Open Letter to Celebrity: I'm Extremely Disappointed with how your staff handled our multiracial family at check in.

[gold1953]

5 minutes ago, roxannex said:

I can’t believe anyone is defending this. This is embarrassing for Celebrity. Would they call out someone’s child of the same race? I hardly think so. I’m actually pretty shocked this happened. This isn’t 1950. Interracial families are not exactly unusual anymore. I’m sorry, OP. That would have been extremely upsetting to me. 

a very wrong situation but not by Celebrity . It is port staff

[Gracie115]

There is no defense for this no matter how anyone here tries to rationalize it.  What a horrible way to start a vacation.  I'm sorry the OP and daughter had to go through this.

[WestLakeGirl]

Sadly we live in a world where girls and young women are at risk.  The terminal employees may have been overzealous but what if they had been right and she was in danger?

[phoenix_dream]

8 minutes ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Sadly we live in a world where girls and young women are at risk.  The terminal employees may have been overzealous but what if they had been right and she was in danger?

I think this is an issue to consider.  I am not defending how it was handled as even if they were attempting to protect a child in danger they clearly didn't handle it well.  But sadly there is too much actual sex trafficking going on these days.  It also is important to note that this was likely not Celebrity at all, but the port authorities, who clearly need better training in how to handle these situations.  Still doesn't make it right, but it's important to call attention where it belongs.  As to singling out someone because a white family had a black child with them, it becomes obvious that the child must be adopted, which started this whole debacle.  Had it been an all black family traveling with a white child I suspect that the same red flags would have been raised.  Obviously no way to know for sure.  There is sadly no real way to tell if this was actually an issue of discrimination, of poor training, or even if the port authorities had been notified of a significant increase of such things (trafficking) happening and were asked to be extra diligent in screening their passengers?

 

All else aside, I'm sorry the OP and their family had to go through this embarrassing and insulting process, whether well-intentioned or not.

[dleahy4444]

4 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

I think this is an issue to consider.  I am not defending how it was handled as even if they were attempting to protect a child in danger they clearly didn't handle it well.  But sadly there is too much actual sex trafficking going on these days.  It also is important to note that this was likely not Celebrity at all, but the port authorities, who clearly need better training in how to handle these situations.  Still doesn't make it right, but it's important to call attention where it belongs.  As to singling out someone because a white family had a black child with them, it becomes obvious that the child must be adopted, which started this whole debacle.  Had it been an all black family traveling with a white child I suspect that the same red flags would have been raised.  Obviously no way to know for sure.  There is sadly no real way to tell if this was actually an issue of discrimination, of poor training, or even if the port authorities had been notified of a significant increase of such things (trafficking) happening and were asked to be extra diligent in screening their passengers?

 

All else aside, I'm sorry the OP and their family had to go through this embarrassing and insulting process, whether well-intentioned or not.

I think that you are assuming that all biological families look alike and that is simply not true. Different branches of the same family can intermarry with different skin tones. Biological cousins can look vastly different as can half siblings. That doesn’t mean the different looking child is possibly being trafficked. The child in this case had a US passport and a US driver’s license. That should have been the end of it. 

[cruisestitch]

US citizenship does not protect a person from being trafficked.  

[ChutChut]

I had the same thing happen to me on Princess when we had to present our passports to the Irish custom authorities. My daughter is Asian (I'm not) and they asked me to step aside and privately questioned me about whether my daughter was actually mine. They actually asked my daughter if I was her mother. She was 6 at the time. She and I live at the same residence and share the same last name. I had my adoption docs with me and showed them to the individual. I understand the sex trafficking issue, but I felt this was completely based on race. Given I'm white and my daughter isn't. I didn't make any "waves," but I felt singled out and uncomfortable that they asked my kid if I was her mom. Other passengers had kids, and I didn't see anyone else have to endure that type of scrutiny as they all were the same race, etc. 

Edited December 30, 2023 by ChutChut
added text

[ChutChut]

38 minutes ago, WestLakeGirl said:

Sadly we live in a world where girls and young women are at risk.  The terminal employees may have been overzealous but what if they had been right and she was in danger?

Doesn't justify it in this situation as all the papers were in order. Seems entirely based on race with no inkling of trafficking. 

