 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking to organise a trip for 8 of us to the west coast of Canada. With the current price of flights it looks as though a package deal is going to work out best price wise. I was wondering if you knowledgeable guys out there could recommend some operators to take a look at. Looking for the cheaper end of the market but we obviously realise we are making a trans-Atlantic trip. Any help would be much appreciated.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ab0apm, welcome to snowHeads. you will get various answers ranging from a list of operators to the DIY brigade. I have skied in Canada 5 times and have used Inghams every time - because overall it gave me the best deal either price related or flight convenience. I usually look at Crystal, Neilson or any of the big boys and do a comparison. The most important thing for me is the condo I want in the location I want - makes comparing pretty easy.
I personally don't like those operators that you have to email and ask them to quote - they are probably fine, but I like to see what I'm getting and tend to book on impulse. I also prefer the TO route becuase of transfers after a long flight, plus the protection these days if the airlines goes bust.
Where are you thinking of going?
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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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Thanks, holidaylover. I think Banff is on the cards at the minute for the first week in Feb. I was in Canada at big white for a whole season a couple of years back and also got a couple of weeks in a Whistler. This is however the first holiday I've taken over the Atlantic. Been having a look at Inghams who seem good but wanted to see who else people seem to favour. Will take a look a at Crystal and Neilson now, thanks.
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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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ab0apm, We are looking at Big White for March - watch out for a PM in a few weeks for info!
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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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Looking at prices Inghams appear to be a fair bit cheaper than Crystal and Neilson. Is that typical? Would you say that is a reflection on the quality of the diifferent packages the opperators offer?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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holidayloverxx, might be worthing noting that ben123 did a season in Big White this year.
ab0apm, Banff is very easy to DIY but Inghams are probably the folks to go for, just go with whatevers cheapest and use your credit card just incase.
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ab0apm, we've been to Banff a couple of times and always found Inghams cheaper than the other TOs - and no reflection on their quality. I'd say they were one of the better TOs.
We've also been to Big White and Sun Peaks a couple of times and used Ski Independence then - again, great service and no probs whatsoever.
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ab0apm, I woudl agree that Inghams are better quality than Crystal or Neilson, but if they were cheaper I woudl use them (and have done in europe). The big operators tend to use the same accommodation, often teh same flights so not much, if anything, to differentiate the packages.
Might be worth checking out the price of lift pass with each as compared to the price at the window. Last season we booked the passes when we booked the holiday. The exchange rate was about $2.29 when the prices were set and was below $2 when I booked so it was in our favour.
arv, thanks re ben123
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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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We went to Banff last year flying from Glasgow using Neilsons and I have no complaints. They happened to have the trip we wanted, when we wanted it. The price was cheaper than I could do on DIY basis (not hugely in £ terms but it was a few £ cheaper and of course if you book with them ,they absorb the hassle and you get a level of protection.
That said, there are really only a few bits to a ski holiday being (1) the flight (2) the transfer (3) the accomodation (4) the lift passes (5) the ski hire and (6) the lessons. Once you know what you are doing in a place it often is as easy (and cheaper ) to do all that yourself. That way as someone said, you get what you want, where you want it and when you want it. If you pay by credit card you should get as good protection as going via a tour op. For example I have always been able to do Whistler cheaper than a tour op (unlike Banff).You can do all of that in Whistler on the net.
What works for any particular group on any particular holiday at any particular time just depends on the state of the market, so you have to research. We are going to Whistler in Jan with KLM ( (flights booked in August)for about half the current airfare. If I was booking now it may well be a tour op is cheaper....in August it certainly wasnt.
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Im a big fan of the DIY route usually, and I have spent a season in Banff so I think I know most of the ins-and-outs.
BUT you can always find cheap TO deals to Banff (well you could before this seasons financial problems; I haven’t really looked at Banff deals recently).
To give you an idea of cost, I booked an "allocated accommodation on arrival" deal last crimbo, 11 days, for two people, for approx £400pp.
£400 would probably just about cover the flight these days.
As has been said above, all the TO's use the same planes, hotels, ski schools, so the only real difference is when you leave the airport. You look for the rep for your TO, then either get on the 1st bus or the 2nd bus. It is that simple.
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