Tour ops - who uses which ones?

I have travelled with a few different tour ops now on different holidays, and wondered whether people who DO use a tour op do so with a particular one, or like me tend to go for the best priced deal?

So far I have used:

Inghams (Val Thornes by train, Mayrhofen by air via Innsbruck several times)
Neilson (Mayrhofen by air via Innsbruck)
Rocketski (Serre Che by air via Turin)
Skiworld (Verbier by air via Geneva, and St Anton by air via Innsbruck)
First Choice (Sauze by air via Turin)
Panorama (Sauze by air via Turin)

Not talking about the hotel or the resort, but the service offered by the tour company in terms of overall satisfaction in resort, in hotel, and booking process, I wondered how other people rated the different companies?

I have to say that I think one bad experience with one company may tar your views on them. First Choice in Sauze had the worst rep I have ever come across, but fortunately we have no need for a rep other than finding out where the best happy hour bars are.

My experience puts them in this order for me:

1. Skiworld - totally professional, fantastic food in chalets, could not be nicer people
2. Inghams - very friendly and well informed staff
3. Neilson - take themselves a little too seriously, and not as available as others
4. Panorama - cheap and cheerful
5. Rocketski - aimed really at the schools market
6. First Choice - could not get any kind of response from our rep at all when there was an issue in the hotel

Anyone?

We arrange a couple of big trips every year, totaling 62 places in 2010.
We've used Skiworld almost exclusively for the last 5 years. They have been brilliant, both in the UK being flexible and always helpful. And in the chalets, always professional, always friendly and top quality food.

In the past we've used Crystal, Inghams, Neilson and First Choice. None of them offer the level of service we get from Skiworld.

Crystal and First Choice were by far the worst.

Tony_H wrote:

I have to say that I think one bad experience with one company may tar your views on them. First Choice in Sauze had the worst rep I have ever come across, but fortunately we have no need for a rep other than finding out where the best happy hour bars are.

We travelled with Crystal a few years ago and although the hotel was fab, the rep was crap. Saw her on the way to the hotel and that was it. But like you Tony, we never really have much use for them, besides they say offensive things like 'punters leave their brains at Gatwick'. How rude.

We are travelling with Crystal again this year but are comforted by the fact that Thompson own them (no idea if they did when we last travelled with them but she was still crap).

Agree with you on Neilson too, only used them once and they do seem very serious (and expensive) :-)

Used Crystal for the first ever ski trip. Rep did a bunk after the welcome meeting which left every-one up the mountain with no idea about where to get our gear fom or who our lessons were with. Crystal did compensate us for this.

Booked 5 more trips to Seefeld with crystal, fab hotel, great service, and the same rep who was brilliant.

Lapland with Inghams, great service, 3 really good reps of which one was always with you on the excusions and activities. Extra activities in Lapland half the price of Crystal, so have booked next years with them. Plus Crystal pulled out of Lapland.

For Summer hols, have been with Style (subsidary of Thomas Cook) great service, really good accomodation and lovely rep. Have booked again with Style for next week to Kefalonia, hope to get the same great service.

If I know where I'm going, what I need and where to get it, I don't really pay much attention other than the price/times that are offered.

NellyPS wrote:besides they say offensive things like 'punters leave their brains at Gatwick'. How rude.

Ha. I try to avoid Gatwick if I can because its an airport for people with no brains. I always find myself feeling like I am at a holiday camp when I travel through LGW somehow.

The old memory is not what it used to be but here goes....... Been skiing with Panorama as previously mentioned very cheap and cheerful also with Neilsons OK, Inghams had a very good ski leader,
Crystal pretty average, Swan, anybody out there remember Swan travel went on my first skiing trip with them as far as I can remember they were Ok but the rep was a bit stuck up.Thomson's well were just Thomson's, First choice pretty average. 8)

Hi All,
Having read all the posts on this thread , at risk of making a fool of myself, can anyone tell me what the web address for 'panorama'ski hols is? Tried a google search but to no avail?
To answer the posters question , I have used snowcoach ( good customer service & good price); rocketski ( great price & 'my' reps in Folgarida were very good....chris & sally)& Crystal.........last minute deal, great price; rep friendly but didnt see much of them.
Am looking at a couple of deals with inghams & the good feedback I have 'seen' makes me think they must be okay so will probably go with them this time .
Cheers
FB