FAQs
We've compiled on the page below answers to the usual question you may have. If you do not find your answer, please feel free to either contact us.
...about your quotation
...about your booking
...about our Coaches
...about Health and Safety
...about the price
...about the ski package
...about your quotation
- What is a 'Group Leaders Allowance'?
This is an allowance made payable to the group leader (or school if preferred) for out-of-pocket expenses (e.g to cover telephone/stationery and time & effort)
- Although your quote gives me 1 free member
of staff per 10 paying children (or 1 per 8 for trips involving
more than one overnight stay), I would like to take more
staff than this. What should I do?
If you make us aware of this at the time you ask us for a quote, we will adjust the price accordingly. If you make us aware at a later stage, we will charge you for adding an additional adult. This will often be slightly more than the price per person for child because of the additional cost of accommodation, ferry crossings, Disneyland tickets etc for adults.
- Does the price you will quote me include a
Ski rep or courier?
No. However, you can ask for a dedicated ski representative when booking. He/she will help you in liaising with the centre with regards to matters such as accommodation, equipment, ski-pass, restaurant, evening activities...
- We have our own insurance. Will you give me
a discount if I don’t take yours?
Normally, the price we quote will include insurance. However, if you do not wish to use our insurance please let us know when you ask us for a quote and we will adjust our price accordingly. We will also require you to sign a disclaimer to formally advise that our insurance is not required.
...about your booking
- How much do we need as a deposit for a Ski
trip?
£100 per passenger when booking the trip.
After 6 weeks, a second deposit of £150.
The remainder is due 2 weeks before departure.
- We want to organise a Ski trip in 6 weeks
time (short notice). Is this OK?
It all depends on the time of the year. If you are booking following a special offer you have seen on our website, then there should be availability even for short notice travel. We are flexible about last-payment dates but we really need full payment at least 2 weeks before travel.
- If we get 2 coach-loads can we have a discount?
If you have 80 paying (the normal minimum number for 2 coaches) then the price per person is the same as for 44 paying. Really you should have 88 paying (44 on each coach) to qualify for that price, so you are already getting a discount effectively!
Change in passenger number
- We've got 49 passengers, can we take some
more?
Depends on the time of year and how many more passengers. Please telephone the office for advice.
- What happens if we don't get 44 passengers?
The price will increase. We will send you a Re-quote showing the new price. It does get significantly more expensive below 25 paying passengers.
Group passport
- Who organises the Collective (or Group) Passport?
The passport must be arranged directly by the Group leaders
- What is the cost?
£39 - to be paid by us (we deduct £39 from the invoice)
- How many people can go on a Collective (Group)
Passport?
50 people (under 18 years only).
- What happens if there are more than 50 children?
a/ Check if anyone has their own passport. b/ If there are 60 or more passengers we pay for two group passports.
Itinerary
- Can we go one way by Eurotunnel and the other
way by Ferry?
Yes, at no extra cost.
- Can we travel by North Sea Ferries?
At a fairly heavy supplement it is possible to travel by North Sea Ferries (around £12 supplement per passenger for a reclining seat per crossing therefore £24 return. Overnight cabins are more expensive please telephone the office for advice)
...about our Coaches
- Do the coaches have toilets?
Comfort stops will be made regularly at motorway service areas. Toilets should be used at these areas as far as possible but on Executive Vehicles there are toilets which may be used "for emergency use" (The toilets have a very limited capacity and constant use will lead to overflow or unpleasant smells. It is not permitted for the driver to empty his toilet anywhere other than at licenced toilet "dropping points" which are very scarce.)
- Do all your coaches have seatbelts?
Yes, all coaches (for school groups) must have seatbelts by law. NB: they are usually lapbelts and not 3 point belts like the ones in cars
- What are the drinks facilities on the coach?
There are usually tea/coffee making facilities. You pay the driver for drinks. (We recommend that children do not use the hot drinks facility for safety reasons.) Some coach companies will sell cans of soft drinks, but this needs to be arranged in advance.
- Is there a first aid kit on the coach?
Yes there is, but we suggest you take your own as well (your LEA/school regulations will probably require that you take your own).
- How many TV screens will our coach have?
Usually there is just one TV monitor. It depends on the vehicle allocated.
- Will there be a microphone on the coach?
Yes. If it is essential please tell us so that we can advise the coach company allocated.
