How to pack sunscreen?

[Duddy]

I am sure this has been covered somewhere here but I can't find it. :confused:

 

Is there a good or preferred way to pack sunscreen cans so they do not look suspicious through airport or ship security? I am imagining how a two or 3-pack would look to an x-ray machine. Too much liquid for carry-on.

 

Just occurred to me the spray cans might be difficult to use near a crowded pool, but they are so much more effective than the traditional lotion.

 

Would the towel/bubble-wrap thing help or hurt?

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

 

~Bob~

[m*u*g*]

I took several cans and cream but checked my bags since Southwest allows 2 bags free. I wouldn't attempt to carry this much on unless you want to loose it and have to pay 3 times the price on ship.

 

Spray is fine, just apply it in the room or bathroom near the pool area.

[Normal 1]

I always put liquids in zip=lock bags..... just in case. Had no problem with getting multiple cans of spray through in checked bags.

 

Enjoy!!

[CrabbyQ]

I brought 2 cans and a giant tube with me in my checked bag. put them in the outside compartment just in case they leaked. didn't have a problem.

[Zach1213]

It really shouldn't be an issue. If they're concerned, they will open up the bag and run a test which will (er, should ;)) return a negative result of anything questionable.

 

And yes, put them in a ziploc bag. I figured, as a frequent traveler, that anything liquid should be in a ziploc bag should it pop open during its travels.

[YoungDubFan]

I agree with putting the sunscreen and any other liquids / gels in ziplock bags, then putting in the checked luggage. I've never had any problems with them in the checked bags. The one time I didn't use a zip lock, one tube leaked. What a big mess.

[mrsd912]

I would assume you meant how to pack it to get it through security in a carry on, and if you did, don't even try it. Like someone else said they'll find it, and then you'll be out the sunscreen.

I've also got my bottles of sunscreen packed in a ziplock inside of my checked bag. I've also (personally) found lotion to be more effective than spray, but I'm extremely fair skinned.

[marco]

No problem at all in checked luggage. If it's in your carry-on, any one container can't be more than 3 oz. If you are doing carry-on only, if you're flying to the port a day early, go out and buy some when you arrive and if not, either buy on the ship or bring up to 3oz to get you to the first port and go out and buy it there. With what you're paying for the trip, I think I'd just bite the bullet and pay way too much and just buy some on the ship.

[fleckle]

We double ziplock bag all liquids, gels and creams.

 

Never a mess and never a problem.

Have been doing it that way for years.

 

Large sized sunscreen goes in the checked luggage and small sized sunscreen comes with us in carry-on.

 

When concerned about the weight of checked bags, we wait until we are off the plane and then hit a drugstore at a port city to buy large sizes of items such as sunblock, mouthwash, bug repellent, shaving cream, etc.

 

We do as CrabbyQ does and pack them in the outside pockets of our checked luggage for easy access at pre-cruise hotel. No need to open the big suitcases at all until we are on the ship.

[cb at sea]

You could bring a case of the stuff in you CHECKED bags...they don't care. Neither does the ship, even in carry-ons......

[Sandy Sails]

Instead of spraying it in a crowd and getting it all over everybody near you, just spray it in your hand and rub it on. Also helpful when it's breezy on the beach. Plus you won't "miss a spot." (ouch)

[Hlitner]

If the sunscreen size is more then 3 oz you must put it in your checked luggage. When we go away in the winter we often take as much as 10 tubes (8oz) of our favorite sunscreen and its no problem other then the weight.

 

Hank

[Nebr.cruiser]

We sometimes pack sunscreen in our checked luggage, in zip-lock bags, but often also buy it in the port city so we don't use up suitcase space. It depends on the port and how available sunscreen might be and/or how much time you have to hunt it down.

 

Ft. Lauderdale or San Diego, for instance, easy. Istanbul or Singapore, say, maybe a little more challenging!

 

It also helps, of course, to fly in the day before so you have time for stuff like this.

[zephyrgirl]

Sunscreen is the 1 and only reason I have to check a bag when traveling to a warm weather location. Such a hassle. Personally, I might just buy it on board the ship b/c checking a bag is usually 20-25 bucks so you don't actually save much. Unless of course you are already checking a bag in which case just throw it in there in a ziplock like everyone has said.

[pris993]

Check your airline's specific information on spray cans in packed luggage. We had hair spray, which I checked out on American airlines. There are weight limits, forget the exact amount in oz allowed.

 

We generally donot pack any of these type items anymore. We buy them before we board in the embarcation port.

[mkmom514]

We're cruising on Oasis on 8/25 and are only bringing carry-ons. Flying on American and am not going to pay $25 per bag. I got some 3 oz. travel bottles (at the dollar store) and just transferred the sunscreen lotion to them. My husband prefers the spray so we will buy that in Ft. Lauderdale and leave behind what we don't use.

[fleckle]

Check your airline's specific information on spray cans in packed luggage. We had hair spray, which I checked out on American airlines. There are weight limits, forget the exact amount in oz allowed.

 

We generally donot pack any of these type items anymore. We buy them before we board in the embarcation port.

Good points!

 

To avoid any concerns about restrictions on aerosol cans when flying, it is easier just to take products in pump bottles or tubes instead.

 

 

As for sunscreen, the smaller sized tubes are ideal to toss into a carryon, eliminating the need to mess with transferring product into a smaller container for that purpose.

[planktin]

I recently started making my own sunscreen and spf lip balm. I'm experimenting with making sunscreen bars, although mine are nowhere as neat as these they work well and are not liquid.

[Keith1010]

I am sure this has been covered somewhere here but I can't find it. :confused:

 

Is there a good or preferred way to pack sunscreen cans so they do not look suspicious through airport or ship security? I am imagining how a two or 3-pack would look to an x-ray machine. Too much liquid for carry-on.

 

Just occurred to me the spray cans might be difficult to use near a crowded pool, but they are so much more effective than the traditional lotion.

 

Would the towel/bubble-wrap thing help or hurt?

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

 

~Bob~

 

Bob, the regular size of sunscreen exceeds what you can take in your carry on luggage. So just check it in with your checked baggage.

 

We always put it in two or three ziplock bags so it doesn't leak.

 

Keith

[Duddy]

Bob, the regular size of sunscreen exceeds what you can take in your carry on luggage. So just check it in with your checked baggage.

 

We always put it in two or three ziplock bags so it doesn't leak.

 

Keith

 

Thanks for all the advice. Looks like use checked bags and pack in Ziplock bags. Sounds easy enough. If they flag it for looking strange on x-ray, so be it. I will pack it so they can get to it easy without digging around.

 

~Bob~

[Duddy]

I would assume you meant how to pack it to get it through security in a carry on, and if you did, don't even try it. Like someone else said they'll find it, and then you'll be out the sunscreen.

I've also got my bottles of sunscreen packed in a ziplock inside of my checked bag. I've also (personally) found lotion to be more effective than spray, but I'm extremely fair skinned.

 

Interesting. I had always felt lotion was better. I am fair skinned also so I have to be careful. But last month at the beach I used the 30 spray and barely got any color. 5 straight days!

 

Whatever works, right? :)

~Bob~