 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi everyone, been looking at holidays for Feb half term. I’ve got a £100 off voucher valid until the end of May, so it’s tempting to use it, however I had heard that Crystal sometimes do buy one get one free on lift passes in the summer. Does anyone know if this tends to be across all holidays or just selected dates/places? If it’s a bit random it might not be worth waiting to see. I’ve looked into DIY options but cost of flights is too high (maybe these will go down?!) for it to work out cheaper so seems to be best value to go through Crystal again.
Also, the extra piste rescue insurance you can get added into your lift pass isn’t an option when buying one through Crystal, but I thought you could add this on later in resort. I didn’t manage to do this on holiday, but I’m not sure if it’s because it’s not possible once you’ve already bought your pass, or because I wasn’t managing to communicate very well with the person at the cable car ticket office!
Thanks all
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@Lilaclou, if France you buy the add on at the lift pass window. You just show your pass and they add it on
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
@holidayloverxx, thanks for the info. I was in Italy, I wonder if it was because I’d already started using it? Maybe it has to be done before first use.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@Lilaclou, which part of Italy? In some places e.g the Superdolomiti skipass region piste rescue is included in the lift pass, the add on insurance they offer there is for third party liability (which you'll already have on your travel insurance).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@Alastair Pink, it was the Aosta area.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
@Lilaclou, in my view those sort of deals are just a way of tempting people to buy holidays. They may often be a discount on the accomodation / travel / staff costs dressed up as a lift pass deal, because TOs think the latter will be more appealing. May only apply to locations where sales are slow, or slower than normal. Typically they are limited to a local pass, rather than a full area pass. And my guess would be that they have no need to offer them at all for Feb half-term, or other peak weeks, because there will be more than sufficient demand!
If you are limited to half-term week, or want a specific location, and find an acceptable deal I would take it. (Disclosure: no connection to Crystal or any other TO or linked company!).
If you work at it, DIY ought to be cheaper than a TO. And most DIY holidays will be trouble free. But if something goes wrong it can be a real pain. Booked a transfer for a sensible time, but your plane is delayed by a few hours? Transfer delay on departure from an accident so you miss your flight? Tough (particularly at half term)! That's why many people are happy to pay a premium to a TO.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@ecureuil, thanks for the advice, all very sensible, appreciate it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We have had half price lift passes from crystal, always been full area eg dolomiti superski. Usually on sale about July. I'm holding off booking our boys' trip to see if they do it this year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@Ghost Dog, were any of the trips you took with half price lift pass in school holidays?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hello, last year Crystal did the half price offer for the whole of July but they did increase the price of the basic holiday and some of the hotels we were keen on going were not available or sold out . We ended going to a different resort but I felt we still got a really good deal, compared to DIY and we saved around 500 pounds ( we are not confident in driving in the mountains so transfers for us are very expensive ).
Husband totally loves ski in ski out and in the dolomiti super ski area there are not many hotel that offer that, we decided to make the most of the 100 off and booked our holiday last month will see if we overpaid.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Interesting that people view getting exactly what they want, at a price they are prepared to pay, as potentially overpaying
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
My reserach for a holiday with Crystal last year showed the 'two for one' offer on lift passes was for all resorts/all weeks - available during July/August (not if it started earlier or finished later...) : I got a bargain on the Dolomitisuperski pass !!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crystal do offers throughout the year either money off basic cost or lift pass deals
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
What you have to remember is Crystal etc. buy hotel rooms for the season from many owners, they pay the same price for every week of the season. They then up the costs for high season and discount in some way during the low season. They will always have offers in low season to fill the rooms and will vary the offers every few weeks to attract various customers who hold different offers as important to them. Whether they have a policy of trying the same offers in the same rotation every year I have no idea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Chris_n wrote: |
| What you have to remember is Crystal etc. buy hotel rooms for the season from many owners, they pay the same price for every week of the season. They then up the costs for high season. |
Not really. They will pay a fixed price for the season that will reflect the differing contributions of the peak and off weeks.
If they were actually paying the same price for all weeks then the hoteliers would keep the peak weeks for themselves - at which point the TO would pay a lower average price for the weeks they took.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Best bet is when you find something you can afford book it and never look at options after that.
