single mom with dd on cruise.....

[bubbles1209]

I'm a single mom taking my dd on our first cruise in June. Do I need to take a notarized letter from her dad even though I have full custody of her? I do still have my copy of the divorce settlement that states I have full custody. The only thing he was granted as far as she is concerned was visitation at my discretion.

[mrdood]

I'm a single mom taking my dd on our first cruise in June. Do I need to take a notarized letter from her dad even though I have full custody of her? I do still have my copy of the divorce settlement that states I have full custody.

 

Yes, you still need the letter unless the father has waived ALL legal rights, but then you would need that document.

[StefanieTX]

This is copied and pasted fron Carnival's web site:

 

"When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security. Please note that a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico."

 

If her father refuses to sign a letter for you, I would recommend contacting Carnival and checking to see if a certified copy of your custody orders would be sufficient.

[Aero247]

deleted due to question answered.

[ASDGirl]

If you read it closely (and no, i'm not trying to be mean or a smartass, I promise) you'll notice it really doesn't say anything about the marital status.

 

 

"When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security. Please note that a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico."

 

It just means if you and your child decide to take a cruise while your husband stays back home at work, you will need to provide documentation that it is ok with him. Sorta like if someone kidnapped their child when they did not have custody... the cruise ship my inadverdantly be aiding in the kidnap of that child by letting them cruise on the ship.

 

So, it's for all individuals who are traveling without their spouse. :D

 

 

deleted due to question answered.

[gamecockfan]

I am a single mother and cruised with my son earlier this month. His father's parental rights have been terminated and I carried along the legal documents stating this. I was never asked to show them, and I was told this is really only an issue when traveling to Mexico??? When we went through customs coming back to the US, the agent did ask my son his birthday and also asked him who I was. I don't know if these are standard questions or if it was because he was with only one parent?? He is 6 yrs.

 

Although you may not need any info about traveling without the other parent, I would certainly bring it just as a precaution. I would not want to be needing it and not have it.

[francina]

I don't believe you do, since you are the legal guardine of your daughter. Just bring the paper that state so just in case. When I travel with my little ones I always bring my husband death certificate just in case.

[Top-Cat]

In 2002, I took my dd on a cruise, just she and I (Sweet 16). I did get a notorized letter from her dad, even though I had legal custody. They never looked at it or even asked for it. And we did go to Mexico:confused: .

 

Her dad took her on a cruise the next summer and I gave him the same document. He also went to Mexico and again they never asked?? Go figure??

 

By the way. I hope you have a very special time together. My cruise with my daughter is one of my most cherished memories.

 

Have a wonderful time!!

[I Luv Crusin]

Am I wrong in assuming that since my DD is 18, that I don't have to worry about this issue?

[cresc]

I am a single father and I took my son on a cruise in Oct 05. One of the stops was Cozumel, Mexico. I took the notarized letter from my ex-wife but I was never asked for it but Carnival personnel or Mexican Authorities. The way I look at it is it's better to be safe than sorry.

[osupride97]

I called Carnival last week and asked them this very question. The rep told me that since we will be in Mexico for less than 24 hours, this is not necessary.

 

I'm not going to even bother getting the letter.

[ChristasMom]

I took both of my daughters on a Disney Wonder cruise in 08/03 and I too have full legal custody of them. Their father has limited visitation. I was never told to obtain a notorized statement from him. The only document I took with me was my Determination of Paternity court papers with a court seal. My daughters at the time were 13 and 11. Not once was I ever asked to provide the paperwork.

[bubbles1209]

If you read it closely (and no, i'm not trying to be mean or a smartass, I promise) you'll notice it really doesn't say anything about the marital status.

 

 

with a When traveling minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cr"uising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security. Please note that a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico."

 

It just means if you and your child decide to take a cruise while your husband stays back home at work, you will need to provide documentation that it is ok with him. Sorta like if someone kidnapped their child when they did not have custody... the cruise ship my inadverdantly be aiding in the kidnap of that child by letting them cruise on the ship.

 

So, it's for all individuals who are traveling without their spouse. :D

So my educated guess would be that since I am the legal guardian, I shouldn't need it. I'll take the papers stating that with me to be safe. I'll also call the ta tomorrow and have her check that out for me. Thanks for all the replies:)

[ppeckham]

I've cruised four times with my children but left my spouse at home. Hubby was either snow skiing or hiking.

 

Not once was I asked for a letter.

 

I stressed about this the first time. I thought about it during the 8-hour drive to port. I stressed for no reason.

 

On this last trip I cruised on a different line. I did have the letter this time. Again no one asked for it.

 

You'll most likely be safe without it. They probably won't even ask to see the custody papers.

[bubbles1209]

I called carnival today, told them where we were going, and that i was divorced with full custody, and she told me I had absolutely nothing to worry about, and that I wouldn't need anything but her birth certificate and photo i.d. and not to worry about getting the notarized letter from her dad since we are divorced and I am the legal guardian, and she told me that I wouldn't need a notorized copy of my divorce. :D Now that I am done stressing, I can enjoy!:)

[bubbles1209]

If you read it closely (and no, i'm not trying to be mean or a smartass, I promise) you'll notice it really doesn't say anything about the marital status.

