MSC Cruise New York To Bahamas Next Week. Please Help!! What ID Needed??

[Clint1]

Hi,  I am taking my daughter and 2 friends to the Bahamas from New York and returning to NY next week.  My daughter is 15 and has only a birth certificate.  1 friend has her passport and is all set.  The other friend 17 and has only a birth certificate.  Will this work?  I am conflicted if the 17 year old needs a government ID as well as her birth certificate??  If she does, what ID can she get that will work in 1 weeks time?  Please help!  I am freaking out!!  Als, is my 15 year old daughter good with just her birth certificate?

[Meander Ingwa]

I think you best contact your cruise line,  If I understand your post you have three minors on your trip, two of which are not your children.

 

[Clint1]

I contacted MSC.  They just refer me to websites that talk in circles.  It should not be this difficult!  No one seems to have a straight answer on what is needed and what ID I can have the girl get in a week.

[CruiserBruce]

Major issue traveling with minors who you don't have custody or legal guardianship over. Yes you need to clarify the ID issues (I think for above 16 it's government issued photo ID AND official birth certificate,  under 16 its just the birth certificate), but you also need to clarify,  officially,  the legal custody issues. Your own daughter might need official,  documented approval from her mother, or legal proof the mother isn't in the picture or doesn't have any legal say in the matter.

 

You definitely should NOT be just looking at this a week ahead of the cruise. This has disaster written all over it.

[Essiesmom]

The 17y/o needs a govt issued photo ID which can be a drivers license or school ID.  EM

[LHT28]

Also letter from both parents  of each child  with permission to take them out of the country

As well as your spouse  if you are  not travelling together

[Clint1]

42 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

The 17y/o needs a govt issued photo ID which can be a drivers license or school ID.  EM

Will a school ID work along with a birth certificate and a notarized letter from the parents?

[Clint1]

44 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Major issue traveling with minors who you don't have custody or legal guardianship over. Yes you need to clarify the ID issues (I think for above 16 it's government issued photo ID AND official birth certificate,  under 16 its just the birth certificate), but you also need to clarify,  officially,  the legal custody issues. Your own daughter might need official,  documented approval from her mother, or legal proof the mother isn't in the picture or doesn't have any legal say in the matter.

 

You definitely should NOT be just looking at this a week ahead of the cruise. This has disaster written all over it.

What can be used for a government ID?  She does not have her license or learner permit.  Can she get a post office ID?  Or are there any other ID's we can get in a week?

[Meander Ingwa]

Does your state issue id?  I had one as a young adult because I didn't drive.  Not sure you can get one process in a week.  Have the young lady call her state license dept first thing tomorrow.  Call her parents to discuss

 

Agree with others, you need to jump over the help line to higher service.  Likely there is a form needed authorizing you to travel with these non custodial children.  You may need to dig deeper. Involves parental signature, often with your own signature and notarized

[KP@Sea]

Some helpful information here:

 

https://www.mscbook.com/pages/sdl/img/2021-22-MSC-Cruises-FAQs.pdf#:~:text=When one parent is travelling with child (ren)%2C,original certified copy of the other parent’s ID).

Edited June 18, 2023 by Winky7650

[GTO-Girl]

Am I reading this correctly that MSC requires EVERYONE to have a passport?

Edited June 18, 2023 by GTO-Girl

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, Meander Ingwa said:

I think you best contact your cruise line,  If I understand your post you have three minors on your trip, two of which are not your children.

 

If that’s the case, OP has additional issue not the least of which is written permission from parents for travel and medical treatment.

That said, savvy travelers would have passports for all in their party since, regardless of the cruis line’s requirements, an emergency with air involved would require passports.

[SPacificbound]

3 hours ago, Clint1 said:

I contacted MSC.  They just refer me to websites that talk in circles.  It should not be this difficult!  No one seems to have a straight answer on what is needed and what ID I can have the girl get in a week.

It is only "this difficult" because you waited until the last minute to inquire.

[Essiesmom]

2 hours ago, GTO-Girl said:

Am I reading this correctly that MSC requires EVERYONE to have a passport?

