SST Ski Tours Canada
Hello and Welcome to the SST Ski Tours General Information Page.
Our first ski tour to Europe was in 2010 where we spent 3 weeks visiting 3 resorts in 3 countries. The format was amazing but the most important feedback we got was 3 weeks was a bit overwhelming and that 2 weeks might be a better timeline. Starting the following year, we introduced the 2 week, 2 resort and 2 country format and have never looked back. Today, this remains our de facto ski tour.
Our original tour included half board, breakfast & dinners at the resorts and with the exception of one tour to Japan where we experimented with breakfast only at the resort and dinners out on your own. This quickly became problematic with our demographic and we very quickly reverted to the half board option and half-board remains our default on every tour.
Our first tour to Europe included ski instructors from Canada as well as local guides. Feedback from our guests told us that they weren't really interested in ski instruction but that having local guides was not only a bonus, but in most cases was among the highlights of the ski tours. With the exception of some smaller resorts in Japan where guides are simply not necessary, local guiding remains a mainstay to our ski tours.
Tour Size & Reservations
Over the years we have had tours with as few as a dozen and as many as 55 people on a tour to Japan in 2014. We've discovered that our magic number seems to fall between twenty and thirty skiers with the optimal being 24-25 skiers where we tend to be able to have 4 or 5 groups that are conducive to skiing together.
Bus & Train Transfers
When we started to do ski tours abroad, one of the first things we heard from frequent travelers such as ski team members who spent copious hours in transit was that they absolutely loved the resort experience in Europe and Japan but the time spent in transit was usually a nightmare. I can't say that we haven't had our hiccups over the years because we have but I think our guests have been very understanding when they've occurred.
However, from the get go, I took this warning under advisement and used the knowledge I gained from being part of Brewster Transportation & Tours in Banff, Alberta for 9 years, and devised various solutions that have been seamless and efficient and for the most part have made the transfers an enjoyable part of the experience. We generally use charter buses and/or trains combined with local luggage services to make this part of the trip as smooth as possible.
Flight Itineraries
All SST Ski Tours are exclusive of flights. This allows maximum flexibility for guests to choose the type of flight, level of service and points when applicable. Once a ski tour has been announced, "the package" comes with the first and last nights hotel accommodations with breakfast included, where applicable in the cities where the airports are located.
Arrival & Departures
Although 50% of our clientele will depart and return to Vancouver (YVR) people join us from various parts of the world and often arrive and depart at different times. For this reason, our tours begin and end at the hotels in the arrival and departure cities closest to the resorts. This makes costing more equitable and allows each individual or couple to arrange their own flight itineraries and ground transportation from and to those flights.
People often arrive a day or two in advance to sight-see and acclimate or leave a day or two later than the end of the tours. There is an opportunity to purchase extra nights in the same hotel included in the package and your reservation seamlessly connects as one multiple day stay in the same room.
Tour Size & Reservations
Over the years, we have had tours as small as 16 and the largest one was 54 people on a tour to Japan in 2014. Our experience has told us the optimal number seems to be 24 - 26 skiers so we look to keep each two week tour to between 22 and 30 skiers max. This allows us to break the tour into 4 or 5 groups of 5,6 or 7 skiers who then really gel together for a great social experience.
First Come, First Served
Anyone who has ever been on a SST Ski Tour automatically has the first right of refusal when it comes to signing up for the next tour followed by everyone who asked to join the ski tour mailing list in order of when you asked to join the list. The packages are priced on a per person basis with the default room accommodations being 2 related people sharing a room followed by single supplements and two unrelated people sharing where and when available.
We generally have the tour packages ready to take reservations by mid May every year and then reservations are secured by submitting the Nominal Initial Deposit before the deadline of June 15. Most years however, the tours have sold out in the first week or less; meaning 24 deposits will have been received and processed effectively triggering the sellout. Anyone on previous tours or on the ski tour mailing list left automatically go to the Wait List.
Wait List
The Wait List has become an active part of our ski tour bookings simply because with our demographic, it's not a matter of if something will come up and someone won't be able to go, it's a matter of when. Having the Wait List has worked out great for all concerned in the past because when a vacancy occurs, the next person from the wait list purchases the spot from the person who had to bail. This way, other than a nominal charge to change the names on the hotel manifests at the resorts, no penalties due to exchange rate fluctuations etc are incurred and it's a win-win scenario for everyone.
Booking Form
A reservation isn't complete until the Initial, Second and Final Deposits are made and the Booking Form has been completed and on file. The Booking Form must accompany the Initial Deposit and be on file when Initial Deposit is made or by June 15. Second Deposits are due by August 15 and the Final Deposit deadline is October 15.
In Summary
Each Tour follows a predictable pattern which has worked like clockwork for everyone and is perhaps a major contributor to our popularity as everyone knows what to expect. As most people have heard about the ski tours from friends & acquaintances whom you know, for that reason even if its your first tour, you feel right at home from beginning to the end. Hopefully you'll be telling your friends about your experience soon. Whether this is your first or you're a repeat offender, we look forward to skiing with you again in the very near future.
