Using a birth certificate on a closed loop cruise

[neverlaysup]

A quick question to this forum before I spend hours on hold with Celebrity. My sister in law does not have a passport and the cruise I booked her on is in 6 weeks. She has a birth certificate with her maiden name and a current marriage certificate that used her previous married name but also states her Maiden name as well. Does anyone here have experience using this for travel and will it pass muster with the cruise line. We may be able to expedite a passport but we are hoping that the birth and current marriage certificate will suffice.

[canderson]

Birth Certificate needs to be an original, not a copy, but yes.  May be quicker to get an original from her birth county if needed faster than a passport renewal.

 

 

Edited August 18, 2022 by canderson
Typoz

[Oville]

1 minute ago, canderson said:

Birth Certificate needs to be an original, not a copy, but yes.  May be quicker to get an original from her birth county if needed faster than a passport renewal.

 

 

I believe they need a raised seal, not necessarily the original.

[neverlaysup]

4 minutes ago, canderson said:

Birth Certificate needs to be an original, not a copy, but yes.  May be quicker to get an original from her birth county if needed faster than a passport renewal.

 

 

I am aware of the birth certificate requirement but since her name does not match, she also has to show proof of a name change. My question was will her current marriage certificate that mentions her maiden name suffice.

[canderson]

Yes, those changing last names due to marriages aren't at all uncommon on cruises!  A fair number who DO have passports have them in a prior name (sometimes newlyweds!), and need to show their current name on a marriage certificate to match their booking information.  I assume that this is because her booking is under her married name?

 

 

 

[neverlaysup]

3 minutes ago, canderson said:

Yes, those changing last names due to marriages aren't at all uncommon on cruises!  A fair number who DO have passports have them in a prior name (sometimes newlyweds!), and need to show their current name on a marriage certificate to match their booking information.  I assume that this is because her booking is under her married name?

 

 

 

Yes, my curiosity was that her current marriage certificate shows her previous married name but there is another box that has her maiden name.

[canderson]

36 minutes ago, Oville said:

I believe they need a raised seal, not necessarily the original.

That's considered an "original", even if it's not the first one they've produced.

[Ferry_Watcher]

Check-in agents are trained how to look at birth certificates of women who changed their name due to marriage.  If the first and middle name of her maiden name matches up with her birth certificate and (usually) driver's license, as well as the date of birth, then it's fine.  Same is true if she dropped her middle name and substituted her maiden last name as her new middle name.

 

Example:

Susan Carol Dawson DOB 04/08/1972  (birth certificate)

Susan Dawson Lopez DOB 04/08/1972  (Driver's license)

 

If the check-in agent has any concerns, a supervisor would be called over.  Since most of the check-in agents are women, they understand.  This is how it would be handled in Seattle for the Alaska cruises.  It would not be a problem.

 

[Oville]

1 hour ago, canderson said:

That's considered an "original", even if it's not the first one they've produced.

Well some might read original and think you meant it,  just trying to help out.

[canderson]

1 minute ago, Oville said:

Well some might read original and think you meant it,  just trying to help out.

No, I think that saying "May be quicker to get an original from her birth county if needed faster than a passport renewal." made it clear enough to follow.

 

If we were talking about the first one issued, one would have to dig through her parents or her own files to find it, not request one from the county.

[Oville]

2 minutes ago, canderson said:

No, I think that saying "May be quicker to get an original from her birth county if needed faster than a passport renewal." made it clear enough to follow.

 

If we were talking about the first one issued, one would have to dig through her parents or her own files to find it, not request one from the county.

Whatever, good night.

[the penguins]

7 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

A quick question to this forum before I spend hours on hold with Celebrity. My sister in law does not have a passport and the cruise I booked her on is in 6 weeks. She has a birth certificate with her maiden name and a current marriage certificate that used her previous married name but also states her Maiden name as well. Does anyone here have experience using this for travel and will it pass muster with the cruise line. We may be able to expedite a passport but we are hoping that the birth and current marriage certificate will suffice.

Never take "legal" advice from CC as we can only give opinions. The only way to be sure is to speak to an "official". Personally we would get a passport then the issue is resolved for ever. Of course in the UK passports are compolsary. I also seem to remember a post that said if you didn't have a passport and had to leave the ship for a medical issue you wouldn't be allowed to fly back to the US. Hopefully one of the posters from the US will clarify that.

[Torfamm]

45 minutes ago, the penguins said:

Never take "legal" advice from CC as we can only give opinions. The only way to be sure is to speak to an "official". Personally we would get a passport then the issue is resolved for ever. Of course in the UK passports are compolsary. I also seem to remember a post that said if you didn't have a passport and had to leave the ship for a medical issue you wouldn't be allowed to fly back to the US. Hopefully one of the posters from the US will clarify that.

That is true. It is a huge problem not to have a passport if you need to fly back  to the US due to an emergency at home, medical issues, or if you miss the ship. It makes a bad situation much worse

[AnnaNicole]

2 hours ago, Torfamm said:

That is true. It is a huge problem not to have a passport if you need to fly back  to the US due to an emergency at home, medical issues, or if you miss the ship. It makes a bad situation much worse

Agree.   I would suggest making an attempt to get a passport for that exact reason. 

