TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums US VI and Puerto Rico Checking a cooler w/dry ice to St John

We are renting a villa on St. John and I had once talked to a couple about how they checked a cooler with dry ice and brought their meat from Costco. Great savings and you know you will have great food. Has anyone done this and were there any issues? I looked online and it looks like you can even carry it on as long as the dry ice is under a certain weight. Would love to carry it on so it does not disappear.

Lots of differing opinions on this topic....

However, we travel with a cooler for every trip to the islands...I am not sure where you are coming from, but it is unlikely you even need to bother with the dry ice.

Many trips ago, I looked into dry ice and the cost was high, so I tried wet ice but was told I couldn't check the bag till the ice was removed. We had previously frozen everything we were taking in the cooler (for about 2 weeks prior), so I dumped the wet ice and crossed my fingers and checked it....when we arrived at our final destination at least 8/10 hours later with a stop or two along the way, the meat was still frozen solid. Seems like most people who travel with coolers and meat don't even bother with the dry ice as long as the meat is frozen solid. Some have mentioned the gel packs but I have never used them. Even if for some reason it started to thaw, you're gonna eat most of it quick anyway...if you've got an overnight somewhere en route, there are ways around that too...just ask...

I'd recommend vacuum sealing everything.

I have traveled with hard sided and softsided coolers. Both have some advantages/disadvantages. Polar Bear and AO make some very good quality softsided heavy duty travel coolers of varying sizes. And I like hardsided coolers with wheels because you can throw your other bags on top of it and drag around at the airport...Hardsided coolers too make it super easy to bring home any breakables (souvenirs or booze). Great too for bringing home the dirty wet clothes.

Good luck. Check out the BVI page too, it's frequented way more than the US Virgin Islands category, and probably a lot of helpful tips could be found there too.

You don't need dry ice.

We took coolers for years to many destinations. I am a fan of poplar bear coolers but cheaper one work good enough.

The key is to freeze everything good and hard. I am talking freezing it for days, not buying something fresh the night before and freezing it for a couple of hours.

Make sure the cooler is packs tight and don't open it.

I have used cardboard to line the cooler and used techiice sheets but honestly, this was probably over kill. We have done 36 hours door to door with everything being solid on arrival.

We used a polar cooler last month and not a thing even began to dethaw. That included a 7lbs Angus tenderloin which took an additional 2 days to finish the thawing process after we arrived.

Froze the the meat, fish, etc... for a couple weeks before the trip. Loaded the cooler 36 hours before the trip and put the whole thing in the freezer. The neat thing about a polar cooler is it will fit under the seat.

Highly recommend you do a search on Polar Cooler. They are well made and really do work.

Bought a "12 pack" Polar Bear Cooler and used it last June. Kept food frozen easily until we got to the Villa about 14 hours after packing! NO need for any type ice.

Even though I don't think you need dry ice I checked around and found something on the TSA Blog . Seems the FAA is the regulating body. Here is what he listed as requirements:
- Packages of dry ice must allow for the release of carbon dioxide gas
- The limit for dry ice for both carry-on and checked baggage is five pounds
- Packages of dry ice must contain the language "Carbon Dioxide Solid" or "Dry Ice" and must also have the net weight of the dry ice on the package

I personally don't want to be carrying a cooler around an airport/plane with white "smoke" coming out of it but it does seem to be ok to do. Just saying...

Just saying - you're on vacation - the grocery stores are just fine on St. John.

Goozee

glad someone said it, and if you are going to bring meat get something good, not Costco.

I agree that Starfish, Dolphin and others are carrying very good products now. I understand that Dolphin has taken over Lily's in Coral Bay as well now?? That would be great for the quality of meat!

However, I am a "cooler person" especially when traveling with a group. I only bring meat because then I'm guaranteed the quality and quantity that I want, not to mention it's convenient for us to do this. To each their own, don't care to debate! If you choose to travel with a cooler, I always check 50lbs of meat with NO dry ice, never had it delayed or tampered with. I freeze the meat at home for several days and put it in a soft sided Polar Bear cooler the morning we leave. 13-14 hours later it's still frozen when we arrive at the villa. Good luck! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

"Cooler People are simply Cooler People!"

I knew your post was coming soon. Your right, to each his own.

One of these trips I'll grill you guys a nice Wegman's filet!! With local island produce of course!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

I would love it, Nina does not eat meat. funny when you said 50lbs, she probably has not eaten 50lbs of meat in her life <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Wegman's is THE BOMB. I have a friend in Virginia and a group of us gather at her house every year or so - and the FIRST thing we all want to do is go to Wegman's <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

We brought down a cooler for our current trip. Polar Bear 24-pack. Everything was still frozen when we anchored on our first night. No ice or cold packs were in the cooler.

Cheers, RickG

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Yep, we're checking out the new grocery in Coral Bay on Sunday for some light provisions. We'll report back.

Cheers, RickG

Hey Rick, take a picture of the inside if you can and post it please <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

We were in there in December.
Very Nice - Well Stocked - Very Friendly
Much larger than it appears from the outside
Nice addition to Coral Bay
And if shopping tires you out... Agua Bistro is right below it. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" />Haha thanks everyone for the responses, i have just started using TTOL on a friends suggestion and i love it, so much great information.

Coral Bay is getting so "up town" with the new Dolphin Market. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

I liked lilys and Love City Mini Mart, hopefully it doesnt hurt Love City, but I didnt care for the deli counter at Lilys. Not to change the direction of the post, but I hope the proposed marina gets blocked. Coral Bay has everything I need right now! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

I'd love some transient moorings in Coral Bay. We'll likely anchor there tonight and Sunday night, but it looks like very light winds. Otherwise, we would be at the outside of the anchorage and exposed. We're visiting friends with a car, so we won't be trying to anchor the dinghy at the rocky steep shore by Cocoloba Plaza/Dolphin Market for provisions.

Beerman, I don't think Love City Mini Market will see much impact, they did well through the opening and closing of Lily's. They have easier parking and will remain the quick stop spot. I am hoping the Dolphin Market's reasinable pricing carries through as well as their 10% local's discount.

The comment period with the Army Corps for the Summer End Group marina is open. This a very emotional topic for the Coral Bay folks, so keep that in mind if you read the link below. I'm a support of Save Coral Bay, but I'd like to see a properly scaled marina on the lines of Leverick Bay in Coral Bay, with pumpout, water and fuel.

http://savecoralbay.com/army-corps-comments/

Cheers, RickG

A smaller project, similar in size to Leverick, could be a nice addition, however the mega yachts seem to be a major focus of this proposal. I started visiting in 1982 and I often think about what STJ looked like and felt like back then...perfect! I've taken advantage of the islands progress through the years renting beautiful villas around Cruz Bay and I've promoted the heck out of the island myself. Late 90's we gravitated to the "Quiet Side" to try to recapture the feeling of "back in the day" when the hillsides weren't all lit up at night with villa lights. Each time there is a little compromise on projects like this...when construction starts you will never be able to reverse its negative effects on the community. I agree that a reasonably sized marina and a transient mooring field would be beneficial...but messing with the clean waters and eco system of the "Quiet Side" scares me...if it's a planning disaster there's no where else for us to find the back in the day feeling in Love City!

Back to cooler talk <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />