Poster: A snowHead
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hi everyone, does anyone know what the situation is with tour operators if the resort that we are booked at doesn't open due to no snow?
i normally organise these trips myself so am not really sure what the score is? am guessing that they are covered by insurance? tour company is peak retreats..... can't find anything on their webiste that covers this....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I would guess that as the operator is only providing the accomodation/food/travel but isn't providing the snow then they'll not do anything as they're able to provide what they're contracted to provide.
Whether your travel insurance will cover your choice not to go is another question.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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depends on each particular operator and their T&Cs. The one time it happened to me my whole party got moved to another resort with snow.
If your worried, give them a ring.
However a very quick look at their website shows this http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/ski/booking-conditions.htm
We will not cancel your travel arrangements less than 8 weeks before your departure date, except for reasons of force majeure or failure by you to pay the final balance. If we are unable to provide the booked travel arrangements, you can either have a refund of all monies paid or accept an offer of alternative travel arrangements of comparable standard from us; if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value). If it is necessary to cancel your travel arrangements, we will pay to you compensation as set out in this clause.
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@ajc2260626, where are you going?
Insurance companies only normally compensate if absolutely nothing is running (at least, that's my recollection).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Depends on their availability in resorts with snow - Skiworld shipped all their Le Rosiere guests to Tignes this week as Le Ros was unable to open. Guess that would be more tricky Christmas week!
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We are going to les houches which is supposed to open this weekend but won't, looked at the forecast and it's looking ropey. Going up to the grand montets not really an option as we have dog and child with us so limited each day time wise......
Surely if resort is shut then they should have to offer refund?
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Some do, but the small print usually gets them out. Peak Retreats will argue that you can ski, and you may find the man made pistes are enough.
I have just read my small print, and it is based on 80% of 63 slopes being skiable, if I am unhappy and want to cut short my holiday they will refund me on a pro rata basis for my accommodation and passes. Given there are cannons on these runs this is not likely.
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@ajc2260626, ring them up and have a chat if your concerned. I suspect some areas of Cham will open up, not just GT....
Peak could argue that the lack of snow is force majeure I'd say
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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At the mo les houches is completely shut so you can't ski, le grand montets is a different resort / ski pass so I don't think that argument would be correct. It's too warm to run the cannons so can't see anything being open currently. We picked this place because the nursery is next to the list so we got 3 hours skiing a day, if we had to drive to another area the this will time will be cut in half so not really worth it. Surely they have insurance to cover this happening?
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The resort operators usually know where the cut off line for how many runs need to be open before they have to start giving refunds to the Public or Tour Operators, it does vary for each resort though, and I don't believe it's a straigh 45/72 runs but there's a time element as well........................ and guess what????
When conditions get poor they open that percentage +1, mind you you'd want rental skis to ski some of the runs that are open!!+
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@ajc2260626, the CMB website suggests they're certainly planning on opening. Driving down on Saturday it looked plausible that they would have enough man made snow to open the upper slopes (frankly, that's most of them). Snow is forecast, albeit with a slightly higher than one might expect snowline but temperatures then forecast to drop again with more precip at the weekend.
Hopefully...
I'd certainly investigate alternatives, but I wouldn't be writing LHs off for next week quite yet.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@marcellus, a good friend of mine died some years ago, blowing avalanches so the resort could avoid paying out
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@ajc2260626, les houches were, errr, somewhat optimistic to even publish a target opening date of last week. It does not suprise me at all that they haven't opened this week (it may even have been only last weekend they were aiming for).
While yesterday and today have been milder than usual, there were some pretty big blotches of man made snow evident. Overnight is also colder.
Which creche?
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Mon 15-12-14 19:05; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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@ajc2260626, peak retreats isn't a tour operator in the normal sense, I think. If your car breaks down on route that wouldn't be covered either.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@pam w, there's a crèche next to the prarion lift apparently (thats what they told us) there's one in town too for older kids..... so what do you reckon peak would do? i wouldnt expect to cover them for my car but i would expect them to cover me for the resort not being open.....
@under a new name, yep, there's no chance that they will be open this weekend, the question is will they be for the week after? i am not writing them off lie you say we have some time yet, but the long range forecast (for what its worth) doesn't look great
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Poster: A snowHead
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Why? They rent out accommodation in the Alps ? Their prices reflect busy periods and chance of snow.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@ajc2260626, how do you know they won't open (partially) this weekend?
I appreciate that CMB will definitely not adit defeat until the last minute (publically at least).
You could maybe re-book into the creche at Savoy which is at the botom of the Brevent bubble? Not quite as convenient, but at least all the skiing's above 1,900 odd?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@ajc2260626, i,m a bit confused about the crèche reference. If you rent an apartment there would generally be no related snow guarantee. The tour operators with 'snow guarantees ' make a big deal of it in their brochures. Your travel insurance would be your normal recourse.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@under a new name, i had a look at the webcam and the forecast, and it would suggest that they won't open as its to warm and there's no precipitation forecast..... clearly it could drop by 10 degrees and dump, but its certainly not forecast to do that.
still 12 days before we go out, so there's time....
we also will have the dog with us so we have to be aware of timings..... normally go to tignes and the appt is on the side of the piste....
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@pam w, i am assumed that peak retreats was a tour operator it certainly puts out that idea i.e. "voted best ski company all over its homepage" if i had know they weren't i would have bothered.... so what exactly are they?
we picked les houches because there's a creche right next to the main lift.....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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They source accommodation put a commission on and sell it.
That's it.
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@ajc2260626, what does your travel insurance say about no snow?
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Ah right, no wonder they are sh*tting a brick..... So basically they are like booking.com but with bigger overheads!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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And a nice brochure.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Lol as we know 10 days is a long time in the alps !
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@ajc2260626, it,s new year? Lucky chap.
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@pam w, yep favourite time to ski!
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