we can all weigh in on what happened with us or our friends/family. When it comes down to it - the small amount of effort it takes to type up the letter and have it notarized is little compared to the headaches if you can not do things.

[Ethel5]

We've booked an Alaska cruise for July and plan to take our two grandchildren, ages 13 and 9. Do we need their parents to sign a consent form to take the kids? I just called Princess and the CSR I spoke with said it is no longer required. Both kids have passports.

 

Has anyone had any recent experience with this? I'd hate to be denied boarding because we didn't have the proper documentation.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Princess does not require a form, BUT some of the ports might. I would take a notarized letter stating the date, ports etc. I would also include consent giving me permission to make medical decisions. I always did this when traveling with the grandkids. A long time ago, Princess did require a form to be signed and notarized.

[jean s]

I have taken my niece out of the country and I agree with taking the proper paperwork just in case. I always make sure I have a notorized letter signed by both parents. It gives me permission to take my niece out of the country and to seek and obtain necessary medical care. My niece travels with us often and we have been asked to produce this letter twice when coming back into the United States.

[Skai]

The document is called a POA(Power of Attorney). As others have already stated ITT.....It simply needs to be signed by the parents and stamped by a notary public to be viewed as a legal document.

 

A simple web search will provide many free serviceable templates that one may utilize.

[K D cruiser]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I spoke with my son and he agreed that we should write a permission form and have it signed and notarized. I was surprised when the CSR said it was no longer required, but better safe than sorry.

[Colo Cruiser]

Nothing that a CSR says anymore surprises me. :rolleyes:

[Ethel5]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I spoke with my son and he agreed that we should write a permission form and have it signed and notarized. I was surprised when the CSR said it was no longer required, but better safe than sorry.

 

Nothing that a CSR says anymore surprises me. :rolleyes:

 

Technically, the CSR was correct...Princess does not require the permission form. It's definitely a CYA thing. I always get a medical POA letter from my daughter when babysitting when they go on vacations.

 

Enjoy your cruise.:)

[MamaTene]

Does same hold true now for children of divorced parents? The NON custodial doesn't have to provide certified letter allowing children out of the country? Surmise the grandparents aren't custodial of the children.

[Dreamer333]

Many years ago I took my niece on a cruise. I had her birth certificate and a notarized letter. They never asked for the letter. Nobody even asked my relationship to her. However, I would still have that notarized letter just to be safe.

[Colo Cruiser]

Does same hold true now for children of divorced parents? The NON custodial doesn't have to provide certified letter allowing children out of the country? Surmise the grandparents aren't custodial of the children.

 

How would one know that? They would not take someones word for it.

Needs to be in writing.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[molly2kit]

I have had the good fortune to take my grandchildren on vacation several times.

 

The first time, not a single person asked for the notarized letter I carried. This was a trip from Vancouver to Europe.

 

The second time taking the kids to Disneyland, the Canadian Customs officer requested the letter when we were coming back home.

 

The third time the US customs officer requested the letter as we went through customs to get on the ship - if I hadn't had that one, our Disney cruise might not have happened.

 

So I will always travel with notarized letters of consent.

 

Have a wonderful time with your grandchildren

Edited April 1, 2014 by molly2kit

[hollydog]

Does same hold true now for children of divorced parents? The NON custodial doesn't have to provide certified letter allowing children out of the country? Surmise the grandparents aren't custodial of the children.

 

Depends on what the custody agreement says. My daughter and her ex have a "parenting agreement" (that's what it's called in Colorado) that says BOTH have to give permission for their daughter to be taken out of state.

[Sailaway2Sea]

We were asked to show our permission letter at Houston Port by a custom's agent following our Caribbean Princess cruise in February. Luckily I had one.