 

I just renewed my passport.  I paid extra for expedited service and shipping (5-7 weeks).   I sent my passport application express mail on July 26 and received it yesterday.    It took three weeks.

Edited August 18, 2022 by AnnaNicole

[Mark_K]

 

13 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

A quick question to this forum before I spend hours on hold with Celebrity. My sister in law does not have a passport and the cruise I booked her on is in 6 weeks. She has a birth certificate with her maiden name and a current marriage certificate that used her previous married name but also states her Maiden name as well. Does anyone here have experience using this for travel and will it pass muster with the cruise line. We may be able to expedite a passport but we are hoping that the birth and current marriage certificate will suffice.

She will also need a form of identification like a drivers license or official state ID card.

 

If she happens to live in a state that has the enhanced drivers license, and she has one, she shouldn’t need the birth certificate or marriage license.

[AnnaNicole]

2 hours ago, Mark_K said:

 

 

 

If she happens to live in a state that has the enhanced drivers license, and she has one, she shouldn’t need the birth certificate or marriage license.

Thanks for that info.   I live in a state with REAL ID.  I did not know I could forgo the birth certificate.   I also have Global Entry.   Is that sufficient for use alone too?

[njhorseman]

6 minutes ago, AnnaNicole said:

Thanks for that info.   I live in a state with REAL ID.  I did not know I could forgo the birth certificate.   I also have Global Entry.   Is that sufficient for use alone too?

REAL ID is not the same as an enhanced drivers license (EDL). A REAL ID license does nothing more than an ordinary drivers license for purposes of proof of citizenship and identity for a cruise. You can't forgo the birth certificate with a REAL ID license. You can forgo the birth certificate with an EDL.

 

No... a Global Entry card by itself doesn't work either.

Edited August 18, 2022 by njhorseman

[DCPIV]

7 minutes ago, AnnaNicole said:

Thanks for that info.   I live in a state with REAL ID.  I did not know I could forgo the birth certificate.   I also have Global Entry.   Is that sufficient for use alone too?

 

I've never seen Global Entry listed as adequate, and I expect that is because you don't have to be a US citizen to get it. 

 

Frankly, even if I had an EDL, I'd still bring that birth certificate and marriage certificate.  I'd like to think they'd never have to come out of the bag, but I also don't want to wind up dealing with someone who doesn't know for some reason or is just having a bad day. 

Edited August 18, 2022 by DCPIV

[neverlaysup]

Thanks all for the response but I was simply asking a question to see if anyone had experience with this. I think she needs a passport and don't need to be reminded by others of what is best, I already knew that.

[Ferry_Watcher]

1 hour ago, AnnaNicole said:

hanks for that info.   I live in a state with REAL ID.  I did not know I could forgo the birth certificate.   I also have Global Entry.   Is that sufficient for use alone too?

No, no no!

[Ferry_Watcher]

1 hour ago, DCPIV said:

Frankly, even if I had an EDL, I'd still bring that birth certificate and marriage certificate.  I'd like to think they'd never have to come out of the bag, but I also don't want to wind up dealing with someone who doesn't know for some reason or is just having a bad day. 

Edited 1 hour ago by DCPIV

 

Any document questions always go to a supervisor, or even to the ship's Document Officer.  You would never be denied by a check-in agent alone.  :  )

[Ferry_Watcher]

Enhanced Driver's Licenses are only issued by these 5 northern border states:

Mi, MN, NY, VT and WA.

 

And not everyone in those states has an Enhanced DL.  In my state (WA), it's a special DMV appointment where we need to shown proof of citizenship, as well as residency.  There is also a higher fee to pay.  The good thing is that I can travel across the US-Canadian border with my EDL, or take a US closed loop cruise with just using my WA State  Enhanced Driver's License. 

Edited August 18, 2022 by Ferry_Watcher

[Charles4515]

11 hours ago, the penguins said:

Never take "legal" advice from CC as we can only give opinions. The only way to be sure is to speak to an "official". Personally we would get a passport then the issue is resolved for ever. Of course in the UK passports are compolsary. I also seem to remember a post that said if you didn't have a passport and had to leave the ship for a medical issue you wouldn't be allowed to fly back to the US. Hopefully one of the posters from the US will clarify that.

Would have to get an emergency passport or waiver to fly back to the US. That would be a hassle but is doable. A passport is recommended. 

 

With over 60 cruises I have never had to fly back. The odds are pretty low. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

12 hours ago, the penguins said:

I also seem to remember a post that said if you didn't have a passport and had to leave the ship for a medical issue you wouldn't be allowed to fly back to the US. Hopefully one of the posters from the US will clarify that.

 

Just a point of clarification - all this talk about traveling on a closed loop cruise just with a birth certificate is only for US born citizens leaving and returning to the same US port (closed loop cruise).  

[TMLAalum]

3 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

Thanks all for the response but I was simply asking a question to see if anyone had experience with this. I think she needs a passport and don't need to be reminded by others of what is best, I already knew that.

Have her call Celebrity. Nice that you took on her dilemma though.

Edited August 18, 2022 by TMLAalum