# Aruba TSA - departure info



## jaym (May 1, 2017)

My wife and I leave for Aruba soon from U.S. We already registered online for ED Card so expect no issues upon arrival there. We are registered TSA Precheck since last trip to Aruba.

However, not sure about departure processing when we head back to U.S. 
I heard that Aruba's airport does not have a TSA precheck line so we would need to remove liquids, shoes, etc. twice as we've done in past, Aruba Customs and U.S. re-entry check.
Can recent visitors that have TSA Precheck comment? Thanks for any info.


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## classiclincoln (May 1, 2017)

Aruba does not have Pre Check.  I have never been to an island that does.  So, yes, you do need to take off your shoes and remove your liquids & computers.  The good thing is that you go through US customs in Aruba, so when you land in the states, it's a regular domestic flight.


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## frankhi (May 5, 2017)

tsa precheck is domestic only


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## sandkastle4966 (May 10, 2017)

Be prepared for a 3 hour process on Sat / Sunday from entering the terminal to being at your gate.  If its less then you can be pleasantly surprised.   Weekdays plan on 2 hours.


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## dioxide45 (May 13, 2017)

frankhi said:


> tsa precheck is domestic only


Yes, only available at domestic US Airports. Though you can use it when flying international from the USA.


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## Mr. Vker (May 17, 2017)

They do have Global Entry in Aruba when clearing US Customs/Immigration-but as others posted-no precheck for the TSA screening.


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## jimf41 (May 18, 2017)

classiclincoln said:


> Aruba does not have Pre Check.  I have never been to an island that does.


St Thomas & St Croix have TSA Pre check.


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## infamazz (May 20, 2017)

sandkastle4966 said:


> Be prepared for a 3 hour process on Sat / Sunday from entering the terminal to being at your gate.  If its less then you can be pleasantly surprised.   Weekdays plan on 2 hours.



Since they've installed the digital US passport/customs screening, the process has been cut in half. The past 3 times we've gone, we've arrived 3 hours early (weekends) to prepare for the wait and found ourselves sitting at the gate an hour after we arrived. However, that being said, I would not recommend pushing it to anything less than 2 hours, just to be safe.


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## classiclincoln (May 20, 2017)

jimf41 said:


> St Thomas & St Croix have TSA Pre check.



Haven't been to St. Thomas (going in December) or St. Croix.  Thanks for the heads up!


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## dioxide45 (May 20, 2017)

jimf41 said:


> St Thomas & St Croix have TSA Pre check.


Since Aruba is the only Caribbean island (that is not a US Territory) that has US Preclearance. It would make sense that no other Caribbean country has TSA Pre Check. Technically Hawaii is also an Island and I am sure that they have TSA Pre Check also.


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## ilene13 (May 22, 2017)

That is because they are US territories and Aruba is not


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## dioxide45 (May 22, 2017)

dioxide45 said:


> Since Aruba is the only Caribbean island (that is not a US Territory) that has US Preclearance. It would make sense that no other Caribbean country has TSA Pre Check. Technically Hawaii is also an Island and I am sure that they have TSA Pre Check also.


I was wrong on this, looks like Nassau and Freeport Bahamas along with Bermuda also all have preclearance. Though no TSA Precheck.


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## PDX Matthew (Sep 15, 2018)

Last year we were at the gate one hour after arriving at the airport. They have US CBP kiosks that any US passport holder can use (possibly also GOES, NEXUS and SENTRI), that really speeds up the process. I don’t know about TSA Pre, but I’ve never found that much help anyway. Half the time when I’ve had TSA Pre I’ve had SSSS on my boarding pass.


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## dioxide45 (Sep 15, 2018)

PDX Matthew said:


> Last year we were at the gate one hour after arriving at the airport. They have US CBP kiosks that any US passport holder can use (possibly also GOES, NEXUS and SENTRI), that really speeds up the process. I don’t know about TSA Pre, but I’ve never found that much help anyway. Half the time when I’ve had TSA Pre I’ve had SSSS on my boarding pass.


