travelling with nephew/minor child

[ktharris120]

Is there anything special you need to do if you are bringing a nephew along with you on the cruise and the nephew's parents will not be sailing?

 

Thanks!

[briri]

From RCI website:

 

 

Family Legal Documents:

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 (if required) 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 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.

 

We have taken our niece on four cruises on three cruiselines.....Never once has anyone asked for anything other than her birth certificate...We continue to go prepared, though....

 

Good luck!

[briri]

Just noticed how close you are to cruise.... better hurry!;) ....You'll be one day ahead of us:)

[NisiNirvana]

...and permit any medical treatment that must be administered to the child.

 

Be careful in the wording of these forms. Not only should they authorize you to permit treatment, they should authorize you to refuse treatment. This is almost never included on pre-made forms, and the lack of it can result in frustration and added expense.

 

In the jurisdiction where I worked as a Paramedic for many years, this was always an issue. One example of a problem is this: A helpful bystander would call 911 after witnessing a fender-bender. In taking the 911 call, we had to operate on the assumption that a request for medical care had been made. Since the minor child could not legally make decisions about his/her medical care, the parents were not available, and the guardian was not authorized to refuse in loco parentis, the child had to be taken to the hospital, even if he/she was not injured at all. The hospital had to keep the child until the parent could be contacted. They then received bills from both EMS and the Emergency Department, both of which could have been avoided by a few words on a badly-worded form.

 

Of course, each locality has different regulations regarding medical care. Just to be safe, though, always be sure to have the parents write in a refusal authorization on any medical consent form. It just may save you some trouble. :)