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Please read this information and our Booking Conditions carefully before you book your holiday. All bookings are made subject to our conditions.
Holiday Price Includes
- Group flight arrangements including airport passenger duty and passenger service charge (where specified in the holiday description).
- Group transfer arrangements (where specified in the holiday description).
- Accommodation including local taxes, based on same sex people sharing a twin room or triple room (except Safaris and Tours, where male and female members may have to stay in the same room).
- Meals (as detailed in each holiday itinerary).
- Club leaders, Instructors and Mountain Guides (where specified in the holiday description).
Additional Expenses
- Liftpass – we will advise you of the approximate amount required in local currency with your confirmation of booking. On a few holidays the liftpass price is included in the brochure price and this is indicated in the holiday price details.
- Local transport (buses or taxis).
- Meals – holidays are offered on a room only/bed and breakfast/half board/chalet board. Please check the individual holiday price details or ask Ski Freshtracks for full details.
- Drinks - not included except on occasion where the holiday price includes wine with dinner.
- Equipment – if you need to hire equipment in the resort, take advantage of discounts available to Club members.
- Snowsports insurance.
- Evening meal on resort staff's one day off (chalets only) each week.
- Return travel between home and UK departure point.
- Shuttle flights from regional airports to group departure point.
- Visas for non EC passport holders, where applicable.
- Optional excursions booked in resort.
Accommodation
Accommodation, either in hotels or chalets, is based on people sharing a room and is selected to suit each individual group. In some cases single rooms are available on request, subject to a supplement. Rooms vary in size and comfort and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Occasionally a superior grade room will be available at a small additional cost. In Austria and Switzerland it is usual for hotels to offer austrian twins which is two separate mattresses within one double bed frame with individual duvets. Please see the individual hotel description for details or call Ski Freshtracks. Due to the large variety of accommodation offered in the Ski Freshtracks programme, it has not been possible to visit all hotels/chalets prior to contracting and we should point out that all brochured accommodation and services are in accordance with the hotel/chalet's own literature. We will do our best to help individuals find a room sharer if we are asked to do so but if, when rooming lists are finalised, there is an imbalance in numbers so that a sole occupancy supplement is incurred, this cost will be passed onto you. Please note that where individuals have been allocated or have specifically asked to share a room with another/other member(s), and one or more of the individuals in the allocated room cancels their holiday, we reserve the right to resell the cancelled place should we have the demand and you may therefore end up sharing a room with another individual. Safaris and tours accommodation: male and female members of the group may be asked to share the same room.
Special Requests/Needs
If you have any special requests, they should be clearly stated in writing at the time of booking. We will endeavour to pass all such reasonable requests on to the relevant supplier. However, we cannot guarantee that special requests will be met unless the supplier confirms in writing to us that they will be met and this becomes a term of our contract with you. Otherwise failure to provide a special request will not be a breach of contract on our part. It is the individual's responsibility to reconfirm these requests to the supplier on arrival.
Flights
Most of our flights are scheduled services (predominantly Swiss International, British Airways, Alitalia, Air Canada) however, on a number of our holidays the flights are charter and this is indicated in the holiday flight details. Please note when booking flights we must have your passport title, first initial and surname correctly spelt. Subsequent changes will incur a charge. Flight details and times are not all finalised at the time of printing and are subject to confirmation. We reserve the right to change the airline or routing where absolutely necessary. Some of our holidays are brochured without a flight or transfer included in the holiday price so than you can take advantage of the flexibility and/or pricing of other airlines, and arrange your own flight to the destination airport. Where specified, we will arrange a coach transfer to the resort which will leave the destination airport at a fixed time. We will provide you with details of what time the coach transfer will leave the destination airport. The coach transfer forms part of your holiday price. If for any reason, including delays to your flight, you miss the coach transfer we will not provide a further transfer for you and you will have to arrange your own transfer to the resort at your own cost.
Regional Airports
We always try to meet your requests for regional departures from Glasgow, Manchester or Birmingham. Many of our members travel from all parts of the UK. Please ask us about regional flights at the time of booking. Usually there is a supplement payable depending upon departure date and flight, and is subject to availability.
Baggage Allowance/Ski Carriage
Please note that the baggage allowance is usually 20kgs (44lbs) including skis and boots. The airlines are becoming very strict and if over this limit, a charge may be made for the excess weight. Ski carriage is not charged on our scheduled flights, but may be if other flights are used. Charges are usually between £12 and £15.
Transfers
Transfers from airports to resorts will be by coach, taxi or rail and are arranged to minimise delays. Please note if your personal travel arrangements are outside those of the group, the resort transfer is not included in the holiday price, unless specified. If you are making your own way to the destination airport but still require the group transfer, we do need this request in writing at the time of booking. If for any reason, including delays to your flight, you miss the coach transfer we will not provide a further transfer for you and you will have to arrange your own transfer to the resort at your own cost.
Travelling Independently
We do not insist that you buy a group flight as part of your package with us. If you wish to make your own travel arrangements to the resort, we will give you an appropriate reduction of £50-£100 per person. You must indicate that you do not wish to take our travel arrangements at the time of booking otherwise you will incur an administration charge.
Smoking
While the Ski Club does not operate a no-smoking policy for the holiday programme, it is expected that members will respect the wishes of the group as a whole. Smokers should conform with each individual establishment's rules and must refrain from smoking in shared bedrooms and at meal times.
