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Crystal take over by TUI.

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Do you think that TUIs takeover of Crystal will bring their prices down?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Haven't Crystal been run by TUI for a while now?
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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?
@SnoodlesMcFlude, yep since 2007.

@marodo2712, they've been cheaper than DIY for years now, so yes it has.
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Wow, i thought it happened last year!

Perspicacious as ever me. rolling eyes
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I have been skiing (on and off) with Crystal - well - for ever. I remember the change to TUI quite well.

Prior to that, Crystal had become ime pretty poor. Disorganised/Hopeless and uncaring staff/terrible customer service/awful transfers etc

Now I realise that Crystal is hardly top of the heap...but TUI did bring a more customer focused approach and better training of their staff....and I certainly noticed a big improvement in the attitude of the Resort Reps - who now do try and make your stay more enjoyable and are more than ready to help with info and sorting out problems.
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HutToHut wrote:
@SnoodlesMcFlude, yep since 2007.

@marodo2712, they've been cheaper than DIY for years now, so yes it has.


Crystal were part of Thomson before this happened, though - must be at least 20yrs...? The whole TUI thing was just Thomson / First Choice rebranding, wasn't it?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@schnitzel_skier, yes. IIRC First Choice ski turned into Thomson and then Thomson into Crystal brand wise. At one point, when brochures were still a thing, the front half was Crystal and the rear half (the other way up, so it had a cover) was Thomson.

From Wikiitsontheinternetsomustbetruepedia
Quote:

TUI Travel PLC was a British leisure travel group headquartered in Crawley, West Sussex. The company was formed on 3 September 2007 by the merger of First Choice Holidays PLC and the Tourism Division of TUI AG, which owned 56.4%
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
https://www.crystalholidays.co.uk/about-crystal-holidays/history/

"founded in 1981 as a ski and snowsports specialist taking UK customers to European ski resorts"

"Following various changes of ownership, Crystal was acquired by Thomson Holidays in 1997. After the merger of Thomson with First Choice Holidays in 2007, Crystal became one of the largest brands in the Specialist & Activity sector within TUI Group."
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
crystal is shite.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Kj82, would you like to expand on that? My only experiences with Crystal have been fine but unexceptional.
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Alastair wrote:
My only experiences with Crystal have been fine but unexceptional.

That about sums it up for me.

I usually go to a (non Crystal) Hotel. They have been good value, looked after us well and sorted out any problems efficiently.
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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.
sorry, my post was a little abrupt and probably harsh.

used to use them when i 1st went abroad skiing back in '05. they were ok, i suppose, a little pushy with rubbish pub crawls, getting you to buy extras and all that, but with youth on my side i didn't really care. now old and grumpy i can't tolerate it and the last time i used them ('12 maybe) i actually had something to moan about. we booked rond de pont des pistes in tignes and it was truly awful accommodation. by far and away the worst accommodation i've ever stayed in (no exaggeration) so complained. The young rep. couldn't have been less interested and we received no feedback from crystal. to be fair, if i was the rep earning £62 p/w i wouldn't care either but expected more from crystal. i believe they still offer that holiday option in tignes despite the god awful reviews. plus i have a deep hatred for charter flights and the fact you've to leave so early to catch the ridiculously early flight that always awaits you to get home.

DIY all the way if you ask me.
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 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
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
@Kj82, they get you there, get you back, keep you alive in-between, and are (very) relatively cheap. Short of a complimentary massage i can't see what more you can want.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Kj82, I know the accommodation you're referring to and it's clearly now of an older standard than much of the more modern accommodation now available. I think all the tour operators have a bit of a challenge - offer the modern, quality apartments or offer the cheaper, more basic, apartments. Many punters will go for the cheaper option while expecting the higher quality. It sounds as though in this case the operator failed in customer service terms and unfortunately that's a risk you take with a youngster on youngster rates who, despite encouragement from on high, doesn't really "own" your problem. I don't think it's Crystal-specific.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Kj82, IME. The secret is knowing the accommodation you are booking and taking advantage of their offers, like £100 hotel spending voucher/Buy one Lift Pass, get one free/ Third off Ski Hire & Lift Pass etc

It also has the advantage, that if the roads are blocked on transfer day, they have the obligation to get you home. A friend of mine going DIY was left with a nasty bill, when he had to book extra flights, when the a storm closed the roads. There was a £50 excess to pay per person, on a party of Five.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Kj82, "... a little pushy with rubbish pub crawls, getting you to buy extras and all that...."


That type of thing has just about stopped -- my last three trips have been with Crystal and they haven't tried to sell me anything (might be my 'grumpy old man' look tho' !)

