Forgot passport and got on cruise

[jjbawoods]

We were scheduled to go on a cruise RCI Vision of the Seas Sept 11, 2014. We flew from Tucson on the 10th arriving Fort Lauderdale at 9 pm. During our flight from DFW to Fort Lauderdale I realized I forgot our passports. My wife was very upset because online every post said Royal Caribbean would not let you on. Two and half hours later we landed in Fort Lauderdale and I called the Crown and Anchor Society to see if there was any options. They told us no we could not board and they would cancel our cruise and return only the taxes but not the cruise fare. I told them no I would try and get our passports sent out, of course there was no way that late to get them early the next day.

 

Our kids were staying with my mother so we called them and had them scan and email copies of our birth certificates and passports even though Royal Caribbean said both had to be originals. We went to the pier around noon to see if the copies would work with our driver licenses, prepared to be turned away. When we got there the first person said there would be no problem then we went through security, at this point was wife was crying thinking we would not get on. The staff was great, hugging and taking us to the front of line and said no problem copies are fine. We got on the ship and had a great time. After the cruise we had no problem with customs either. It was a closed loop cruise so the birth certificate and DL was an option.

 

I wanted to post this so people who forget there passport and can get a copy of their birth certificate faxed or emailed to them have hope.

[sail7seas]

You got REALLY lucky. I wouldn't count on that always happening at any cruise terminal.

 

Hope you had a great cruise.

 

Oh....... Welcome to CC. Happy you found us.

Edited September 15, 2014 by sail7seas

[sparks1093]

We were scheduled to go on a cruise RCI Vision of the Seas Sept 11, 2014. We flew from Tucson on the 10th arriving Fort Lauderdale at 9 pm. During our flight from DFW to Fort Lauderdale I realized I forgot our passports. My wife was very upset because online every post said Royal Caribbean would not let you on. Two and half hours later we landed in Fort Lauderdale and I called the Crown and Anchor Society to see if there was any options. They told us no we could not board and they would cancel our cruise and return only the taxes but not the cruise fare. I told them no I would try and get our passports sent out, of course there was no way that late to get them early the next day.

 

Our kids were staying with my mother so we called them and had them scan and email copies of our birth certificates and passports even though Royal Caribbean said both had to be originals. We went to the pier around noon to see if the copies would work with our driver licenses, prepared to be turned away. When we got there the first person said there would be no problem then we went through security, at this point was wife was crying thinking we would not get on. The staff was great, hugging and taking us to the front of line and said no problem copies are fine. We got on the ship and had a great time. After the cruise we had no problem with customs either. It was a closed loop cruise so the birth certificate and DL was an option.

 

I wanted to post this so people who forget there passport and can get a copy of their birth certificate faxed or emailed to them have hope.

 

Another example of shoreside operations not knowing what actually goes on. Thanks for posting.

[sparks1093]

You got REALLY lucky. I wouldn't count on that always happening at any cruise terminal.

 

Hope you had a great cruise.

 

Oh....... Welcome to CC. Happy you found us.

 

Under the circumstances I would rather show up at the pier with a copy of my birth certificate than with nothing at all.

[Aquahound]

Under the circumstances I would rather show up at the pier with a copy of my birth certificate than with nothing at all.

 

Exactly....Especially since the BC does not have to be an original, according to CBP.

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

[boogs]

Exactly....Especially since the BC does not have to be an original, according to CBP.

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

 

Exactly. My original birth certificate is safely secured at home and a copy is used when necessary. No way am I going to travel with the original. It is too valuable to carry with me on vacations.

[YubaSutter]

Then it is similar to Carnival. Xerox copies of the birth certificate is acceptable.

[kelkel2]

Good for you!!! Thankfully you said no to them canceling your cruise!!! It never hurts to try. The worst thing is they would have said no and you would have been at the same point as the lady canceling your cruise. But wow I'm so glad you got to go!!!

[lax19]

Exactly. My original birth certificate is safely secured at home and a copy is used when necessary. No way am I going to travel with the original. It is too valuable to carry with me on vacations.

