USVI-On-Line

Although i've only posted a few times...just wanted to thank everyone for the invaluable source of help and info I have received! Returning to St. John since a couple years ago.
One other question? Any added advice on how to pack the cooler. Should everything be wrapped in newspaper? Does that help with keeping it frozen? Do I automatically hand it over it and get it all get hand checked or do I just put the cooler up on the belt? I have read so many posts regarding this but still have so many questions since its our first time carrying on the cooler. We will have frozen meats, frozen bag of shrimp, individual packaged frozen muffins, frozen waffles, cheeses, butter....any concerns or advice?

I pack the heck out of the cooler, no extra space for air to escape and layer it with newspaper.
We had butter taken once, although frozen, because we were told it was a liquid. Other times, no issues at all.

Put it on the belt - they may or may not decide to hand check it.

Have fun!

We've only done the cooler thing once (Last December for our sailing adventures) but here's what we did:

We froze everything separately and placed each item (chicken together, beef together etc). in a zip loc freezer bag (we didn't use foil).

We line the cooler with a heavy duty garbage bag and placed the heavier stuff on the bottom and worked our way up. Once we had that food in, we tied up the top of the garbage bag- making sure the air was mostly out of it.

Then we still had room so we placed an old towel on top and then filled the remainder space with dry or packaged goods. We used ZERO cooling tools like ice packs or techni ice.

All in all we took an entire frozen tenderloin, 16 chicken breasts, a giant package of hot dogs, 8 lbs of ground beef (some made into burgers in advance) -- just to give you an idea of what we were transporting.

We used one of those soft sided, rolling coolers that could be folded flat. We got it at Costco years ago. The reason I mention it is because it's not the most airtight so we were prepared for stuff to be defrosted but cold.

NOT SO. Everything arrived frozen solid and stayed that way until we got everything in the boat fridge/freezer. There was very little defrosting if any at all that I noticed.

The key I think is to freeze everything really well and then pack it on the morning of departure at the last minute. But do a trial run so you know how things will fit and in what order.

Just so you know - we fly from the DC area and we usually leave between 6-8 am and generally arrive around 4 pm that day but won't get stuff into a fridge or freezer until 6 or 7 pm that night. So those are the time considerations for comparison.

As for security, at IAD you take your bags to the security area and drop them off. They treat the cooler just like any other piece of luggage.

BTW I also include a piece of paper with my name, cell number and my destination printed on it (placed on top of everything) so that if there'a problem or a question they can find me ASAP.

All this being said, if they lose your luggage you can flush that money spent on food down the toilet, esp in the summer months, as your food will likely not survive the 24-72 hour delay getting to you.

That's what worked for us.

I would consider taking meat and specialty items with us in future if staying at a villa, since meat prices and quality are all over the place on island vs. the consistency that you can get at COstco or your local grocery here at home.

Plus you have time in advance to find the lowest prices on the items you are looking for since it's going into the freezer anyway.

If you want to save some $$$ and quality matters to you, then this is the way to go. Of course you have to factor in the cost of the baggage itself into the equation. Just depends on the size of your group and what your needs are.

All this being said, we traveled to STJ many, many, many times before without bringing a cooler and generally found what we wanted and needed, even if it was a bit more than we would have spent on it at home.

We have carried our Polar Bear and checked it in luggage. There were never any problems with delays, losses or TSA....so far.

We pack our Techni Ice in the bottom of the cooler. To find it TSA would have to empty it. They look inside, see packages of meat (not foil), and send us on our way. We like to have the Techni Ice to use all week at the beach.

We pack the cooler the day before, seal it up and stow it in the freezer. I then hang a note on the front door to remind me that it is still in the freezer. We grab it at the last minute as we leave for the airport. It takes 12 hours from our door to the villa door. We have never had any signs of thawing with one exception. Bacon, I am told by our butcher, has too much salt in it to remain frozen in these conditions. That's OK because we generally want to toss it in the frig and use it in the morning.

Have a great trip and send us some photos....of the beach not the cooler.

Gromit wrote: As for security, at IAD you take your bags to the security area and drop them off. They treat the cooler just like any other piece of luggage.

BTW I also include a piece of paper with my name, cell number and my destination printed on it (placed on top of everything) so that if there'a problem or a question they can find me ASAP.

All this being said, if they lose your luggage you can flush that money spent on food down the toilet, esp in the summer months, as your food will likely not survive the 24-72 hour delay getting to you.

Good informative post, but the above sections don't really apply to the OP since they're carrying the cooler on with them.

Hello,

We are cooler people and always take items along. We travel usually from Detroit (6am) and get into our villa by around 6 - 7pm that same day. Our strategy is to freeze items in advance to make sure they are rock hard. The soft sided cooler is packed a couple of days in advance and put into the freezer itself. Not everyone might have room to do this. Here's what we take: steaks, spaghetti sauce, ribs, lunch meats, cheeses, bacon and sausage. My husband insists on using some gel packs, I really don't think they are needed especially if you pack the cooler full. We always check our cooler (not carry-on). No issues with ALL items still frozen. Might not be rock hard, but still froze so that some items are put into the freezer at the villa. Hope this helps. Oh - and like Gromit, we also use the garbage bag method just to ensure if items would start to thaw, there would be no leakage.

You guys are totally going to make me into a cooler person.

We'll see, but it just seems to make sense. I know it's nuts, but I love to cook and the kitchen (especially when it has a great view) is my "happy place," so I would rather cook than go out any day of the week.

Augie-- didn't think that it was clear in the original post -- whether they were carrying on or checking.

At IAD the checked luggage goes on a belt as well at a security check point.

Gromit wrote:Augie-- didn't think that it was clear in the original post -- whether they were carrying on or checking.

At IAD the checked luggage goes on a belt as well at a security check point.

Sorry - I guess I was just being pedantic, but like I said, your info was useful, especially for someone that may do a search in the future that may or may not be carrying on.

Augie- no worries

BTW-- I put the paper with my contact info on it in everything for the trip, carry-on or not. That way if I leave it somewhere accidentally, it will hopefully find me faster

You guys are so hopeful. Many thanks!!!!

I meant HELPFUL!