 Poster: A snowHead
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Can anyone give me some links to web-based travel agents / tour operators that they use?
I have used www.ifyouski.com almost exclusively in the past, but wonder if there are any other good ones people could recommend?
Thanks 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks for those, I'll have a look
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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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| SkiBod wrote: |
Can anyone give me some links to web-based travel agents / tour operators that they use?
I have used www.ifyouski.com almost exclusively in the past, but wonder if there are any other good ones people could recommend?
Thanks |
I just booked a trip to Austria. Of the 20'ish Web- or phone-based agents / operators I used in the UK, they were nearly all utter rubbish. Gash websites, slow servers, dim telephonists. Panorama and Thomson probably came out top of the pile, but even they weren't perfect.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just used http://www.directski.com/
Paid £500 each for two sharing an apartment, the holiday was still on sale at that time from Neilsons website directly for £680 each for 3 sharing
Sometimes its the other way around with directski and iglu having higher prices than the tour ops sites. How much time do you want to spend trawling through
tour ops websites? If your patient there are savings to be had out there.
I always look for the book online options, I cant be bothered ringing up only to be told of all the extra charges they have added onto my 'bargain' or that the holiday
is no longer available.
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SkiBod, just to add, that the best way of all is the DIY option. You only have yourself to blame when things go wrong though. 
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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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jase2472, welcome to snowHeads
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I used Ski Total this last season an was so impressed Ibooked agan with them this season. We have a group of around 10 and they have been excellent with group discounts, name changes and cancellations. Try www.skitotal.com.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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jan, welcome to snowHeads This thread is clearly inviting to new posters...
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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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jan, jase2472, Monkfish, thanks very much for the info and welcome to snowHeads
I'm looking for a last-minute Christmas bargain and will check out the sites you suggest.
Helen Beaumont, I've managed to get web deals for around £350 all in (flight, transfer, half board accommodation) to Tignes, Les Arcs and Val Thorens in the past by booking really late and I'm not sure I could beat that DIY.
In the summer, I've often been to the Alps by car, but by the time you've paid for the ferry crossing, petrol, tolls, accommodation and food, I'm not sure we ever do it for much (any?) less than this. However, if you've got any good tips for this I'd be keen to hear them (barring dossing by the edge of the Lac du Serre Poncon: cheap but I'm too old for all that now!)
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You know it makes sense.
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Helen Beaumont, Admittedly, when we used to split the cost four ways in the summer, and dossed in fields / by the lake (keeping a wary eye out for the local gendarme  ), eaten pasta and slop and drunk stubbies all week, we managed on less than £350 all in, but I'm not dossing at this time of year (!) and there's only 2 of us for Chrimbo... and I have my sights set on a sauna and slap-up Christmas Dinner if at all possible!
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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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SkiBod, sounds good to me. If I was to book last minute, and wasn't going to my own apartment, I'd probably look for a TO bargain, after all, the schedule flights increase in price, whilst To's packages drop. You';ve set me a challenge though, and I have done an Easter trip for 4 at a bargain price.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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SkiBod, as an example. All prices for 2 people
Gatwick_Grenoble 24th-31st Dec 274.60
Car Hire (astra) 7 days 128.85
Petrol and tolls 30 euros. (used Serre Chevalier as destination)
Travel costs total about £430.
Not a lot for that £350 budget going on last minute chalet holidays yet though.
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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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Monkfish, directski.com is a tour operator itself isn't it?
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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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ski-bod
its best to email the company with all your details then they will look through all there systms to find you the best deal instead of just giving you the best one on the computer at the time, they will then ring or email you back with the details
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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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Hmm web -based travel agents please spam here with how good you are? Will we see some of these new posters again?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| nightshift wrote: |
| Monkfish, directski.com is a tour operator itself isn't it? |
I thought it was more of a bucket shop where the tour ops sell there unsold holidays to. In the case of my holiday it seemed to be on Inghams website, same flights, hotel, times etc (not Neilson as I first said). I have usually found Iglu to be better than Directski but in this case Iglu had the same??? holiday at a few hundred pounds more.
Sure there is another thread somewhere with the links between tour ops and websites that sell on behalf of them.
Anyway I can confirm I'm not a tour op, I can also confirm that I would be suprised if anybody on here is as obsessive about studying the internet for 'ways and means to get the cheapest holidays' as I am. It used to be so much easier when your girlfriend wasnt a teacher I can tell you! Bargains and school holidays are hard to find!
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fatbob, mmm - I did think about that angle but
(a) my request is very genuine, and
(b) I think the Mods are generally very good at sitting on spammers from a great height and editing them out, so I didn't think it would be a problem.
As Helen Beaumont was the first to reply, I think we can rest easy that the Mods are watching for spammers!
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brian
brian
Guest
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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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fatbob, I think it's pretty clear that jase2472 is not, repeat not, a plant.
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Apologies to jase2472 if he is genuine, but...
He gives a glowing review to a company no-one has heard of.
He is located in Lancashire, the company he is promoting is in Blackburn.
It's his first post.
Cynical, moi?
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brian
brian
Guest
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xyzpaul, sheer coincidence I'm sure 
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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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Helen Beaumont, I am with you. I think there is a lot to be said for arranging stuff yourself - especially during school holidays. Admittedly, you have to book the flights a bit in advance but there are generally cheap options and frankly, if it's a school holiday period, I think there are really good reasons (overcrowding, horrible ill-mannered queues, feeling like you're being fleeced on account of the cost) for not going to a major package resort with a big operator. I think Italy is good for do-it-yourself holidays - also Austria.
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jase2472, your occupation is interesting ...
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You know it makes sense.
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ok yes i do own a travel company but me and my family go ski-ing every year and o do know the travel industry so i can offer advice and offer peolpe what they what not what the high street travel agents need to get rid of
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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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| Monkfish wrote: |
| nightshift wrote: |
| Monkfish, directski.com is a tour operator itself isn't it? |
I thought it was more of a bucket shop where the tour ops sell there unsold holidays to. In the case of my holiday it seemed to be on Inghams website, same flights, hotel, times etc (not Neilson as I first said). I have usually found Iglu to be better than Directski but in this case Iglu had the same??? holiday at a few hundred pounds more.
Sure there is another thread somewhere with the links between tour ops and websites that sell on behalf of them.
Anyway I can confirm I'm not a tour op, I can also confirm that I would be suprised if anybody on here is as obsessive about studying the internet for 'ways and means to get the cheapest holidays' as I am. It used to be so much easier when your girlfriend wasnt a teacher I can tell you! Bargains and school holidays are hard to find! |
I don't know exactly how they operate but I do rent apartments to their resort reps and managers so always thought they were a tour op themselves. I also deal with Topflight, which has historic links with Directski so maybe one part is a tour op and one part is a bucket shop.
p.s. I'm not a tour op by the way!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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SkiBod, Hi, been looking at a site www.sno.co.uk - know nothing about it but
but 3* Half Board with Flights for £100 - sounds a bit too good to be true 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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parallel lines, you're not going mad! This topic had been spammed and resurrected from five years ago. The only reason it caught my attention was because I thought that SkiBod, had returned!!
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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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Michelle,
Sorry never even looked...Durrrrrr
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FAQ
. (Sorry Jules 
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