Bringing a child's friend along..

JeanS · #1 (**permalink**) August 19th, 2003, 04:35 PM

We're planning on taking my son on a cruise next year to celebrate his high school graduation (yes, it's finally here!). We're thinking of letting him invite a friend to go along (at their expense, haven't won the lottery yet!). For anyone that has arranged this before, how do you make arrangements and guarantee that they understand that this would be a non-cancellable trip? I know at this age, anything can happen in over a year, and it may be hard to make such a commitment. We want him to have a good time and also have a friend to have fun with when we are chilling on the Lido Deck, but I'm also concerned about being stuck with an extra cruise ticket 2 weeks before sailing date!

Any suggestions??

hkolln · #2 (**permalink**) August 19th, 2003, 05:05 PM

But if the kid is paying for his own cruise then you won't lose any money, he will or his parents will, right?

JeanS · #3 (**permalink**) August 19th, 2003, 06:16 PM

Well, yes and no, because if my son will be bringing a friend, then they will get their own cabin, if just the 3 of us, we will all shimmy into one...

Jim Bragg · #4 (**permalink**) August 20th, 2003, 11:29 AM

There is no way of forcing anyone to go so you just have to have faith. Understand that YOU will be responsible for the actions of this minor though. CCL policy states that anyone under the age of 21 must be accompinied by a responsible adult over the age of 25. IN addition you will need to have a noterized letter of permission to take the minor out of the country and a release to give you the right to authorize mediacal care. This is not an option, it is the law and the only way the kid can get emergency treatment. Also Both of his/her parents must sign this noterized letter, one parent is not good enough unless you have proof the other is dead.
Jim

JeanS · #5 (**permalink**) August 20th, 2003, 04:10 PM

Thanks for the info, Jim, I've heard about the forms, but didn't realize both parents had to sign them. Are there any preprinted forms for this purpose, or is it just make you compose yourself?

Hopefully my son will choose a GOOD kid, but believe me, there will be NO wild children who are my responsibility running loose on the ship, not on MY watch!

Jim Bragg · #6 (**permalink**) August 20th, 2003, 07:29 PM

I have heard of some pre-printed forms floating around but not sure who has them. AAA seems to ring a bell so if you are a member you might check with them. It really isn;t anything complicated, just that so and so has permission to travel to so and so countries onboard the such and such ship with you and have both parents sign. Then have another sheet giving you power to authorize medical treatment as deemed necessary again with both signing. The main thing is both signatures and having it notorized. Even a parent traveling alone with their own child needs a letter from the absent parent giving them permission to take them outside US jurisdiction. This came about because of parential kidnapping to avoid legal custody demands.
Jim

#7 (**permalink**) August 20th, 2003, 07:56 PM

A parent who has full custody and proof of this does not have to have the signature of both parents just the one with custody. That is the rule for a passport as well.

Jim Bragg · #8 (**permalink**) August 20th, 2003, 09:26 PM

No, that is NOT true. You MUST have the signature of BOTH parents. The reason for this law was to prevent the custodial parent from leaving the country with the kids to prevent the other parent from having contact. It is a Federal Law that one parent cannot leave the country with a minor child withoput the permisssion of the other parent. Cruiselines DO enforce this and may well not allow you to board without this proof.
Jim

Sheila · #9 (**permalink**) August 20th, 2003, 11:40 PM

Jim is right. I was told that I had to have my ex-husband signature even though I had custody and my current husband had been raising him for 12 years since my ex has been in prison for the last 7 years my ex-mother in law went to a notary and signed on his behalf. But you do have to have both Parents signatures regardless of custody or proof of death of the other parent or in my case someone with power of attorney to sign on the other parents behalf if they can not. Hope this clears this up for you.

mac · #10 (**permalink**) August 21st, 2003, 09:05 AM

Jim sorry to inform you but all you need is a form from Carnival that is a consent from signed by one parent and it does not have to be notirized . I know this because we just took 10 friends that graduated from HS with my son on a cruise.

Jim Bragg · #11 (**permalink**) August 21st, 2003, 10:14 AM

When was this mac and what are you going to tell INS when they refuse you boarding because you have not complied with Federal Law? You going to tell them that a booking rep from the cruiseline told you you didn't need it or that you read on the Internet message boards that someone said you didn't have to? Sorry, but it is the LAW and BOTH must sign or the other one better be dead and you can prove it. I stand by my previous statement, Both must sign and you also need to get a letter to authorize medical care. That last isn't a legal necessaty to cruise but absolutely stupid not to have.
Jim

msp51578 · #12 (**permalink**) August 21st, 2003, 11:07 AM

We are taking two 18yrs olds on their graduation cruise. I would assume that we do not need these documents for them as they are considered adults. If this is untrue please let me know we are leaving in 9 days!! Thanks for your help!

Jim Bragg · #13 (**permalink**) August 21st, 2003, 01:25 PM

If they are 18 they are adults as far as Immigration is concerned.
Jim

msp51578 · #14 (**permalink**) August 21st, 2003, 02:15 PM

Thanks Jim that is what I thought but all this talk about graduation gifts got me thinking I had better make sure.