Furniture & Art

Debra,
It sounds like the most reasonable course of action for transportation of your items is to ready everything for shipping. Place the stuff you want to move in storage. Travel (either one or both) to the island, find your place and figure out the items and things actually needed. Or the space you need to have in order to keep the things you just can't give up:)
When all is in order to recieve your possessions on island, go back and get them or have a trusted family member or friend send the items. www.viphonebook.com lists shippers. Or call in your local area to find national shippers.

Pets: Many of the people on this board have successfully shipped their animals. One problem you'll have right now is that the airlines will not ship between May 15 and Sept 15 (Is that correct all?) To get a good idea about pets and moving and shipping your things, go to the home page of this website (top left corner) and on the home page you will find a list of topics in blue. Many of the topics have a great deal of useful information and things you may not have considered. Navigate through the website, and hopefully you will feel more secure.

The airlines will not take a 4-legger as checked baggage between May 15 and September 15.

If the animal is small enough to be in the passenger compartment, then they will take it.

If not, you can still do it, but the animal will have to go as air cargo, which is MUCH more expensive (like several hundred dollars instead of $75 or $80).

Hi Debra,
Let's being with the pets.
The airlines have quite a few regulations with shipping pets. You will need to have vet papers allowing the move. As stated above, notpet movements are allowed in the summer months because of the heat in the baggage department. If you have an aggressive animal, the airline may refuse that animal. The pets must be under 100Lbs. (last time I checked), and must be in an airline approved pet carrier. All airline travel with pets must take place within the same day. This is because your pet will not be fed or watered while outside of your care. It's a lot to abide by, but these are the rules.

Antique furniture has less restrictions. Your biggest concern is locating a packer in your area that can pack well enought to ensure safe carriage of the items. Once the items are packed, ManagedFreight can assist in moving the goods from origin to your address in St. Thomas. There will be a tax on those antiques and furniture items so be prepared.
Let me know if we can help. Regards.

Lee
ManagedFreight

What type of tax - is this on all household goods coming in or just on high valued items? Debra

The tax is a personal tax on your belongings. The tax is 4% of the value you send in one shipment (the first $1000.00 of that shipment is exempt) For an 1800.00 dresser shipped by itself it would be 4% of 800.00. Now, you may also have to deal with a custom tax as well on that dresser. Pack up as much stuff into boxes you can send through the mail (USPS) in increments of up to 1000.00, place a packing slip on it with the value of each item in the box. USPS does not go through customs therefore no custom tax. Each shipment is exempt for the first 1000.00.

For the large items, I would hire a national shipper to wrap, crate, ship and deliver. The Custom and Personal Tax should be requested at that time.

So far this is the way I understand the system to work.

Debra: I recommend that you put your stuff in storage (where you are currently)until you are sure that you want to ship it down. It is an expensive proposition to ship large and/or delicate items. The tropical environment is tough on many things. A large number of folks return to the mainland in 6 months. If you give yourself a waiting period, you may be happier in the long run. (Personal story- my stuff was in storage for 5 years before I decided I would probably stay and had it sent down- it was partly my safety line...)

Debra:
Check with smaller carriers regarding taking the pooch as "checked baggage during teh summer months. We drove ALL Teh way from California to Florida so we could get our 60-lb dog on a flight to San Juan in July. Of course, we had to take yet another flight from San Juan to STT. But overall teh experience was less nervewracking than it sounds.

Thanks for the input I'm assuming you are saying to take a "private flight"???? That would seem very expensive? Again, input is appreciated. dk

Smaller carriers could be American Eagle hopper flights, or other Island Companies that do island hops originating or working out of Miami and the Carribean. They may take the dog because they don't reach high altitudes between the short flights.

Onika, which company and what airport out of Florida did you use? It could give Debra the starting point for the pooch.

Debra--
By smaller carriers I meant, ATA, Southwest and the like. For the life of me, I can't remember the name of the airline we used, but they serviced the Orlando-San Juan route. There were several options though, they were just the cheapest. I hadn't thought about why they don't restrict animal travel like American, but the altitude thing might be the answer.