Although the 2015-16 ski season has hardly begun, Crystal has, as is now traditional. Launched their programme for the winter after this, and bookings up to April 2017 are now possible.
Crystal do not normally make their big announcements of new ski destinations, flight routes and other new initiatives until the spring, but it does provide a few new titbits and tells us what's back for the coming season.
In terms of new destinations the company has announced two resorts in Finland which it says are new to Crystal, with flights from Gatwick to Kittila opening up the option of visiting two of the country's leading resorts Levi and Ylläs, which have some of the biggest ski areas available in the region as well as lots of other Lapland-style activities on offer.
Most Crystal flights go on Saturdays, but due to Christmas falling on a Sunday in 2016, in the run-up to Christmas and New Year, Crystal say they're switching their Sunday flights to selected resorts to leave on Tuesdays giving customers a seven day ski holiday and the benefit of still being able to ski on Christmas Day. There'll also be the option of a five-day break, from Tuesday 3 January to Sunday 8 January when Sunday flights resume from then.
Some of Crystal's early booking incentive deals are back including 2 for 1 ski/board hire or ski carriage when you book before 30 March 2016 and 2 for 1 on lift passes in Fernie, Jasper, Panorama or Tremblant which can save up to £598 if you were planning to buy a 13 day lift pass in Tremblant. Lift pass included is included on packages at La Clusaz, Valloire and Chamrousse in France and Engelberg in Switzerland.
There's also £100 off childcare for booking made before 27 April 2016 at selected Crystal-run child care facilities for children aged 6 months to 11 years in selected accommodation and dates in Alpe d'Huez, La Plagne, Tignes (France), Niederau (Austria), Claviere (Italy). There are also free child places on every departure date.
Crystal Ski Plus packages are also back from £435 per person – these include local lift pass and rentals or carriage as well as the usual flights, transfers and week's accommodation).
Prices start at £335 per person (based on four sharing) for a week's self-catering at the Residence Sunotel in Les Carroz, France, departing on 7 or 14 January 2017 from Gatwick including airport transfers.
www.crystalski.co.uk