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Never having done a package holiday before I was wondering...

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Do they generally tend to keep you waiting for any great length of time before the coach departs? (Crystal)
And I am guessing it calls at multiple hotels??
Just curious if we would be able to grab a few hours skiing in the afternoon if we arrive early enough a flight lands so early.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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depends how lucky you are, Sometimes flights are co-ordinated from a few airports to land around the same time. They can then fill a coaches with a mix from X, Y, Z UK airports to goto A, B, C destinations. Obviously if there is enough on your plane to fill a coach, you might be lucky!
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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?
Yes as the coach could be picking up arrivals from multiple flights, other groups could be taking longer to exit the airport, etc.
We've managed to get on the slope in the afternoon a couple of times, it's pot luck. Just don't count on it.
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If it happens take advantage, it's a rarity and you need to get a move on getting ready and out by 12/1ish.

I think1/2 day passes in most places start around 1.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Dippy, why are you doing one now? Just asking?
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Quote:

Do they generally tend to keep you waiting for any great length of time before the coach departs? (Crystal)
And I am guessing it calls at multiple hotels??

I've only done a couple. And the answer is yes.... On one holiday, our flight was so late after serious fog got us bussed to another departure airport, that we had a special small minibus thing just for us. Arrived at our accommodation in the dark and VERY cold (this was near Bad Kleinkircheim in Austria). A surly proprietor came out and grumbled at us for turning up so late and vaguely gestured up the stairs, offering no help with baggage and three kids, one a crying four year old, exhausted from the journey, and told us in German how to get to our flat. My O level German wasn't quite up to it, but she didn't look ready to tell us any more. We got to a likely looking doorway (having manipulated the electricity switches which went off after a delay carefully calculated to ensure you were half way up the stairs when you were plunged into darkness) and went into the flat. Where we were absolutely charmed to see a pretty little doll, tucked into a beautifully made bed - to welcome our little girl, we supposed. Then less charmed to see what were obviously other people's clothes. NOT our apartment. Backed out hastily in acute embarassment. There was nobody there, thankfully. Up another lot of stairs, and we finally made it.

But I'm sure it's not always like that.

On a couple of other packages we went by coach. Dropped at the door of the accommodation, picked up very close by, 2 full days of extra skiing and cheaper, too. Way to go!!
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As others have said, it's pot luck.

A trip to La Rosiere saw us getting on the coach and heading almost straight off, with enough time to do a few runs in the afternoon of arrival. Had the same happen once in Les Gets.

But have had others where you are sat at the airport waiting for an hour for the next plane to land, then stopping at lots of places on the way.

In every package holiday I've had, we've had to get up at sparrows fart to get the coach, despite our flights not being until the afternoon, and then having several miserable hours in GVA.
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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!
Would not bank on any skiing. Even if you don't have to wait a while to fill the coach there's always the coach driver's bizarre rest break or the hanging around in some car park at the back of a tattoo shop, awaiting a taxi for the couple who have booked in some odd resort that the TO doesn't really service, to happen en route. Plus the drop off route in resort carefully choreographed so everyone feels hard done by.
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@Dave of the Marmottes, Laughing Laughing
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@Dave of the Marmottes, Laughing Laughing so true
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Quote:

Plus the drop off route in resort carefully choreographed so everyone feels hard done by

Laughing I remember being dropped in Mottaret, not far from our apartment, but we had a lot of baggage and it was pissing down with rain. Then we had to find the rental agency and queue to pick up the key. If it had been snowing we'd have been much cheerier.
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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.
IME. If you have a 2 to 3 hour transfer - and if you get the first flight out of your local airport, the very earliest you can expect to be left off at your accommodation, is about 2.30 - 3pm....and that's if there are no other serious delays.

IMO. The best you can hope for is a few runs on a free lift (if there is one), as paying for a half day will be very poor value for half an hours skiing (by the time you check in, get dressed up and find the lift).
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We always seemed to be waiting for the flight from Manchester....
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Dippy,
A lot would depend on which airport you're flying in to, and which resort you are going to.
Also what time your accommodation is available.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Depends where and when you're traveling to. At half term to the French alps, even if you're on the first flights(6AM) you'll be lucky if you're in resort before it gets dark (took us 9 hours from Chambery to Tignes at HT in 2019 Evil or Very Mad ).

