Help on Baggage for a trip to Galapagos

[hammerhead man]

I will be going to the Galapagos in Sept and attended a pre-trip brief last night. The trip leader said that we could only take one checked bag and one carry-on bag. I'm not sure what to do because I have one bag with my underwater camera stuff; one bag for my dive gear; and one bag for my clothes, books, etc. I usually take my underwater camera and my bag with clothes, regulator, etc on the plane and check my dive gear through to my destiniation. I also learned that my checked bag can only weigh 45 lbs and my carry-on only 15 pounds or I have to pay $1.50 per pound penalty. My underwater camera gear alone will weight 25-30 lbs so I will definitely be paying extra. I was wondering whether the airlines hold to the one checked bag, one carry-on bag limit or can I check two bags and carry-on one? I am told that the issue isn't with the trip from the USA to Equador but with the trip from Equador to the islands. I don't want to get down there and find out that I am carrying too much stuff and they won't let me take it. If you want to provide more info beyond this forum please feel free to contact me at wjames3@cox.net.

thanks for your advice

Bill

 

[marpacifica]

Bill,

On a cost benefit analysis, paying the excess baggage fee is worth it. Let's say that a bag of your scuba gear goes 20 lbs. over the limit -- that's $30. If you decide to check an excess bag, that might run you $70-100 depending on the airline. Then double everything for the round trip. So you're talking as cheap as $60 or up to $200. Scuba rental for full gear for a week will cost you way more than that, and the equipment may not be up to par. I usually just pay for the extra checked bag. I'm not sure if this will work in Ecuador, but if you can check your bags all the way to the final destination from the US, you can get away with an oversized/weight bag if you check in at the curbside airline counter and pay the peeps there $5/bag. They RARELY weigh bags in my experience because the reward of tips outweighs (ha) their sense of duty to enforce the rules.

Another way to get around the carry-on limitation is to wear or stuff into jacket/shirt/pants pockets a lot of the clothes you'll be wearing, then when you get on the plane put it all in a cheap nylon bag that you've tucked away in some pocket of your other carryon. Drastic times call for drastic measures....

Good luck, and enjoy your trip.

 

[jlyle]

We've been to the Galapagos Islands two times.

To get away from the one bag restriction, you can buy a huge duffel bag and stuff two bags inside. Or, you can assume that if you are part of a group, they aren't going to be too picky.

We were way over the weight restrictions (I'm an u/w photog) and were not charged for overage, either time. Here, too, the group approach can help.

Good luck and have a wonderful time.

 

[Doc]

With TAME (the Ecuadorian airline that you will be enjoying), cash overcomes all obstacles.

 

[hammerhead man]

With TAME (the Ecuadorian airline that you will be enjoying), cash overcomes all obstacles.

Thanks, since this a once in a lifetime trip I will pay the extra cost. I was just concerned that somehow my gear would not be allowed onboard. Thanks for the info

Bill

 

[Doc]

Thanks, since this a once in a lifetime trip I will pay the extra cost. I was just concerned that somehow my gear would not be allowed onboard.

There always seems to be room for negotiation and even a sad look.

On the way out of the Galloping Pogos the last time, they were going to crack us for over-weight.

We had left behind a mountain of Christmas toys, a DVD player, Night Vision scopes, 2 NightRider Blackwater 3000's and a bunch of other stuff, but we were still over weight.

The TAME lady looked at us and charged us 1/2 the rate, which was still 60 or 90 bucks as I recall. We got an official TAME receipt, so I believe that it is an institutionalized scam, not just a rip off.

Hey, it's their paradise.