Thread: April 2010

We are at CN..The weather this past weak has been beautiful and HOT.

Hugs

wow...only 8 more sleeps gang!!!

Originally Posted by scrapppychic74

Hey Steve,
I noticed that your link to the couples official activities list says it is a "sample" and the one that someone else posted was from their visit in march 2010 so i would be inclined to think that is the most current? I think we can only do so much planning beforehand and we may end up having to go with the fly when we get there. But who cares, right? We'll be in paradise. :-)

Very true.

I realized I left out info but I think it's great that things are getting planned here So here's what I left out, we're coming from L.A. on April 26 to May 1.... I don't think anyone else is getting in on the 26 but if you are, we get in midday Here's a list with people for the last week of april, my apologies if I've put in something incorrect or if I've left you out but I'm coming into this discussion late so I'm trying to catch up

paul & Stacey Collingwood, Ontario 4/16-4/23 NEWBIES
travelgirl 4/19-5/3 from ?
cwatson48.... Cole & Bryana,TX... 4/23-4/30 ?
Ken+Karen.... Ken & Karen, ? .......4/24-4/31 ?
scrapppychic74....Melissa & Brian.....4/24-5/1
Steve & Dawn 4/24 - 5/1 from WI
adamandkelly..Adam & Kelly..........4/25-5/1 1xCN
laurenjj....Art & Lauren from CA.....4/26-5/1 NEWBIES!

OK...so I'm anxious and excited and spending way too much time on these forums!! I've gone through this thread (again) and it seems there are some people I left out (or I didn't and maybe you or they are listed under a different username or something...) regardless, I think this is a more accurate list for April last weekers Feel free to email me so that we're more than just a username. laurenjj@gmail.com


fun in the sun - 4/24-?
travelgirl - 4/19-5/3
brentom - 4/22-4/30
cwatson48 - Cole & Bryana,TX - 4/23-4/30
meferretti - Michelle and Dan - 4/23-5/2
Ken+Karen - Ken & Karen - 4/24-4/31
scrapppychic74 - Melissa & Brian - 4/24-5/1
slhaas - Steve & Dawn, WI - 4/24 - 5/1
adamandkelly - Adam & Kelly - 4/25-5/1
laurenjj....Art & Lauren,CA - 4/26-5/1

Does anyone have experience getting to/from Jamaica with a layover in their flight? I've never flown internationally without using a direct flight before. We are set to fly from Milwaukee to Atlanta and then on to Montego Bay, and the reverse coming home. How will this work? I assume in Milwaukee we just check-in normally at the domestic terminal and then fly to Atlanta. Will we need to get our luggage, get to the international terminal, clear security again, check-in again, pay baggage fees again, and then fly to Jamaica? Coming home will we clear customs in Atlanta and then move to a domestic terminal to get back to Milwaukee?

Originally Posted by slhaas

Does anyone have experience getting to/from Jamaica with a layover in their flight? I've never flown internationally without using a direct flight before. We are set to fly from Milwaukee to Atlanta and then on to Montego Bay, and the reverse coming home. How will this work? I assume in Milwaukee we just check-in normally at the domestic terminal and then fly to Atlanta. Will we need to get our luggage, get to the international terminal, clear security again, check-in again, pay baggage fees again, and then fly to Jamaica? Coming home will we clear customs in Atlanta and then move to a domestic terminal to get back to Milwaukee?

Hey Steve, you won't have to retrieve your baggage in ATL, it's really the same as any other connecting flight, the airline takes care of getting your checked baggage to your final destination. The difference will be that your flight out of Atlanta will depart from a gate behind customs security, so it forces you to clear customs before boarding your flight.
Same once you land in MBJ, you'll go through customs before you get your baggage or anything. I believe they give you paperwork on the plane to fill out in advance.

Originally Posted by scrapppychic74

Hey Steve, you won't have to retrieve your baggage in ATL, it's really the same as any other connecting flight, the airline takes care of getting your checked baggage to your final destination. The difference will be that your flight out of Atlanta will depart from a gate behind customs security, so it forces you to clear customs before boarding your flight.
Same once you land in MBJ, you'll go through customs before you get your baggage or anything. I believe they give you paperwork on the plane to fill out in advance.

Thanks... Im still a bit confused though. I get that they'll handle my luggage, but Im guessing my flight from MKE to ATL is a regular domestic flight from the standard AirTran domestic terminal. In Atlanta I'll need to get to the international terminal and clear security again, right? Do I have to check in with ticketing again? Maybe it's not such a big deal in Atlanta. If this were happening in Milwaukee I'd have to exit the airport and go to an entirely different building that isn't really something you walk between. I'm more confused about the trip home. I'm guessing the flight from Atlanta to Milwaukee is again a standard domestic flight out of their domestic terminal, so wouldn't I need to clear customs in Atlanta? If so, I'll have to get my baggage in Atlanta so they can, possibly (and for me definitely - Cuban cigar run-in 2 years ago/signed some paperwork/cavity search for life list) search it. Then I'm assuming I'd have to check in again at ticketing if only to check my baggage, transfer terminals, etc. If there was a direct flight available when I booked I'd have paid more for it, but they were coming and going daily, and the price was raising daily as well.

Here is what I found from AirTran.

Getting to Jamaica is as easy as described. we check in locally, they transfer the baggage, I pass through security once, and transfer terminals in Atlanta. No big deal.

Getting home is more of a mess. We arrive in the US at Atlanta, so we need to pass through customs there. We get off the plane and have to get over to baggage claim, get our bags, take them to customs for inspection, have them inspected, get over to the ticketing/check-in counter, wait in line and check-in again, check our baggage again, go through security again, get to the correct terminal and fly home. They suggest 4 hours time to do this. We have 2 if our flight is on time. Wish us luck or we'll be spending some extra time in Atlanta. Too bad it wouldn't mean extra time in Jamaica. Frankly it's worth it to be in Jamaica for a week though.