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Need help! Passport question for Divina Caribbean out of Miami

JenandRafcruiselovers

By JenandRafcruiselovers,
in MSC Cruises

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Cruisergal1208

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So sorry this happened to you but like you said, there must be a reason for you not to be on the ship this time. I know this will help others to be sure of all necessary documents. Like others said, start planning your next vacation and look forward to hearing all about it.

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CTBob

CTBob

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Well this was the expected and very sad outcome. Right after I read your initial post I put my passport in my luggage for our cruise at the end of the month. So maybe you have helped some others. I hope that MSC will give you a break on a future cruise. Bob

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nana541

nana541

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Well this was the expected and very sad outcome. Right after I read your initial post I put my passport in my luggage for our cruise at the end of the month. So maybe you have helped some others. I hope that MSC will give you a break on a future cruise. Bob

 

 

TAKE YOUR PASSPORT OUT OF YOUR LUGGAGE...

 

If you accidentally leave it in your bags you run the risk of leaving it there which can result in one of two things happening...

1. Airline loses your bag = denied boarding due to no passport!

2. Luggage makes it to the ship and you give it to the porters, luggage gets on but you don't = no passport in your possession and they can't find your bags amount the 1000's they are loading.

 

Both stories are true boarding nightmares that HAVE happened. Get all your boarding documents together and keep them with your car keys... Can't leave the house without keys!

 

Have a great trip and safe journey :)

 

 

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mrstrod

mrstrod

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Well this was the expected and very sad outcome. Right after I read your initial post I put my passport in my luggage for our cruise at the end of the month. So maybe you have helped some others. I hope that MSC will give you a break on a future cruise. Bob

 

We cruise on the 22nd and my passports are in my carry on bag too, we're driving as well. :D

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JohnLocke2012

JohnLocke2012

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Just to be clear, are birth certificate copies acceptable as long as they have a raised seal? My girlfriend will be traveling with hers, and it's a copy, but it has a raised seal from the registrar of deeds from her home county. I have my original with raised seal. We both have valid state issued ids (mine is a driver's license, hers is a regular ID)

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nana541

nana541

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Just to be clear, are birth certificate copies acceptable as long as they have a raised seal? My girlfriend will be traveling with hers, and it's a copy, but it has a raised seal from the registrar of deeds from her home county. I have my original with raised seal. We both have valid state issued ids (mine is a driver's license, hers is a regular ID)

 

 

What is a regular ID? Is the name on her Government issued photo ID the EXACT same name as her birth certificate? Remember woman's names change due to marriage?

 

 

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JohnLocke2012

JohnLocke2012

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What is a regular ID? Is the name on her Government issued photo ID the EXACT same name as her birth certificate? Remember woman's names change due to marriage?

 

 

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It is a state issued ID from the state of North Carolina. The name and DOB are exactly the same as her birth certificate copy (with raised seal). She has never been married or had a legal name change.

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JenandRafcruiselovers

JenandRafcruiselovers

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Johnlocke2012, from our experience a copy of the BC with a seal will work. We saw many people who got on with a faxed or emailed copy which obviously did not have a seal.

 

The only reason we were not permitted to board with a faxed copy is because in 2010 Puerto Rico passed a law stating that all birth certificates issued prior to 2010 were expired and needed to be reissued (pay a fee). We were not aware of this because we live in AZ and were not notified by PR. Sadly this is a way that PR brings in revenue and we just didn't know! It's been a very expensive lesson and a tough pill to swallow!

 

 

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nana541

nana541

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Johnlocke2012, from our experience a copy of the BC with a seal will work. We saw many people who got on with a faxed or emailed copy which obviously did not have a seal.

 

The only reason we were not permitted to board with a faxed copy is because in 2010 Puerto Rico passed a law stating that all birth certificates issued prior to 2010 were expired and needed to be reissued (pay a fee). We were not aware of this because we live in AZ and were not notified by PR. Sadly this is a way that PR brings in revenue and we just didn't know! It's been a very expensive lesson and a tough pill to swallow!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

Actually the reason for needing to replace PR birthcert in 2010 was due to the fact that there was a huge counterfeiting of earlier PR birth certs.

 

This has been a huge problem, read.

Has nothing to do with being a money maker. I remember reading about this in the news a few years ago.

 

:http://m.watchdog.org/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwatchdog.org%2F155518%2Ffake-birth-certificates-find-easy-live-american-dream%2F#2668

 

http://www.ilw.com/articles/2011,1129-yacob.shtm

 

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Edited by nana541
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JohnLocke2012

JohnLocke2012

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I am assuming you are both BORN in the US?

 

 

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Yes. Both born and raised our whole lives in the US. She actually has never even left the country, so its super exciting for her, but now we are just both super paranoid. We both need to be on that ship next month lol, both long overdue for a vacation.

