Crystal ski Fiasco

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Something very similar happened to us for our St Anton trip a few weeks ago. We booked ages ago because needed 2 single occupancy rooms (which are relatively tricky to find) fast forward 10 months later 3 days before we fly i get an email from Crystal stating "because of an earlier migration issue" they can no longer accommodate us with no alternative accommodation in that resort available. The email then goes on to say we have provisionally booked obergurgl instead or a refund. There was a whole backdrop up of issues with the flights changing without notice and other things that were just poor on Crystal part lots of calls that took hours to get through (literally spent 9+ hours on hold). I asked how and why has this happened and it was due to an IT migration of systems and somewhere in that process our booking was double booked with someone elses 9 months earlier but they had only noticed 3 days before our trip. Eventually got through to someone at customer service who firstly knew what they were doing and secondly cared enough to try and resolve it, out of pure luck the other booking canceled and they were able to restore ours.

If i thought it would make a difference i would write a letter of complaint but there are so many holes in the way they operate its just not worth the energy. They have some great staff on the ground who do a good job and making sure everyone has a great holiday whilst juggling avoidable problems put on them due to poor management.

A snowHead

After the Dolomites turned out to have inadequate snow (and there was a huge dump in Austria) we found a really good B&B in Mayrhofen for 7 people, 4 rooms at one day's notice after a few minutes looking. Keep trying. (You will still get better snow in Austria). Of course this was DIY, Tour companies may well have sold out. But it is easy to book flights and hotels separately.

Edit: Oops, didn't read that you found somewhere.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@twoodwar, That's a bad show from Crystal, they should have upgraded you rather than move you!

I'm also booked with crystal for last week of March for Austria and paid, £1100 pp back in November last year. Last week they were selling the same holiday for £1700pp. Hoping your story is not repeated.

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@JimboS, hope so too

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@luigi, cheers. A bit more cash, but we think a better hotel and a choice of eating at night rather than hotel meal. Suites me, (except the more cash bit that is)

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@twoodwar, We stayed in the Europa a couple of weeks ago, that area is the best for lift access. As for the Europa, it was good enough, there are lots of bad reviews of the food there but for me it was as expected for a mid priced ski hotel, some meals were good and some were poor. I think some reviewers had unrealistic expectations with limited experience for ski hotel food.

We found a really good bar close by with really friendly staff and punters, Bar Au Planet, great nibbles with every round of drinks.

We had bad luck with the wind on the first two days, the area was closed but good weather for the rest of the week.

After all it is free

@twoodwar, Stayed at the Europa three or four seasons ago. Very well located, small rooms but a decent place overall. You have probably dodged a bullet by missing out on dinner. Four courses, ok in quality, but just too much (and I can eat!). Ended up skipping courses as the quantity of food was ridiculous!

Must have been deal of the century if its now 3000 more.

Stinks of crystal getting money in just in case

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@pam w, my wife too, however I ski to eat Laughing

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Glad you’re sorted now @twoodwar. What a poor show from Crystal! Hope you have a great time when you get there!

You know it makes sense.

@DidierCouch, well it was a one minute flat walk for us and was running by the time we were ready.

I guess early risers not averse to a hike may see it differently.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@stellaps, many thanks, @DidierCouch, our revised hotel does a free shuttle. Given its next door to the Cretaz , I assume, and hope it’s over to the cable cars

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@JimboS, the bar looks good. The best we have ever had was bar Roma in Cormayeur, you really did not need an evening meal

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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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@moffatross, glad about that, but I judge a company by what they do when things get difficult, not when it all goes well for them. By that standard Crystal have failed. They have however refunded in full within 3 working days, which is something. Still a total fiasco. I am a potential customer for life, ….. gone!

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@twoodwar, Thanks for sharing your experience. This is another aspect of why, again, I decided I wasn't booking anything this season. I've used Crystal many times over the years with no problem so they were, and still are, bombarding me with emails literally pleading with me to book.
They sent me surveys, maybe in early autumn 2020 on what would make me/stop me booking for 20/21 and I see specifically pointed out that having read their various guarantees in detail I could not see anything that protected me against being sent anywhere that skiing was possible if my first choice resort or even country wasn't. This was followed up by emails seeking further clarification and I never got a satisfactory answer.
We're now planning 2023's holidays and are going to DIY it as the hotels are happy to provide the specific guarantees and will be using Jet 2 flights as they seem to have built a great reputation for flexibility over the last two years.

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In a way it's astonishing that package tour companies have survived the last couple of years - not surprising, I suppose, if they have made some major mistakes along the way. The key issue with DIY holidays is the transfers - which often cost more than flights - but perhaps the present inflated car hire prices will drop once car production gets back to normal. The key advantage of DIY is a vastly greater choice of resorts and accommodation.

After all it is free

@robboj, I’m now on Jet 2 from Manchester, transfer minibus to Cervinia, phoned Hotel direct in Cervinia and agreed terms. Shame Crystal can’t run a tour operation like this

@pam w, agreed. I also hate car hire. Simply too worried about any damage issues.