 

I think your original BC is tucked away safely in the vital records office of the county in which you were born. What you have is a government issued copy.

[sail7seas]

Exactly. My original birth certificate is safely secured at home and a copy is used when necessary. No way am I going to travel with the original. It is too valuable to carry with me on vacations.

 

 

 

 

Too Valuable? :confused:

Is there some specific reason it would be so hard for you to get a replacement should you lose your birth certificate? I got copies of ours by mail with no difficulty. Perhaps if you were born on a Military base abroad you might have a harder time.

 

[boogs]

I think your original BC is tucked away safely in the vital records office of the county in which you were born. What you have is a government issued copy.

 

Too Valuable? :confused:

Is there some specific reason it would be so hard for you to get a replacement should you lose your birth certificate? I got copies of ours by mail with no difficulty. Perhaps if you were born on a Military base abroad you might have a harder time.

 

 

For me, yes. I was born 64 years ago in a very small town in Quebec, Canada. My family immigrated to the US six years later. The hospital I was born in did not do a very good of maintaining records at the time. And the local records office was not much better. Most documents from that time frame were never converted to electronic formats and are stored in boxes somewhere in a basement. Obtaining a copy is a time consuming process that will try the patience of even the most easy going person. I know because almost twenty years ago my poor brother misplaced his and needed a replacement to adopt a child. He had to go through months of phone calls, writing letters, and waiting before he finally received a copy of his original certificate, one with an embossed official seal, which is required in some instances.

 

I'd rather safeguard mine than have to go through the hassle of applying for a replacement if I don't have to.

Edited September 15, 2014 by boogs

[cherylandtk]

Although a Canadian BC would not work at all in the same situation faced by the OP, whether copy or original.

[Hflors]

We were scheduled to go on a cruise RCI Vision of the Seas Sept 11, 2014. We flew from Tucson on the 10th arriving Fort Lauderdale at 9 pm. During our flight from DFW to Fort Lauderdale I realized I forgot our passports. My wife was very upset because online every post said Royal Caribbean would not let you on. Two and half hours later we landed in Fort Lauderdale and I called the Crown and Anchor Society to see if there was any options. They told us no we could not board and they would cancel our cruise and return only the taxes but not the cruise fare. I told them no I would try and get our passports sent out, of course there was no way that late to get them early the next day.

 

Our kids were staying with my mother so we called them and had them scan and email copies of our birth certificates and passports even though Royal Caribbean said both had to be originals. We went to the pier around noon to see if the copies would work with our driver licenses, prepared to be turned away. When we got there the first person said there would be no problem then we went through security, at this point was wife was crying thinking we would not get on. The staff was great, hugging and taking us to the front of line and said no problem copies are fine. We got on the ship and had a great time. After the cruise we had no problem with customs either. It was a closed loop cruise so the birth certificate and DL was an option.

 

I wanted to post this so people who forget there passport and can get a copy of their birth certificate faxed or emailed to them have hope.

 

I am very happy for you that your story has a happy ending, but I would seriously question the security protocals for the staff that allowed someone to use copies of their passports and or BC.

 

Sometimes you just have to shake your head at how lax our security really is.

[sparks1093]

I am very happy for you that your story has a happy ending, but I would seriously question the security protocals for the staff that allowed someone to use copies of their passports and or BC.

 

Sometimes you just have to shake your head at how lax our security really is.

 

Except, as stated, the DHS regulations allow travelers to use the original or copy of their birth certificate, so really there was no lax security involved at all.

[dancinman66]

So lucky

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[njhorseman]

So lucky

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Not just lucky. As has been stated several times DHS rules permit a copy of the birth certificate and it's no secret that most cruise lines will do what they can to assist passengers with a documentation problem. They don't want to deny boarding to a passenger if they can at all avoid it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

You were very lucky to have someone fax you copies of your passport and birth certificate.

Glad you had a great cruise.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

You were very lucky ..

[JuneauMe]

I'd rather safeguard mine than have to go through the hassle of applying for a replacement if I don't have to.

