Check It? Or Carry It On? - A Review Of Travel Restrictions Affecting Your Vacation To Aruba

By: Mike Goldstein
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:42:22
Print this article | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

After you have planned your vacation to Aruba, you may be wondering what to pack. To ensure that you don’t experience any unwelcome surprises at either your departing airport or the Aruba Airport, make note of the guidelines in this article. The following is a convenient outline of what you can and cannot pack when traveling to Aruba and some added travel tips to make your vacation as enjoyable as possible. First, make sure you pack all your important personal belongings such as travel documents, personal identification and medications in your carry-on luggage. Do not place locks on your carry-on baggage, as this could cause unnecessary delays when passing through screening.

Try to arrive at your departing airport three hours before the scheduled flight time. When you are ready to fly home, you must also allot approximately three hours for check-in and screening at the Aruba Airport, especially if your return flight is between 11 AM and 3 PM.

Due to recent concerns, liquids, gels and aerosols are no longer allowed in the carry-on baggage of all travelers on flights arriving to, traveling within or departing from the United States. Effective August 11, 2006, the following items must be placed in your checked baggage when traveling to Aruba, until further notice from the U.S. government:

  • All beverages and liquid food items such as yogurt
  • Skin lotions, creams or balms including suntan lotion and hand sanitizing products
  • Tooth Paste
  • Mouthwash
  • Shampoo
  • Hair gels and pomades
  • Hair spray or any other type of aerosol products
  • Liquid cosmetics such as lip gloss and mascara
Obviously, there are some exceptions to the restriction on liquids and gels. The following items are allowed in carry-on baggage when traveling to Aruba, but make note of the documentation and packaging that some items may require:
  • Prescription medicine - medication or dispenser must be properly marked with a professionally printed label or pharmaceutical label identifying the medication or the manufacturer's name. If for some reason you don't have a professionally printed label, you must obtain a doctor's note.
  • Non-prescription saline solution and eye care products (under 4 ounces per container)
  • Liquid insulin and dispensing products for diabetic passengers (under 5 ounces per container) – must be properly marked with a professionally printed or pharmaceutical label identifying the medication or the manufacturer's name
  • Solid cosmetics and personal hygiene items including lipstick in a tube, solid deodorant and lip balm
  • Baby formula, milk and food - only allowed if a baby or small child is traveling with you
  • Gels, saline solutions or other liquids worn as detachable items used to augment portions of the body for medical or cosmetic reasons – includes gel bras
  • Duty free liquor, perfume and cosmetics items purchased within the airport terminal areas will given to you by the duty free operator after reclaiming your checked luggage
If you are concerned about any item packed in your carry-on baggage, contact your travel agent or airline before arriving at the airport or simply ask personnel at the time of check-in. You can still place the above-mentioned restricted items in your checked baggage before proceeding to security screening. It is also suggested that you try to minimize the amount of metal you wear. Large belt buckles, clothing with metal buttons, some jewelry and metal toed or heeled footwear can set off security checkpoint metal detectors. This will require additional searches, slowing you and other travelers down. Therefore, while you are waiting in line, it is recommended that place your keys, jewelry or watches, coins, belts and any other metal items in your carry-on baggage until you clear security. You will also be asked to remove your shoes at the checkpoint and place them in a tray to be x-rayed. As was the case before the new regulations in August, electronic devices such as mobile phones, PDAs, cameras, CD and MP3 players are still allowed in carry-on luggage. However, be prepared to remove your laptop computer from its case and place it on the x-ray belt by itself. It is generally recommended to attach a name and contact information label to the bottom of your laptop in case any confusion arises passing through security. Also, it is still advised that you pack all film in your carry-on luggage. If you have any concerns about your film going through the x-ray system, you can request that it be hand-inspected by a security screener.

When planning your vacation to Aruba, it is also very important to note that effective January 8, 2007, the U.S. Government will require passports for all air and sea travel to and/or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Bermuda and The Bahamas. It is advised to allow six to eight weeks to process passport applications before your vacation to Aruba.