They have four separate Global Entry kiosks. I did also look around for regular CBP kiosks but didn't see any, though they very well could have been there. On the SW flight to Aruba they did hand out return customs forms that no one asked for when we departed Aruba. We traveled through the special assistance (wheelchair) line and we didn't go to a kiosk or use our Global Entry since there was no line. The CBP officer took our photo.


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## ilene13 (Sep 16, 2018)

Duplicate


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## PDX Matthew (Dec 8, 2018)

Just got back. We left on one of the first US bound flight of the day (JetBlue, JFK, 2:25 pm). We had to check out of the Marriott Aruba Surf Club at 10:00 am and went directly to the airport. At the airport we checked our bags and then went through Dutch emigration, through  a first security screening,  collected our bags, went through US immigration (there are kiosks for trusted travelers, but all those traveling together need to be trusted to use them). Then drop off the bags, go through the shopping arcade, then through a second security screening before going upstairs to the departure gates. The airport shopping is expensive - cosmetics, perfumes etc are cheaper at Macy’s.


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## dioxide45 (Dec 8, 2018)

PDX Matthew said:


> (there are kiosks for trusted travelers, but all those traveling together need to be trusted to use them)


I believe the kiosks are only for Global Entry, not just any trusted traveler program (like TSA Pre).


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## classiclincoln (Dec 8, 2018)

I read somewhere that they are upgrading Queen Beatrix airport so you only have to check your luggage once.  I think the new system will be up and running by 2020.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 9, 2018)

classiclincoln said:


> I read somewhere that they are upgrading Queen Beatrix airport so you only have to check your luggage once.  I think the new system will be up and running by 2020.


Why would you have to check your baggage more than once.  We usually check our bags when we get to an airport and don't see them again until we pick them up at our destination?


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## classiclincoln (Dec 9, 2018)

Sorry, I wasn't clear.  It's not that you check your bags twice, you put them through the TSA check twice.


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## dioxide45 (Dec 11, 2018)

classiclincoln said:


> Sorry, I wasn't clear.  It's not that you check your bags twice, you put them through the TSA check twice.


I thought that you checked them at the counter, then you pick them up before going through CBP (immigration and customs) then you drop them again on a belt to go to their final destination?


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## LisaRex (Dec 11, 2018)

I just did this 2 weekends ago so you'd think I'd remember.  It was a needlessly confusing process, which is only made easier if you just follow veterans who've done it before.  

Here's a good summary of how the process works: 
http://www.arubabound.com/getthere_early.htm

I will add that if you use Global Entry (which is awesome, BTW), you can bypass one of the longer lines.  And you don't need to fill out a declarations form because it will ask you the questions at the kiosk.


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## classiclincoln (Dec 11, 2018)

Details are in the airport newsletter:

https://www.airportaruba.com/PDF/news/AAA-News-1811.pdf


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 13, 2018)

LisaRex said:


> I just did this 2 weekends ago so you'd think I'd remember.  It was a needlessly confusing process, which is only made easier if you just follow veterans who've done it before.
> 
> Here's a good summary of how the process works:
> http://www.arubabound.com/getthere_early.htm
> ...



We have flown to and from Hawaii a number of times.  We pack very heavy with 4 checked bags.  At first we would do as we do at other airports and take the lounge to the checkin counter for weighing.  However, instead of them putting tags on the bags and taking them to put on a belt for the plane, they would then give them back to you to go to another line for them to be placed on another belt for the plane.   Then on another trip we were greeted by a young man who checked us in, put tags on the bags at curbside and said he would take care of them from there.  That was much better. 

Can we do the same thing coming back from Aruba?