Seeing as how it would be a giant hassle to get another copy, maybe it would be a good idea for you to obtain a second copy now while you can go through this process at you leisure, rather than having to be stressed out if something unfortunate did happen to the one & only copy you have. That way you have a backup copy just in case.

[Algebralovr]

For me, yes. I was born 64 years ago in a very small town in Quebec, Canada. My family immigrated to the US six years later. The hospital I was born in did not do a very good of maintaining records at the time. And the local records office was not much better. Most documents from that time frame were never converted to electronic formats and are stored in boxes somewhere in a basement. Obtaining a copy is a time consuming process that will try the patience of even the most easy going person. I know because almost twenty years ago my poor brother misplaced his and needed a replacement to adopt a child. He had to go through months of phone calls, writing letters, and waiting before he finally received a copy of his original certificate, one with an embossed official seal, which is required in some instances.

 

I'd rather safeguard mine than have to go through the hassle of applying for a replacement if I don't have to.

 

In your situation, your citizenship documents and passport are more important than your birth certificate. That said, for someone in your situation, where the BC is difficult to get another copy, I would be at my bank, making additional color copies, and having them notarized as copies of the official documents. Often, a notarized copy will substitute for the original.

[stag]

It helped when your wife had her passport. It was a very very lucky happy ending.

[sail7seas]

Originally Posted by sail7seas View Post

Too Valuable?

Is there some specific reason it would be so hard for you to get a replacement should you lose your birth certificate? I got copies of ours by mail with no difficulty. Perhaps if you were born on a Military base abroad you might have a harder time.

 

 

 

 

For me, yes. I was born 64 years ago in a very small town in Quebec, Canada. My family immigrated to the US six years later. The hospital I was born in did not do a very good of maintaining records at the time. And the local records office was not much better. Most documents from that time frame were never converted to electronic formats and are stored in boxes somewhere in a basement. Obtaining a copy is a time consuming process that will try the patience of even the most easy going person. I know because almost twenty years ago my poor brother misplaced his and needed a replacement to adopt a child. He had to go through months of phone calls, writing letters, and waiting before he finally received a copy of his original certificate, one with an embossed official seal, which is required in some instances.

 

I'd rather safeguard mine than have to go through the hassle of applying for a replacement if I don't have to.

 

 

;) I DID provide for the exception to the rule. Did you notice my asking 'is there some specific reason'?

MOST of us would have no problem getting new birth certificates presuming we planned in advance and provided sufficient time.

You are one of the exceptions. :cool:

 

Edited September 16, 2014 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

Seeing as how it would be a giant hassle to get another copy, maybe it would be a good idea for you to obtain a second copy now while you can go through this process at you leisure, rather than having to be stressed out if something unfortunate did happen to the one & only copy you have. That way you have a backup copy just in case.

 

In your situation, your citizenship documents and passport are more important than your birth certificate. That said, for someone in your situation, where the BC is difficult to get another copy, I would be at my bank, making additional color copies, and having them notarized as copies of the official documents. Often, a notarized copy will substitute for the original.

 

 

 

Definitely. Yes to both. ^^

I would not be waiting for the emergency need for the birth certificate and having to hassle under pressure to get another copy.

 

 

[/b]

[njhorseman]

It helped when your wife had her passport. It was a very very lucky happy ending.

 

She didn't have her passport...neither one had their passport. The third sentence of the original post:

 

During our flight from DFW to Fort Lauderdale I realized I forgot our passports.

 

 

And once again...DHS regulations clearly permit the use of a copy of your birth certificate.

[iancal]

Bloogs....you may want to try for that bc again.

 

I was born in Quebec about the same time. For many years my bc was actually a copy of the church baptism register page with Gov. seal (civil law). Complete with the names, occupations, and signatures of parents and two witnesses!

 

About ten years ago, when applying to have my CDN passport renewed I was told that this bc was no longer valid. I do not reside in Quebec but I did go to their website. Long story short...I paid an express fee and had one small and one large Quebec birth certificate delivered a week later. They now look like any other Government issued bc.

Edited September 16, 2014 by iancal