[ChutChut]

3 hours ago, Homosassa said:

Kudos to the shore side staff on being aware of the trafficking issues of children in the day and age and taking the time to be sure that your adopted daughter was truly traveling with parents.

 

I suggest that you avoid this problem in the future by having the adoption papers with you.

Nah - not an inkling of trafficking to justify this. Pure racial stereotyping and discrimination. 

[dleahy4444]

11 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

US citizenship does not protect a person from being trafficked.  

No one is implying that it does. My point is that as long as the child had the necessary documentation to board ( the same as her siblings) she should not have been singled out. 

[MagPie60]

https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/border-security/how-airport-and-seaport-employees-can-help-stop-human-trafficking/

 

My biological daughter was asked if I was her mother when she was about 8 or 9 - crossing a land border into the USA. We are obviously the same race, and she resembles me quite strongly (poor kid)

 

Again, I can understand why the OP was so upset, and feel that PE and/or Celebrity were over-zealous to say the least. Just not 100% convinced the issue was entirely about race. 

[ChutChut]

11 minutes ago, MagPie60 said:

https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/border-security/how-airport-and-seaport-employees-can-help-stop-human-trafficking/

 

My biological daughter was asked if I was her mother when she was about 8 or 9 - crossing a land border into the USA. We are obviously the same race, and she resembles me quite strongly (poor kid)

 

Again, I can understand why the OP was so upset, and feel that PE and/or Celebrity were over-zealous to say the least. Just not 100% convinced the issue was entirely about race. 

I would bet it happens a lot more with multi-racial families though. It happened to me and my different-race daughter although we had all necessary documentation. There's a huge racial element going on and it's not okay. 

[dleahy4444]

7 minutes ago, MagPie60 said:

https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/border-security/how-airport-and-seaport-employees-can-help-stop-human-trafficking/

 

My biological daughter was asked if I was her mother when she was about 8 or 9 - crossing a land border into the USA. We are obviously the same race, and she resembles me quite strongly (poor kid)

 

Again, I can understand why the OP was so upset, and feel that PE and/or Celebrity were over-zealous to say the least. Just not 100% convinced the issue was entirely about race. 

Was she the only child in the car with you? Would you feel the same if you had 3 other children in the car, one of which was of a different skin tone and they asked that question of just that child? Maybe race wasn’t an issue in the case of the OP, but when the different race  child is singled out, it makes you wonder. 

[ChutChut]

2 minutes ago, dleahy4444 said:

Was she the only child in the car with you? Would you feel the same if you had 3 other children in the car, one of which was of a different skin tone and they asked that question of just that child? Maybe race wasn’t an issue in the case of the OP, but when the different race  child is singled out, it makes you wonder. 

It happened to me and my Asian daughter (I'm Caucasian). Multi-racial families are but a small percentage of families but it seems we get this treatment a lot more often that families of one race. Unless there is some evidence or reasonable suspicion to implicate trafficking, etc. it is inappropriate and, basically, racial profiling to subject our families to this without subjecting ALL families to this. 

[dleahy4444]

Just now, ChutChut said:

I would bet it happens a lot more with multi-racial families though. It happened to me and my different-race daughter although we had all necessary documentation. There's a huge racial element going on and it's not okay. 

I completely agree. I’m blond and fair skinned but I was raised with my sister who was African American. I saw firsthand how differently we were treated in the same exact settings, how we were constantly questioned when we introduced each other as sisters. 

[ChutChut]

4 minutes ago, dleahy4444 said:

I completely agree. I’m blond and fair skinned but I was raised with my sister who was African American. I saw firsthand how differently we were treated in the same exact settings, how we were constantly questioned when we introduced each other as sisters. 

Yep and it makes the kids (and the parents) uncomfortable and feel like second-class citizens. I understand the whole human trafficking concerns, etc. but it seems that authorities have decided the way to detect it is to single out multi-racial families. When it happened to me and my daughter on Princess, I didn't pursue it because I didn't want any blowback that might impact our ability to enter the various countries we were visiting. 

[wahooker]

3 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

What countries were you visiting?  Many have very strict rules designed to deal with human trafficking.  Is it possible that Celebrity was simply working within the rules of one of the places you would be visiting?