However, at quieter times we have managed Turin to Cervina, and Grenoble to La Plagne in time to get half a day in.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
When I used to do packages we definitely had a number of times where we could get out on the slopes in the afternoon. Can't remember all of the places but I know Mayrhofen being one.
The benefits of early charters out of Grotwick.

On the other hand on another trip our coach didn't set off for ages and it turned out that the rep hadn't done the head count correctly, and thought one person was missing when in fact everyone was on, waiting and getting agitated!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Dippy, here's my latest experience with Crystal on a holiday that began on Saturday gone (15th):

Flight scheduled to leave Manchester 0600, actually took off at 0645.

Flight lands in Verona scheduled 0920, actually landed at 0945.

Not so bad to this point.

World's worst baggage handlers seem to all be located in Verona, so when 3 flights landed at once, we didn't collect bags and get on the bus until 1145!

Bus left c.1200.

Should have been roughly a 2hr 15 minutes journey and luckily we were the first drop off, but some people had been on the bus a while so were desperate for a services stop...

Arrived in resort at about 1455, we managed to check in first, run to the room, chuck gear on and get to the lift for c.1515 giving us 1hr 15 minutes of lift time, and by the time we skied down, about 1.5 hours.

I was expecting we'd be away from the airport by 1100, giving us a good few hours to ski in the afternoon, so it was quite frustrating, but at least we got some time to ski.
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I’ve done it when we’ve done the direct Eurostar overnight. But tbh it was hell and lack of sleep and cranky kids. We did it again (did i not learn) and had ladies' front bottoms from Norwich with shampoo bottles of booze (you weren’t allowed alcohol on overnight trains) and it was 24 hours after my dad had died - so I was an emotional wreck - but that first day helped heal and breathe for the first time in days. So worth it.
This year we have driven and will stay in resort to 3pm or so, and then go leave so an extra day skiing.
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Only managed it on one package trip, and that was January to Flaine and a short transfer from Geneva. We arrived in time for lunch at the hotel. Didn't ski though as we were beginners, but it did mean we could sort out all the skis and boots before our lessons started on the Sunday. We'd hoped to do it on other occasions, but were waiting for other flights to fill the coach and never quite made it in time for it to be worth it.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
It is probably a bit resort dependant , haven't been on many package holidays for a long time but certainly for the French Tarentaise resorts my general experience was absolutely not . Wait a few hours at the airport for other flights , hang around some awful cafe as a food stop and get in way later than your morning arrival would indicate you should. Then prepare to get up at 3am to catch your afternoon flight on the way back again.
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I'm flying into Salzburg in March with a scheduled landing time of 9.10. Planning on an hour before coach departs and a two jour journey to Saalbach. If all goes to plan I should get some skiing in. The lift pass is valid from 3pm so hoping to get a couple of hours in but if I can't I'll just have a wander round town and get my bearings as I haven't been to Saalbach before.
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Corky wrote:
I'm flying into Salzburg in March with a scheduled landing time of 9.10. Planning on an hour before coach departs and a two jour journey to Saalbach. If all goes to plan I should get some skiing in. The lift pass is valid from 3pm so hoping to get a couple of hours in but if I can't I'll just have a wander round town and get my bearings as I haven't been to Saalbach before.


I had a similar experience many years ago, arriving in Saalbach at 11.30 am….hotel were ready and willing for check-in (Crystal were the TO).

My son and I took the excellent recommendation from tatmanstours to hire skis from Hansi’s. Skis hired by 1.30pm. Ski passes in hand with a plan to hit the slopes at 3pm.