No, people sail MSC from the US weekly with only BC and photo ID.  EM

[GTO-Girl]

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

No, people sail MSC from the US weekly with only BC and photo ID.  EM

I was just going by the above post straight from the MSC website which stated everyone. Including minors must have a passport……so I didn’t know…

 

I went back and pulled it myself and do see you can use a BC and photo ID.  I sure am glad for the original poster’s sake.….😎

Edited June 18, 2023 by GTO-Girl

[njhorseman]

34 minutes ago, GTO-Girl said:

I was just going by the above post straight from the MSC website which stated everyone. Including minors must have a passport……so I didn’t know…

 

I went back and pulled it myself and do see you can use a BC and photo ID.  I sure am glad for the original poster’s sake.….😎

Looking at the material in that post it was clearly not from MSC's US website as it gives a contact telephone number starting with 087. 

As you said, the US website clearly states that a birth certificate and  and photo ID are acceptable.

For everyone's benefit here's the link to the correct information that you already found (note the msccruisesusa.com url)

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/manage-booking/before-you-go/travel-documents-visas?_gl=1*1kmx27h*_up*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI67jdofvN_wIV1e_jBx281ADgEAAYASAAEgJHNvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

 

[1025cruise]

I personally would not take someone else's kid out of the country without a passport.

[jsn55]

Obtaining this kind of seriously-important information from Cruise Critic is probably helpful.  But 'probably' is not good enough.  Contact the authorities to find out exactly what the Bahamas requires for IDs.  Contact MSC for exactly what is required to travel with children who are not yours.  Get everything in writing.  You may want to postpone this trip for a few weeks so you are sure everyone can board the ship.  

[Flatbush Flyer]

6 hours ago, GTO-Girl said:

Am I reading this correctly that MSC requires EVERYONE to have a passport?

Let’s hope so. Those cruise lines that want to reduce their own stress as well as the stress on passengers always require passports for all passengers on all itineraries.

[njhorseman]

14 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Let’s hope so. Those cruise lines that want to reduce their own stress as well as the stress on passengers always require passports for all passengers on all itineraries.

Mass market cruise lines such as MSC normally only require the minimum legal documentation, and this is the case here as the MSC website confirms, which means a passport is not required for this itinerary. Unfortunately posters were misled by a citation of requirements that were not for US-based cruises and were not taken from MSC's US website.

[Clint1]

How about for my daughter who is 15?  I believe she just needs her Birth Certificate.  Is this true?  Also, will a school ID work as a photo ID along with the Birth Certificate for one of the girls?

[JamieLogical]

Directly from the US Customs & Border Patrol web site:

 

U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of citizenship, such as an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL), a government-issued birth certificate (issued by the Vital Records Department in the state where he or she was born) or passport, and if 16 or older, a government issued driver's license, picture ID, denoting photo, name, and date of birth.

 

https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-74?language=en_US

 

Edited June 19, 2023 by JamieLogical

[JamieLogical]

If the 17-year-old who is traveling with you lives close enough to a passport office, she could they could potentially try to get an appointment for Urgent Travel. They would not necessarily need a full passport. You can take closed-loop cruises from the US with just a passport card.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies.html

 

Edited June 19, 2023 by JamieLogical

[CruiserBruce]

@JamieLogical, a cruise line may, and some do, require more documentation than required by the governments involved. 

[xcell]

16 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Also letter from both parents  of each child  with permission to take them out of the country

As well as your spouse  if you are  not travelling together

I think these letters should be notarized, otherwise, I could just write a letter and sign it randomly...

 

From RCCL (since I could not not find it on MSC other than a definition of minor and reason why)

 

Adults who are not the parent or legal guardian of a minor traveling with them must present an original, notarized letter signed by the child's parent(s) authorizing the adult to take the child on the specific cruise, supervise the child, and allow emergency medical treatment to be administered, if needed.

 

They have a sample form...

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-if-i-am-traveling-with-a-minor-and-i-am-not-their-parent-legal-guardian#:~:text=Adults who are not the,to be administered%2C if needed.

 

MSC info about travelling with Minors...

 

https://www.msccruises.com/en-gl/Minor-Policy.aspx

 

 

I hope you bought trip cancellation insurance....

Edited June 19, 2023 by xcell