Trip cancellation/travel/medical insurance is available and strongly recommended. Insurance cost is $ 63.45 Travel Insurance Brochure. I will need payment by Friday 4th of Feb. if you want insurance.
Make two copies of all atm/credit cards, your passport, (Green Card, Visas etc. if applicable) and any other documents you are bringing with you. Keep one copy at home and the other in your luggage.
Notify your credit card company you're likely to be making more charges than usual from our trip destination. Take your PIN code for your credit/ATM cards.
Call your medical & insurance company and ask about how to process a claim if you have an accident, etc.
Fully charge and take your cell phone or contact list (Work, family) so you can access phone numbers if we get delayed.
Suspend mail delivery or have a neighbor check and hold it for you.
Bring a list (or some people create labels) of people you want to send postcards to.
Check your home for perishables and empty your garbage.
Change your voice mail message.
Unplug unnecessary electrical appliances. You can purchase a few timers to automatically turn lights on/off to give the appearance your home is occupied.
You many want to turn off the water supply to your house (From experience, burst pipes create a big mess)
Turn down (but not off) heat and put on hold.
Give copies of your keys to someone else should emergency entrance be required.
Arrange for pet and plant care.
Travel:
We are meeting at 1:30 PM for a 1:45 PM group check in Boston Airport Saturday in terminal E (international terminal) at the Lufthansa desk.
Lufthansa Flights:
LH423 02/19/05 BOS FRA 16:45 - 05:30 LH3880 02/20/05 FRA MXP 07:55 09:10
LH3893 02/27/05 MXP FRA 06:55 - 08:20 LH422 02/27/05 FRA BOS 10:30 - 12:30
Its a good idea to bring a sandwich for the wait and for on the plane (There is also food on the plane). There is a food court available once we have checked in and passed through security at the airport.
Double-check you have your passport and tickets.
I believe we are getting frequent flyer miles on this trip (Star alliance: United, etc.). If you want frequent flyer miles bring you card and also write your number on the back of the blue ticket.
Milan arrival & transfer to Courmayeur
We will be stopping in Frankfort, Germany on our way to Milan, Italy. As Frankfort is our point of entry into the EU (European union) we will go through passport control in Frankfort. We will then go to our gate and board our plane for Milan.
When we arrive in Malian, we will transfer as a group to Courmayeur. After exiting the plane we will follow the signs toward baggage claim. In baggage claim there are luggage carts available for one Euro. There are machines that will change 5, or 10 Euro notes for use in the carts and credit cards may also be used. Oversize luggage (such as skis) may be placed at the side of the baggage hall, so check there if your luggage does not appear on the carousel.
After claiming your luggage PLEASE CHECK WITH DONAL before you pass through a customs section and then proceed out through sliding doors. Your bags may or may not be checked by customs (usually not).
In the main arrival area we will all get together a do a head count. We will meet up with the Alpine Holidays representative and get on a bus (coach) for our transfer to our hotel in Courmayeur.
Money:
CALL YOUR BANK (Credit Cards/Atm) before you go and check for service charges. (From Marc) If you want euros before your trip call around the local banks. You will get a better rate than from the currency exchange booths in the airport.
We usually use an ATM card and credit cards on the trips as you get the best exchange rate with minimal or no service charge. Check with your bank first as some are starting to charge extra for international ATM transactions. YOU WILL NEED A FOUR DIGIT PIN: From my experience only ATM cards with a four-digit pin will work in Europe.
The ATM machines are found by the sign that says BANCOMAT.
If you are concerned about using a credit card you can use the "Visa Travel Money Card" available from AAA. http://www.aaa.com. Its a refillable visa card and you can use it as a regular visa card and at the ATM for Domestic: $2.50 International: $2.00. You can refill it over the Internet and we will have access to the Internet. Noreen used this in Austria this summer and it worked out.
Courmayeur Banks: Open Monday to Friday 8:30am - 1:20pm / 2:30pm - 3:30pm. Dollars can be exchanged for Euros at the bank or at the front desk of the hotels. Credit cards are widely accepted at the shops and restaurants. It is always good to carry euros, as some of the smaller cafes may not accept credit cards. The hotels will accept credit cards for incidental charges such as phone calls and drinks with dinner. Cash is appreciated for gratuities for the service staff.
