usvi-on-line
Another carry on vs checked bags question...
Another carry on vs checked bags question...
I've really been going back and forth on this issue.
Last year we had a direct flight, got to the airport plenty early, and could watch the luggage being loaded onto the plane so we knew our bags made it.
This year we'll be changing planes in ATL, so my first thought was to do whatever necessary to do carry on only. And we probably can, but it will be tight to do so.
A recent itinerary update has our layovers going both directions lasting 3+ hours, so now I'm less concerned about the bags not making the switch. The only one we really wouldn't like to have delayed by a day or more is the polar bear that will have the frozen food in it, but I could always carry that one on and check another bag. By checking a bag we can take some stuff that wouldn't pass the TSA carry on rules, and since this will be a longer trip than lst time (10 days) will allow us to take a little more stuff with us.
We're renting a car on STT, so I'm not worried about the delay waiting at the luggage carousel causing us to miss out on the "good taxis". Our flight is scheduled to land on STT around 2:00PM so we're not rushed for time as far as catching the last ferry.
Thoughts?
Last year we had a direct flight, got to the airport plenty early, and could watch the luggage being loaded onto the plane so we knew our bags made it.
This year we'll be changing planes in ATL, so my first thought was to do whatever necessary to do carry on only. And we probably can, but it will be tight to do so.
A recent itinerary update has our layovers going both directions lasting 3+ hours, so now I'm less concerned about the bags not making the switch. The only one we really wouldn't like to have delayed by a day or more is the polar bear that will have the frozen food in it, but I could always carry that one on and check another bag. By checking a bag we can take some stuff that wouldn't pass the TSA carry on rules, and since this will be a longer trip than lst time (10 days) will allow us to take a little more stuff with us.
We're renting a car on STT, so I'm not worried about the delay waiting at the luggage carousel causing us to miss out on the "good taxis". Our flight is scheduled to land on STT around 2:00PM so we're not rushed for time as far as catching the last ferry.
Thoughts?
Come see us!
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California Girl
I'm a scardy cat when it comes to checking my luggage, but I do it now and then. I figure if I'm not flying through Miami or San Juan, it's a good bet my checked luggage will make it. But since I've had luggage lost at both of those places, I'm really wary of checking it. If I really have to check my luggage, I make sure I have a change of clothes, my snorkel gear & bathing suit in a carry-on bag so I can get by for a few days if my luggage doesn't show up at the same time I do.
I'm a firm believer of carrying on only. I have been to St. John for 18 days and done it with a carry on only so 10 days is easy! I ship a box aheads with my liquid items to get around the TSA constraints. I pack light - it's St. John - you need so very little. Half of the time, there are still items of clothing that I don't wear.
I've always heard that the reason that your bag doesn't make it is largely due to weight restrictions and that they randomly choose bags to pull off so having enough time in between flights doesn't necessarily help.
Good luck with your choice and have an amazing vacation! We stay at Reef Madness the end of Jan/beg of Feb so I'm looking forward to your trip report
I've always heard that the reason that your bag doesn't make it is largely due to weight restrictions and that they randomly choose bags to pull off so having enough time in between flights doesn't necessarily help.
Good luck with your choice and have an amazing vacation! We stay at Reef Madness the end of Jan/beg of Feb so I'm looking forward to your trip report
NancyB
in terms of carrying on the polar bear--I am not sure of other's experiences with this, but I really got the once over from TSA last week (and had to part with some items) when I carried frozen stuff on --ice packs-the gel type were NOT allowed (they were slightly thawed?--my bad freezing no doubt) and needed to be discarded--. They almost made me throw out (frozen) pesto (i begged and they relented, but not before making sure i wasn't planning to basil bomb the plane)--
so I guess i would say that if you are limiting your frozen items to things that are normally solid in their unfrozen state then you are probably fine (and the TSA rules seemed a bit arbitrary as well)but if you plan on bringing stuff that is liquidy in its normal state then you may not fare so well--my advice would be to check your food and hope that it makes it thru Hartsfield with no problems.
i have been lurking here too long! I MUST get some work done!
so I guess i would say that if you are limiting your frozen items to things that are normally solid in their unfrozen state then you are probably fine (and the TSA rules seemed a bit arbitrary as well)but if you plan on bringing stuff that is liquidy in its normal state then you may not fare so well--my advice would be to check your food and hope that it makes it thru Hartsfield with no problems.
i have been lurking here too long! I MUST get some work done!