 

 

"When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security. Please note that a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico."

 

It just means if you and your child decide to take a cruise while your husband stays back home at work, you will need to provide documentation that it is ok with him. Sorta like if someone kidnapped their child when they did not have custody... the cruise ship my inadverdantly be aiding in the kidnap of that child by letting them cruise on the ship.

 

So, it's for all individuals who are traveling without their spouse. :D

I didn't take it as you being mean or a smartass i promise;) :D Thanks for your help:)

[D4]

I recommend getting a notorized letter from any absent parents. Here's our experience:

 

A couple months BEFORE 9/11 we were on an Alaskan cruise going out of Seattle. Well, U.S. Immigration showed up at the port that day and took over all approving of all documentation instead of letting the cruise line reps do it. They demanded that every child without both parents have a signed letter of consent from the parent(s) that weren't cruising. (And we were going to Alaska, not Mexico.) That didn't affect us. But they also required all kids above a certain age (I don't remember what it was) to have a photo id even if it was just a school id. My kids were in junior high and we'd never had to have a photo id before on a cruise. They weren't going to allow my kids on the ship without a photo id being faxed to the port.

 

There were people scrambling all over the waiting area calling people to fax them letters of consent or copies of school ids for kids. It was a nightmare! Parents and kids were crying. It wasn't the cruise line's fault because U.S. Immigration can show up unannounced and take over everything and set their own rules. Also, the fine print in the cruise line's brochure says it is the passenger's responsibility to have whatever documentation is required at that time and they won't give refunds if you don't have what you need. The cruise line reps said they'd be contacting everyone with kids cruising the next week to let them know what they needed.

 

We got a copies of my daughters' school ids faxed to us, so we got on. We vowed that we'd apply for passports as soon as we got back home and that's what we did. We never wanted to go through that again.

 

It doesn't matter what the cruise line reps tell you or what you have on a letterhead from them, if US Immigration wants to require it on your cruise even though you've never needed it before, you'll need it or you won't get on. And you won't get your money back.

[LWiening]

We just took this past January My husbands 13 year old daughter on the legend. We had to have a notorized letter to obtain the passport (reccomended to have) ..The only one who ever made a comment about it was his Ex who asked if we were bringing the daughter back from the country that we were visiting & We had to remind her that all of Our clothes were on the ship at each port....Simple process to get the passport it makes life easy to travel......;)

[mrdood]

I called carnival today, told them where we were going, and that i was divorced with full custody, and she told me I had absolutely nothing to worry about, and that I wouldn't need anything but her birth certificate and photo i.d. and not to worry about getting the notarized letter from her dad since we are divorced and I am the legal guardian, and she told me that I wouldn't need a notorized copy of my divorce. :D Now that I am done stressing, I can enjoy!:)

 

Minimum wage Carnival reps are not immigration agents. You should talk to the State Department if you want a real answer, but unless your ex has signed over all of his rights as a parent (way different than you having full custody), he is the one that could make trouble for you on a cruise, by calling the authorities and alerting them that you are leaving the country with your daughter - again, even if you have full custody. You can't get a passport for a child under 16 I believe without BOTH parents conset - again even if you have full custody.

 

In the end it will all work out for you, but the ex could cause you some serious problems - the least of which is being held up and missing the ship, unfortuneately the system is broken and is designed with protections for people that don't deserve to have them. I am guessing that your relationship is strained - but if possible just get the note and tuck it away - how do I know... don't ask, let's just say my ex was a total jerk about it, but I got the letter anyway.

 

You may never be asked for it, but then again, you may be the one...

[bubbles1209]

Minimum wage Carnival reps are not immigration agents. You should talk to the State Department if you want a real answer, but unless your ex has signed over all of his rights as a parent (way different than you having full custody), he is the one that could make trouble for you on a cruise, by calling the authorities and alerting them that you are leaving the country with your daughter - again, even if you have full custody. You can't get a passport for a child under 16 I believe without BOTH parents conset - again even if you have full custody.

 

In the end it will all work out for you, but the ex could cause you some serious problems - the least of which is being held up and missing the ship, unfortuneately the system is broken and is designed with protections for people that don't deserve to have them. I am guessing that your relationship is strained - but if possible just get the note and tuck it away - how do I know... don't ask, let's just say my ex was a total jerk about it, but I got the letter anyway.

 

You may never be asked for it, but then again, you may be the one...

omm.......what relationship? we've been divorced almost 8 years, and he is perfectly ok with her going, he is very happy for her. I do not look for him to cause any problems. He would never call and say I was leaving the country with her for this 1st time, much less again. We are going to the US Virgin Islands. He has no problem with it, so I'm not worried. The original question was did i need the notarized note from him even though I had custody, it wasn't about should i take it in case he causes trouble. I'm sorry your ex was a total jerk about it, but mine and me still get along. We are better off as friends than we were as husband and wife.