Phone & Communications:
CALL YOUR Calling card company before you go and check for service charges. I find buying phone cards or using discount internet/call centers usually the cheapest. MCI charged me US$1,000 in two weeks in Spain for what I thought would cost less than $100 because, because, because! Be careful using your US long distance calling card.
There are Internet cafés in Courmayeur. There is an Internet PC/station with high-speed access in the hotel. There is also wireless broadband Internet access throughout the hotel (I have been told its free).
Although some US Cell phones do work in Europe they are expensive to use and charge for both incoming and outgoing calls.
We have a limited number of Italian Cell phones available:
The cell phones are $100 for the week and includes 10 Euros of call credit. They are refillable pay as you go phones. Incoming calls are free, calls to the USA are $0.60, and Euro 0.12 to other phones in Italy.
We will have GPS with maps of all the surrounding areas with us. Mike will be using it in Malian.
Many of us use Walkie Talkies on the mountain and around town. We use GMRS radios (http://www1.pricetool.com/) with 22 channels.
What clothes to bring & more:
Clothes:
You will need to pack garments that protect your body against cold, wind, and precipitation. You need to plan for varying temperatures and snow conditions (Wet, dry, warm & cold). Take clothes you can LAYER and remove or put on during the day while on the slopes. Bring undergarments of polypropylene or some other synthetic fiber that will remove perspiration. Don't wear cotton next to your skin because it absorbs perspiration and stays wet. Don't forget sunglasses, moisturizer and sun block.
Many of us ski/ride with backpacks so we can change our clothes during the day as the temperature varies. We also put our street shoes in them and pack something light to eat and drink.
Generally we don't worry about dressy clothing, comfortable and casual is "the name of the game." If you are planning on going to up market restaurants or clubs there will be a dressy crowd and the cost is typically more than double what it is at home. Italy has the most fashion conscious après ski.
Resort restaurants and especially nightclubs can be VERY WARM. Pack lightweight shirts/tops, and then layer with fleece vests or sweaters and coat (can use ski jacket) for walking outside. The nightclubs are trendy.
After-Ski Shoes/boots: I recommend you consider bringing a set of comfortable hiking/walking boots for traveling to and from the slopes and for some of the excursions.
Appliances / Power:
The voltage is 220V - 230V double our USA voltage. Please check all appliances you bring, some automatically adjust to the higher voltage and you only need a plug adapter others require a power converter to drop the voltage to 110V.
From Mike M. Power converters at Radio Shack 220 to 110, includes plug adapters. The part number is 273-1412 and costs $23.99. 980-0444 is the part number for the plug converter and the cost is $2.49.
Packing convenience items is a good idea because generally everything is more expensive in Europe. If you enjoy wine and cheese we recommend you pack a corkscrew, cheese slicer and several zip-lock plastic storage bags. You may want to purchase meats and cheeses (locally) for picnic lunches, snacks, etc. If you need glove heaters bring them with you.
Luggage
Checked
2 pieces per person, each bag may weigh up to 70lbs each.
1 piece dimensions 62in (l+w+h), 2nd piece dimensions 55in (l+w+h). Pack clothes etc. around your board/skis. You will need room on the way home for souvenirs.
If additional bags are checked the charge is approx US$ 45 each way for the ski set. We rarely have a problem with checking luggage as a group, but this is Lufthansa!
Carry on
1 piece (plus one personal item, eg. purse) with maximum weight 15lbs and maximum dimensions of 22x14x8in total, Usually not a problem.
Hotel:
The rooms are all similar in size and features and have the following:
Bathroom, mini-bar, TV (satellite) and a direct phone. You will spend very little time in you hotel room so don’t get stressed out if its not perfect (size, view ...). The hotel is privately owned and is fully booked as it is one of the most popular hotels in Courmayeur. The hotel offers wake up calls however I recommend you bring a travel alarm clock.
Our Address and contact info in Italy:
Hotel Cresta et Duc
Via Circonvallazione,7
11013 Courmayeur, Mont-Blanc
Valle d'Aosta, Italia
Phone from the USA:
Tel: 011 39 165 842585
Fax: 011 39 165 842591
Local Tel: 0165-842585
E-mail: hotelcrestaetduc@tiscali.it
In Courmayeur:
Local culture, etc.
According to Phil the crazy ski lines are worse than in Switzerland, so be prepared for a bit of shoving and your skis getting trampled on!
