Shipping Items

We shipped a full 40 foot container when we moved. We used Rosa del  Monte. They have offices all over the US and are in Santo Domingo (809-685-6256).  They handled the whole process including holding our hand through the residency exoneration for taxes. It was flawless, we did not even go to the inspection they did it for us. NOTHING was missing and one lamp shade damaged...that was it.  The best move we have ever done.  I used them again two years later to ship my  pick up truck and again flawless.

Bob K

Here on the East coast I have used EPS eps-int.com a few times to ship things from the states. The last time I used them I left the country before the item arrived (I knew it I was cutting it a little close) but they held onto it and 6 months later I was able to collect it from their office in Friusa. Great company

For Canadian owners:
I just used Peralta Brothers (Maximo) who are located in Toronto but ship from Montreal and Ottawa as well.

The service was outstanding. They pick up at the door and deliver at the door.  It took 2 weeks to receive my shipment, all custom cleared and in perfect condition.  Very reliable companies and the price is excellent. It cost me 600 CDN$ to ship 3 full barrels and 3 very large boxes. 

You can find them on Google. Peralta Brothers.
Highly recommend them.
sylvain

Who has used the "barrel"  and has contact information for this service?

i have used the barrels.  in Canada, you may contact Peralta Brothers and they will tell you where you can buy them.  They have conacts in each major cities.

peraltabrosshipping.ca

In New York City, U.S. you can buy a 75 gallon and a 55 gallon plastic barrel for $30 and $28 respectively from Adelphia Container 718-388-5202.

Great info thanks.

We've been using EPS since we came here, they have about the same rates as CPS. Great service, once they lost our package between Santo Domingo and La Romana and paid for it completely, no questions asked.
@ Bob K - thanks for the info about the container, I get lots of questions about that. When we moved our 40ft container we used FEDEX, we got great price 8 years ago, now is probably double.

You are welcome
Bob K

In regard to shipping, I hate repeating my " 6 months initial stay to see if I can do it" again, but suffice it to say one subject has come up and it regards shipping things to me while I am in Punta Cana. As a person who will be traveling back and forth every 2 1/2 to 3 months for a 3 week visit in Indiana to maintain relationships with my physician specialists and two grandchildren, I am in the process of also scheduling all of my prescription medicines that my insurance company requires be mail ordered (currently to my apartment) as the requirement is that they supply me with 3 months worth at a time.

However 1 medicine which is incredibly expensive is now only shipped to patients a month at a time. I can't say I disagree with this because this medicine is an MS therapy and my position cannot do anything to change this. This certainly doesn't fit in with my plan that I would have 3 months worth of each medicine to take with me on each flight back to Punta Cana. I can easily call in to the company  while in PC and request an order sent to my assumed Indiana address which will most likely be my daughters home address and in all honesty where I will likely stay when I come home for those 3 month visits. As this came up, I realized that when reading the State Department website or consular and embassy sites from the DR, it sounds as if one can only enter the Dominican Republic with prescriptions but leave and re enter the US with no more or any different items, other than $800 max worth of merchandise I might have purchased as gifts for such for others with Recieps for proof. My thought for having anything shipped to me, most especially this medicine, was to get a PO Box in PC since I won't have an address while renting my long-term condo and I have found out I am lucky that the Eldorado shopping center has a PO Box availability, something similar to the mailboxes etc. in the US. This is where I need help from those of  you experienced with the actual rules which I can't seem to find or understand.   Also, Planner, please note I went to the website you noted and from what I can read since you are here full time and don't have someone to forward items to you, you utilize the courier company with your own PO Box in Miami to have things you might order shipped to you? I suppose I am considering my daughter to be providing that service for me in regards to my need for that one prescription or the possibility of replacing a wheelchair part. I wonder if I am assuming this correctly?