< leaving on the 22nd of march...but too lame to figure out the ticker thing again!>
loria hits the carryon cooler points - only carryon things that are solids when they melt. No gel packs, no liquids. Set your freezer on it's coldest setting (mine is minus 10 Fahrenheit). Just freeze each item very hard separately, including the polar bear cooler. Pack them cold the night before and make certain all of the empty space is taken up by wadded newspapers or cardboard. Place the whole cooler back in freezer.
As far as checking bags, only check the things you can live without for your entire trip/life. Do you really want to drive from Coral Bay to Cruz Bay to wait for a bag off the ferry?
I used to carryon the essentials that CaGirl mentioned and check the rest, until I realized that all I needed was the essentials.
I'm questioning whether I need to bring the polar bear cooler at all?
RickG says, "It's a vacation, not a migration."
Cheers, RickG
As far as checking bags, only check the things you can live without for your entire trip/life. Do you really want to drive from Coral Bay to Cruz Bay to wait for a bag off the ferry?
I used to carryon the essentials that CaGirl mentioned and check the rest, until I realized that all I needed was the essentials.
I'm questioning whether I need to bring the polar bear cooler at all?
RickG says, "It's a vacation, not a migration."
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
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sailorgirl
- Posts: 1644
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:03 pm
Having learned the hard way... i will never check bags again. We had non stop JFK to STT. Plane was not crowded, we checked in very early and one of the bags (the 18 y.o.'s) never made it. I spent far too much time on the phone with Delta that trip. Were told on Tuesday( Day 4) that the bag was gone and to file a claim... only to get another call several hours later telling me it would be on the 6:00PM Ferry. To this day I am convinced it fell off a cart in STT was left sitting until someone noticed it.
As you know, I went back and forth on the cooler issue. We're only going for a week and there are several restaurants on our list, so I figure that I can manage buying meat on St John for a few meals. Yeah, it's more expensive and sometimes it looks interesting, but if it's really bad we know they'll have fish sandwiches at Woody's.
I had no problem with my bag in Atlanta last year, and I had a very tight layover on the way to STT. This year I am just doing carry-on, and I think I will be fine. I did spend about $10 to send a box with sunscreen and the like to STJ today. Not because I can't get it there, just because I won't have any other opportunity to use my sunscreen before it expires.
I had no problem with my bag in Atlanta last year, and I had a very tight layover on the way to STT. This year I am just doing carry-on, and I think I will be fine. I did spend about $10 to send a box with sunscreen and the like to STJ today. Not because I can't get it there, just because I won't have any other opportunity to use my sunscreen before it expires.
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piscesgirl0314
- Posts: 598
- Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 12:31 pm
- Location: Chesapeake, VA
We normally check our bags but after last year and losing one piece (thankfully it wasn't clothing) we decided for our 2009 trip we're doing carry on. We stay in a villa so we can wash our clothes. AND if we need anything we can buy it. I over pack and end up not wearing half of it...as long as I have about 3 swim suits, shorts, tank tops and flip flops I'm good to go...we can purchase shampoo and stuff like that when we get to STJ...we'll be there for 10 days so I'm sure most of what we buy will get used...
Ok, here's the deal. I do carry on AND check a bag.
In my carry on I always make sure I have clothes and bathing suit and stuff I need for a few days in case my checked bag gets lost.
In our checked bags I always distribute half of my stuff in hubbies bag and half of hubbies stuff in my bag. One set of fins and snorkel gear in each bag (we both wear the same shoe size) and that way we're as covered as we can be.
If they lose a bag for a few days (or permanently) I've technically got enough to get me through the trip if I had to. That includes the makeup that I have crammed into that crappy little quart ziplock baggie (don't get me started on this useless rule designed ot keep people afraid unnecessarily-- I swear the folks who sell beverages at the airport and the plastic manufacturer of tiny 3 oz bottles must have cooked up this little gem if a rule). UGH!
Back to the topic... Now I know I'm going to regret saying this and this is probably going to jinx me for every trip for the rest of my life but I have never had a problem with my bags arriving anywhere on any trip I've taken and I've traveled all over the US, VI's and Europe.
I also try to make sure I have plenty of time between flights, I get to the airport early and always check the bag tags to make sure that they are labeled to go where they are supposed to before they put them on the conveyer to dissappear into luggage hell.
I also make sure that each bag has a peice of paper printed with my destination and my cell phone number on the inside so when it's opened someone will immediately see it. I also make these up for the return home.
Anal, I know. But it's worked thus far!!!
In my carry on I always make sure I have clothes and bathing suit and stuff I need for a few days in case my checked bag gets lost.
