Traveling with 18 year old

[Terri102066]

Carnival has given me two different answers to the same question, can someone that has experienced this help me. I will be traveling with my son's 18 year old girlfriend and was wondering if anything was needed special for this. Carnival first said since she was 18 that nothing was needed and since the time is getting closer I called again to check and the lady said that a note from her Mother was needed. I thought that was crazy since a note could be written by anyone, she said is did not have to be notorized. Now I am woundering how far should I go. Should I get a notorized letter from both parents or is that over kill. Her parents are divorced and the Father doesn't live close, but if everyone thinks that is what I need I will try to get it. I just don't want to go to all this trouble for nothing, but I also would hate to leave her at the terminal when we (ship and I) pull off. Terri

[LisaK]

Since you have gotten two different answers i would err on the side of caution. I would get a letter from her mother giving you permission to take her daughter out of the country. Keep the letter simple, Mother's full name, your full name, the daughter's full name, Ship name and dates of the cruise. I couldn't hurt to get it notarized either. You should also have a letter from the mother giving you permission to seek medical treatment for the daughter should something happen and she could not speak for herself.
The whole notarized letter is an immigration issue about taking minors our ot the country - it probably doesn't apply since she is 18 - would call the US Immigration Dept. to get an exact answer.

At lease you should get a signed letter from her custodial parent stating that you have the right to seek medical assistance for her. In the unlikely event some thing happens where she couldn't sign a release for medical services herself, then you would need authority to sign for her parents.

As far as the cruise itself goes, she is not a minor and would be responsible for herself but I would have get a permission letter from her parent if it were me. Never hurts to cover all the bases though, especially when you are traveling outside of the US territory.

[Lisa]

Isn't this person 18 and considered to be an adult? If she wants to go out of the country on her own, she can! She doesn't need anyone's permission to go. She can authorize her own medical treatment - but she should give you a letter stating that in case she is incapacitated, you can authorize treatment for her.

[Terri102066]

I don't know why I would need a letter from her parents about her medical treatment, if anyone should give me a letter for her medical treatment it should be her since she is 18. I have heard the a letter for medical treatment is something I would need from several people, but that is very confusing to me. Should I give her a letter giving her the ability to sign for my medical treatment?

Terri