Bringing Kids That Aren't Yours

[dkostel]

I am cruising 4/30 with my niece and our docs are MIA. The TA has arranged for portside pickup in case they don't show up.
Do you need some notarized document to take a child that you aren't a parent or legal guardian of? The TA suggested that I have her parents get a letter notarized stating that I have their permission to take her and I am 100% responsible for her and that gives emergency contact info.
Does anyone else have experience with this, and if I had gotten my docs would there be a form like this in the package?


Thanks in advance

 

[Baloo&Crew]

Yes, there is a form in your documents. It will need to be notarized.

Jen

 

[jweiss]

I sailed last August with three children; my adopted daughter, my niece, and my foster baby. Although I had documentation up the ying-yang, no one ever asked to see any of it!!!! Nonetheless, you should have a notarized letter from the child's parents, as well as her birth certificate or passport.

 

[Rence]

Better safe than sorry. If you show up and they ask for the documentation and you don't have it, you could be denied boarding.

Typing up a letter and having the parents sign it in front of a notary should take a few minutes.

Not specifically DCL, but I have had friends who have traveled with nieces and nephews and they have actually been denied boarding at the airport due to lack of a notarized letter. They had to delay their trip a day while they got the documents.

DCL should ALWAYS ask for this documentation as a precaution, but they don't. So you will hear from many people who didn't need it, but you also will hear from some who did. The question is -- Do you want to risk your vacation and just hope that they don't ask? or do you want to be prepared so that you and niece can have a great vacation?

 

[mommommouse]

There is a document in your docs. It's a card that gives you permission to take the child with you and also give you permission to sign for any treatment that the child may need.
It goes something like this: I_____________(parent of) ________________childs name, give my permission to ___________(your name)to take my child on the Disney Cruise from __________ to __________.
I also give permission for any medical treatment (he or she) might need.


Signature___________________ date__________

Then have notory sign

I hope this will help. debbie

 

[TheWog]

Yes, you also want the letter to authorize you to get medical treatment on their behalf as well. The letter must be notarized.

 

[mmouse37]

As well as using the document in the docs package...we always have a letter signed by both parents and notarized with the dates of the trip, emergency contact info, medical insurance info, as well as giving us permission to initiate medical treatment if necessary. What good is the medical info if the people with the child in their custody have no authorization to have medical care adminsitered. This is something you should discuss with the child's parents.

We have taken our kids friends on several cruise with us and always had these letters and never had problems.

 

[dkostel]

Thanks all for the replies. I figured I'd need something like this. I'd never recommend this TA to anyone, they're not sure what happened to my docs, they get logged by 2 people before being sent - they made the 1st log but not the 2nd so they're not sure where they are.