 Poster: A snowHead
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We are planning a week from 15th march and are thinking of waiting for a last minute deal. The pro's are obvious, but what are the possible cons?
Thanks for any advice.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You are taking a chance only places you don't want to go are left. Other than that and if you are happy to ski anywhere all good.
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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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1. there might be nothing available to suit your preferred ski area/proximity to lifts/departure airport/departure time/party size/accommodation type and standard/catering/budget for the trip and when you get there
2. apart from that..nothing.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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check that transfers are included, sometimes they exclude them to make the headline price look attractive.
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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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The uncertainty as the date approaches and the late deals appear and then disappear. The possibility that there may be a good reason why some holidays remain unsold.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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You might end up in Austria.
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thecramps, as long as you're flexible and don't mind exactly where you're going, then none. do try and avoid 'Allocation on Arrival' type deals though.
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Some friends of ours were actually charged a late booking surcharge by Inghams last year!
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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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jtr, That is interesting, how much was it roughly?
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Often a quick sniff around on Tripadvisor will give you a clue as to why the holiday isn't fully booked. It could be a 'problem' that does not worry you.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'd be worried that Bulgaria would be sold out and I'd end up somewhere poo-poo like France or Austria.
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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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thecramps, I got charged about €15 by crystal one year as a late booking fee. The package had been reduced by about €500 or so.
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They do add on cowdoo charges for "late ticket delivery" etc etc - cos an email is so hard to deliver 
Other than that - depends if you're picky or just cheap - scoring St Anton in a bumper snow year is great, bare Borovets I suspect not.
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You know it makes sense.
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| thecramps wrote: |
| jtr, That is interesting, how much was it roughly? |
Won't be able to find out until next week (I'm in sunny Tignes this week) but IIRC it wasn't a lot but just enough to alienate an otherwise happy customer.
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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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As I'm away for the next few weeks I'll be "booking late" if within 2 weeks is classed as late.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We booked on Tuesday to go this weekend (not to save money just the way things fell) when I checked Sunday there were a few hotels available at the resorts we wanted – but on Monday most had gone. But I ended up looking on icelolly and the TO’s must dump them with a week to go – we got a resort we wanted via a TO and saved around £100 each.
For me £100 saving is not worth the risk of not getting somewhere you want – so I would book a couple of weeks before when you have a reasonable idea of the conditions 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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May not be able to take your skis/board on the plane.
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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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I think as long as you are not after a specific resort you will get a range of reasonable deals for anything other than peak weaks. Do remember one truly awful place we got in val d sere but generally when we booked last minute deals it was generally ok.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We paid £20 per person late booking charge last month with Neilsons going to Sauze (booked 10 days in advance).
Often the flight times are unsociable!
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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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Check out Rocket Ski's deal to LES DEUX ALPES this weekend!!!!!That's a deal.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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If you go package the main cons are potentially limited ski carriage, lack of regional airport (if either of those matter) and risk of the deal you want not happening or (worse?) selling out after you see it but before you book it.
We've just booked for this weekend but after we picked the week, we kept a rough eye on when relative-to-departure discounts seemed to get increased for other weeks and how much was left in the resorts we had in mind. We had our eye on about 4 chalets and were prepared to book any of them if they started to fill up.
Has anyone studied online ski hire prices to see if they change?
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You used to get charged for ticket collection at the airport but most TO sort this out by email now.
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Obvious con - you don't get that much choice and have to put up with what's left available. Also, until you get your deal your ski holiday is not certain to happen. It's not even 50% certain, it's just a project.
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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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One small con..... half the pleasure of a holiday is the expectation. If you wait until the last minute you can, depending upon your mentality, be exchanging a degree of that pleasurable expectation for a certain amount of unpleasurable uncertainty. All depends how you view it and how much of a saving you are likely to make.
In my experience, the bottleneck can be the flights. TO's can end up with spare capacity because they are unable to get people to the resort on a convenient flight. So, you might end up having a pig of a transfer or inconvenient times etc.
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If you can go this weekend (8/9 Feb) there's plenty of deals at under £350 (chalet board, flights, transfers, wine) available through Alpine Answers website.
Plenty of discounts in excess of 50%, mainly in France (3V, EK, Paradiski), choice of airports, many 3/4* chalets. Too much competition with the TO's for low season skiers.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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skimastaaah, unfortunately we can't, due to work commitments it's march 15th or nothing. Nice try though.
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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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thecramps, FYI and FWIW................. both dates have the Chalet Alysson in Meribel. This weekend £329 from £899, 15th March is at the moment is £599 from £799. This can give you an idea of the "price bottoming" of the TO's. BTW.............. on the 15th March there's still a lot of beds available in a lot of properties, in a lot of resorts.. Be brave!
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We always book last minute for march, however that last two years there has been little to no discounting available. So this year we took up the offer of an early booking discount. What happens......discounting +++. I daren't look at how much discount is on our accommodation...... 
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