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Over the years, as it’s just been the two of us, we’ve always booked package hols, getting on towards 50 at the last count. Used small independents & the big guys. The majority of which have been with Crystal (Thomson Ski before this). They have had £000’s off us over the years.

We’ve slowly watched the erosion of what’s offered. We still go away with people we met via social skiing years ago.

There’s no doubt the double hit of Brexit & Covid has hit these companies hard. No more cheap British labour as reps on the ground in the EU. Lots of EU reps when we arrived at Turin, doing very little from what could be seen. Only one rep in resort when there should be two. No direct phone number to contact.

We’ve always said if you need a rep whilst away, things have gone wrong. Our issue was a cocked up return transfer & subsequent lost baggage from the flight (TUI emailed me to say it was lost without trace the day after I’d had it returned rolling eyes

)

I have followed the tales on here & social media this season with horror. Regardless of whether it’s accepted standard practice, what’s been going on is just not acceptable.

We’re off again in just over a week - Crystal again. Thankfully, as of today, our bargain trip still seems to be on - & to the correct resort at the moment (I’m not holding my breath though). We wanted to postpone as I’m just recovering from Covid caught on the last trip but, yes you’ve guessed it, we couldn’t get through & no reply to emails.

We’ve already had lots of discussions & the one thing that’s certain for next year - no more package deals for us! At least if it all goes t*ts up, we’ve only ourselves to blame.

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@twoodwar, there does seem to be quite a lot of this sort of thing going on. I had something happen on my trip to Saalbach in January. I had a twin room booked in Hotel Berger Sport, good facilities, mid high st, not too long a walk to lifts etc. In December Crystal informed me that hotel was over booked on room quota so that had moved me to Eva Garden. This hotel was fractionally lower in status, but most importantly it was much further from lifts - 15+ minute walk etc. They also said I could choose another hotel, but pay extra if it was more expensive or refund if it was cheaper. Anyway, we decided to live with the choice they gave, as we just wanted to get back on the snow, despite the walk and out of town position.

When we got to Saalbach, we were told to check in at Eva Village hotel, not Eva Garden. Eva village is the same group of hotels as Eva Garden, but is much higher standard and right on high st, very near lifts etc and about £500 a head more than our original choice. The good news is that the Eva people told us they had moved us to the Eva Village, without us or Crystal even asking ! Crystal didn't even know this themselves ! Happy days for us, but not necessarily best handling by Crystal. Eva Village was great.

Would I book Crystal again - yes probably - first time in many trips (20+) that there was an issue. I tend to use Crystal for Austria and self organise for France. It always seems to work out financially better with that decision for the 2 countries respectively.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@pam w, that sounds familiar - you weren't on this bus by any chance? Toofy Grin

A snowHead

Sweet Jesus!

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@Yoda, yes, that looks like it!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@pam w, small world Laughing

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It was between Kapaonik and Nis airport

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The driver was an idiot. I spoke to the rep, and claimed that one of my kids was feeling sick, going so fast round the bends, and she asked him to slow down. Actually that wasn't true - all the kids were sitting in the back of the bus, as usual, larking around and having a hall. However, they all fell silent when a huge chunk of solid ice broke away and the bus skidded on it, ending up with the back, with the kids, over a big drop. The rep stood up and told everybody to keep their seats, whilst the driver sorted things out. I stood up, in turn, and said we should all get OFF the bus (starting from the back) whilst he did that, and we did. We posted someone well up, and down, the road to warn the other oncoming transfer day buses. Even with an empty bus, the manoevre proved challenging, but eventually we were on our way. Skiing in Serbia later became even more hazardous, of course, when Kapaonik was strewn with landmines. Skullie

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@Heather2021, get your money back in full! They did this at least. Jet2 Manchester to Turin. Minibus taxi to resort. I phoned hotels directly myself. Suggest you try your original choice. The Hotel will get much more from a direct booking than the discount to a package operator. Good luck, ..oh and if like me never use a tour operator ever again!

After all it is free

Minibus for 6 return 492 Euros, however as per my previous posts the deal was a ‘keep the business going covid deal’ . Too good to be true. We are going to pay circa £500 more per head Crying or Very sad

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I've used Crystal a couple of times (they are the skiing arm of TUI) & found them to be complete cowboys. Booked us into a hotel back b4 Covid promising a bath (not shower, a requirement my Missus insists on) & when we arrive at the hotel it doesn't actually have ANY rooms with baths (despite saying it has in their description), they offered to move us, but not our friends we were with (separate booking), but we'd specifically booked to be almost ski in/out & the other hotels were 1/2 km away! Eventually got a discount, but we wanted what we'd booked not a discount! Decided to give them another try this season as very little available elsewhwre, this time booked us into a hotel promising afternoon tea & cake - guess what, no tea & cake, when questioned the hotel said they used to, but had stopped! Queried with the rep, who you had to walk 1/ mile up the road to find in a bar who said they'd "look into it" never heard anything more & that rep was never seen again! Reported the problem whilst away & again on our return, they've said they'll get back to us within 28 days. Meanwhile their website STILL shows the hotel offering afternoon tea & cake - advertising standards???

Help!!

Crystal ski Fiasco

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