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## PDX Matthew (Dec 13, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> We have flown to and from Hawaii a number of times.  We pack very heavy with 4 checked bags.  At first we would do as we do at other airports and take the lounge to the checkin counter for weighing.  However, instead of them putting tags on the bags and taking them to put on a belt for the plane, they would then give them back to you to go to another line for them to be placed on another belt for the plane.   Then on another trip we were greeted by a young man who checked us in, put tags on the bags at curbside and said he would take care of them from there.  That was much better.
> 
> Can we do the same thing coming back from Aruba?


There is no curbside checkin at Queen Beatrix Airport.


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## PDX Matthew (Dec 13, 2018)

dioxide45 said:


> I believe the kiosks are only for Global Entry, not just any trusted traveler program (like TSA Pre).


If you are a US Citizen or Permanent Resident and apply for Nexus, they usually send you a Global Entry card for free (at least they did for me). I'm guessing they probably do the same for Sentri card holders. If you're a Canadian or Mexican Citizen/Resident with one of the cards, I don't think you can use the Global Entry kiosks except at US/Canadian or US/Mexican borders/pre-clearance airports.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 13, 2018)

PDX Matthew said:


> There is no curbside checkin at Queen Beatrix Airport.


I assume they have luggage carts that you can get when you get out of a cab.  Can you use those same luggage carts all the way through all the baggage checks until they finally take your bags for good?


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## dioxide45 (Dec 14, 2018)

PDX Matthew said:


> If you are a US Citizen or Permanent Resident and apply for Nexus, they usually send you a Global Entry card for free (at least they did for me). I'm guessing they probably do the same for Sentri card holders. If you're a Canadian or Mexican Citizen/Resident with one of the cards, I don't think you can use the Global Entry kiosks except at US/Canadian or US/Mexican borders/pre-clearance airports.


There is no need to have a Global Entry card really. For Nexus and Sentry users, you just use your passport at the GE kiosks. There really is no use for an actual GE card that I can really think of.


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## LisaRex (Dec 15, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> We have flown to and from Hawaii a number of times.  We pack very heavy with 4 checked bags.  At first we would do as we do at other airports and take the lounge to the checkin counter for weighing.  However, instead of them putting tags on the bags and taking them to put on a belt for the plane, they would then give them back to you to go to another line for them to be placed on another belt for the plane.   Then on another trip we were greeted by a young man who checked us in, put tags on the bags at curbside and said he would take care of them from there.  That was much better.
> 
> Can we do the same thing coming back from Aruba?



No. Currently, after getting through Aruba customs, you have to claim your luggage and haul it to a second scanner.  Apparently, that process will be streamlined sometime in the next few years.


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## LisaRex (Dec 15, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> I assume they have luggage carts that you can get when you get out of a cab.  Can you use those same luggage carts all the way through all the baggage checks until they finally take your bags for good?



You surrender your luggage at the counter.  Then after you pass Aruba customs, you have to reclaim your luggage and haul it to a second scanner.  People were surrendering their luggage carts before they entered the US departures building.  It's possible that they had more in the first baggage claim area, but I didn't pay attention.  

I'm wondering why you need 4 heavy bags, though.   We brought our snorkel equipment and food to Aruba, and still only needed 2 large bags and 1 carry-on.  Unlike Hawaii, where you may need jackets and nicer clothes, Aruba is very casual and the weather is predictably warm.  They joke that their two seasons are: summer and summer.


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## LisaRex (Dec 15, 2018)

dioxide45 said:


> I believe the kiosks are only for Global Entry, not just any trusted traveler program (like TSA Pre).



That is correct.  My cousins had TSA pre-check and they couldn't use the kiosks.  The kiosks are only for those with Global Entry.  And, of course, you don't need the actual GE card as it's connected to your passport.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 15, 2018)

LisaRex said:


> You surrender your luggage at the counter.  Then after you pass Aruba customs, you have to reclaim your luggage and haul it to a second scanner.  People were surrendering their luggage carts before they entered the US departures building.  It's possible that they had more in the first baggage claim area, but I didn't pay attention.
> 
> I'm wondering why you need 4 heavy bags, though.   We brought our snorkel equipment and food to Aruba, and still only needed 2 large bags and 1 carry-on.  Unlike Hawaii, where you may need jackets and nicer clothes, Aruba is very casual and the weather is predictably warm.  They joke that their two seasons are: summer and summer.



