I've meant to post this for some time... For those of you with of you traveling with children. My 14 yr old son is from my first marriage , and therfore does not share my last name. On our last cruise, we also brought his friend.
The following documents made my life much easier...For my son, I had a copy of the court documents that listed me as his custodial parent. For his friend, I had a notarized letter from his parents. And copies of their birth certificates. I put all these papers, our cruise documents and color copies of our passports in a 3-ring binder, each page in a plastic sleeve.( I also printed a layout of the ship, but that's just plain obsessive)
It made check in much easier and I knew that I was going to be allowed on board no matter what. Before you go, check the cruise lines requirements for your children, they're extensive especially if both parents aren't going!

That's very wise of you poormom. It's important that people who are divorced realize how their divorce decree reads. A child may live with you, but there's a difference if the divorce decree says "joint" or "full" custody. Also, When traveling with minor children of a friends family or relative you must have a signed notorized letter. Most cruise lines have a form for this.