In our checked bags I always distribute half of my stuff in hubbies bag and half of hubbies stuff in my bag. One set of fins and snorkel gear in each bag (we both wear the same shoe size) and that way we're as covered as we can be.
If they lose a bag for a few days (or permanently) I've technically got enough to get me through the trip if I had to. That includes the makeup that I have crammed into that crappy little quart ziplock baggie (don't get me started on this useless rule designed ot keep people afraid unnecessarily-- I swear the folks who sell beverages at the airport and the plastic manufacturer of tiny 3 oz bottles must have cooked up this little gem if a rule). UGH!
Back to the topic... Now I know I'm going to regret saying this and this is probably going to jinx me for every trip for the rest of my life but I have never had a problem with my bags arriving anywhere on any trip I've taken and I've traveled all over the US, VI's and Europe.
I also try to make sure I have plenty of time between flights, I get to the airport early and always check the bag tags to make sure that they are labeled to go where they are supposed to before they put them on the conveyer to dissappear into luggage hell.
I also make sure that each bag has a peice of paper printed with my destination and my cell phone number on the inside so when it's opened someone will immediately see it. I also make these up for the return home.
Anal, I know. But it's worked thus far!!!
*Another fine scatterbrained production
Gromit - don't think that's anal, at all. Either that, or I'm right there 'witchya. 
I always make two sets of luggage tags for everyone - one set with the names and the tel # at the villa and the cell #s. I make them on the PC and then laminate a set for bag tags - a plain one gets taped inside the lid of the suitcase. Then, we use a second set for returning with our home tel # and cell #s. Also use one to tape on the liquor boxes. Heading to the islands I think it's good to have a local number, as well as the cell #s. So far so good.
I always make two sets of luggage tags for everyone - one set with the names and the tel # at the villa and the cell #s. I make them on the PC and then laminate a set for bag tags - a plain one gets taped inside the lid of the suitcase. Then, we use a second set for returning with our home tel # and cell #s. Also use one to tape on the liquor boxes. Heading to the islands I think it's good to have a local number, as well as the cell #s. So far so good.I write my name and cell # on my torso in with a Sharpie before getting on the plane so that I can match myself with my carryon bags. The airline has never failed to deliver me and my carryons at the same time.
Gromit, we do carryon only to Europe going out, but check our bags on the way back because they are loaded with brandy, salt-packed anchovies, cured meats and cheese. Having to wait in a European airport on jet lag day for a delayed bag would be hellish, unless it was Schipol and the bordello and coffee house were open.
Cheers, RickG
Gromit, we do carryon only to Europe going out, but check our bags on the way back because they are loaded with brandy, salt-packed anchovies, cured meats and cheese. Having to wait in a European airport on jet lag day for a delayed bag would be hellish, unless it was Schipol and the bordello and coffee house were open.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes - Coral Bay - St. John, VI
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Kathyzhere
- Posts: 527
- Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:04 pm
- Location: Cape Cod & SW FL
Have always done checked luggage with minimal carry on and have never had a problem with arrival.
Domestic and International. Of course I am knocking on my wooden desk here.
I do deep down worry about luggage making it but so far so good. If I had a very close connection,
then I would really be worried and would seriously consider carry on only.
I have heard that ATL is a "crazy" airport but you have plenty of time for them to get your stuff from one to the other plane Augie.
As far as tags go hubs will only let me put names, cell phone #'s. He's so worried about theft
and thinks that if we have our address anywhere someone will go to our house knowing we're not there.
Purely individual preference...just like the bring food with or shop on island.
Kathy
Domestic and International. Of course I am knocking on my wooden desk here.
I do deep down worry about luggage making it but so far so good. If I had a very close connection,
then I would really be worried and would seriously consider carry on only.
I have heard that ATL is a "crazy" airport but you have plenty of time for them to get your stuff from one to the other plane Augie.
As far as tags go hubs will only let me put names, cell phone #'s. He's so worried about theft
and thinks that if we have our address anywhere someone will go to our house knowing we're not there.
Purely individual preference...just like the bring food with or shop on island.
Kathy
I do all of these same things (and DH and I also wear the same shoe size).Gromit wrote:In my carry on I always make sure I have clothes and bathing suit and stuff I need for a few days in case my checked bag gets lost.
In our checked bags I always distribute half of my stuff in hubbies bag and half of hubbies stuff in my bag. One set of fins and snorkel gear in each bag (we both wear the same shoe size) and that way we're as covered as we can be.
I also make sure that each bag has a peice of paper printed with my destination and my cell phone number on the inside so when it's opened someone will immediately see it. I also make these up for the return home.