Help!!! Can't find birth Certificate-have no passport!!!!

[dallygal]

HELP ME!! I am leaving on Friday for our Jan 2nd cruise and can't find my birth certificate anywhere!!! :eek: I do not have a passport either. Anyone with any experience on what to do or what I can take instead or is all lost? TIA.

[Nitemare]

Depends where you're going. Some ports you might be able to get away with not having either. Check with the cruiseline or your travel agent, or repost here with a bit more information.

[dallygal]

Depends where you're going. Some ports you might be able to get away with not having either. Check with the cruiseline or your travel agent, or repost here with a bit more information.

We are doing the western carribbean with Royal Caribbean. Everything I have read says no birth cert, no boarding. I love in AZ and was born in Ny, evern vital check says 5-7 days before they can get!!! I am just freaking out!!!:(

[kjfbw]

Call today the place where you were born--vital records. See if they will overnight you a copy. It may cost you some money, but it might be worth it?

[98Charlie]

You may want to do a google (or other search engine) search for "birth certificate replacement". I've never used the services but it may be worth a try.

[WISara]

if you live in or near the city you were born you can just go to one of the city hall buildings and they will print you as many copies as you want (and then they put the fancy little seal on there that makes it official) - in my area they run about $18 a copy and it took about 15 minutes to fill out the form - pay and get my copies.

 

If you don't live near the city you were born in you will have to go through one of those internet sites and have them overnight it to you.

 

Good Luck!

[Happy ks]

It does not matter what the ports want in the form of ID, it is the return to the US, and the cruise ship will not let you board at embarkation if you cannot prove citizenship of where you are from.

 

I would be tearing my house apart looking for this document. If you don't know of anyone who can pick it up and over-night it for you, call the NY office, not vital check, direct and beg!!! It may cost you, but if you do not have this document, you will not be allowed to board and you will not be eligible for any type of refund. You can also have the document mailed to your hotel in FLA if they can't get it to you before Friday.

 

BTW, my boss could not locate her passport last year and was going crazy. They ended up finding it in her old carry on bag, in a zippered pocket, so look there, too.

[Happy ks]

They say they can provide service in 24-72 hours and have a phone number.

 

http://www.usbirthcertificate.net/overture/

 

Good Luck!

[dancingfish]

I used Vital check last week for my birth certificate from ny as well... (I live in VA) I did it online on 12/15 and got it on the 21st and I did not do RUSH or pay extra --- they sent me an email saying I would get it after JAN 3 (which was mydate to leave) and I panicked... but I have it--- so I can tell you they are FAST!!!

[Sea Island Lady]

Did you check your Safety deposit box? That's where we keep ours when not cruising.

 

Do you have cruise insurance?:rolleyes:

[rps2004]

Where exactly in NY were you born?

[Kitty34]

Gosh I sure hope you find it or can get a new one quick. Please let us know. We have 'til April but my DH needs to get his.

[satighe]

I actually was at the port last April for a cruise on RCCL, and I could not locate my Birth Cert. I was actually able to complete a little form they had and was able to continue on the cruise with no problem.

[fhmoore]

The first cruise I ever went on I went to get my birth cetificate....in the drawer where it had been for 20 uears...of course I had moved it to a "safer place" and couldn't remember where!!!

 

This was in 1988 and I was in VA and was born in SC. All I did was call Columbia SC info and got the Bureau of Vital Statistics. They Fed Ex'ed it to me and I had it in 48 hours.....and this was pre-internet and faxes!!!

 

Call Albany ...NY state Vital Statistics and have it overnighted. Ask them to fax you a copy of the airbill to verify it was done. All I paid was the regular fee for a certified copy and the Fed EX fee.

 

Good luck!

[Sea Island Lady]

Please let us know how this turns out. We care! :)

[TheWog]

I hope everything is working out....

[KansasScrapper]

NY will overnight it to you. Believe it or not the prince wasn't as much as my firend thought it was. We were on the RC NOS in OCt and the lady in front of us could not find her passport (she didn't bring her BC because she had her passport). She did NOT get on the ship. She left in tears, but RC did reschedule them for the next Western cruise they had. They did work with her, but DID NOT let her borad. They told her customs would not let her back into the US without a passport, VISA or BC. Good luck. Let us know what happens.

[kitty9]

I hope she got her BC because this past January, we were in line behind an older couple who were taking their first cruise and didn't bring anything other than their driver's licences. They were refused boarding and didn't get a refund. With all the new security measures, I highly doubt they would allow anyone to get on board a ship without all the required documentation.

[KansasScrapper]

How sad, someone should of told them. What surprised me was the airline was going to let me fly without anything. I left my purse in the car and our flight was leaving in an hour. My hubbys Mom dropped us off, but didn't have her cell phone on. So I woke my son up, called collect, and told him the minute she pulled up to send her back to the airport. Needless to say, the airline was trying to help us. But I told them it would not due any good since everything was in my purse, cruise tickets. So they sent us out on the next flight. Very nice of them. We caught our connect flight just in time. We got there just as it was starting to borad. The original flight gave us an hour to ctach it and the next flight only gave us 20 minutes. But everything worked out.

[jsher]

have you gotten anything fiqured out yet?

[dallygal]

I actually was at the port last April for a cruise on RCCL, and I could not locate my Birth Cert. I was actually able to complete a little form they had and was able to continue on the cruise with no problem.

Thanks for the good news! I think I may have it solved, but that is good news all the same. Thanks to all those who helped!!!:)

[dallygal]

have you gotten anything fiqured out yet?

I think so and have my fingers crossed! Thanks for checking!

[Happy ks]

When you return, make it a point to get your passports so you won't have to go through this again!

 

KansasScrapper, someone did tell them, it is in the brochure and on your cruise contract, as well as your boarding documentation. It is also stated that it is up to the traveler to make sure they have the right type of documents. The cruise line will not always know, your travel agent should, the best bet is to check with your government to know what you legally need.

[Sea Island Lady]

When you return, make it a point to get your passports so you won't have to go through this again!

Passports can be lost/misplaced also. Your best bet is to have copies of everything and place in a safe area (metal box or safety deposit box) so in the event misplacing them, you at least have proof that you had the documentation. We take copies of all our documentation (DL, passports, BC and charge cards) on our cruises.

[Happy ks]

You are so right! Along with the passport, maybe invest in a fire proof box to keep important documents in. Then, leave them there when you are not travelling.

 

I just hate it when I hide things from myself.