Shipping gear to Bonaire

[terramar]

Normally, I lug all my gear with me everywhere, but I'm leaving the States and heading to the UK and Italy for a few months, where I won't be doing any diving, and then heading to Bonaire for 2-3 months starting in Mid-December. I really don't want to be carrying a big checked suitcase with all my dive stuff through multiple airports, trains, etc.

So I was thinking about the possibility of having someone in California ship my stuff out to me in Bonaire. A couple quick checks with UPS and FedEx look pretty expensive, but I'm sure there are a lot of other options for people in the know. And I figured the people in the know might congregate here.

Anyone have any good ideas, recommendations, referrals to shipping services? Time isn't of the essence - I have a lot of time to get stuff there, and hopefully I could arrange for the dive-op to store it for me if it arrives before I do.

Any thoughts?

 

[tursiops]

@Marie13

 

[Marie13]

How much gear are you looking at?

You might look into someone hand carrying it for you - taking it on the plane with them. Would have to be someone you’d trust, though.

There are probably ocean consolidation services to Bonaire, but that’s going to be incredibly slow, plus your shipment is going to be so small, they might not take it.

Regular international air freight is slow and expensive. You might contact the airlines that handle Bonaire and see what their cargo rates are going to be. But then there would be the matter of customs clearance upon arrival, as well as pickup.

Fedex, DHL, UPS are probably going to be your best bet, other than someone hand carrying it. They’re one stop shop for international transportation, delivery, and customs clearance.

<<<—— in international transportation since 1993, licensed US customs broker since 2013.

NOTW: I’ve not worked with cargo to from/Bonaire. This is just my general experience from nearly three decades in the industry, dealing with some isolated locations.

 

[terramar]

It's really just a suitcase full of dive gear. Yeah, it would require someone trustworthy to hand-carry it.

Anybody here who is trustworthy who is going to Bonaire around Dec 15 from LAX who wants to carry an extra bag and earn a few bucks?

 

[Martijn]

Look at https://www.amcarfreight.com/

Take into consideration that all goods being shipped to Bonaire are subject to an 8% import tax of the new value. You will need to attach invoices.

 

[tridacna]

Skip the stress, ship your luggage starting at $15 per bag!

Don't let your baggage be your baggage. Beat airline fees by using the easiest, most affordable luggage shipping service. With LugLess, you'll breeze through the airport and arrive happy.

www.lugless.com

Quite a few of these companies. I’ve used www.sendmybag.com successfully before to European destinations.

 

[SoccerDad]

You can use e-Zone. https://getezone.com/fr/service/rates/bonaire/
You can PU at their shop across the street from Carib Inn