can you use just a drivers license

[disneylover428]

Friend of mine is leaving tomorrow for her first cruise. She doesn't have passports or birth certificates for any one in her family. She didn't realize she needed them. Is she in big trouble?

 

[MaleficentRN]

Yes.

 

[southerngirl528]

I hope your post was in jest. Because as MaleficentRN (Whoa! Now THAT's a scary online name!! LOL) said, if you are correct they will not be allowed to cruise. Your post has no details at all so I'm hoping you are just kidding….

 

[firsttimemom]

At a minimum she would need a government issued birth certificate and a drivers license

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

If she is departing and returning to a U.S. port and is traveling to specific countries, she can travel on a birth certificate. The risk is that if something happens and she needs to fly home from another country, she will have to work through the embassy and it may take several days. I did this last year when I booked a last minute cruise.

 

[disneylover428]

Unfortunately my post is no joke. My friend truly is not prepared. She is running through the house on a desperate search for her and her husband's birth certificates. There flight leaves at 11:30 tomorrow morning. I goon my cruise next month and I have check and rechecked my passports just to be sure they are not expired or misplaced.

 

[southerngirl528]

Oh. My. GOODNESS. I am truly sorry to hear your post was no joke. How on earth did she not know? Did she book through at TA? Or herself? I pray she finds all the birth certificates and that she's on a cruise where that is ALL she needs because they won't be allowed on the ship otherwise. Bless her heart.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Unfortunately my post is no joke. My friend truly is not prepared. She is running through the house on a desperate search for her and her husband's birth certificates. There flight leaves at 11:30 tomorrow morning. I goon my cruise next month and I have check and rechecked my passports just to be sure they are not expired or misplaced.

All passengers 16 and over require (minimum for US citizens on a closed-loop cruise) is a birth certificate PLUS a government-issued photo ID. Under 16 only requires a birth certificate.

Wishing your friend good luck.

 

[disneylover428]

Oh. My. GOODNESS. I am truly sorry to hear your post was no joke. How on earth did she not know? Did she book through at TA? Or herself? I pray she finds all the birth certificates and that she's on a cruise where that is ALL she needs because they won't be allowed on the ship otherwise. Bless her heart.

Thank you for your kindness. She went through a TA. Not sure who. But obviously not a good one. I do hope she finds the birth certificates.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Wow! I hope she finds those birth certificates. I wonder how she managed to miss that she needed those. The requirements are plainly listed when you do online check in. They are mentioned in the cruise documents you receive in the mail. They are mentioned in emails sent prior to the cruise. She definitely needs a new TA.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Wow! I hope she finds those birth certificates. I wonder how she managed to miss that she needed those. The requirements are plainly listed when you do online check in. They are mentioned in the cruise documents you receive in the mail. They are mentioned in emails sent prior to the cruise. She definitely needs a new TA.

Let's not hang the TA out to dry yet. We don't know that the TA didn't tell them what to bring.

The only cruise we booked through a TA we had to sign a form that we were aware of the ID requirements and we were responsible for being sure we had them. I would think most TAs would want to cover their -----(well, you know) in this respect. Especially since they would be the ones to take the flack if someone didn't have all their "stuff" together. They would want proof that "it wasn't their fault".

 

[phinz]

In addition, it must be a state-issued birth certificate. A hospital certificate is not enough. Our friend brought both her state-issued California certificate as well as the Army hospital certificate, and they weren't even interested in the Army certificate.

 

[Alabama GiGi]

She could probably get a birth certificate at her health department first thing in the AM. My son and his wife had to scramble and get one to obtain a marriage license.

 

[The Sasquatch]

What Phinz said ... Pretty sure it needs a raised seal.

 

[bumbershoot]

She could probably get a birth certificate at her health department first thing in the AM. My son and his wife had to scramble and get one to obtain a marriage license.

Only if she lives in the state where she was born. So it wouldn't be a problem to get a new BC for DH and DS, but it would be for me, as I was born 2 states away from where I live.

What Phinz said ... Pretty sure it needs a raised seal.

Raised seal for those places that use a raised seal (like CA). Swirly stamp seals for places that use those (like WA). Other seals for other places.

(though actually the official wording says that a photocopy of a BC is all that is needed, which means you don't have to have a certified copy, but I'm just clarifying what sort of seal would mean it's certified...and the type of seal varies based on where the BC is from!)

 

[Wenawen]

Please let us know what happened with your friend.

 

[mylittlebuttercup]

Depending on what state she lives in, she might be able to get a birth certificate issued same day. I know the state where I was born issues them same day, but some states do not.

 

[muse7mom]

I hope they found all the paperwork!

 

[jrabbit]

Friend of mine is leaving tomorrow for her first cruise. ...

Well she's leaving ... just not for her "first cruise" unless she can find the proper documentation. She's probably leaving for her first cruise disappointment

Lesson One: Know what your Documentation Requirements are and verify that you have all of them. And they are not expired (and in some cases that your passport is valid for 6 months AFTER your trip)

Lesson Two: Don't Miss the Ship. Verify ships time vs local time

Lesson Three: if heading to the Caribbean - sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen - sunburns are not fun and the sun is more intense that you are used to (usually)

 

[awilliams4]

a birth certificate PLUS a government-issued photo ID

Our 16 year old has a passport. So we need to bring a passport and his birth certificate? Whereas the passport serves as the only government-issued photo he has because he doesn't have his driver's license yet. Just keying on the Birth Certificate 'PLUS' a government issued photo ID. Thanks.