Taking grandchild on shore excursions

[gillsjottings]

We will be cruising on the Med with our daughter, son-in-law and 2 year old grandchild in July. We are planning on taking our little granddaughter on a couple of "kid-friendly" shore excursions (e.g. to beaches) and also plan on spending time in the various ports with her, while my daughter and son-in-law will be doing more intense shore excursions, visiting the various cities. (Yep, we are going to Europe as glorified baby-sitters ;):p )

 

I am wondering whether we will need any documentation in order to take our granddaughter off the ship when her parents aren't present?

 

Also, what is the situation regarding a sea-pass card for a toddler? Will she have her own sea-pass card?

 

Would really appreciate any advice.

[RCKM43]

Not sure about Europe but Bermuda and the Caribbean we bring their sea pass and a copy of their passport. Everyone including children get their own sea pass card. My two year old at the time had to put her card in the machine with my help and had her picture taken. Just be aware if you are thinking of doing any ship excursions with your grandchild that many have an age minimum of at least 3 if not older. You won't need anything to take her off the ship aside from the usually documentation mentioned above. My children have gotten off the ship to shop with their grandparents before, no questions or additional documents needed.

[gillsjottings]

Thanks very much for that info, exactly what I was looking for :)

[chemmo]

A standard letter allowing you to give consent for emergency medical treatment may be advisable. If your granddaughter then had, for example, a fall on shore (or on ship for that matter) you could respond immediately to allow X-Rays...

 

Hopefully you would never need it and it would just remain in the bottom of your handbag but it could save a lot of problems if you were prepared, especially as her Mum and Dad could be some distance away.

[cb at sea]

No..as long a you have her seapass, you can leave the ship and return with her. You don't need "permission"....

[Keith1010]

The sea pass is all you need.

 

No written documentation needed.

 

So nice you will have your family with you.

 

Keith

[ghstudio]

A standard letter allowing you to give consent for emergency medical treatment may be advisable. If your granddaughter then had, for example, a fall on shore (or on ship for that matter) you could respond immediately to allow X-Rays...

 

Hopefully you would never need it and it would just remain in the bottom of your handbag but it could save a lot of problems if you were prepared, especially as her Mum and Dad could be some distance away.

 

It's actually very important to carry that letter...just in case. The letter should include any medical insurance information as well...perhaps a photocopy of an insurance card.

 

Better to be safe than sorry....

Edited February 24, 2016 by ghstudio

[az_tchr]

Since she is your grandaughter Celebrity might ask for a letter of permission from her parents. I was asked for such a letter for my grandchildren when boarding in Alaska in order to take him out of the country. Also I always carry medical insurance info and notarized letter of permission/authority to make medical decisions for my grandkids.

[gillsjottings]

Thanks so much for all the advice. I think I will get a letter from my daughter and son-in-law giving us permission to take her off the ship and also including permission for us to make emergency medical decisions, with a copy of their medical insurance attached. I'll carry it with me just in case, I'd rather be safe than sorry!

[villauk]

Your granddaughter is obviously too young at present, but if older children try to get off the ship, the seapass security guys always ask if they are with their parents etc. When our kids (teens) have been a little in front of us in the queue (if we're busy chatting to fellow passengers) to leave the ship, security have always shouted out if they are with anyone and kept them to one side. In our experience, they never let them off the ship alone. Just thought I'd mention for info for others ;).

 

Hope you all have a great time in Europe :).

[RCKM43]

Since she is your grandaughter Celebrity might ask for a letter of permission from her parents. I was asked for such a letter for my grandchildren when boarding in Alaska in order to take him out of the country. Also I always carry medical insurance info and notarized letter of permission/authority to make medical decisions for my grandkids.

 

 

She probably only needs the notarized medical permission as she is not traveling without the parents, she is just asking about going ashore to a beach excursion while the parents presumably do their own excursion or relax. What you are referring to is required if she sailed without the parents.

[mcrcruiser]

These are the documents that need to be taken with you :

 

Notarized letter from the parents authorizing you to take your grand child ashore & if medical treatment is needed that gives you that authority

 

Copy of the child pass port

 

Sea pass card

 

Also take water for all 3 of you

[constantcruiser]

Would this policy then allow ANY adult to take a child off the ship with them, as long as they have the child's seapass card? Seems a little risky to me, especially in a foreign country.

[OCruisers]

We were allowed to take our niece and her friend off the ship with us with no problems whatsoever ... just needed their cruise cards.

The parents were on the ship but the girls decided they had rather go with us.

 

LuLu

[RCKM43]

Would this policy then allow ANY adult to take a child off the ship with them, as long as they have the child's seapass card? Seems a little risky to me, especially in a foreign country.

 

 

While I would agree, on our cruises the grandparents have taken the kids off the ship to shop at the port for 30-45 mins. The kids are happy to be with them. Maybe they might stop someone if the child looked scared or upset. Not once were they asked for anything other than the normal scanning card as they got off, and showing a copy of their passport and sea pass to get back through the gate. Getting on board they just scanned their cards. We were showering and relaxing on our balcony just in case they needed to call and reach us. They never had any issues. Three different cruises, all celebrity. They just walk around shops right off the pier, if they were taking them on excursions or getting into taxis more documents might be helpful, but we were not more than 5 mins away.

[photomikey]

She probably only needs the notarized medical permission as she is not traveling without the parents, she is just asking about going ashore to a beach excursion while the parents presumably do their own excursion or relax. What you are referring to is required if she sailed without the parents.

Seems to me that something as simple as a taxi with a flat tire or having made a wrong turn could be the difference between watching the ship sail away with half of your family on it and the other half on shore in a third world country where you don't speak the language. For an extra couple of sentences, "has permission to travel internationally with my child" could be the difference between being stuck in Italy without a way to exit, and booking a couple of flights to meet the ship in the next port.

 

I'd advise a pretty extensive letter, giving the grandparents decision making power.