We went to Mexico (Cozumel), Falmouth Jamaica and Grand Cayman - All of these are locations that my daughter has been to before with us.

No other families we talked to were asked to produce this kind of documentation for their kids on the cruise, including several multiracial families and one adoptive family.

[wahooker]

3 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

Were these terminal staff who asked you so many questions or Celebrity staff?

 

Also did they call for the ship’s documentation officer to come to the terminal to talk to you?

They had on Celebrity Uniforms.

They did not call for any ship's documentation officer that I am aware of. They had me talk with 2 supervisors but neither were introduced as a documentation officer.

[wahooker]

3 hours ago, MagPie60 said:

Before Covid I volunteered at a major international airport in Canada. We had extensive training in the subject of child trafficking etc. Even as volunteers we were expected to be aware of the issue, and what to do if we suspected something was wrong. 

 

Therefore I understand the mind-set behind the actions of Celebrity or the port officials. However it does sound like they were a bit heavy-handed, and I can also understand why you were upset. 

 

Perhaps in-lieu of dragging the relevant paperwork around with you, you could get a lawyer to do a legal affirmation stating they have seen the paperwork and she is indeed your daughter etc. 

In order to get a US Passport, we have to provide all required paperwork, including her original adoption records. If the US State Department isn't a good enough witness that the paperwork is in order, I don't think some random lawyer would be any better.

[wahooker]

3 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

OP is assuming that skin color or multiracial was the reason. I don't see proof of that. 

We had 3 minor children, all 17 year olds.

Why were the other two not asked if they were adopted? Why was only a multiracial family singled out? No other family we spoke to was asked about whether their kid was adopted.

[wahooker]

3 hours ago, BOB999 said:

This piqued my interest, so I looked at what Celebrity says on the subject of required documentation.  

 

So long as the last name of the parents and the child are the same, then no additional documentation is required.  If the last names differ then additional documentation (no mention of adoption certificates or paperwork) is required.

 

Family Legal Documents

Should the last names of the parent and minor child traveling with them differ, the parent is required to present the child's valid passport and visa (if required) and the child's birth certificate (original, a notarized copy or a certified copy). The name of the parent(s) and the child must be linked through legal documentation.

 

Adults who are not the parent or Legal Guardian of any minor child traveling with them are required to present the child's valid passport and visa or the child's birth certificate (original, a notarized copy or a certified copy) and an original notarized letter signed by at least one of the child's parents. The notarized letter from the child's parent must authorize the traveling adult to take the child on the specific cruise, must authorize guardian to sign legal documentation/waivers for participation in any activities requiring them and must authorize the traveling adult to supervise the child and permit any medical treatment that must be administered to the child. If a non-parent adult is a Legal Guardian, the adult must present a certified certificate of Guardianship with respect to the child.

Yes, my 21 year old son was pulling up their website and quoting this exact passage to them. It was nice seeing all 3 boys come to their sister's defense.

[wahooker]

3 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

More questions

 

does she share your last name?

does her Driving License show the same address as yours?

Same last name, same address. However, they never even looked at the Driver's license that my daughter tried to show them. Once we said she was Adopted, they wouldn't look at anything except to demand the original adoption paperwork.

[dleahy4444]

1 minute ago, wahooker said:

Same last name, same address. However, they never even looked at the Driver's license that my daughter tried to show them. Once we said she was Adopted, they wouldn't look at anything except to demand the original adoption paperwork.

Outrageous. 

[wahooker]

2 hours ago, Pinboy said:

Lets hope Celebrity does the right thing and provide compensation---- that is acceptable to you!!

A public apology, and a promise to ensure that the staff (Whether Celebrity or contractors employed by the port) is properly trained to avoid this in the future would be a great starting point.

[ChutChut]

2 minutes ago, wahooker said:

Same last name, same address. However, they never even looked at the Driver's license that my daughter tried to show them. Once we said she was Adopted, they wouldn't look at anything except to demand the original adoption paperwork.

They demanded ORIGINAL adoption docs??? OMG - I have those in a safe deposit box. I always bring copies - just in case some id*ot gets off on authority crap and racially profiles us again. This racial profiling really is getting old. If they have reasonable suspicion of trafficking based on non-discriminatory indications - that's fine. But to single out multi-racial families and - essentially - shame them - isn't okay.