- Do you have any coaches with trailers to carry
the ski equipment?
Yes a few, but we need at least 3 months notice to arrange this as they are in great demand.
- Where can I find more information about your
coaches?
You can find more information in the Transport section of our main website.
Passenger numbers
- Does the 49 seats include the drivers seat?
No - there are 49 seats for passengers, excluding the driver.
- We have 50 passengers, can one of them sit
in the courier seat?
The courier seat is only for drivers or official couriers/guide and not for passengers. The Group Leader or other Adult may opt to sit in this seat.
- We've got 49 passengers, can we take some
more?
It rather depends on the time of year, how many more passengers (and whether it is possible to change the coach allocation.). With plenty of notice we can usually find 51 seats.
- We have 137 passengers, how many coaches will
we have?
It depends on the vehicles available on the day(s) of your trip. It could be 2 x 71 seaters (ie DDs) or 3 x 49 seaters. We will normally try to tell you nearer the time.
Drivers
- Will the driver speak French/German/Spanish/Polish...?
This is very unlikely.
Use of the coach
- When and where will we have stops on the journey?
The time and location of the stops will depend on the prevailing traffic conditions on the day.
- Can we use the coach in the evenings?
It depends. On the first night, this will not normally be possible because the driver has been driving all day. On other nights it is usually possible to use the coach provided we are informed in advance and this is shown on the itinerary. Also the driver must have his 11 hr break over-night, so if they get back very late (eg midnight) you will not be able to use the coach the next day until late morning.
- Can we eat on the coach?
It depends on the driver as some prefer it if food is not consumed on their vehicle. When pupils do eat on the coach please make sure that they put all rubbish in the rubbish bags.
- Can we leave things on the coach?
Yes, but at your own risk - no valuables! You cannot go back to the coach to get things if the driver is on a statutory rest break.
- Can I have the coach company's telephone number?
No - if you have a problem or the coach is delayed then please call the 24hr Emergency numbers that are in the Final Information Pack as we have all the out-of-hours numbers for coach companies & drivers.
...about Health and Safety
- Have your drivers been Police and Criminal
Records Bureau checked?
Normally Yes. We ask all Coach Operators to take all reasonable precautions to ensure that drivers allocated to school tours are "child-friendly" and have been appropriately vetted.
- Does your company have a Safety Management
System?
Yes and we publish our Safety Management System for the benefit of Group Leaders, Teachers, Parents and LEA's.
- How often does your company conduct inspections
of Hotels or Coach companies?
Our Safety Management System gives details of all aspects of the frequency and scope of vetting of the Hotels and Coach Companies we use.
- Do you provide Risk Assessments for all the
places on our itinerary to be visited?
We have a great many Risk Assessments for most of the places that you are due to visit. There is no substitute for Teachers and Group Leaders conducting their own risk assessments in the light of the special needs of pupils and passengers that they are taking however.
...about the price
- How can Halsbury Travel Ski offer such good
prices?
- We do not rent the centre on a season basis and therefore we do not have to pay whether we fill it or not
- We do not produce expensive glossy brochures to advertise our products
- Our partner has more than 50 years experience and we can benefit from its negotiated prices for the ski-pass or the ski-equipment
...about the ski package
- What is included in the price?
Absolutely everything!- return travel by coach (or air with supplement)
- special ski insurance
- 6 day compehensive ski-pass
- 6 day ski equipment
- 23h ski-lessons with fully qualified ski instructors
- 7 night Full Board accommodation in a modern centre
- 1:10 free place ratio (or better with supplement)
- daily evening entertainment
- daily snack on your return from the slopes (depending on chosen resort)
- free admission to the swimming-pool and ice-rink (depending on chosen resort)
- What kind of equipment
do we get?
For skis: this season or last season. Not older for your own safety and comfort. There are different types of skis available depending on your level.
For surfs: usually no more than 3 years old.
- What sort of accommodation do we stay in?
- really close to the pistes (usually within 3 min walk). Say no to the 5 km bus-ride every morning!
- open buffet
- rooms of 2, 4 and 6 wiht bunk beds
- en-suite showers, toilets to share between 2 rooms
- newly refurbished (depending on chosen resort)
- in-house entertainement including: PS2, stage and disco facilities, soccer table, cinema, bar (alcohol served to adults only)
In any case, please feel free to contact
us. Our friendly staff will be more than happy
to give you advice to help you organise your trip.