Surprises at the airport

DRandGR

Member
Aug 27, 2007
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We will be coming to Punta Cana in the next few weeks. It will be our first trip since buying our condo. We are bringing all sorts of household goods ( towels, linens, silverware, clocks, medicine, etc). What are we in for at the airport? Will they give us a hard time with all these new items? Is there a limit on how many bags or how much weight we are allowed? I would like to know before we go.

Thanks.
 

bart6

New member
Aug 17, 2007
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airport

i have been bringing down bags of stuff each trip to Puerto Plata, i take the stuff out of the new boxes and mix it in with clothes etc, , i haven't had any problems

most airlines allow 2 check-ins 5olbs per without additional cost.
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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We will be coming to Punta Cana in the next few weeks. It will be our first trip since buying our condo. We are bringing all sorts of household goods ( towels, linens, silverware, clocks, medicine, etc). What are we in for at the airport? Will they give us a hard time with all these new items? Is there a limit on how many bags or how much weight we are allowed? I would like to know before we go.

Thanks.
Your weight and/or quantity restrictions apply only at your end, boarding.
There are no restrictions at this end.
If/when they ask you what the stuff is for, "por la casa".
Big smile, "no speeky espanyol", "por la casa".
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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We will be coming to Punta Cana in the next few weeks. It will be our first trip since buying our condo. We are bringing all sorts of household goods ( towels, linens, silverware, clocks, medicine, etc).

Are you staying this time? Only, if you are leaving after a few weeks, be careful about security arrangements for the silverware in your absence - that's if this means 'silverware' & not 'cutlery'.
 

MommC

On Vacation!
Mar 2, 2002
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Shouldn't be any problems at all......

We've brought tons (literally) of stuff over the years and never had a problem.
Had one customs agent one time around Chriatmas that wanted to charge us for the water cooler/heater we were bringing in but a quick shout to the supervisor was all it took. She just wanted a 'tip' or 'small gift' because it was Christmas time.

If you are going to be gone for a while after bringing down all this (as in returning to your home country) do as Lambada suggests - we put locks on a closet after our second trip when we discovered some kitchen ware missing and kept our 'goods' in the closet until the next trip when we 'secured' the property better.;)
 

DRandGR

Member
Aug 27, 2007
49
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It almost sounds as if I leave the apartment to go back to the US, which I will, I will return to an empty apartment.

Should I leave nothing there??
 

Lambada

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It almost sounds as if I leave the apartment to go back to the US, which I will, I will return to an empty apartment.

It all depends on how good the security is & if it consists of guachimen whether they are working for you or for a local gang of fences. Yes you can be cleaned out in your absence (as you could in any country in the world, I hasten to add) or it might never happen. All I wanted to do was to alert you to the realistic possibility. Now you can go ahead & do all your checking when you come down & put some good security precautions in place. If you rent out your condo when you are not here, check how reliable your admin/manager etc is. Tourists have been known to clean out apartments too. Praemonitus praemunitus...........:)
 

DrChrisHE

On Probation!
Jul 23, 2006
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Many people keep a locket closet (make sure it is thoroughly locked with pins going into the cement and a strong lock) to discourage "finders of your things." Even in the nicer developments, the rentals often have these. If you have smaller items, I know PriceSmart in SD has safes for sale right now.

If you REALLY value it, leave it in the US (but that is no guarantee either as our house in the US was robbed while we were down here.) I suppose the main lesson is to have less STUFF that you care about. I wouldn't bring real silverware down.

As for the airports in general, I've found that the customs agents like chocolate. One time I declared the cases of Hersheys and Snickers I had for my chocoholic kids and dh, and they had me open it up and wanted me to pay a ridiculous tax OR give them one of the boxes (they started wanting half of them so I figure I got off okay.)

When I am bringing things down for the orphanage, I never get hassled--however, others I know have. There have been many people bringing coloring books, candy, toothbrushes, etc. where 1/4-1/3 of the totals (for 160 kids) have gone "missing."