 Poster: A snowHead
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In the past I have always booked early for the early booking discount and to ensure the place of my first choice, but this year I thought I might leave it till the last minute. That way I will know where the snow is (unlike last season when the Alps were groaning under the weight of snow and I went to Spain [Formigal] which wasn't! doh!) and hopefully grab a bargain. My ski buddy and I are both self-employed so we can be very flexible, i.e. take a booking the next day and are thinking of January. So what experiences do you have of late booking, where should I go for a deal, or are there few to be had last minute?
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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It easy...
early booking - you get where you want, when you want at a known price without knowing the conditions until just before you get there.
late booking - you may or may not get where you want, when you want it but probably for less than the early bookers got it for and if its last minute it will probably be where the snow is!
Got family and not flexible with dates or location - book early and suffer.
free and easy with dates or locations - book late
simples!
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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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skiday, if you can go in January and at one day's notice - no brainer. Book at the last minute.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If you don't have kids it's perfect. But if bringing kids the good hotels often booked out well in advance. Only issue may be flights which may not cheap fares available at that late stage
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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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skiday,
If you're going DIY then book early to get the bargain (only available) flights and most suitable hotels with an early discount. Same if going with a TO and you have specific needs like childcare in the hotel. As Pam says, if you have no special requirements and aren't that fussy then book a TO jobbie as late as you can.
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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 know if it still the case but when we were free and easy (ie before children) we used tO always do last minute trips through TOs for early Jan and on a couple of occasions week before Christmas and last week of the season. Then (this was about 7/8 yrs ago) we used to see really good deals at about 4weeks before going which we didn't actually feel was last minute but at holidays like catered chalet in St Anton with flights and transfer for £199 we certainly weren't arguing. We booked directly with Crystal once, with Inghams the rest of the time. Although I haven't looked particuarly hard since the times I have glanced I haven't seen anywhere near that sort of deal in recent years?
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 28-09-12 13:51; edited 1 time in total
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aren't that fussy then book a TO jobbie as late as you can.
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I must be getting old and my lexicon is no longer upto date, but my definition of "jobbie" comes from Billy Connolly's discussion about "wee jobbies". Now why should anyone want to book one of those from a TO, or indeed anyone else?
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skiday, don't do it.
Book early and every day between booking and departure can be spent in relaxed and joyful anticipation of the delights to come.
Wait until the LM and every moment will be filled with anxious fretting about when/where/how/what
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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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skiday, If you flexible with dates and resorts, specially in January, you can find a lot of good last minute deals. Not necessary booking a few days before departure but even 2 or 3 weeks.
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skiday, If you flexible with dates and resorts, specially in January, you can find a lot of good last minute deals. Not necessary booking a few days before departure but even 2 or 3 weeks.
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This is true.
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Book early and every day between booking and departure can be spent in relaxed and joyful anticipation of the delights to come.
Wait until the LM and every moment will be filled with anxious fretting about when/where/how/what
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This is also true.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Also, if the accommodation turns out not to be brilliant, it seems to matter less in you've booked last minute whereas those who have been looking forward to it for months coud be disappointed.
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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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| red 27 wrote: |
skiday, don't do it.
Book early and every day between booking and departure can be spent in relaxed and joyful anticipation of the delights to come.
Wait until the LM and every moment will be filled with anxious fretting about when/where/how/what |
Equally book in advance and every last minute can be spent fretting as to whether there will be snow, book last minute and you can joyfully anticipate going to where the best snow is.
More seriously it depends on what your requirements are.
Booking early is good for large parties, high season, certainty of accommodation, peripheral airports with few flights.
Last minute is great for good snow, small numbers, low season and great prices.
Where you are on the spectrum will depend on what is best for you as an individual. There is not a right and wrong answer just some things which suit some people. I do both at different times depending on what my requirements are.
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We have decided to book last minute for a January trip but I can't resist trawling for offers. I have seen a good offer which I am trying to resist. It is great value but it would mean avoiding seeing better offers and not to fret over snow forecasts. It depends on how much of a gambler you are. The big companys did not seem to drastically offload trips last season as much the have in the past. The T.O.s may get nervous soon if they get poor bookings and make good offers or they may even cancel flights and accomodation. Who knows ? Flights are sometimes not available cheaply near the departure date.
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You know it makes sense.
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Early booking vs. late booking
=
Green slopes vs White Slopes
Nothing is guaranteed.
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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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Flights are sometimes not available cheaply near the departure date.
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Very true, particularly if you are determined to fly from a particular airport. To take best advantage of last minute offers you need to be truly flexible and ready for something different. The last time we booked a last minute catered chalet package (Courchevel 1650 with Le Ski, half price) we drove down. Another time (Plagne 1800), we travelled down by train, because that was something I'd always wanted to do, to get the extra two days skiing. We took Eurostar to Paris, had tea with friends who lived there, then got the overnight sleeper. We were carrying backpacks and skis and used bus/metro across Paris. The whole trip was an adventure - especially as on the second day a freak tornado took half the roof of our house at home. The OH flew back, courtesy of the insurance company, to deal with it, but I stayed on, joined a ski class with others in the chalet and travelled back on my own. On both occasions we went to a resort we'd not been to before - widened horizons.
You can always book a cheap flight to a main hub airport then just get accommodation-only at the last minute.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've been dissapointed by early bookings ( no snow)
I've never been dissapointed with a late booking
as most other posts have said, if there's just a couple of you, you're not fussy about accomodation and you're flexible with dates, leave it to last minute every time. If it's s/c or the food is pants you can use the money saved to eat out every night
If your dates / accommodation are fixed, book early
It surprises me how some people are obsessed with flying from a local airport and how this blinkers them to opportunities.
I guess this is more understandable if you live within 30 min of a main airport and you can easily get friends / family to drop you off, for me the nearest airport is 1 1/2 hrs away = parking, so its not much difference if its 1 1/2 hrs to nearest or 4 1/2 down to Gatwick
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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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red 27, I've just forked out for an all area season pass for Scotland again so that's at least 14 last minute trips I'm committed to now. 
Regarding Alpine skiing, I usually do a couple of Alpine weeks too, group size from 2 to 8, and have never regretted leaving booking until a week or two before departure.
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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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| moffatross wrote: |
| I've just forked out for an all area season pass for Scotland |
Now that's taking hopeful anticipation to another level. I take my helmet off to you sir! 
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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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red 27, ................................... 
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moffatross, amen to that! Good luck north of the border... reminds me of that classic book;
'Enjoy Scottish Skiing' by Heather Bashing
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FAQ
Never failed to get to 14 days yet so should be a risk-free investment again. I'd advise you to keep your helmet on though, because I reckon both you and me will need to keep our nuts cushioned from the odd bit of ice and rock. 