Passports And Visas
It is your responsibility to be in possession of a valid passport and any visa which may be necessary. In the absence of valid documentation, you will not be allowed to travel and we shall have no liability to make any refunds or pay any compensation. Please note that the name on the passport must match the name on the ticket, otherwise you may not be able to travel and insurance may be invalid. All British citizens, including infants and children, will require a ten year passport which is valid for at least six months after the date of return. If you are travelling to a non-EU destination, you should check with the Consulate to find out whether you need a visa or whether there are any other additional requirements. If you do not hold a British passport, please check with your own Embassy or Consulate in the UK to confirm the passport and visa requirements of the country which you are planning to visit.
Foreign Office Travel Advice
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office issues advice for those travelling outside the UK. You can access this advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Travel Advice Unit on Ceefax or Prestel or on the FCO website at www.fco.gov.uk. For those traveling to the United States you need to check US immigration requirements which can be found on the website for the US consulate at www.usinfo.state.gov or www.usimmigrationsupport.org.
Health Requirements
Please contact your GP in good time before you travel to check whether there are any health precautions which you need to take. You can also obtain information from the Department of Health leaflet T7.
Age
The majority of holidays in this brochure are designed for adults aged between 18 and 62 years. There is an extensive programme of Peak Experience holidays which are open to anyone aged 50 years and over. Members aged over 62 years will be required to join the trips in this category. Additionally some specific holidays e.g. Family, Safaris and Tours, plus Christmas and New Year (except Off Piste Skiing) groups are open to all ages. Under 20s weeks are for teenagers aged between 14 to 19 years.
If members aged over 62 yrs of exceptional skiing standard/fitness/stamina cannot find an appropriate standard holiday on a date to suit them in the Peak Experience programme, the following are the circumstances when their booking may be accepted on a holiday outside the Peak Experience programme:
- You are at the upper end of the grading for that holiday.
- You have received this grading on a Ski Freshtracks holiday during the previous/current season.
- The leader/mountain guide can confirm that your standard, fitness and stamina all appear to be suitable for the chosen holiday.
- You have not sustained any injury or undergone any surgery or other period of ill health since receiving this grading that may affect your standard/fitness/stamina.
If members cannot find what they are looking for in the brochure, we offer our Tailor-made service. For groups of four or more, we can organise a Club leader, instructor or a mountain guide, together with travel and accommodation to meet members' needs.
Under 20s
The Club would like to point out that parents and guardians of these unaccompanied youngsters must ensure that it is safe and appropriate for them to holiday in these circumstances and that they will not pose a risk to their own safety or that of others. We must urge parents to let the Club know anything relevant about their children that will help towards the successful and happy running of the holiday. Parents or guardians will be asked to sign a consent form prior to departure.
Size Matters!
We cost our holidays on a variable ratio of leaders/instructors/guides to members. On occasions when our bookings are greater than anticipated, we will send additional leaders/instructors/guides. However, when we have less support for a trip we may reduce the number of leader/instructors/guides. On Off Piste and Touring Skiing holidays, skiing groups will be smaller than on other Ski Freshtracks holidays.
Standards
While every effort is made to ensure that skiing abilities are compatible, the final decision will rest with the leaders/instructors/mountain guides. There may be occasions when you have to free ski or attend the local ski school to ensure the success of the holiday. Everyone will have the chance to free ski on the leader's day off. At the end of each holiday every member will be issued with a ski grading which will be recorded on the Ski Club of Great Britain membership database.
Fitness
Skiing is a demanding sport and so it is essential to take into consideration fitness levels when making decisions about your ski grading. Fitness is a key part of skiing ability and so it is important when choosing a holiday to ask yourself how far you can, and are prepared, to push yourself. Whether you are comfortable cruising the reds all day with a long lunch stop or are looking for more of a physical challenge with turn after turn in deep powder, a good level of physical fitness is required in order to make sure you get the maximum out of your holiday and avoid unnecessary injuries. It is recommended that you participate in at least 40 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week for a minimum of three months in the run up to a skiing holiday. Please be aware that leaders are entitled to lower members ski grading, and in exceptional circumstances they can ask members to leave the ski group if they feel their fitness hinders performance and delays other members of the party or they are a danger to themselves or to the group.
High Altitude Acclimatisation
Some ski resorts are situated at such a high elevation that the limited oxygen and humidity available can cause a variety of symptoms and illnesses. Please read the information below carefully. It will help to explain how to cope with the acclimatisation process and how to deal with altitude sickness should you suffer from it.
Symptoms: shortness of breath, fast heart beat, dehydration, constipation, nausea, fatigue, insomnia, headache.
What to do: take it easy for the first couple of days, eat lightly and drink plenty of liquids (two or three times more water than usual), avoid alcohol and caffeine, get plenty of sleep, limit salt and increase carbohydrate consumption. Most importantly listen to your body – if you feel unwell DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT A DOCTOR.
For most people the minor symptoms of altitude will disappear as your body adjusts. Please remember the use of hot tubs and saunas will accelerate the dehydration process. Please be aware that the sun is MUCH stronger at higher altitudes. Be sure to apply a minimum of SPF 15 to your face, neck and ears at least every four hours, even on a cloudy day.
Tipping
Our brochure prices include all local staying duties and room taxes, but, whilst discretionary, it is typical to leave a tip when paying for drinks and food abroad. With mountain guides and instructors it is usual for the group to buy lunch and offer a tip at the end of the holiday. Most service staff in America and Canada anticipate between 10-20% gratuity, depending on the level of service; this includes restaurant/bar staff and drivers. It is customary on departure to leave a gratuity in your room for the housekeeping staff – a guideline is $5 per day.
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