cruising with a birth cert and marriage license for name change???

[Erreyl]

I haven't cruised in over 10 years and since then I got married and then divorced, ugh!

 

My passport is expired so I am hoping to sail on my (closed loop from Baltimore) Bahamas cruise in March with my driver's license and birth certificate.  However, since my birth certificate is my maiden name (and I kept my married name after divorce), the two don't match.  I think this means I need to take my driver's license and my marriage license, to show proof of name change (even though I am now divorced).  Does anyone have experience with this?  I intend to also contact Carnival but figured this board would have some insight from those who may have experienced something similar.

 

Thanks

[sparks1093]

Better to bring it and not need it then to not bring it and need it seems to be the consensus to this question.

[Erreyl]

10 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

Better to bring it and not need it then to not bring it and need it seems to be the consensus to this question.

Thanks, that's my feeling as well.

[staceyglow]

9 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

Better to bring it and not need it then to not bring it and need it seems to be the consensus to this question.

Yep. It takes up no room in the luggage. 

[dallasdan]

My DW has never been asked to show here marriage license.  We have used the birth certificate on 17 cruises.

[Caps_Shield]

Same, 14 cruises and never have been asked for the marriage certificate.  Bring it but you should be fine.  

[south-carolinagirl]

I bring my first marriage license, divorce decree and new marriage license, but they never asked for anything other than my orig birth certificate and dr license.  I always bring it tho just in case, knowing my luck the first time I don't, someone is going to ask for it. 

[Drose716]

I did 3 or 4 cruises post-divorce  (never have changed my name) before I got a passport. I remember the first time I intended to bring my marriage certificate & forgot it & I was completely panicked. Nobody asked for it or asked a single question. I did bring it along for the others for the easing my own anxiety, but I was never once asked for it. 
 

I say it’s always better to have it & not need it. But likely, ya won’t need it.

[Sarahg0915]

Definitely bring the marriage license. Mine was checked last week boarding the Mardi Gras. 

[Angelboys3]

Bring it for sure. I've taken mine every time and was asked for it for the first time on our last cruise before Covid. It definitely depends on who you get because I had cruised 4-5 times without being asked but that one time they did I was glad I had it

[wolft927]

Always Bring Bridging Documents, even if never asked. My wife has never been asked but we bring it anyways. We are bringing my 16 year old stepdaughter in April, and have a notarized letter from her father showing he knows she is leaving the country. Her 17 year old friend is also coming and we have the form signed and completed by both her parents as well as copies of there driverse licenses as well as a notorized travel document giving my wife and I permisssion to take her as well as make medical decisions on their behalf. Now will we need all these documents, maybe not, but imagine getting to the terminal and being denied boarding because you dont have them. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

I have done check-in for cruise passengers in Seattle.  We have never denied boarding to a woman because her (married) last name was different than the last name on her birth certificate.

 

Check-in agents are trained to confirm that the married/divorced/widowed woman's first and middle name, as well as her date of birth matches up with her gov't issued photo ID (driver's license).

 

Example:

BC   Allison Grace Miller  DOB 08/14/1978

DL    Allison Grace Cruz    DOB 08/14/1978

or

DL    Allison Miller Cruz  DOB 08/14/1978

 

It's all good.  Also, the check-in agent isn't the person denying a passengers boarding - if there was any situation that documents are called into question a supervisor gets involved.  If it really gets complicated, it moves up the chain of command and finally to the Ship's Documentation Officer who is usually behind the check-in desk with the agents.  He/She will have the final word.  Please remember, everyone at the terminal wants the passenger to board, and will do everything within legal bounds to make it happen.

 

FYI, I have never read any thread on CC about a married/divorced/widowed woman being denied boarding because her last name didn't match up with her birth certificate (assuming that everything else was in order).

[Elaine5715]

On 1/18/2023 at 10:52 AM, Erreyl said:

I haven't cruised in over 10 years and since then I got married and then divorced, ugh!

 

My passport is expired so I am hoping to sail on my (closed loop from Baltimore) Bahamas cruise in March with my driver's license and birth certificate.  However, since my birth certificate is my maiden name (and I kept my married name after divorce), the two don't match.  I think this means I need to take my driver's license and my marriage license, to show proof of name change (even though I am now divorced).  Does anyone have experience with this?  I intend to also contact Carnival but figured this board would have some insight from those who may have experienced something similar.

 

Thanks

What name matches the booking name?

[Erreyl]

2 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

What name matches the booking name?

My current legal name matches the booking name and my driver’s license.

[Erreyl]

Thanks everyone for all the comments!  I plan to bring everything just in case but feel better knowing almost no one is typically even asked.

[toeloop]

Not saying you need a passport for your particular cruise, but they now renew expired passports online.  I got my new one in under 6 weeks.

[sparks1093]

11 hours ago, toeloop said:

Not saying you need a passport for your particular cruise, but they now renew expired passports online.  I got my new one in under 6 weeks.

They were piloting that, have they made it a permanent thing? I hope that they do.

[Erreyl]

14 hours ago, toeloop said:

Not saying you need a passport for your particular cruise, but they now renew expired passports online.  I got my new one in under 6 weeks.

Thanks!  I looked into it because my passport is long-expired.  It said much longer for delivery and with our cruise I would have had the regular fee and expediting fee so I decided not to do it this time.