Ahoy there, Daniel! It's great to have you alongside here at planDisney! I'm so excited you're just a few days away from embarking on an incredible adventure with your daughter! What a fantastic time to be making memories together on the
Disney Wonder, which just so happens to be my family's favorite ship in the fleet, and I'm sure you and your daughter will love it, too!
I'm so glad you stopped by in time to ask this question, Daniel! Over the years, various regulations have come and gone requiring minors traveling with only one parent to have explicit consent from the other parent to travel - so there's often confusion on this front.
According to the US Customs and Border Protection website, it is currently advised that minors traveling alone or with only one parent to Mexico have a notarized letter of consent: "Unless the child is accompanied by both parents, the child must have a notarized letter from the other parent or signed by both parents stating, 'I acknowledge that my son/daughter is traveling outside the country with [the name of the adult] with my permission.'"
Now, I'm a firm believer in being prepared (thanks, few years of scouting...) so while my family has never been asked to furnish such a letter, if we didn't bring one, that would be the one time we'd be asked for it. In the spirit of "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it, right? So, I'd suggest you go ahead and have one drafted and notarized just in case! Oh, and check with your bank or local shipping store to track down a notary!
It's always a good idea to review the
most up-to-date travel documentation requirements, too! Since your sailing is round-trip, meaning that your sailing starts and ends at the same port, U.S. citizens must present either an original U.S. Passport, U.S. Passport Card, or Trusted Traveler Card, OR an original or copy of a state-issued birth certificate AND government-issued photo ID.
I hope that clears the way for your trip to be smooth sailing, Daniel! Thank you so much for stopping by, and if any additional last-minute questions come up, send them my way!
Have a WONDERful time on your vacation!
Andrew