Meals are spectacular but will take time so plan accordingly. It is not unusual for restaurants (other than hotel) to automatically keep bring course after course to you. I don’t know much about this but I’m sure Phil & Shane can give us more info.
Everyone praises the Hotel food (see internet reviews). There are also bars & restaurants on the trails.
You will meet visitors from many countries. Most people speak English. I believe the other large group in our Hotel is the group from Long Island we met in Switzerland last year.
Everyone is friendly and the après ski is wild. Many people get up early to go skiing/riding and then have a nap when they get back to the hotel before dinner.
"Stay away from religion & politics": You will find that everyone is friendly, most have friends/relatives in the USA and many have visited the USA. It's always better to not get into a political discussion. The news feeds in Europe are very different to what we get in the US (but very interesting to check out while you are there). Europeans discuss politics the way we discuss local sports so don't get sucked in. Also they may assume you are coming from a very different political point-of-view and may have no compression of your actual view point. Remember we are guests in their country! Wearing political or military apparel (jackets, t-shirts, etc.) of any kind is an absolute no. EMS / Police is ok, however attitudes towards EMS/Police varies by culture.
Shops
The shops open at 9:00/9:30am and close for a long lunch at 12:00/12:30 pm until 3:00/3:30 pm then stay open until 7:30 pm. There is a variety of shopping in this chic village. For value and money check out the Italian designer wear.
Bars
Open from 8:30am and close at about 2:00am. Some recommended bars are Cadran Solaire, Poppys, The American Bar, le Prive, Café Posta, and Café Roma.
Gratuities
Tipping in Europe is a little different than in the U.S. In restaurants there will typically be a service charge included which goes to the owner, an additional tip of 10% to the wait person is appreciated. In the pubs and nightspots the custom is to leave the remaining coins for good service, more if the service is better.
The bus drivers will help in loading and off loading your luggage and appreciate a tip, especially since they will be with you most of the week; about a dollar a person is great. If you require assistance with your bags at the hotels the bellhops will help and also appreciate a tip, about a dollar a bag is normal. The hotel staff is generally taken care of the night before check out.
Lift Passes
There are six-day consecutive passes and four-day non-consecutive passes available. The 6-day consecutive Courmayeur Ski Pass is valid for skiing in Courmayeur, 2 days in other Aosta Valley Resorts, Chamonix and Flaine in France. It is valid at all the locations where the planned excursions go for skiing, Pila, Cervinia, in Italy and Chamonix in France. On the excursion to Cervinia you can also ski into Zermatt, Switzerland (however, you need to be aware that there is an additional charge for skiing in Zermatt and it is not included with your lift pass). The four-day, non-consecutive pass is a good idea for the person that plans to do some sightseeing as it provides some flexibility and an additional day ticket is not expensive.
Ski Guides & School
Ski school is very popular with Europeans; they go for a one-week ski vacation and include instruction and a guide for the week. I generally find that we already know what we are doing wrong, can read a resort map and are not interested in ski school!
Ski school is located at the top of the cable car in Courmayeur and at an office in the village. At the Sunday evening meeting there may be a ski school instructor available to answer your questions. If not you may inquire on your first day of skiing. Prices vary depending on lesson packages.
Ski Rental
If you don’t want to bring your skis/board with you, you can sign you up for ski rentals during the bus transfer. The rental price includes free storage on the mountain (In Courmayeur) and a heated area where you can leave your street shoes and knapsack while you ski. You can pay with credit cards, traveler’s checks or cash. This is a good option as you don’t have to bring you skis/board with you and your skis don’t get trashed in the lift lines.
Excursions & Activities
We strongly recommend the excursions. Check them out on the
Alpine Holidays web site. Prices are in Euros & credit cards are accepted on Sunday evening. Please note: Excursions are available if the minimum number of participants sign up and they also have a maximum (this is the prime ski week) so check them out before you go and book the Sunday we arrive. Don’t miss that once in-a-life-time excursion!
Night Events: Some evenings Alipne Holidays have scheduled events. For instance Monday night they have there world famous pub crawl, Tuesday they offer a cooking class where you eat what you learn to prepare, drink some wine and view the Aosta Valley at night and later in the week offer wine and cheese tasting. Other activities can be arranged if there are a sufficient number of people interested, activities may include ice skating, snow shoeing at night and more. Check with the Alpine Holidays representative for more information, but please remember to plan far enough in advance to allow for scheduling arrangements.
