 Poster: A snowHead
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| Alastair wrote: |
| So - if you're plannng well in advance, I recommend the DIY route. If you're going at the last minute, take a TO vacancy. If you are determined to go to a particular resort on a particular date, plan it in advance and go DIY. |
You missed an option....plan flights well in advance to get the cheapest before they go up, get accommodation last minute when TO's are desperate to fill up their last spaces! Doesn't work at peak times but you get the advantages of TO accommodation and reps with the freedom of independant travel. Did this last year and it worked out really well - just look for great package deals and then ask the TO for an accommodation only price.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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homphomp, sounds logical - haven't tried this myself.
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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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| Quote: |
when we go DIY the holiday starts when we leave home. We have seen some great sights en route (and different routes), had god meals, taken scenic sideroads, spoken French with locals etc. Also had punctures, been stopped, had the roof box broken into, driven in a blizzard but it all adds to the fun.
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that sums it up well. We have done punctures, blizzards, closed motorways (unscheduled overnight stops), accidents, toothache etc. If you don't want to have to deal with that sort of thing, use a TO. But dealing with them yourself is not difficult (one is usually in "no choice" territory) with a bit of French, and gives you confidence that you can cope. But you need good insurance, including European breakdown insurance. My young and impecunious nephew cursed his girl friend for taking out AA 5* insurance on their little elderly Peugeot, but was glad she had when they broke down in a traffic jam in a blizzard, necessitating a 150 km tow to the nearest available hire car (February half term...) and had to leave the car in France and have it brought back later!
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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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| rob@rar.org.uk wrote: |
| snowbunny wrote: |
| As holidaymakers we have a vision of what a package should be, and our expectation is shaped by this. The TO I would expect, will see us from a very different perspective. If airline staff routinely call us "self loading baggage" what about TO's. |
Isn't this a function of the price we pay? I've been on many cheap package holidays and was often treated like cattle, with no allowance for my particular preferences. |
That's really what I was driving at, the basic concept of a package deal is fine, the current execution is fairly woeful and I'd also think the root cause is the price.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I don't find that DIY is any cheaper -probably not much in it - its just more flexible.
No problem with the idea of TO's if they go where I want to go when. Invaribly they don't so I do it myself.
It always amazes me that some people can spend hours looking for the best deal and then complain that the holiday they brought for a shoestring is operated like one...!!!
Having said that I had an amazing deal with Mark Warner to St Anton in Jan a few years back.... £325 Chalet, flight etc, and they do do chalets quite well IMO, or rather this one was excellent. But would I pay the going rate for it.....Hmmmmnnnn, !!!!
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Bizarrely, I've just booked my first "chalet" holiday in, errr, 11 years having "DIY"ed ever since. "DIY"'s cheaper (or it can be), more flexible and I get to ski Friday to Sunday.
I travel reasonably frequently and have never heard of a tour operator offering charter/packaged business trips (But what a good idea! "Hi, I'd like a 5 day tour of Bavarian leather workshops please as I have a fine line in curved sheffield steel leather needles to flog. No I don't mind the single supplement...") I'm not sure why "DIY" holidays, properly arranged, should be an issue.
Reps may have a place when people are not used to travelling, can't speak the language and need directed to the nearest Olde English Authentique Fish and Chip Shoppe but I can't quite see the need on a sneaky weekend to Tignes.
Before any comments re my forthcoming chalet experience; I have a varied-level group of mates who had the choice of hotel, s/c apartment(s) or taking an entire catered chalet. Plumped lazily for the latter. Entertainingly, we get a 1 person discount as long as we (technically) forego any repping benefits. Fair enough I reckon.
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JT, you're right about Mark Warner last minute deals, some real bargains to be had. The same with Scott Dunn (slightly more expensive, but even better).
I think that package tours had their place back when most of England had never left the country, but nowadays most of us realise that we don't need someone to nanny us around Europe or the rest of the world.
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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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Kramer,
I'd pay upto £500 for a Jan CC with Mark Warner at one of their better resorts, ie, St A, Verbier, Val D, Zermatt. Easily worth that but I need the flexibilty so we load the car and go. With a car in the resort location of the hotel is less important so the price comes down. Things like that work out for us quite well. Also, I like resorts that aren't featured. What we do is spot one that we can visit for a few days and if it works out we look to go back later for longer....
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| JT wrote: |
Kramer,
I'd pay upto £500 for a Jan CC with Mark Warner at one of their better resorts, ie, St A, Verbier, Val D, Zermatt. |
Verbier, Zermatt??
Have Mark Warner expanded for the 2005/6 season?
I went to Verbier with them the year before they closed the Rossablanch ( I think that was what it was called ). down about 6 years ago IIRC.
CP
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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CP,
I haven't got their 2005 brochure so my comments might be a bit out of date, you just have to go with the sentiment.
I mean, I wouldn't pay £500 in Jan to La Plagne, for example...and no, I don't know whether they do or don't go there.
The point about last minute deals is that they aren't in the brochure anyway...you get them on the net or in the sundays....!!!!!!!!!!!
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FAQ
, the idea is good, but, no matter how posh the TO a profit still needs to be made, whilst we sit in the jacuzzi with a glass of bubbly 