We Travel heavy and the same wherever we go.  I am sure we could get by with what you do but the stress of downsizing causes concern.  I don't want to get into the details of what we pack!

Most people don't need a jacket or nicer clothes in Hawaii either.  We are there in the winter and it is usually 75-80 during the day and 65-70 at night.  However, we don't have a car so rain gear is essential.  Also, I always say that the coldest place in Hawaii is indoors.  The air conditioning is over done.  We attend a lot of shows, concerts and events at the Hawaii Theatre, Doris Duke Theatre, Honolulu Museum of Art, Blaisdell Concert Hall, the Blue Note Jazz Club, as well as Local Theatre Venues.  The Bus, at times, can also be cold.  So jackets and clothes other than beachwear is essential.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 15, 2018)

LisaRex said:


> You surrender your luggage at the counter. Then after you pass Aruba customs, you have to reclaim your luggage and haul it to a second scanner. People were surrendering their luggage carts before they entered the US departures building. It's possible that they had more in the first baggage claim area, but I didn't pay attention.



So at curbside there are luggage carts for you to put your luggage on.  You check in and surrender luggage at the check in counter.  Then you pass through Aruba Customs.  Then you reclaim your luggage.  Can you have the original carts with you while you are doing that to reclaim your luggage?  The I assume you go to the US departure building where your luggage needs to be screened again.  Why would someone surrender their luggage carts before going to the US departure building since you need to bring your luggage there to be screened again.  Finally, at US customs I assure they take your luggage for good.


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## LisaRex (Dec 18, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> The I assume you go to the US departure building where your luggage needs to be screened again.  Why would someone surrender their luggage carts before going to the US departure building since you need to bring your luggage there to be screened again.



At this point, you've surrendered your checked in bags at the check-in counter.  You only reclaim them after you've gone through Aruba customs.  You're not supposed to be hauling anything but your carry-on items.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 18, 2018)

LisaRex said:


> At this point, you've surrendered your checked in bags at the check-in counter.  You only reclaim them after you've gone through Aruba customs.  You're not supposed to be hauling anything but your carry-on items.



I am not a experienced foreign traveller so please excuse my ignorance.  If I understand correctly this is the procedure:   You load your bags on luggage carts.  You check your bags at the airline counter.  However, they don't keep them like in US.   You go through Aruba customs and then you get your bags back.  You need to then move them to the US Customs building for another luggage and security check.  If you have 8 bags how do you do that if you don't have luggage carts any longer since you gave them up when you checked them at the airline counter?


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## LisaRex (Dec 19, 2018)

Airport Aruba.com/map has the best explanation for the process that I've found.

https://www.airportaruba.com/map





Look at the legend for "US Bound Passengers" then follow the purple path on the map, beginning at "US Departures" building on the bottom right.  Note that the US Departure area is very short walk from the onsite rental car agencies.  Assuming you're renting a car,  it would undoubtedly be easier for you to be dropped off with your bags in front of the building and then you can wait for the driver to join you.

In any event, in the building marked "US Departures" you will have your luggage weighed and checked-in at your airline's counter, just as you do in the States.  You will retrieve all the checked bags, and re-check them in, but not until in step D.   For steps A, B, and C. it'll be just you and your carry-on items.  Steps A, B, and C are Aruba's immigration and their equivalent of TSA check.  ALL departing passengers (including non-US bound passengers) must go through steps A, B and C.

For US bound passengers, you then proceed to the US Customs pre-clearance area.  Not many international airports offer this service, and while it is a minor and time-consuming PITA, it saves you from having to go through US Customs once you arrive in the States.  The downside is that it requires you to retrieve your checked bags (which at this point have passed Aruba's screening) and haul them (either by hand or by cart) through the US Customs area (steps D,E, and F).

