 Poster: A snowHead
|
I am considering organising a group ski trip for March 2016 - work colleagues and friends - and have only organised family trips before.
Will be Thursday-Monday, or something like that.
Numbers will be anything between 5 and 20, I expect (probably about 5-10, being realistic)
Nowhere near deciding where to go at this stage - just wondered whether anyone had got any tips or tales of woe.
Cheers
Dobby
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Don't organise it yourself.
Do get someone else to!
Seriously, i would select where to go and then let everyone book there as opposed to running round sorting it out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
does it have to be over 2 normal weeks? Will cut down enormously on your choice of accommodation.
If looking towards France, avoid the French school holidays which end 6 March next year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@pam w, I'd love to have a whole week away, but that may be difficult to square with the family and most people who I've talked to want to go for a long weekend. Appreciate that this would reduce accommodation options, though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Long weekend is the complication -- the sites I'm familiar with that make it easy-ish to organise and individually pay for group trips like igluski work mostly by the week.
With that many people don't bother with democracy -- pick a resort, pick a date, pick a big enough hotel, check it's in line with budget expectation and that transfer options exist, book it for yourself and small core of people and declare that to be the trip.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Large, non refundable deposits.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@jbob, that has worked with a few football tours I've been involved with....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@dobby, can you do Wednesday to Sunday or Saturday to to Wednesday? That way you can at least keep your arrival or departure day consistent with normal changeover days so avoid going across two weeks. Thursday to Monday isn't impossible outside of peak season, but it does really cut down your options, particularly booking in advance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
another thought - if you want the long weekend - is to book into a valley hotel. There's an IBIS in Sallanches. It's not very cheap, but there is a new IBIS Budget under construction - noticed it recently. You could probably get the dates you want if you book in advance and drive very easily to a variety of resorts. But you'd need to be prescriptive about which, or days could be wasted in discussion......
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As above, book in a small confirmed contingent, then tell everyone else when and where and they can sort themselves out. You can book a transfer bus/taxi nearer the time when you have firm numbers. Don't get involved with other people's fussy whims, it won't end well!
One option that might be of use is a hotel I found during my searches: http://www.saslong.eu/en/Default.asp (not stayed there, so only experience is of the website). It's budget, and could probably be described as the Ikea of hotels... but it appears that you can book whatever random dates you like, and it's not miles out of town. Looks like a chain "smart" hotels, so there might be others about.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Not sure where you're flying from but you'll likely benefit fromsomewhere a short private transfer from Geneva (ie Grand Massif or PDS) - this will give you flexibility on flights and affordable mini bus transfers. We just did a Sunday to Thursday DIY in Morzine in a self catered chalet for 8 people and it was all really straightforward (booked through Airbnb).
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
NEVER front any money
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Do go to Austria for good après, lower prices and hotel accom taking off week bookings (booking.com is your friend)
Do decide on and price up everything very early to weed out fence sitters
Do use a private minibus transfer from terminal to hotel - so much easier that corralling 10 people through the airport and finding the correct coach or getting people to cough up for fuel and money for a car/cars not to mention everyone remembering their licences to drive.
Don't book flights before being paid by all in FULL
Don't take too many risks regarding accom, resort location, make people walk along way in the morning etc... it's not good to fall out with your mates especially on holiday.
Don't try to make mixed abilities ski around with each other all day - it will just cause friction (some will be too slow, others skiing too fast etc)
Don't get TOO PLASTERED on the first night 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
There are a number of companies that offer flexible ski holidays, but they tend to be a bit pricey, like flexiski and skiweekends. Having organised groups from 10 to 25 over the years (but always for a week) I would:
1. garner interest
2. pick a destination and get the price - make sure you understand the cancellation policy.
3. tell those who expressed interest and give people a couple of days to cough up the non-refundable deposit
4. book for those that commit.
Be prepared to have to change the plan if the holiday is no longer available!!
If it's a DIY trip then give everyone the details and let them book their own. You don't want to be caught with the cancellation charges for anyone who drops out later. You also don't want to be organising the travel arrangements for a diverse group who don't all want to travel the same way!!
A lot depends on how well you know the participants. I only ever had a couple of drop outs and they were because of work issues and being TO holidays we could cancel or change the name for a small charge without me being liable for the charges.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Quote: |
Don't try to make mixed abilities ski around with each other all day - it will just cause friction
|
a friend, with an apartment near mine, organised a big boys trip. Well, it was a big number... He's a very good skier but not all his mates were. He organised two groups - faster and slower - but one of the weaker skiers promoted himself to the fast group and broke his collar bone on a steep red on day 1. Needless to say this meant several lost ski hours for the rest of the group.
Then they all got stuck far from base having got the timing of the lifts back wrong (the leader knew the area very well but didn't have his wife to nag him not to sit too long with the after lunch drinks) and four drivers got a horrendously expensive taxi back to pick up the cars they'd rented at Turin, whilst the others all got totally smashed, waiting for them.
So they weren't really big boys.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
