Do I need extra ID since my birth certificate and license have different last names?

[cropperbecky]

I completely dropped my maiden name when I got married so it is nowhere on my license. Do you think this will be a problem? What should I do?
Thanks for all the help!!

 

[mickeyfan1]

I never had a problem, and I never used the correct birth certificate, I had the town record but not the state. However, I don't think that would work now. If you are really concerned, take your marraige license with you. Chances are you won't be asked, afterall, many married women drop thier maiden names when they marry. Of course the very best ID is a passport, there is never a question, and you don't need to carry your BC with you.

 

[CM_Mom]

Easiest way to avoid that is to spring the cash for a passport. Then you have the ID problem solved for the next ten years and it's sturdier than a birth certificate. Lots of post offices will do the pictures and take your application.

 

[cropperbecky]

I had thought about getting a passport. Now I believe I will just do it and not worry about the birth certificate thing!
Thanks for the fast replies!

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

I brought my marriage license just to be safe. When we got to the terminal and they asked for our papers, I asked if they wanted my marriage license and they told me it wasn't necessary.

Just make sure that your drivers license has the same name on it as your reservation. When we were getting ready to leave on our trip last week, I had to send my daughter to quickly exchange some snorkel geer at our local Sam's Club. When I reached into my wallet to get my Sam's card, I realized that my drivers license was GONE!!!! We searched all over the house in an absolute panic. I knew that I had used it at a store the previous day, but my daughter saw me put it in my purse when we left. We looked all over my house and car for over 30 minutes before I called DCL. I asked the CM what will happen if I don't have my license and she told me to use another picture ID. I told her that I have other IDs with my picture on them, but they all have the name that I go by...not the name that is on my BC or reservation. She told me that I could try to use it, but I might be turned away and not allowed to sail. I was in tears at this point because the Dept. of Motor Vehicles is closed on Monday, and this was a Monday. I was so upset that I didn't realize that we could just delay leaving for our trip by one day and hit the DMV when it opened. It would cost me some DVC points because of the last minute cancellation, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. Luckily, about 10 minutes later I found my license stuck up against the console in my car...somehow we had all missed seeing it. If we decide to cruise more in the future, I think we will all just get passports so that we don't have to worry about that again. What is so stupid about the whole thing is that in all the years that I have been driving, I had never lost my drivers license until that day!

 

[CM_Mom]

So sorry you had that frantic time but as you said it's another reason to have a passport.

As to the "never lost my license before"...just goes to show Mr. Murphy is alive and well.

 

[Zandy595]

On our last cruise (11/01/01) I had no problem using just my birth certificate with my maiden name and my driver's license with my married name. If doing it that way was not acceptable they would let you know. I'm not going to waste the money on a passport.

 

[mom2tiggers]

A passports is a lot of money if you aren't going to use it again. There is no need for one - 99% of women drop their maiden names when they get married. I had no trouble on either of my cruises and I didn't take my marriage license either.

I'm sure if it was a problem, someone would have come to this board to complain a long time ago.

 

[mickeyfan1]

Originally posted by Zandy595
On our last cruise (11/01/01) I had no problem using just my birth certificate with my maiden name and my driver's license with my married name. If doing it that way was not acceptable they would let you know. I'm not going to waste the money on a passport.

A passport lasts 10 years, it is not a waste of money. I use mine for all travel, there is never a question at airport security with it, or at any hotel or cruise line. Honestly, the $65.00 you spend is well worth it. There may come a time in the future that all passengers on cruises will be required to have one. It has made my traveling life a lot easier. But to each his own. I don't want to chance misplacing my BC, it was a PITA to get, the passport, I just took the application to the courthouse, along with a check and my BC, and 2 weeks later I had my BC back along with ,y passport. And I didn't pay for a rush.

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

Originally posted by CM_Mom
So sorry you had that frantic time but as you said it's another reason to have a passport.

As to the "never lost my license before"...just goes to show Mr. Murphy is alive and well.

LOL! Isn't that the truth! About 10 minutes before I realized my license was gone, I had said to my girls "DO NOT forget your drivers license!!! You have to have it to get on and off the ship." Don't you just love it when you tell your kids something like that and then you mess up! Story of my life!

By the way, just to clarify, the problem I had was not that my maiden name is on the BC and married name on the license, but my first name is different. My legal first name is Hollis, but I have been called Holly since the day I was born. Other than my license, I have don't have a single picture ID that says Hollis, they all say Holly (even my work ID).

 

[Zandy595]

mickeyfan1 ~ I guess I should have been clearer when I made the statement - "I'm not going to waste the money on a passport." In the last 10 years I have not had the need for a passport, so getting one would have been a waste of money, for me. It's really a personal thing. If you travel a lot, especially out of the country, it would benefit you to have one.

 

[kcashner]

I have a passport because I travel other places....but it certainly isn't necessary. DCL is very used to people having a birth certificate with one name and a photo ID with a different name--that's not a problem. Just be sure that you have a photo ID with your same name as is on the reservation.

There is no need for a marriage license or anything like that as long as your photo ID name matches the reservation name. If you do a honeymoon cruise, you will want to bring the marriage license as you probably do not have a photo ID to match the reservation name.

My DD's birth certificate is very strange as she was adopted. Almost all of the information on it is a lie, and more than 1/2 of the information is blank. Still, there is no problem using it.

 

[cropperbecky]

These responses have been most useful! Mickey&Minney~so sorry about your frantic search! I sure hope not to go through that! I am already in a panic about having everything together and we do not sail until October! LOL