please let me also add, that another item I have to think about is what would happen if I was to lose the battery charger or even the battery that goes in my foldable mobility scooter, the very item that will allow me to make this wonderful trip. I know I can order a new 1 from the US. I have found out that it is hard to even rent a mobility scooter or electric wheelchair in the dominican republic, and it is incredibly expensive so that option would never work. So with this in mind I am looking for suggestions to::

how to handle having any necessary mail, medicine, perhaps that emergency backup battery or part sent to me while a tourist in the Dominican Republic. I envision government officials in the Dr, opening or scanning packages that come from other countries?  I certainly don't say this as someone non trusting or paranoid, It just sounds so much on the side of warnings of types of items that cannot be sent home in advance, taken home from a trip to Punta Cana, especially mentions of prescription medicines, although I think the point was the possibility  that they are narcotics. I wonder if I am missing something, over reading something into this. I am getting to that point where I am trying to cover all my bases, not breaking any rules and my daughter who I have slowly shared these plans with will be apprehensive if she feels, as the person forwarding a prescription or two to me that she is doing something illegal or fraudulent.   I also am anticipating when my first 6 months with that return trip home goes well and I am able to find my intended yearly rental condominium close by and since I will still be making trips back and forth, it seems wise to understand precisely what and why such rules are in place. Any suggestions to websites are welcome but as I have found before it is those of you with years of experience dealing with the different systems in place that can give me the best advice. Sorry about the length of my questions!
Anticipating your helpful and honest opinions,
Leslie

My meds come in by cps without issue!

My doc has me on narcotics and he used to be able to give me a 6 month supply. Unfortunately tge laws have changed so that I can only get a 30 day supply. This makes it to expensive for me to fly back to Florida every month for my meds. I talked to the US consulate and they told me to never try and ship my meds here. I asked why and was told that they'd get stolen. I asked if I could mail thru them. No they said. I asked what other expats do in my situation and they told me they get their meds locally. So far, I haven't been able to get the same type or strength that I need here without getting a bed in a hospital. This too is expensive. I'm going up to Florida next week to talk to my doc and see if he has any ideas or other meds that will work the same.
Good luck!

We have a mail box in Canada for all our regular mail, and once a moth they forward all to our EPS account in Miami. So that could be your choice too.
As for medications, we have ordered few times and shipped it through EPS and never had any problems with that.

I appreciate all these responses..... First Planner, I am curious in your case (I read the web site you use and see how convenient it must be), I wonder that it must be your insurance company (if you use one for meds as perhaps you pay a copay or even pay for them yourself), allows for delivery to a PO Box, as that is not allowed by my insurance company, which is why I thought my daughter could accept delivery at her house (I use to have her address so not an issue to change back) and then send to the PO box I wanted to get in Punta Cana..  It is just this one Monthly medicine that had the issue come to mind.  By sheer coincidence, they just called to see how I am doing on the med and I asked and of course, they said they would have to call my insurance company to see if they could send it 3 mos at at time. I think the issue here is that it is not even a narcotic but a very expensive therapy and since many patients admit to non-compliance of some of these drugs, perhaps they don't want anyone to go off them with 2 months supply left?  Regardless of the reason, I am getting the impression that I can have the PO box in Punta Cana as certainly expats can receive cards, letters, etc., but I am not allowed (as I gleaning from DRyaimi), medicines would be stopped or prohibited..  Planner are you also from Canada and that is why you can have meds sent to a PO Box.. similar to demi56?

I am wondering then if the option of having any urgent need (or the monthly med if it comes down to it) accepted in Indiana at a "real address" by my daughter and have her send it on to an EPS type mail forwarding company and this would be great in the case of the battery if the occasion arises (as that is something my insurance doesn't handle and they would ship directly to a PO box in Miami)... but I notice that the website in Miami used by Planner only goes to "Santo Domingo" and then there is the mention of EPS.. is there a website for them and does anyone know if they deliver to Punta Cana?  If not, does any delivery service that is similar deliver to Punta Cana?

And lastly as to medications themselves.... DRYaimi, I wonder if you can share what type of insurance you have that went to monthly on narcotics (as I have a retiree Blue Shield PPO Medicare Advantage plan) that I was told is absolutely the same this year but might change next year due to the new rules.. I only take one narcotic and was told I could take on the plane a 3 month supply as long as it is in it's original bottle?  Hope that is still true.. Please feel free to private message me if you have any info you would not like to have on the forum...

I simply don't want to do anything wrong.  I need my daughter to support me and of course she does only she is worried that I am doing something that would make me lose my benefits and this is why I'm doing so much homework!!

Any input, thoughts from anyone is very much appreciated,

Syringles