If you keep looking you may find a better deal or alternatively you don't and wish you had book a deal you let go.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Had an email today (I'm sure I'm not the only one!) from Crystal -- their 'two for one' lift pass offer is due the start shortly.... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
I was looking at the Crystal BOGOF “deals” yesterday……wow they’ve bumped up the base price of the holidays massively to accommodate this. What a rip off.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@Garfield, spot on. Some of the earlier holidays with Crystal were considerably cheaper than the same ones now with the BOGOF factored in. Unfortunately we weren’t in a position to book early so it is what it is.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Just booked a week in Ischgl and another in Mayrhofen for next year with the two for one deals and the base prices were similar to the prices last week.
Prices do vary a lot day by day so a bad deal today could look a lot better tomorrow.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Tue 2-07-24 12:51; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Yep, book it when you're happy and never look back...ideally try not to discuss pricing with anyone else either.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| jirac18 wrote: |
| I was looking at the Crystal BOGOF “deals” yesterday……wow they’ve bumped up the base price of the holidays massively to accommodate this. What a rip off. |
Exactly. I have been saying for ages that these sort of deals are a (notional) discount on travel / accommodation dressed up as a discount on lift passes - because they know some people will "fall" for it and think they are getting a bargain. I think anything that isn't available as an add-on to past sales is unlikely to be a 'real' deal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ecureuil wrote: |
| jirac18 wrote: |
| I was looking at the Crystal BOGOF “deals” yesterday……wow they’ve bumped up the base price of the holidays massively to accommodate this. What a rip off. |
Exactly. I have been saying for ages that these sort of deals are a (notional) discount on travel / accommodation dressed up as a discount on lift passes - because they know some people will "fall" for it and think they are getting a bargain. I think anything that isn't available as an add-on to past sales is unlikely to be a 'real' deal. |
sunweb can be decent. Ive seen smaller resorts with a 6 day lift pass & accommodation cheaper than you would get a lift pass at walk-up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| jirac18 wrote: |
| I was looking at the Crystal BOGOF “deals” yesterday……wow they’ve bumped up the base price of the holidays massively to accommodate this. What a rip off. |
Tour ops the favord option for some ( me included) it's the bottom line that matters.
Tour operators may be making vast profits or very little I have no idea and don't care.
I can always do DIY trips if I want to. Personally I am doing less DIY than I used to.
There are deals out there but you need the time to hunt for them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| jirac18 wrote: |
| I was looking at the Crystal BOGOF “deals” yesterday……wow they’ve bumped up the base price of the holidays massively to accommodate this. What a rip off. |
I wouldn't say 'massively' :: I have been monitoring several 'possible' Hotels for next year (since February !)
Following the BOGOF offer - one has gone up £100 ; others £50 ; one £30 ; two have stayed the same
But in General -- Crystal prices are all over the place ; varying nearly every day !!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
@albob, two holidays we had an eye on for La Plagne in January went up by £400 and £500 (that’s per person not group!) that’s daylight robbery. Fortunately I’m not gonna get mugged off and I’ll find something ultimately that’s agreeable but somebody will.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@jirac18, WOW !! that is Crazy...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| jirac18 wrote: |
| @albob, two holidays we had an eye on for La Plagne in January went up by £400 and £500 (that’s per person not group!) that’s daylight robbery. Fortunately I’m not gonna get mugged off and I’ll find something ultimately that’s agreeable but somebody will. |
But you will get a BOGOF for a lift pass. 
DIY probably looks attractive against the new price if only you had moved quicker? all fine if you were in a position to do so.
Going via TO the better deals are booking early of very late.
From my very limited looking at places we had considered and they are booked up most of the season already. I'm sure the hotels will still have rooms but the TO's have filled their allocations.
We are sorted anyway at a price I could accept in March. (this was partly due to the requirements we were after room wise.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
I booked 9 of us to Ischgl with the BOGOF. Price was exactly the same as the week before and the 2 perks before that. So half price lift pass was effectively about £150 off per person. Curse that 9th person 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
