Does my wife need a marriage certificate/license for cruising?

Question

We're going on a cruise and she doesn't have a passport and we don't have time to get one. According to the State Dept. website, we can provide a birth certificate and a driver's license, but does my wife also need a marriage certificate/license to show the name change?

Answer 1

it wouldnt hurt to take it along if you have it.

Answer 2

It sounds like you're planning your hooneymoon - take extra precautions! I'd check the requirments for every port you're going to.

After they imposed the rule of passports required for all air travel and had massive back-ups issuing passports, some taking 4-6 months, they had a rule allowing you to travel to specific countries on the 'receipt' proving you've applied for your passport, along with other documentation.  This is no longer in place and passports are required for all air travel.

Rules are different for cruising. You really do need to check every port; the cruise line should be able to help you, so can www.travel.state.gov. Some countries are good with a birth certificate if the cruise originates and ends in the same U.S. city.

However, if you're wife has a name change factored in - i'd make sure to take as much documentation as you can to avoid problems, in fact if she can legally change her name before hand, this will make life easier. If the ticket is Ms. X, the birth certificate is Ms. Y, you really need to have that marriage license on hand.