In Step D, you retrieve your checked bags from the designated carousel.  I assume in this area they will once again provide luggage carts for those who need them, because you do not surrender them again until you've gone past Customs.

In Step E, you get in the line to be interviewed by US immigration officials, OR if you have Global Entry, you can bypass the line and use a kiosk.

In Step G, you load your checked bags back onto a conveyor belt.  From this point forward, you should only have your carry-on items, including any Duty Free bags.

In Step H, you have to queue up once again, this time for the US TSA screening (where they say they honor TSA pre-check, but that wasn't my experience).

After this, you can proceed up the escalator the your gate and to the bars where you can celebrate making it through!

In a few years, they've promised to streamline this procedure so that you don't have to go through two separate checks.   But this is it for now.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 19, 2018)

LisaRex said:


> Airport Aruba.com/map has the best explanation for the process that I've found.
> 
> https://www.airportaruba.com/map
> 
> ...



Thanks LisaRex for the explanation.  It sounds like coming home from one International Flight is the same checks as coming home from two domestic flights.  For most countries you do one in the Foreign Country and one in the States.  For Aruba they are both done in Aruba. 

What about going to Aruba is there double checking thru security of your bags and your person?  If so are they both in Aruba or one in the States and one when you land in Aruba?


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## melissy123 (Dec 19, 2018)

There is no "double-checking" in going to Aruba.  Also, the whole process in leaving Aruba was pretty fast on a Thursday afternoon last week.  It took less than half an hour from the time we got to the airport to the time we got to our gate.  I imagine weekends are a completely different matter.


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## LMD (Dec 20, 2018)

We flew from Aruba yesterday (a Wednesday ) . Two hours from time we got dropped off at the curb until we arrived at our gate!! US Customs was really backed up due to what they said was a staff shortage. Was in line for over an hour there. So glad we got there 3 hours ahead of time!!!


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 20, 2018)

melissy123 said:


> There is no "double-checking" in going to Aruba.  Also, the whole process in leaving Aruba was pretty fast on a Thursday afternoon last week.  It took less than half an hour from the time we got to the airport to the time we got to our gate.  I imagine weekends are a completely different matter.



My concern is not the time since we usually get to the airport 3 hours before take off anyway.  We don't like to rush.  However double handling of 8 bags can be a real pain at our age.  We may want to downsize our luggage and shorten the duration of our trip.  We usually don't go anywhere for less than 2 weeks so we pack heavy with stuff for cooking and eating most meals in the room.  On a trip for less duration we wouldn't have to do that.


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## LisaRex (Dec 20, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> My concern is not the time since we usually get to the airport 3 hours before take off anyway.  We don't like to rush.  However double handling of 8 bags can be a real pain at our age.  We may want to downsize our luggage and shorten the duration of our trip.  We usually don't go anywhere for less than 2 weeks so we pack heavy with stuff for cooking and eating most meals in the room.  On a trip for less duration we wouldn't have to do that.



It's your call, of course, but it would be a real shame to cut your vacation short because you were so anxious about hauling luggage.  If you really MUST have some things that aren't provided in a fully stocked timeshare or condo, then consider shipping it to the island to arrive on the 2nd day of your arrival, and then shipping it back home on your final day.  

FYI, we traveled throughout Italy and stayed exclusively in hotels this past summer and all I was allowed to bring was a 25" suitcase and a carry-on duffel.  And I did it, with clothes to spare!   It is actually liberating not to have to haul around all that stuff.  I did have to resort to washing my underwear in the sink one night, but I'd packed individual Tide packets and it wasn't a big deal at all.


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## bobpark56 (Dec 20, 2018)

dioxide45 said:


> Since Aruba is the only Caribbean island (that is not a US Territory) that has US Preclearance. It would make sense that no other Caribbean country has TSA Pre Check. Technically Hawaii is also an Island and I am sure that they have TSA Pre Check also.


