does anyone "ship their gear ahead"

[Cacia]

Howard, I think the 25 dollar fee is only for domestic flight. I think, if I remember correctly it is double that for international. I could be wrong.... I have also noticed they charge in coach and not in first class. So, if you upgrade sometimes you get around the fee.

 

[Dectek]

Am sending mine to Key Largo for my may trip. Have not decided on ups or fedex. I can send it from work and they both are there daily. Planning this week on boxing up what is going with them and weighing it to get a rate. My reg, computer, script mask and safety gear(dive alert, hammerhead, sausages) are going carryon with me. Just have to decide if I'll need the 5 mil or if the polartech will be enough.

Still a little nippy. The second dive of the day will give you a good chill. I usually stay warm in a skin and 3mil john but 72 degree water seems to feel even colder when you get a couple dives that have high current. All the other folks in the boat were diving 7mm or dry. Have fun and you have to try the food at the Cuban place around MM100.

 

[Cacia]

"The Luggage Express travel benefit valid only for Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World MasterCard® cardmembers."


here, this is what I saw in a magazine ad and thought was enticing. After 9-11, I was traveling a lot and security was a big unknown variable and very time consuming, and this was looking pretty good. I think your things would be ready at Hotel check-in if they were sent out a few days earlier, but I never tried it. I would not be surprised if American Express platinum doesn't have their version....

 

[wilkie]

Hey Thanks for the input; And some solid info as well, I'll do some comparisons and put some more thought into it.

Howard: Thanks for your research, 282.94 for 36 lbs. may sound steep to some, but I lost 2 1/2 days of diving because of a baggage problem. My calculations for ths trip estimate a cost of around 300.00/day per person, thus even a half day delay would outweigh shipping costs, asuming 36 lbs/person. (pretty good estimate for full weight by the way)..

What I'll persue is a middle ground solution: Send fairly light,tough, bulky items by frieght - BCs, Fins, wet suits, spares, and the "top side" stuff, clothing ,ect. This is what I check these days anyway-just eleminate checking.

Carry-on is as alwaws going to be Regulaor,#1 mask, and the usuall suspects, - sivies and a toothbrush

 

[Damselfish]

In most cases, costs aside, it seems more likely for something to go wrong in shipping/receiving than in taking it though the airports. Shipping to someplace in the US would be a pretty safe bet, sure, but then really so is taking it though the airport. Shipping gear to someplace international and possibly exotic, where avoiding some of the airports and restrictions might seem more helpful in theory, seems even more likely to run into problems or delays with shipping.

I think I would only try shipping in special circumstances - in a case where shipping truly did seem like a much safer bet than the airlines/aiports being used, or because I had to take too much, or maybe because I was diving for only part of a long trip. I can't see doing it just to avoid dragging my gear through the airport, it's not really that bad.

We've taken gear on 30+ international trips and once had our checked bags delayed by one day. That was annoying, but I really doubt shipping our gear all those places would have had a better outcome.

And you will only lose diving if you are someplace with no gear for rent, or you consider their gear unacceptable for use. That's won't be the case in Bonaire. (You might not even have to pay for rental gear, some places take pity on people that the airlines messed up.) I prefer my own gear too, but borrowing some gear for a day was far from the end of the world.

 

[HowardE]

Howard, I think the 25 dollar fee is only for domestic flight. I think, if I remember correctly it is double that for international. I could be wrong.... I have also noticed they charge in coach and not in first class. So, if you upgrade sometimes you get around the fee.

I didn't look... but I know from flying first class in the past, that you are allowed an EXTRA bag - PER PERSON - 3 bags each!

Howard: Thanks for your research, 282.94 for 36 lbs. may sound steep to some, but I lost 2 1/2 days of diving because of a baggage problem. My calculations for ths trip estimate a cost of around 300.00/day per person, thus even a half day delay would outweigh shipping costs, asuming 36 lbs/person. (pretty good estimate for full weight by the way)..

I would also take into account what Ron has said too. Customs can hold up a package for an indefinite amount of time. This is a HUGE unknown factor. How long would it really take to ship something overseas? If your box arrived 2 days after you left Bonaire, you'd probably had wished you took it on the plane.

With the amount of people that fly every day, the amount of lost baggage is a VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE. I would say that the small overweight fee if any would outweigh the HUGE shipping expense... at least in an international travel situation. Domestically, you could end up saving money and time by shipping your items ahead, as my friends did. They shipped everything to our apartment in Florida, and got off the plane, and into our car... no waiting 30 minutes + to claim bags, etc.

For me... as long as I have my video camera, and my personal regs and dive computer - I'd be a happy camper, I could use any rental BC if it came down to it.

 

[Diverraygr]

My 2 cents- I have talked to a service that would do this (in the states) but they won't ship over seas. The problem that they would- or may run into is Customs check. I see that RonFrank had some delay in something crossing over the border. This would cause me not to ship my gear ahead when I go out of the country and chance of me not to dive with my stuff.
Ray