son's father deceased

[vic/leelee]

My son 14, my partner and I will be cruising for the first time next month on Carnival. We have all our passports already. My question is how much paperwork will I need to get on the ship and then get on and off in the ports(Progresso and Cozumel)?? I have copies of his birth certificate, my marriage license to his dad, his dad's death certificate, his passport, a picture ID of him, plus all the legal documents for my partner and myself. will I need to bring all of this on shore with us everytime we get on and off???

[boulders]

I'm a widowed mom too. I've traveled internationally and on cruises several times since dh passed.

 

You won't need all of that documentation. All you will need for your son is his passport and your dh's death certificate. If it like my dh's death certificate, it will have your name on it as your dh's spouse. The passport, when scanned, will tell immigration that you are the mom and sole parent.

 

If you want your partner to be able to take your son off the ship by themselves at port, you may need to give your partner a letter authorizing them to do so. I don't know whether it needs to be notarized. I know other people have got around this by taken their child off themselves and handing them over to their fellow travelers who will be on shore with the minor. If your 14 year old son looks old enough to disembark himself, the cruise personnel may not even question him on disembarkation. DS will need his ID (passport or BC plus sailpass) to get back on the ship.

 

Have a great cruise!

[Kerry's Girls]

I would bring an original death certificate, not a copy. I always take it with me when we cruise or travel internationally, but the only time I've been asked for it on a cruise was when coming back into the U.S. on one of our cruises. The official studied it and while I'm sure that I would have eventually been let back into the country :) I was glad to have it to avoid any delay.

 

Have a great trip.

 

Best,

Mia