Hansi (lovely chap), provided the usual complimentary schnapps. And then another complimentary schnapps. And just happened to mention that the 6-Nations England game was just about to be shown live in the bar several doors down the street. So we ‘negotiated’ to leave our skis in Hansi’s safe hands for collection “a bit later”…..this story doesn’t have quite the positive ending it should have….I think we got back to the hotel at about midnight Embarassed Still, it was a memorable afternoon and evening. Probably more so than grabbing a couple of hours skiing before the main event Laughing
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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!
@Cacciatore, Sounds like a plan
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Corky wrote:
@Cacciatore, Sounds like a plan


Toofy Grin
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LOTA wrote:
We always seemed to be waiting for the flight from Gatwick....


FTFY.
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Wow - well at least I now seem to be much better prepared - and wont get my hopes up too much for a ski in the afternoon - hopefully tho will have sufficient time to get skis serviced, all ready for Sunday morning.
FYI - Flying into Innsbruck, flight departing 6am!! approx 2 hour coach transfer to Zurs.
@under a new name, We always drive or train to France, easy as we live so close to Folkestone. Also, I love catered chalets, never done hotel or self catering (and never want to - self catering that is).
Prefer to do the majority of my hols independently. It seemed more sensible due to the current 'situation' on this occasion, as it was a last minute booking to do a package.
Just hope I can fit everything in 2 cases and a snowboard bag - used to taking whatever I like! Very Happy
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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.
Dippy wrote:
Wow - well at least I now seem to be much better prepared - and wont get my hopes up too much for a ski in the afternoon - hopefully tho will have sufficient time to get skis serviced, all ready for Sunday morning.

No problem having plenty of time to get everything set up for the following day.

IMV. Having a laid back attitude to transfer day is the way to go. There can be departure delays; delays getting luggage; delays waiting for flights; delays caused by people who have gone to get food/can't find the bus; delay if the bus has a comfort stop; delays on mountain road up to the resort; delays as other people are left off at their accommodation, as they get their luggage out of the bus; delays at check in at accommodation.

It all just takes a long time.
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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
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Never managed an afternoon's skiing on a package trip, even with the early charter flights, in some cases that was because I'm maybe not as keen as I could be(!) but usually because of transfer delays etc. Thinking about it, the only time I have managed it on an independent trip was about 2 hours of skiing in Morzine and that was despite having a 6am ish flight and the short transfer.

Good transfer stories, my favourite was a return transfer with Neilson IIRC where around 30 mins out of resort, the rep on the coach realised he had forgotten some people, despite "counting" them before departure so we ended up going back for them. Best bit was said guests were from their own Neilson run hotel....
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
We managed an afternoon's skiing on our last trip (Feb 29, 2020). We were with ski beat, flew early from Manchester to Lyon with coach transfer to resort and arrived in Plan Peisey at lunchtime. Our full area 6 day lift passes also allowed for a half day on arrival so we didn't have to pay either! It certainly helped that we had our own kit so after a quick change we were out of the door approximately 10 mins after arriving at our chalet.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I've got a few hours in Saturday afternoon 2 or 3 times going with a TO. Also been kept waiting for a second or third flight before the coach transfer (many more times).
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I've managed a full afternoon of skiing on arrival day on package holidays a couple of times: once with Ski Beat to Peisey Vallandry and once with Neilson to Sestriere. We've had a couple of hours on at least a couple of other holidays. Arrival day skiing is where having your own gear really comes into its own, as there's no faffing with hire shops.

(If anyone who is taking this is going to the Paradiski and hoping for an afternoon of skiing on arrival day, don't buy your ticket through your TO. If you buy a 6 day of pass direct from the resort you get the preceding half day free. Unless things have changed, passes from the TO don't have the bonus half day.)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I’ve managed a few afternoon skis on package trips. Like @Cacciatore, the earliest we’ve been in was a trip to Saalbach. I think one of the local cafes was still serving breakfast when we went in for a drink. We even managed an afternoon kip (following a very early flight) before heading out for a free ski from 3pm. It helps with Saalbach that the buses drop on the edge of the town and they move everyone to their own hotels in a mini bus. No extra drop offs.

I’ve also been on an early flight hoping to be in resort nice and early, only to arrive 12 hours later than expected!