It depends on the airline. Not all airlines participate in TSA recheck. We did not get TSA recheck on our last inter-island flight (Hawaii)...but that was 2 years or so ago.


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## LMD (Dec 20, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> My concern is not the time since we usually get to the airport 3 hours before take off anyway.  We don't like to rush.  However double handling of 8 bags can be a real pain at our age.  We may want to downsize our luggage and shorten the duration of our trip.  We usually don't go anywhere for less than 2 weeks so we pack heavy with stuff for cooking and eating most meals in the room.  On a trip for less duration we wouldn't have to do that.



Yesterday we saw people in US customs line with several huge bins on a luggage cart. I assume you can pick one up and put your luggage on it before you go through US customs and wheel the cart around the corner to where you have to drop the luggage off again.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 20, 2018)

LMD said:


> Yesterday we saw people in US customs line with several huge bins on a luggage cart. I assume you can pick one up and put your luggage on it before you go through US customs and wheel the cart around the corner to where you have to drop the luggage off again.



The real problem is the rules about leaving your luggage unattended every for a short around the corner.  Not that I don't understand the reason for it, however, when traveling with 2 people and 8 pieces of luggage you can't move them without carts without leaving some unattended until you get back to them.  We try to follow the rules but making you check your luggage twice is somewhat ridiculous.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 20, 2018)

LisaRex said:


> It's your call, of course, but it would be a real shame to cut your vacation short because you were so anxious about hauling luggage.  If you really MUST have some things that aren't provided in a fully stocked timeshare or condo, then consider shipping it to the island to arrive on the 2nd day of your arrival, and then shipping it back home on your final day.
> 
> FYI, we traveled throughout Italy and stayed exclusively in hotels this past summer and all I was allowed to bring was a 25" suitcase and a carry-on duffel.  And I did it, with clothes to spare!   It is actually liberating not to have to haul around all that stuff.  I did have to resort to washing my underwear in the sink one night, but I'd packed individual Tide packets and it wasn't a big deal at all.


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## dioxide45 (Dec 20, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> The real problem is the rules about leaving your luggage unattended every for a short around the corner.  Not that I don't understand the reason for it, however, when traveling with 2 people and 8 pieces of luggage you can't move them without carts without leaving some unattended until you get back to them.  We try to follow the rules but making you check your luggage twice is somewhat ridiculous.


If they have castors, it is possible to move two pieces of luggage in each hand. Just place them back to back and one person can roll four at one time.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 20, 2018)

LisaRex said:


> It's your call, of course, but it would be a real shame to cut your vacation short because you were so anxious about hauling luggage.  If you really MUST have some things that aren't provided in a fully stocked timeshare or condo, then consider shipping it to the island to arrive on the 2nd day of your arrival, and then shipping it back home on your final day.
> 
> FYI, we traveled throughout Italy and stayed exclusively in hotels this past summer and all I was allowed to bring was a 25" suitcase and a carry-on duffel.  And I did it, with clothes to spare!   It is actually liberating not to have to haul around all that stuff.  I did have to resort to washing my underwear in the sink one night, but I'd packed individual Tide packets and it wasn't a big deal at all.



We are not familiar with traveling international; even though we travel about 150 days each year.  One of the reasons we have been reluctant to traveling internationally is that while we are familiar and comfortable with the rules, restrictions, customs of traveling in the US, we are not familiar with them internationally or in each country.  I am not sure we want to go out of our way to learn them at this stage of our lives.  We enjoy what we are familiar and comfortable with.  Surprises, as logical and customary as they may be in another country, are not necessarily what we want to be required to adapt to.  We believe in the saying "When in Rome do as the Romans do" however, maybe then we don't want to go to Rome.  

While I am not saying that we won't go to Aruba or Tahiti which are both on our bucket list.  However, I think that perhaps shorter trips when we pack light to get our feet wet maybe better than the longer trips which we usually take.  We have gone on 3 days trips with just a carry on so it can be done.


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