 Poster: A snowHead
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I usually book our trips DIY but we are looking likely to use TO next season. I have seen in previous years that some operators such as Crystal release deals with buy one get one free or similar on ski passes. Does anyone know from previous experiences if these are generally released at a particular time of year? Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@jirac18, Have a look at Sunweb. They include LP's with all accomodations. Generally really good deals. Usually better than any UK TO's. They are one of the largest TO's in Europe.
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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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I would look at the overall cost of the holiday as some of the large TOs have good lift pass deals but then are charging more per person for accommodation and counting sofa beds as part of the apartment size so overall the holiday isn’t cheaper and you might have to pay a supplement to have everyone in proper bedrooms. This was the case when we compared Crystal to Peak Retreats years ago, booked Peak retreats and have used them every year since 2008. (After a few years with PR you get £50 loyalty discount off every holiday and we usually book early for early booking discounts of 10% off the accommodation as well.)
Although for us customer service is important and I think you tend to get better customer service with a small TO than a larger company. Peak retreats have a 24 hr emergency helpline manned by senior staff which has been useful on the rare occasion we’ve used it
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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There are decent offers out there
We have a booking for next winter same hotel etc came out £45 cheaper than this year due to their early booking and ski pass offers.
It meets our needs.
I can't be bothered with the DIY options for winter ski trips.
I have never managed to get like for like any cheaper DIY. We can avoid peak times though. 
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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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| Old Man Of Lech wrote: |
| @jirac18, Have a look at Sunweb. They include LP's with all accomodations. Generally really good deals. Usually better than any UK TO's. They are one of the largest TO's in Europe. |
Not if you do the maths.
Sunweb, Crystal and Heidi all come out much the same when you add everything in including transfers and flights.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@jirac18, from experience, the best TO prices are in their sales or offers, including the January sales. If you've got a fixed resort and a fixed date in mind, this is as good a way as any.
If you're waiting to see what conditions are like, then the best price vs range of holidays is between six and two weeks prior to departure IMV. Less than that and choice starts to become limited.
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Peak Retreats are great if you want to ski in France. Sunweb look good, but haven't got next season online yet. I tend to go with Crystal for the convenience and have always had a cracking holiday with them. The BOGOF ski passes tend to happen over the summer with them, but you can also get online booking discounts, earlybird discounts, and others as well.
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Crystal usually have some sort of 'buy one, get one half' price (or a variation) deal - they normally appear in the Summer
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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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@jirac18, as I organise all our boys trips I'm always looking for vfm and deals. This season crystal and skiworld had passes included for the former and bogof the latter. This was end of December leaving after 5th Jan or thereabouts to end of march. When I priced it up it came in at £1600 pp to st Anton and £1500 to Val d'Isere (beginning Feb). I thought it was expensive at the time but few people on here mentioned that it was about average. Considering I got us a deal to Whistler for £2300 10 days pass the season before the value to me isn't there so we didn't book. I left things last minute but it's been slim pickings this year and plan to get organised by may and book for next season early doors. That's just my experiences. I believe there was a pass deal around Oct or Nov but can't find anything in our chats. GL!
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Last year, August was “BOGOF” lift passes from Crystal. For two adults for a two week trip, we found that to be a very good deal.
But we also (even then) had fixed dates and a specific resort in mind.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Anecdotally - I hadn't actively been following prices day on day, week on week - many people commented that Crystal's base holiday prices went up to compensate for the BOGOF on the lift passes.
I mean, they'd never do something like that, would they? 
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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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We have booked July time the last 2 years with Crystal and their BOGOF lift pass offer.
Can’t say I saw any evidence of them hiking prices, certainly not by enough to offset a half price lift pass but maybe depends on accommodation type and resort, we found it a good deal for Saalbach and Madonna Di Campiglio.
We might be a bit cheaper DIY. 4 adults but transfers always seem the huge cost.
We did do DIY and self drive when skiing in France but we now prefer austria/ Italy
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I don’t know about price hikes during offers but it certainly wasn’t enough to offset a free two week adult lift pass!!
Two week half board trip with lift passes for <£1k / person. Granted in a fairly cheap destination at a cheap time of year, but we were happy and many others in resort were astounded by how much we (hadn’t) paid.
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You know it makes sense.
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@KNoceros, can you give more details so we can compare please? The timing can make a huge difference.
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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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Andorra. Mid January
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Poster: A snowHead
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Last year Crystal did the buy 2 passes for the price of 1 in July, in august they did buy one get second half price. We booked in July and paid 2800 with ski carriage. Same holiday for next Jan is 3050. 2023/24 lift passes were 288 24/25 330, massive jump but the cost of the hotel is lower now than last year .
In short Crystal are a pain with their price fluctuations very difficult to decide when to book especially if you have the 100 pounds voucher which runs out in may.
Personally I would wait for some offers If you are not too fussy with your accommodation , if you are set on a particular resort or/and accommodation then I would book now and get the early bird discount.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I got a bargain on Dolomitisuperski lift passes last year on the Crystal 'buy 2 for 1' offer as they were using last years prices (2023) for the 24 season.
The actual holiday prices could change daily as they use 'Dynamic' pricing and, as @Harrow lady says' very annoying !!
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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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I got a good Black Friday deal booking through Sunweb.
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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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Paradiski had a sale in October last year, enabling me to get the family lift passes for last week for over 50% off. I booked accommodation direct with an owner via Vrbo, and it worked out cheaper than the likes of Sunweb - under 400pp plus the cost of driving (around 150pp more)
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