Category Archives: preparation

2015, Alaska Cruise, alberta, available, banff, banff national park, british columbia, brochure downloads, calgary, Canada, canadian rockies, download-brochure, early-booking, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, icefields-parkway, information, itinerary, jasper, jasper national park, lake louise, north america, notification, official, package, packages, photo, preparation, prices, rail, rates, reference, resorts of the canadian rockies, resource, Rocky Mountain Vacations, rocky-mountain-holidays, rocky-mountaineer, rocky-mountaineer-holiday, round-trip, seattle, summer-holiday, tourism, tours, train, travel, U.S.A., update, USA, vacation, Vacations Canada, vancouver, western-canada, YVR, YYC

2015 Rocky Mountaineer Vacations

Leave a comment

2015 Rocky Mountaineer Vacation Packages – itineraries, rates and dates

Rocky Mountain Holidays have just posted all 2015 Rocky Mountaineer vacation packages for 2015. There are significantly more packages available with the welcomed addition of some old favourites such as the “at leisure” packages, which give you more time in the Canadian Rockies. There are now 129 Rocky Mountaineer Canadian vacation package options to choose from.

All vacation packages were always available through customisation, although the addition of these extended packages make it much easier for guests to view itineraries and prices at a glance. Rocky Mountain Holidays also have a useful vacation search tool which assists you in finding the perfect vacation package with Rocky Mountaineer (featured below):

For 2015, at time of press, all new Rocky Mountaineer Vacation packages will be subject to a 20% non-refundable deposit. In the past, guests took advantage of the low deposits to secure their vacations in advance. For now, any guests booking 2015 will have to be a little more committed – we always recommend you take out adequate travel insurance to protect you against unforeseen circumstances.

Changes to 2015 Alaska cruise out of Vancouver

It’s goodbye to NCL in 2015 and the relationship with Holland America continues to grow strong for the 2015 season. Having travelled onboard Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam myself out of Vancouver on their 7 night round-trip Alaska cruise, I have to say it was an excellent cruise ship and perfect for the Alaskan climate with not too much outside deck.

In 2015, the ms Zuiderdam’s route will be replaced by the returning ms Noordam. The itinerary will remain the same. This ship is a Vista-class ship like the Zuiderdam and was the last built of the Vista Class ships (Zuiderdam being the first).  As this is a newer ship, Holland America made some improvements. The consensus is that this is a better ship with some slight changes –  it is a sister ship to ms Zuiderdam and has mostly identical features.  So, this is a really positive change for the rail and cruise packages in 2015.  We are already off to a great start!

Here is a nice photo I took from onboard the ms Zuiderdam as we cruised Glacier Bay National Park – just breath taking.

Photo taken from onboard Holland America's Zuiderdamas we cruised Glacier Bay National Park
Photo taken from onboard Holland America’s Zuiderdam as we cruised Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska. The Zuiderdam is the sister cruise ship to ms Noordam.

Holland America’s ms Westerdam will be the cruise ship of choice out of Seattle again in 2015 and ties in nicely with the Coastal Passage route which connects Seattle to Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies.

So what new packages are available in 2015?

Taste of the Rockies Circle

Rocky Mountaineer’s research with guests and potential guests indicated that future guests are seeking more days onboard the train. To accommodate this growing demand for circle trips, Rocky Mountaineer introduced the new shorter-duration 6 night “Taste of the Rockies” Circle package.

Taste of the Rockies Circle Vacation with Rocky Mountaineer
Itinerary and map of the new 2015 “Taste of the Rockies” Circle Vacation with Rocky Mountaineer.

This rail vacation package includes both the Rocky Mountaineer’s best-selling First Passage to the West and Journey through the Clouds routes, plus a motorcoach tour along the Icefields Parkway connecting Banff and Jasper National Parks. The journey can also be extended to begin and/or end in Seattle instead of Vancouver by adding Coastal Passage, or combined with pre- or post-tour cruise options onboard the ms Noordam out of Vancouver.

Canadian Rockies Adventures

Canadian Rockies Adventures Vacation Package with Rocky Mountaineer
Canadian Rockies Adventure Vacation Package in 2015 with Rocky Mountaineer

During my years of guiding in Banff National Park, the Icefields Parkway was one of my favourite places to take guests and the scenery never failed to disappoint. This route is only accessible by road and is a favourite of many Rocky Mountaineer guests too. With this in mind, the “Canadian Rockies Adventures” vacation package was introduced for 2015.  It extends guests’ stays in Lake Louise and Banff to two nights, to allow for more time to include this spectacular highlight in their itineraries while at the same time, slowing the pace making this holiday more relaxing over 7 nights.

Please note that this package is not the same as the one with the same name sold until 2012 as the old itinerary did not include lunch on the Icefields Parkway tour or the helicopter flight at Cline River. A 7 night round-trip Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver onboard ms Noordam can also be added before or after this package.

Canadian Rockies at Leisure and Northern Rockies at Leisure

Due to increased demand of vacation packages in the Canadian Rockies with longer durations, the “Canadian Rockies at Leisure” (9 nights) and “Northern Rockies at Leisure” (10 nights) have been re-introduced. These itineraries are very similar to the best selling Western Explorer package and the Northern Explorer package, but with two night stays in Banff and Lake Louise, as well as in Jasper.  A 7-night round-trip Vancouver cruise onboard ms Noordaman can also be added to either of these packages (at the start or the end).