@Dippy, Innsbruck is normally really quick IME at getting you through passport control, bag collection etc… the issue may be waiting for others’ flights or in the extreme case… fog at Innsbruck airport. That’s what led to our getting into resort 12 hours later than planned. Flight diverted to Friedrichshafen while other flights who were due to be on the same bus were diverted to Munich (but you shouldn’t have to wait that long if you are going to Zurs).
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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?
homers double wrote:
LOTA wrote:
We always seemed to be waiting for the flight from Gatwick....


FTFY.


Not really fixed - in the golden days of Horizon holidays and Air 2000 in the 70s and 80s, the Manchester flight was always the last to land at Turin. I was usually on the Birmingham or Bristol flight which were the first or second to land. You got your choice of seats on the transfer coach but the downside was the wait for later arrivals to make their way through the airport.

Nowadays, I do DIY - use the earliest flight I can and quite often get in an afternoon's skiing - the same, in reverse, on departure day.
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For me, another cause of delay has been "Feeder" Minibuses, which for some reason got delayed. For example, this can happen if Val and Tignes are on the same Coach and then one lot are decanted at Moutier to await further transport.

They are just another link in the chain that can go wrong.
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Cheers for all the replies everyone - especially the amusing ones.
I will expect the worst and be well prepared.
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You should be OK if you set your expectations around the upside and downside of TO holidays. The upside is that everything is handled for you and you can just sit back and relax - it's all someone else's problem. The downside is that you have very little control over how things pan out, so if there's a hitch or a deficiency in their rep's handling of the situation, there's little you can do. In the end, that's why we switched to DIY but it has to be said that we've had both great and bad trips using both options.

Re skiing on arrival day - I'd be very surprised if you had the time to get settled in your accommodation, get changed, get all your equipment from the hire shop, get a ticket, and get up the mountain in time before the light faded. I've only done this once and the early departure and stress of pressing on weren't worth it, in my view (I was in a group determined to do some arrival-day skiing). And that was with a hire car and not a shared transfer.
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Having done 4 ski package holidays (3 Nielson and 1 Ski Miquel) none of them did multiple hotel drops but that is dependant on where you go I guess. The longest wait we had for other flights to arrive was about 45 mins, which wasn't too bad was it was a gloriously sunny day at Salzburg and we enjoyed a coffee in the sun.

We always try and fly as early as possible (both on package and DIY) so we can have the afternoon when we arrive to get unpacked, skis collected etc but the only time we have managed to get a couple of hours skiing was when we did DIY and hired a car. But tbh, it was more faff than it was worth. It was all a huge rush and when you're already tired from travelling it was a bit meh. Nowadays, we prefer to arrive and chill out. Go for a walk around resort, have a beer etc on arrival day. Much more chilled out.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
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Fridge03 wrote:

We always try and fly as early as possible (both on package and DIY) so we can have the afternoon when we arrive to get unpacked, skis collected etc but the only time we have managed to get a couple of hours skiing was when we did DIY and hired a car. But tbh, it was more faff than it was worth. It was all a huge rush and when you're already tired from travelling it was a bit meh. Nowadays, we prefer to arrive and chill out. Go for a walk around resort, have a beer etc on arrival day. Much more chilled out.

This is exactly how I feel as well.

Having left the house at 2am, the last thing I feel like doing is rushing out for an hour's skiing.....but that's me.
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@Dippy, If it was me i'd jump straight into a taxi at the airport, and then on a train from Innsbruck to St Anton and a taxi to Zurs from outside St Anton station if there's any potential of a delay, for the reasons highlighted above it can be a nightmare, one of the reasons we never go with a tour operator, the transfers can be a real pain, especially when you are waiting for Tarquin and Phoebe's plane to land from Heathrow that got delayed due to them holding up the other 150 passengers because they were stuck in the champagne lounge and the flight missed it's take off slot, and then she loses her Louis Vitton carry-on bag, and him his Bogner shooting stick so they have to fill in 12 forms at lost luggage before emerging from the airport doors in a strop...... wink
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@Markymark29, you sound a bit bitter mate wink Laughing Laughing

Long time since I did TO but don't recall ever attempting or having the opportunity to ski in the afternoon.

I certainly do remember some tedious transfers but I was young and with mates so the banter got us through!

Anyway that's why we started going by train/car!
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