# Question about bringing food for timeshare stay in Aruba



## carolinept (Nov 6, 2010)

Hi all,
We are going to Aruba next weekend with my extended family and my 2- and 4-year-old children.  We are considering checking a smaller suitcase with food and pantry items mostly for the kids-juice boxes, snacks, cooking items, etc.  

Do you think this is a good idea, for those of you who have done this more than us?  We've only ever done this for places that we've driven to, not flown to.  

I believe USAir won't charge us for one checked bag per person, so this could be one of our kids' checked items.  I just thought we'd probably save some money on certain items that we would rely on for the week.

Thanks for any advice!!!


----------



## LUVourMarriotts (Nov 6, 2010)

I would not bring the food.  There are a few great grocery stores where you can pick up what you need for good prices.  Assuming you are staying in the timeshare area, Ling & Sons is pretty centrally located in the area.  This is what we always do.  Even if you don't have a car, you can take a taxi to/from.  Lots of people do this.


----------



## Dave M (Nov 6, 2010)

You might be in for a surprise. Unless you have Dividend Miles Preferred status (or comparable Star Alliance status), you'll likely be charged for each checked bag. Only flights to and from Europe, South America and the Middle East are exempt from the fees. Here is the US Airways baggage fees chart.

However, if you want to check a bag with the foods you listed, go ahead. Unlike many countries, Aruba allows you to bring in commercially packed foods.


----------



## MichaelColey (Nov 6, 2010)

If you're going to be checking many bags, you might want to look at their Trial Preferred "challenge".  Basically, you pay a fee ($215 after taxes) and you get elite status for 90 days (which means you and everyone flying with you get 2 free bags).  If you fly enough miles (7500+) during the 90 days, you get to keep the status for the next year or so.  You can only do this once every 2 years.


----------



## Anne S (Nov 6, 2010)

Don't pack a suitcase full of food. You can buy a lot of snacks and juice boxes for the $25 you save. When we travel I bring coffee, tea, sugar, salt/pepper, condiments (stock up on those little packets of mustard, ketchup and mayo when you take the little angels to Mickey D.'s ...) in addition to coffee filters, plastic/aluminum wrap, and some paper towels (not the whole roll). These items can go into a carry-on, or in a checked suitcase. And of course snacks can go in a carry-on.


----------



## carolinept (Nov 6, 2010)

THank you all for your time and detailed responses.  I need to look more closely at USAir's policy, I think I misread it.  Better to find out now.  Michael, thanks for the information on the program, I'm going to check it out.


----------



## memereDoris (Nov 7, 2010)

If you travel with food items you could have a problem with customs.  I was held up at customs for over an hour in February because of coffee and peanut butter that I had in my suitcase.  Our plane landed at the same time as a plane from Mexico and the luggage was thoroughly searched for drugs.  This will be the last time I try to bring food across a border.  I didn't think that a jar (very small) of coffee would be such an issue.  

I would rather have spent that hour shopping for food than having to spend the time at customs.


----------



## Bucky (Nov 7, 2010)

Agree with the earlier poster who brought up Ling & Sons.  Here's the link to their website if you're interested.


----------



## carolinept (Nov 7, 2010)

memereDoris said:


> If you travel with food items you could have a problem with customs.  I was held up at customs for over an hour in February because of coffee and peanut butter that I had in my suitcase.  Our plane landed at the same time as a plane from Mexico and the luggage was thoroughly searched for drugs.  This will be the last time I try to bring food across a border.  I didn't think that a jar (very small) of coffee would be such an issue.
> 
> I would rather have spent that hour shopping for food than having to spend the time at customs.



Wow, didn't think of that.  That's not going to fly with a 2 and 4 year old!    I'm now fully switched on my plan to bring food.  We'll be going to Ling and Sons!  Thanks again everyone!


----------



## MRSFUSSY (Nov 7, 2010)

*I'm pretty sure*

that you can e-mail the grocery store and give then a list and they will bring it to your timeshare at a pre-determined time and they meet you in the lobby.  Also, prices are somewhat higher then they are at home but you must remember that EVERYTHING must be shipped in. www.Aruba.com will give you some extra tips.

Enjoy yourselves!


----------



## MichaelColey (Nov 7, 2010)

memereDoris said:


> I was held up at customs for over an hour in February because of coffee and peanut butter that I had in my suitcase.


I have both of those items on my list of nonperishable items to bring to timeshares (if necessary and if we have space/weight), but I can see why they would both be a problem.  Coffee is often used to mask the scent of drugs from dogs.  Peanut butter is supposed to look like C4 or Semtex in the X-ray.


----------



## hajjah (Nov 8, 2010)

As a former Aruba timeshare owner, and most recently traveling this past July to Aruba for two weeks, we never had a problem taking food into the country.  It is not like Mexico, which we also never had a problem bringing in food.  We just made sure that we didn't bring anything back into the US.  I think that you should bring whatever you want on your trip to Aruba.  Yes, I have shopped at Lings, as well as a few other places, but the prices tend to be much higher than what I pay in the US.  Also, there is a brand new food market that opened back in July a few days before our departure.  It is on the same street as the Caribbean Palm Resort.  I can't think of the street's name, but it is the same street as Wendy's and McDonald.  You make a right off the hwy. when you see Wendy's.  It's only about two blocks further.  The place looks like it will give Ling and all the others some competition.  One of my Aruban friends was there on opening day and loves the place.  Just my two cents.


----------