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JohnLocke2012

JohnLocke2012

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Johnlocke2012, from our experience a copy of the BC with a seal will work. We saw many people who got on with a faxed or emailed copy which obviously did not have a seal.

 

The only reason we were not permitted to board with a faxed copy is because in 2010 Puerto Rico passed a law stating that all birth certificates issued prior to 2010 were expired and needed to be reissued (pay a fee). We were not aware of this because we live in AZ and were not notified by PR. Sadly this is a way that PR brings in revenue and we just didn't know! It's been a very expensive lesson and a tough pill to swallow!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

That really sucks you two couldnt board :( thank you for easing my worries though, I don't see how we wouldn't be able to board.

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MsTabbyKats

MsTabbyKats

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I'm very surprised that they let people on with "photocopies & faxes" of birth certificates. They may not be accepted when you get off the ship in the US. (Or shall I say...they shouldn't be accepted...because they aren't official proofs of citizenship...and can be very easily forged.)

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jkgourmet

jkgourmet

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I'm very surprised that they let people on with "photocopies & faxes" of birth certificates. They may not be accepted when you get off the ship in the US. (Or shall I say...they shouldn't be accepted...because they aren't official proofs of citizenship...and can be very easily forged.)

 

I'm not at all convinced that people ARE getting on board with documenta that do not have a raused seal. OP msy have thought that was what she saw, but I just don't think so.

 

Sorry for all the emotional turmoil, expense and upset. But it proves again that everyone needs a passport.

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Arsinoe

Arsinoe

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Passport control has become much stricter. When I renewed my passport for this upcoming trip they made a provisional rejection of my application, because they could not see my eyes clearly enough due to a slight squint. This was even though I had the picture taken professionally. I sent in another set of photos, and these were accepted after a six week wait. This was the first time in fifty years that I was without a passport, and it freaked me out.

 

My heart goes out to these travellers who missed their cruise.

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JohnLocke2012

JohnLocke2012

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I'm not at all convinced that people ARE getting on board with documenta that do not have a raused seal. OP msy have thought that was what she saw, but I just don't think so.

 

Sorry for all the emotional turmoil, expense and upset. But it proves again that everyone needs a passport.

 

Don't *need* one for a closed loop cruise originating and ending in the US, but it is recommended. I won't be traveling with one.

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AmoMondo

AmoMondo

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Don't *need* one for a closed loop cruise originating and ending in the US, but it is recommended. I won't be traveling with one.

 

I've been aware of this for sometime for US citizens. What I don't understand is why anyone would want to leave their country without a passport even if they can on a closed loop cruise. The absolute nightmare that must occur should some kind of emergency require you to leave the ship doesn't bear thinking about. How exactly do you get home? What of you miss the ship?

 

Are US passports so expensive or hard to get that people choose to travel without them?

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mrstrod

mrstrod

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I've been aware of this for sometime for US citizens. What I don't understand is why anyone would want to leave their country without a passport even if they can on a closed loop cruise. The absolute nightmare that must occur should some kind of emergency require you to leave the ship doesn't bear thinking about. How exactly do you get home? What of you miss the ship?

 

Are US passports so expensive or hard to get that people choose to travel without them?

 

I agree one hundred percent! I also do not understand why people are so resistant to just getting their passports. I mean, you only need to do it once every 10 years - what's the big deal? I guess people are too cheap. Okay so $110 is a lot for a little piece of paper but as I said it is good for 10 years and gives you a ton of piece of mind when you travel. If you can afford to cruise, you can afford to get a passport.

 

My children who are now 14 and 11 have had them since their first cruise, we had to do their first renewal last year. So sad to think that on their next renewal they will have to get their own adult ones!

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TWELVEOHONE

TWELVEOHONE

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Not sure but it depends on which island you are going to.

U.S. Law says if taking a cruise from a U.S. Port and returning by the save ship to the same port a passport not needed.

 

ID required gov issuers ID with birth certificate.

With that said some islands require a passport.

 

I have seen this problem with other ships and they will not let you board without proper ID. Cruise line get big trouble and big fine if violated the rules

 

 

 

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JohnLocke2012

JohnLocke2012

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I've been aware of this for sometime for US citizens. hat I don't understand is why anyone would want to leave their country without a passport even if they can on a closed loop cruise. The absolute nightmare that must occur should some kind of emergency require you to leave the ship doesn't bear thinking about. How exactly do you get home? What of you miss the ship?

 

Are US passports so expensive or hard to get that people choose to travel without them?

 

My passport expired and I just never had the need to get it renewed. $130 for a passport is a good deal of money, at least to me it is. My girlfriend hasn't left the country ever, so she obviously never had the need for one. For us to both get them, would be over $300 with fees. That's almost half of what we paid for the entire cruise. I won't miss the ship, and no emergency will get me to leave my vacation early :D

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