Will FedEx/UPS ship wine to Hawaii?

WINE TALK
21

That’s a great suggestion. Thanks.

To everyone else: I’m only talking about a half case, so the shipping cost will be less, but that’s still heavy enough to be a problem to schlepp around. It’s best to take public transportation to the NY airports when you’re travelling around rush hour, as I will be, so my calculus is different from that of a person living in a normal city.

22

John,

I hope you have a great trip to Hawaii. Let us know if you need any recommendations.

23

John,
Since it’s only a 6-pack I’ve done the following, one time each, when traveling.

  • I’ve tied a string around the box and made a carrying handle so I could carry the 6-pack in one hand and my wheeled luggage in the other (with my carryon backpack on my back).

  • I’ve put the 6 pack into a larger backpack that I carried until the check in counter. Remove box, put empty backpack in your check in luggage, and check both luggage and wine box on to plane. When you land, put box back into backpack for easy carrying. Of course you’ll need to leave room in your luggage to put the empty backpack.

Just a couple options in case you haven’t thought about them.

24

John - If you’re heading for Oahu there are some very nice wine stores there. You might be surprised by some of the great wine choices. I would take the opportunity to try some new wines purchased there.

25

he already said he’s taking public trans to the airport. Landing in LA. Hanging in LA then going back to the airport then heading to hawaii. That’s a lot of carrying around a 6 pack. Even if it costs a little more it’s worth it to just ship it.

26

I’d venture to guess that I’ve schlepped more wine from and to more different countries than anybody here (UK, France, Spain, Germany, Turkey and Canada). I’ve packed it every which way. I know what I can manage and what I don’t want to do.

I’ve strapped pairs of styro shippers together with fiberglass tape to carry 20+ bottles and come in just under transatlantic baggage size and (70 lbs.) weight restrictions. I’ve travelled with two separate checked shippers, plus wine in my suitcase. I once carried a riesling-laden suitcase from Mannheim and Turin, which entailed changing trains twice – not so much fun. (Tip: Don’t attempt to put a large suitcase including two weeks of travel needs plus six bottles of wine on a very high overhead train baggage rack while other passengers are sitting under it.)

Your suggestion won’t work now because of the new requirement that lithium batteries be carried on board. That means I already will have my laptop in my carry-on, along with books I want for the long flights.

27

Forgive me for making a suggestion.

28

You made the one really useful suggestion – shipping stuff to California! Thanks for that!

29

How about a luggage service? They may be less likely to ask questions than UPS.

Robert

30

Interesting idea. Thanks.

FYI, the shipping cost to California for a half case (2-day air, estimated 15 lbs.) isn’t that much less than to Hawaii – $108 even with late delivery on the second day. Second-day to Hawaii is $125.

I think I’ll take fewer bottles and pack them in my suitcase. If I want to bring more, I’ll buy some in California and pay for the second piece of luggage from there.

31

Half a case? Someone could - hypothetically - just roll each bottle in bubble wrap and stick them in a box that does not look like wine with your bathing suit and some other clothes you won’t need until HI and then ship to that office you mentioned. No brainer - hypothetically.

32

See the prices above.

33

Since it is a six pack, may I suggest using a backpack as your carry on.
Assuming you have a wheeled suitcase bring a bungie cord and strap the six pack to the extended luggage handle and roll, baby, roll. It eliminates the schlep factor of carrying.
We do this all the time, it is easy and takes only seconds to set up.

34

Did you read my post above explaining why that’s not an option? (FYI, I’ve used that trick myself on other occasions in different circumstances.)

35

I was going to suggest this, but I didn’t know what wines you were thinking about wanting in Hawaii. Like others mentioned, there are a few very good wines stores here, too.

36

Stop whining. Things could be worse.

37

A couple of months ago, rather than ship out wines myself, I purchased a case and a half from Ridge. Mary Devine managed the order and shipment (through Fedex), worked out perfectly.

Decent wine is certainly available at retail in HI, but at a markup vs. the lower 48. Corkage is allowed at Most HI restaurants.

38

The epilog:

I packed four bottles in my suitcase from NY to CA. I weighed the bag at home and it came in at about 46 pounds. Perfect. That even included my laptop, since it turns out that United does not prohibit laptops in checked luggage – only spare lithium batteries and Samsung Galaxy 7s.

When I get to Newark to check in, however, it clocks in at 55 pounds and there’s a $100 charge for overweight bags. Boasting about my miles is to no avail with the United crew.

So there I am in the check-in area madly looking for heavy things other than wine to move to my knapsack carry-on. Of course, the wine is the real culprit, but I can’t take it in the cabon. So… the laptop and its charger, books, a camera come out – until my knapsack won’t fit anything more. Finally, after several trips back to several different scales to find the forgiving one, I get it down to an even 50 pounds … and head to security with a hulking thing on my back.

I’ll be picking up a few more bottles here … and will happily pay the extra bag charge to Maui.

39

I was hoping for a photo of you schlepping a big box to the airport. But seeing that you did not listen to the advice of most of the Wine Berserkers, at least a photo of the overstuffed backpack would have been in order. [cheers.gif]

40

If your scale at home is off on the luggage by 9 lbs, and if its the same one you weigh yourself on… [shock.gif]