Has anyone flown with a cooler as checked luggage?

[happy cruzer]

OK, No flames please:p

 

We are flying to New York and going directly to the ship. We will be taking on wine to have in the dining room and paying the corkage fee. We have packed the wine in our checked luggage before. This time we would like to just put it in a plasic roller type cooler (for once we have an extra checked item to spare for the cooler). The cooler only cost $14 so if it gets damaged not a problem.

 

So anyone checked a cooler for a domestic flight???

 

Thanks for sharing.

[trish1c]

double post, sorry

[trish1c]

I was not going on a cruise but I transported some venison to a friend in Calif. It obviously needed to be kept cold. I bought dry ice & taped the whole cooler shut. I wrote perishable on the outside. It was the only peice of luggage that an airline ever "lost" on me; when it was returned to me the next day, the tape had been cut open & the contents were missing. :mad:

[megr1125]

I have not, but lately have seen a LOT of coolers of varying materials on the baggage carousels.....the airlines will put a sticker on it like any other luggage.

 

However, judging from the condition of much of the luggage coming off planes, i might think twice about it.......the plane might smell a little 'grapey' ;)

[hammybee]

I have done this many times to transport frozen pizzas. :) So long as it's under 50 pounds and counts as one of your pieces of checked luggage, there is no problem.

[happy cruzer]

Thanks for the replies. I had seen them once or twice myself. I think they are more common now because a cooler costs $14 and a roller suitcase at least double that. and the cooler will probably last longer than the luggage so depending on what's inside the cooler is a more practical and cheap means to transport items.

 

Oh man, I would have been disappointed in loosing that venison. Were you able to file a claim?

 

Inside we plan to have it solid bubble wrap and peanuts.

[cruise junky joan]

My husband actually shipped car parts from L.A. to Baltimore in an inexpensive plastic cooler that had been taped shut. I don't know if I would trust your cooler to survive the trip or if your wine would still be there when you reached your destination. Since we too would like to take wine on our upcoming cruise I would be interested to see how this turns out.

[sail7seas]

I'll be shocked if that wine arrives on that plane with you in condition possible to bring to the ship.

 

REALLY good chance of it being 'lost' and better chance of it being broken.

 

[sandy toes]

Have gone to UPS purchsed a wine container, packed it in my luggage and it was fine (5 times now). You can have it quick chilled for dinner

[arizonaperson]

OK, No flames please:p

 

We are flying to New York and going directly to the ship. We will be taking on wine to have in the dining room and paying the corkage fee. We have packed the wine in our checked luggage before. This time we would like to just put it in a plasic roller type cooler (for once we have an extra checked item to spare for the cooler). The cooler only cost $14 so if it gets damaged not a problem.

 

So anyone checked a cooler for a domestic flight???

 

Thanks for sharing.

Do you want to have the cooler for your trip as well? If not, I have done in the past and plan to do it next week is use a cardboard box(free at most stores if you ask) and put bottled water(for shore trips) and small bottles of wine for drinking on the balcony. All wrapped in bubble wrap and I will check it in with airline just as I do luggage and the same at the pier. Obviously if you want to use the cooler again for shore trips it would make sense. With a cardboard box you just toss with the trash in your cabin.

[megr1125]

I have done this many times to transport frozen pizzas. :) So long as it's under 50 pounds and counts as one of your pieces of checked luggage, there is no problem.

 

don't even tell me you were bringing home chicago pizza to JERSEY??? we HAVE great pizza!!! :D;p

[beaufortcruiser]

Best advice is to check in at ticket counter with the cooler not sealed. Let them inspect it and tape it up with duct tape after they take a look. Went from South Carolina to Wisconsin with a cooler full of frozen shrimp. The shrimp were still frozen at destination. Good Luck.:cool:

[sail7seas]

That was my thought about the cardboard box all wrapped in bubblewrap and sealed tight. What if TSA wants to inspect it? That's the end of that box and contents. I doubt they have the materials available to reseal it.

[happy cruzer]

No tape here. Just a couple of luggage straps. So basically the cooler is just a plastic box.

 

I agree it sounds like theft is the major concern.

 

I want to hear the full story on the pizza too. I'm betting it was a get rich scheme, if I know Hammy bee. hee hee

[hammybee]

don't even tell me you were bringing home chicago pizza to JERSEY??? we HAVE great pizza!!! :D;p

 

You have my number. ;)

 

I am a native Chicago area gal and have done 3 relo stints in the tri-state area. And every time we went back to Chicago, I stocked up on Lou Malinatis Pizza. Both my DH and I would schlep empty coolers and return with about 2 dozen pan pizzas. We saved a fortune on Fed Ex charges.

 

I am partial to certain Brooklyn pizza and of course those made by Squan Tavern, but for the pan, gimme Chicago.

[hammybee]

 

I want to hear the full story on the pizza too. I'm betting it was a get rich scheme, if I know Hammy bee. hee hee

 

It was more like a get fat scheme.:D

[Swissfred]

I was not going on a cruise but I transported some venison to a friend in Calif. It obviously needed to be kept cold. I bought dry ice & taped the whole cooler shut. I wrote perishable on the outside. It was the only peice of luggage that an airline ever "lost" on me; when it was returned to me the next day, the tape had been cut open & the contents were missing. :mad:

 

I'm not a chemist, but I've heard dry ice expands to 800 times its original volume, and if you seal a cooler with dry ice, it will burst at the seams (if there is no vent). I have never shipped with dry ice, but this makes sense to me.

[newmexicoNita]

I'm not a chemist, but I've heard dry ice expands to 800 times its original volume, and if you seal a cooler with dry ice, it will burst at the seams (if there is no vent). I have never shipped with dry ice, but this makes sense to me.

we get Lobster from New England a couple of times a year as gifts from out kids. It always comes in a cooler with dry ice. Or I guess it is dry ice, it is somehting that keeps it cold. Maybe it is those cold packs. If so, that would be a better way.

 

Nita

[cb at sea]

Food companys ship with dry ice all the time!

However, I can't imagine giving up a suitcase for a cooler! I'd much rather NOT bring stuff I can buy onboard, in favor of clothes and shoes!!!!!!

[Monkeythyme]

Flew to Germany once with a cooler [warmer?] full of Krispy Kreme donuts for a homesick band leader, and they were still warm upon arrival. That was Lufthansa, though. I would not recommend you try it on Delta, for sure.

Would your brand possibly be available in the port city?

[MLBfan]

Happy Cruzer,

I work with the WineCruzer company. Check out their site and see if a WineCruzer is a match for your needs. Sounds like a great trip. Hope you have a great time.

 

Mike

www.winecruzer.com

[trish1c]

Oh man, I would have been disappointed in loosing that venison. Were you able to file a claim?

 

I didn't much care but the person to whom I was delivering the venison was very disappointed. We didn't file a claim. His mom just overnighted some more.

My trip was also at least a decade before 9-11; there was no TSA, so inspection wasn't an issue.

 

 

I'm not a chemist, but I've heard dry ice expands to 800 times its original volume, and if you seal a cooler with dry ice, it will burst at the seams (if there is no vent). I have never shipped with dry ice, but this makes sense to me

I just did what the airline told me. It was a small amount of dry ice & I doubt it exploded. I do believe that someone between dropping my bag at the departure AP & getting it back a day late had a nice dinner.

[blindrid]

My experience tells me that every once in a while you'll get an overzealous employee with concerns of breakage and liquids getting on other's luggage and will not allow.

 

In saying that, I would probably just buy your stock after the flight and before getting on the ship and you're OK. Most of the time, you'll be OK on the plane but with my luck, I get the PITA employee.

[greatam]

Food companys ship with dry ice all the time!

However, I can't imagine giving up a suitcase for a cooler! I'd much rather NOT bring stuff I can buy onboard, in favor of clothes and shoes!!!!!!

 

As the owner of an international logistics company specializing in perishable products, dry ice CANNOT be shipped on a passenger airliner WITHOUT haz mat endorsements. VERY RARELY will anyone be allowed to put dry ice on a passenger plane-the only times are generally medical reasons-like transplants and whole blood.

 

FedEx is the only carrier available to the general public that has the haz mat endorsement for shipping with dry ice.

 

Commercial cargo airlines have the needed haz mat endorsements for shipping with dry ice. But the cost to ship through commercial cargo airlines is about twice what FedEx is.

 

If you need to dry ice something, you will have to use FedEx or a commercial cargo airline. MOST products in small quantities, can get by, if solidly frozen or properly chilled, with ice packs. Pallet quantity is generally put into airline refrigeration units (look like large rolling boxes) and the refrigeration units are plugged into the air plane power. We ship off season produce like that all the time.

 

For the OP-

We just returned from Alaska-brought 2 of the largest plastic coolers filled with frozen salmon and ice packs, duct taped and marked as SALMON and 4 50# boxes of frozen halibut back (commercially packed). Paid $160.00 for excess luggage-we checked in 7 pieces of "luggage". Darn sight cheaper than FedEx (even though we have a large company discount) AND I had my fish with me the entire time.

 

We do this every year-have never had our fish stolen NOR had them opened by TSA. I am very careful to put a bill of lading on the outside of the box, with company name, address and contents.

 

Wrap your wine very well and you should be fine.

[happy cruzer]

Happy Cruzer,

I work with the WineCruzer company. Check out their site and see if a WineCruzer is a match for your needs. Sounds like a great trip. Hope you have a great time.

 

Mike

www.winecruzer.com

 

That wine cruzer is a good looking product. It is quite an investment. It would be great for the business traveler. I'm not sure we would get to use it more than once every couple of years.

 

I appreciate everyone's ideas and concerns. First we have taken wine many times in checked luggage. We packed it in bubble wrap and heavy duty plastic bags. The only bottle ever broken was once when we were short of bubble wrap, not a problem this time. This time I have an extra checked bag spot. And a $14 plastic cooler available. So the day we pack we will just decide cooler or old piece of luggage and wrap up our wine. I always do a trip report so you;ll see it in about 2 1/2 weeks.

 

Thanks.:)