Permission to take grand daughter on the cruise

[Captainkate]

Hello, I wanted to ask a couple of questions about this.
1. Do both parents have to sign the Disney Cruise Authorization?

2. If the grandchild needs medical attention on the ship, will the ship's doctor see her
if I do not have medical power of attorney?

3. Do I need a copy of the parent's ID?

 

[Sytrace]

Hello, I wanted to ask a couple of questions about this.
1. Do both parents have to sign the Disney Cruise Authorization?

2. If the grandchild needs medical attention on the ship, will the ship's doctor see her
if I do not have medical power of attorney?

3. Do I need a copy of the parent's ID?

1.You would just need one parents signature on the form.
2.Yes, the Dr. would see the child because you would have the Minor Authorization form signed by the parents
3. No.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

1.You would just need one parents signature on the form.
2.Yes, the Dr. would see the child because you would have the Minor Authorization form signed by the parents
3. No.

While that will suffice for DCL, the bigger issue is Customs and Border Protection, both for the US and any country you may visit. Chances are you could do the cruise with just the form provided by DCL with just one parent's signature and be perfectly fine. But US CBP can delay your travel if they have any concerns regarding you having permission from both parents to take the child out of the country. They strongly recommend you have a notarized letter signed by both parents (or whichever parent is not present) stating that they give you permission to travel with the child.

Certain countries are more strict regarding documentation from the absent parent(s). Canada is one of those stricter countries. You don't say what itinerary you are taking. If you are leaving from PC and traveling to the Caribbean or Bahamas, you will likely be fine with just one parent's signature on the DCL form. If you are taking an Alaskan cruise departing from Vancouver, then you will need additional documentation.

My take on this is that it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Also, I would highly recommend getting a passport for the child if she doesn't have one yet. Even if the cruise is one that you can travel using just a birth certificate, it's best to have the passport for emergencies. I wouldn't want to be traveling with a child that wasn't mine and trying to obtain a passport in an emergency if you have to disembark and travel back to the US by air.

Lastly, I would have the parents include in their permission letter that you have the authority to seek medical care for the child. You need to be concerned not just with getting medical care from a doctor on the ship, but also the potential for needing to get medical care in any port you may visit, or be evacuated to in the case of emergency.

From the USCBP website:

Children - Child traveling with one parent or someone who is not a parent or legal guardian or a group
If a child (under the age of 18) is traveling with only one parent or someone who is not a parent or legal guardian, what paperwork should the adult have to indicate permission or legal authority to have that child in their care?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, the adult have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, friends, or in groups*, a note signed by both parents) stating "I acknowledge that my wife/husband/etc. is traveling out of the country with my son/daughter/group. He/She/They has/have my permission." See our Q&A parental consent.

U.S. citizen children under the age of 19 arriving by land or sea from Canada or Mexico and traveling with a school group, religious group, social or cultural organization or sports team, may present an original or copy of their birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Naturalization Certificate.

The group should have a letter on organizational letterhead with:

• The names of the children on the trip and their primary address, phone number, date and place of birth, and name of at least one parent or legal guardian for each child.
• The name of the group and supervising adult(s) such as: School groups, teen tours, vacation groups.
• A written and signed statement of the supervising adult certifying that he or she has parental or legal guardian consent for each child. CBP also suggest that this note be notarized, to easily verify the validity of the parental authorization.
• For frequent border crossers, the letter should not exceed one year. It is recommended to have the letter in English.

While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if we do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed. If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (deceased, sole custody, etc.) any other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., would be useful.

Adults traveling with children should also be aware that, while the U.S. does not require this documentation, other countries may have a requirement and failure to produce notarized permission letters and/or birth certificates could result in travelers being refused entry (Canada has very strict requirements in this regard).

Link: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/3643/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNTU2NzIwNjUzL3NpZC94Vm40SkRkbw==

 

[FSU Girl]

I don't know how strict they are for seeing these papers. My husband's ex has taken a bunch of cruises with the kids and he's never signed anything saying she has permission to take the kids out of the country and they never had a problem.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I don't know how strict they are for seeing these papers. My husband's ex has taken a bunch of cruises with the kids and he's never signed anything saying she has permission to take the kids out of the country and they never had a problem.

As noted, just because MOST OF THE TIME people are not asked for recommended paperwork, it doesn't mean you won't be.

I'm in the camp of "it's just a piece of paper, I'd rather have it and not need it, than the other way around".

 

[Meriweather]

We had the signed paper when taken DGD. That was all that was needed
I wasn't sure if I would need it since my DD, Auntie went too and we all have the same last name. I thought they might think she was DGD's mother, but they asked for it.
Also her passport

 

[tankin]

My sister, on the same cruise as us, had to have the Disney paperwork signed by the boss and I to check in the next desk over.

We just took our daughter's best friend with us to WDW. Based on our lawyer's recommendation, we carried a notarized letter signed by both of her parents (divorced) stating we were allowed to take their daughter to FL and seek medical treatment in case of emergency.

I'm a "better to have it and not need it instead of need it and not have it" type of guy... With you taking her outside the US, I would definitely have everything covered.