The pub crawls/quiz/bowling nights are still offered but without the pressure
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@marodo2712, you will be telling me next that they intend to buy Ski Whizz.
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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?
The times I've used Crystal they've been fine. Even helped at the medical centre with translation.
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We've used Crystal for years... and still do... using then for sauze.. cheaper than diy. Used to use them for champoluc until the hotel ease was bought by inghams..so we use them... you could say Crystal are the Ryanair of ski operators..
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@yorkshirelad, I’d give Crystal a higher rating than ‘the Ryanair of ski operators’.

How about the EasyJet of ski operators?
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All mass TOs are the same IMV - total luck of the draw in what you get in chalet staff reps etc. Crystal girls picked as cream of the crop to cater the Pre EOSB excellent, their dopey baggy hatted rep useless twunt. Lovely Crystal girl who promised to sort out replacent for my mum's luggage after TUI airlines had destroyed it went from lovely reassurance and ownership of the problem to threatening emails from her fellow rep boyfriend on the last night as she totally failed to navigate TUI's own bureaucracy. Don't worry resort manager didn't get to go in his early transfer while he agreed a remediation plan and hopefully p45 for bf.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Yup....After many let downs from various TOs I would prefer to DIY.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I must’ve been lucky, or have low expectations. Recall one lousy TO experience with a company called Panorama. Otherwise all adequate or better. More often than not on late, heavily discounted bookings.

Mark Warner, Esprit, Inghams, Olympic, Ski Amis all consistently good.

Neilson, Crystal, OK.

Done plenty DIY too.
snowHead
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Old Fartbag wrote:
@Kj82, IME. The secret is knowing the accommodation you are booking and taking advantage of their offers, like £100 hotel spending voucher/Buy one Lift Pass, get one free/ Third off Ski Hire & Lift Pass etc

It also has the advantage, that if the roads are blocked on transfer day, they have the obligation to get you home. A friend of mine going DIY was left with a nasty bill, when he had to book extra flights, when the a storm closed the roads. There was a £50 excess to pay per person, on a party of Five.


this is a very good point and 1 of the (few) pros of going with a tour operator in my opinion (their responsibility to look after you, get you home etc.).

i can definitely do a cheaper ski holiday 1st week of april DIY than any of the operators, possibly/probably with the exception of big french resorts. I can also do a much nicer ski holiday on the odd occasion i can convince the wife to come along (to Zermatt).
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
If it all goes well, then DIY is fine. When it goes wrong, it's much better to be on a Tour Operator holiday.

One risk that people underestimate is a supplier going bust. If the hotel or airline goes bust, the tour operator will sort you out. If the tour operator goes bust, ATOL will sort it out. Tour operator without ATOL protection should be considered DIY in my opinion. Would you like to book a last minute flight home at the same time as a whole plane load of people are also trying to book a last minute flight for the same route and times?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@thelem, absolutely that’s one of the risks of the DIY approach. One of my worries about trying to find the best deal possible is that I may be booking with companies that simply aren’t working within viable profit margins.
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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.
I dont agree with the operators etc going bust. I only ever book with major airlines (BA, KLM) and through hotel websites and akso use my credit card.

The risk of DIY is being stranded in the event of bad weather.
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 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
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
@Kj82, but not everyone books with major airlines...and Carillion proved that even huge companies can fail.

You may minimise the risk, but it’s a risk that exists nonetheless.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I guess the argument there then is ATOL protected vs non-atol.

Tui themselves were in a bit of trouble recently i think
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@SnoodlesMcFlude, there's a risk with everything though. Yes a TO has to get you home/to resort but the decisions they make may be constrained by the size of their operation and budget for resolution. The obvious example of that is the snowmageddon of a few years ago where individuals could make their own decisions regarding whether and where to stop/find a hotel/get a taxi or whatever and were generally in a better position than TO travellers stuck on buses for hours then in sports halls for up to 2 days whilst the tour ops worked through the backlog of stranded passengers. In that case the TOs understandably couldn't procure 100s hotel rooms at short notice so pressed on. And then had to wait till their coaches were available again to get their Saturday passengers out of the emergency shelters. Whereas independent travellers could probably find a room somewhere if they stopped early enough, but even if they did get stranded and end up in a sports hall they could get out as soon as the roads opened. In that situation I'd much rather be responsible for my own destiny!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Gämsbock, Indeed TO "security" is of a one size fits all and its the fleet of foot who secure hotel rooms etc.

I've found this a couple of times even with scheduled airlines - those that remain onboard and trust the "we're sorting things out and there will be agents at the gate to help you (clue there never are because they've all buggered off home by the time someone in Ops takes a decision)" announcements are the ones who end up sleeping overnight on the terminal floor while thosewho bail as soon as deplaning is allowed get a hotel room and eventually refunded for the cost.
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