Why only carry on?

[Robbin]

I read in many of the posts about just carry on, what is the big deal with checking bags or going just carry on?

[Pete (Mr. Marcia)]

Beats me. We always check our bags.

[byado18]

Not only do we check bag but some trips we were over weight going back! There's always too much stuff and I wear about 50% of the clothes and VOW to reduce next year...but you just never know what you might need..... if nothing else I need to check luggage to take all the books I read!

[Diana2]

I'm with you, Robbin. I just don't get it either. I'm not a "carry-on only" or a "cooler" person. When I'm on vacation I like to wear clean clothes and go out to dinner (not always but most of the time). We do breakfast at the villa and pack our lunches for the beach.

To each his/her own.

[loria]

i always find that I bring way to much --so if i limit to carry on then I force myself not to!

[maryed]

1)Lost luggage 2)Extra expense 3)I don't want to stand around waiting for my checked bags when I could be in a taxi on my way to ferry 4)We always rent a villa with washer/dryer so we can do with much less

[RickG]

Speed and added vacation time is why we do it. It saves 45 minutes on arrival and 2 hours on departure. But we pack very lightly and share one bag per two people and still bring clean clothes home.

Sweet Christine's first trip to the islands with me she had no bag and no clean clothing and no bathing suit the first two days. We know better now.

Cheers, RickG

[ihochman]

The bags come really fast and there are always cabs waiting to take you to the ferries. I don't want to
be encumbered by a carry on. Let someone else carry it...at least on to the plane.

[Gromit]

What Rick said for the carry-on advantages.

That being said I have NEVER been able to do "Carry on only" and probably never will.

I always max out what I can take in terms of weight and end up wearing everything and using virtually everything I bring. I also do laundry mid trip and never take home any clean clothes.

But that's just me. I always check bags and (knock on wood) never have had a lost bag and get luggage fairly quickly at STT. But that's relative to island time.

[KatieH]

Carry on only:

1. No chance that the airline will lose your luggage (lost luggage will require your own ADD moment ). My SIL took a direct flight - LGA - STT and the airline sent her luggage to Atlanta for a day or two.

2. I can aviod overpacking - it simplifies things for me. If there's a washer and dryer where you're staying, it's even easier.

3. Last year I was on a flight from BOS-PHL-STT. The Bos-Phl flight was delayed. We were most likely going to miss the PHL-STT flight and have to stay in Philly for the night. Those who had carry on luggage only could be re-routed through Charlotte and continue their vacation with their bags. The airline told us that if you checked your luggage for the BOS-PHL flight, and you got onto the Charlotte flight, your luggage would be vacationing in Philly while you were on St Thomas. I was told that they won't forward your bags from PHL to STT unless you're with them.


On the other hand..... this year we're going for 12 nights, and do not have a washer/dryer. We're also taking a direct flight, and renting from Dependable on STT. We'll have to wait for Dependable to come get us anyway, so waiting for luggage won't seem like such a waste of time.


If we do check bags (still debating) we'll still have carryon for the essentials (bathing suit, flip flops, cover up, snorkel gear).

[loria]

whoa katieH where'd your sis find a direct LGA STT flight????????

[Pete (Mr. Marcia)]

We always go for two weeks. No way we could do carry-on only. Between Marcia's shoes and my guitar, it just isn't going to happen.

We don't mind waiting for our luggage on arrival. We grab a cocktail and get on island time. It's not a race to Red Hook, for gosh sakes. If we miss one ferry, there will be another. No worries.

[KatieH]

loria - Maybe it was JFK to STT? I'm pretty sure it was a Delta flight... and I know it was non stop. They live on the Northshore of Long Island, so I'm always thinking LGA is the airport they're flying out of...


Pete,

I live in the Northeast. We're very type A over here.

[DuxDweller]

We leave Tuesday for two weeks - 2 adults, 4 children (12 and under). We sent snorkel gear and some other stuff ahead, and are doing carry-on only. The reasons are basically the same as Rick's. The main advantage I am seeing right now is that my wife and kids each fit what they needed into a carry-on. Last year I trucked around a very big bag (albeit on wheels)that was full of stuff that kept the drawers company all day. What do you need on STJ? Bathing suits, a pair of shorts or two, a couple of t-shirts, pair of golf shirts, a light sweater and MAYBE a pair of khakis. No need for more!

I'll let you know whether this was a "good choice" when we get back - but I'm feeling pretty comfortable with it right now!

Dux

[Lovermont]

I used to mock the folks that carry everything on-board. It makes no sense that one moment the TSA is practically asking us to fly naked because of security risks, and then next moment everyone seems to be trying to shove the kitchen sink in the overhead bin. But that being said...
AA lost one of our bags on a NON-STOP flight from JFK to STT in December as my DH and I were just starting our little love affair with STJ. DH had no clothes except the items on his back, and had kindly been carrying my snorkel gear. The hassle of calling AA every few hours and not having snorkel gear for two days, coupled with the waste of time driving back to Cruz Bay to pick up the bag (we were staying at Concordia) convinced me to rethink things for my second trip.
In May I plan to ship a smallish box ahead, and I'm only going to bring carry-on. I've just purchased a new Osprey Porter that is advertised as being the maximum size allowable for an overhead bin. I'll let you know how I like the bag/backpack after I use it.
I guess I've gone over to the dark side!