This article was written by Justin. Justin writes select pieces about travel in Aruba for the Aruba Renaissance Resort (/marriott.com/property/propertypage/AUABR).

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Travel Tips category

  • How I came to live in Oaxaca, Mexico - Part one: The Decision - By: Arion Diaz
    People in Oaxaca constantly ask me, "So Arion, where are you from?" and when I say New York, their next question is undoubtedly, "What are you doing here!?!" As I've answered this question so many times, my automatic response is, "I ask myself that every morning!" They usually laugh not at all satisfied with the answer but no one insists. The truth is that it's quite an interesting story and it goes a little something like this...
  • London on a budget - how a homestay can make your pounds go further... - By: Josie Anderson
    In 2008 the Guardian reported that London is the most expensive city in the world to live and rent a property. Those living in the UK capital may be compensated for the high cost of living with slightly higher than average wages - but what about tourists?
  • Budapest for Lovers - By: Gergely Garami
    In my line of work you get to meet a lot of people from all walks of life. I love the way that one day I can be driving from Budapest airport to city hotels with a young couple on their honeymoon; and another day I can be transporting a load of young men here in my beautiful city for a weekend of high jinx. But no matter who I'm driving, I always like to tailor my routes to their accommodation depending on the part of the city I think would appeal most to them. I've been doing this for a lot of years now, so I know Budapest like the back of my hand. There are loads of short cuts, long cuts and quite a few, just-for-the-sake-of-it cuts! I have to admit though, I'm a bit of an old romantic and my favourite passengers are the ones clearly in love; and for them, I have a very special route...
  • Benefits of Serviced Apartments - By: Jim Damon
    Within the corporate sector serviced apartments are recognised as a cost effective alternative to hotels.
  • There's no place like homes: Some facts about the growing trend of homestay - By: Josie Anderson
    The growing phenomenon of homestaying - also sometimes known as crashpadding and couchsurfing - is based on a simple premise: Hotels are hopelessly overpriced. As a result people have realised they can provide budget friendly alternatives to travellers, by offering up the spare space in their own homes and charging a reasonable amount for it.
  • Busin' it in Oaxaca, Mexico - A Dose of Reality - By: Arion Diaz
    When I told my girlfriend, (who is Oaxacan of course), that I wanted to write an article about the Oaxacan public transportation system she grabbed my shoulders and said, "No, please don't!" So I would like to publicly offer an apology to her because I'm going to do it anyway. So please accompany me, my friends, on my daily bus trip from my house into Oaxaca city.
  • Meticulously Checking Pertinent Travel Deals - By: Carl Winston
    Coordinate a holiday by intently appraising your choices prior to actualizing a travel deal that might lead to a sense of unfulfillment and huge misfortune.
  • What is Crashpadder? Learn more about homestay... - By: Josie Anderson
    Crashpadder.com is a win-win kind of a place, also known as a homestay network. It allows travellers to find cheap, comfortable accommodation in someone's home while hosts can earn a little extra cash by conveniently renting out their excess space. You can find out more about Crashpadder via the press coverage we've recieved from the likes of the Times Online, the BBC, the Guardian and others - or alternatively find out more about this worldwide homestay network by reading on...
  • Riad El Fenn: A One of a Kind Hotel Experience - By: Robert Murgatroyd
    Riad El Fenn is a luxury Marrakech accommodation that boasts of elegance, cool ambiance, and unbelievable levels of comfort, service, and warmth as well as a flexibility of choices for its guests. I personally feel that it is a very special place and is so exceptional that it should be kept a secret.
  • 6 Unforgettable Valentine's Day Destinations - By: Joseph Lawsomier
    If you're anything like us, it probably feels like we just barely made it through the holiday season and here we are; it's Valentine's Day already. We're going to be your personal cupid and make this year's Valentine's Day a little bit easier on you. While the traditional candy, cards, and flowers can always win you points with the heart, planning a romantic or love-themed getaway for Valentine's Day is a sure way to your lover's heart.