Coastal Passage Packages

We were some of the lucky ones to be invited onboard for the inaugural departure in August 2013 and we were certainly impressed by this new exciting route, connecting Seattle to Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies.

Back in February 2014, Rocky Mountaineer vastly expanded the number of Coastal Passage packages available, making a total of 41 package options to choose from which include this route.  For 2015, these packages will also be available with cruises from Holland America (ms Westerdam, before or after your rail tour)

As in 2014, the Coastal Passage add-on is  available to begin or end any Rocky Mountaineer package in Seattle, it can not be taken as a stand-alone.

Is that all the changes for 2015?

Yes, as far as we can see.  Apart for some minor tweaks on some existing packages, such as the Summit Helicopter tour removal from the Canadian Rockies Getaway, Grand Rail Circle, Trans-Canada Rail Adventure, and Coast to Coast by Rail, no other major changes to report.

We are delighted about the changes we have seen for the 2015 season…it will be here before we know it!

All aboard!

2014, 2015, advice, Alaska Cruise, alberta, April, august, autumn, available, banff, banff national park, british columbia, calgary, Canada, canadian rockies, change, discount, early-bird-discount, early-booking, fall, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, information, jasper, jasper national park, July, June, lake louise, may, north america, notification, october, official, photo, photos, preparation, prices, rail, rates, resorts of the canadian rockies, resource, Rocky Mountain Vacations, rocky-mountain, rocky-mountain-holidays, rocky-mountaineer, rocky-mountaineer-holiday, schedule, sea to sky, seattle, september, spring, summer, summer vacations, summer-holiday, tickets, tips, tourism, tours, train, travel, u.k., U.S.A., update, USA, vacation, Vacations Canada, vancouver, vancouver-whistler-train, washington, western-canada, whistler, whistler-mountaineer, YVR, YYC

Rocky Mountaineer release 2015 Rail Schedule & Rates

Leave a comment

Rocky Mountain Holidays posted Rocky Mountaineer’s anticipated rail schedule and rates for 2015 today. We have highlighted the main changes below.

Rocky Mountaineer's Coastal Passage Route
The Rocky Mountaineer train travelling north from Seattle to Vancouver  [Coastal Passage Route]
After Rocky Mountaineer’s launch of their successful Coastal Passage Route in 2013, which connects Seattle to Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies, they have introduced a planned 18 northbound and southbound departures, up from 12 departures this year (2014). The Coastal Passage Route can still only be booked in conjunction with 2-day rail, it cannot be booked as a standalone product.

The Rocky Mountaineer 2-day rail departures for 2015 remain the same, however, there will be no break in 2015 during the first week of August as per previous years. This break was due to annual maintenance of the trains but they have now changed this schedule to ensure a continuous service.

Rates have increased significantly for 2-day rail over their 2014 rates and at time of press, Rocky Mountain Holidays were still offering 2014 Rocky Mountaineer vacation package pricing for 2015.

In 2015, there are no longer two price bands of April through to May, and June through to October. In the past, April and May departures for 2-day rail were reduced to encourage guests to travel earlier in the season. As a result of this change, there have been some significant price hikes, especially for travel in April and May:

2-day Rail – Vancouver to the Canadian Rockies [Jasper, Lake Louise or Banff]

For April and May train departures in 2015:

  • RedLeaf = +26% rate increase over 2014
  • SilverLeaf = +12% rate increase over 2014
  • GoldLeaf = +10.5% rate increase over 2014

For June through to October train departures in 2015:

  • RedLeaf = +14.6% rate increase over 2014
  • SilverLeaf = +5% rate increase over 2014
  • GoldLeaf =  +5% rate increase over 2014
Rocky Mountaineer Train, Morant's Curve
The Rocky Mountaineer train in Banff National Park, travelling eastwards between Lake Louise and Banff [Morant’s Curve]

2-day Rail – Vancouver through the Canadian Rockies to Calgary

For April and May train departures in 2015:

  • RedLeaf = +23.4% rate increase over 2014
  • SilverLeaf = +11% rate increase over 2014
  • GoldLeaf = +9.8% rate increase over 2014

For June through to October train departures in 2015:

  • RedLeaf = +13.2% rate increase over 2014
  • SilverLeaf = +4.6% rate increase over 2014
  • GoldLeaf =  +4.7% rate increase over 2014

Vancouver to Whistler 3.5 hour train [Sea-to-Sky Climb]

For May through to September train departures in 2015:

  • Classic Service – One Way = Almost 18% rate increase over 2014
  • Classic Service – Return =  Over 11% rate increase over 2014

Seattle to Vancouver train [Coastal Passage Route]

  • SilverLeaf = +10% rate increase over 2014 ($50 increase per person)
  • GoldLeaf = +7.1% rate increase over 2014 ($50 increase per person)

Why such dramatic rate increases in 2015?

Our assumption is that rising operating costs, updates to their GoldLeaf dome coaches, along with expansion into the United States are all reasons for increased rates. The weakening of the Canadian dollar against the U.S. dollar has also contributed to potential increased costs in 2015.

The upgrade margins between RedLeaf, SilverLeaf and GoldLeaf service have been narrowed to entice guests to indulge in the ultimate luxury of GoldLeaf service onboard.

From November 1st, 2013, Rocky Mountaineer imposed rail fuel surcharges on all of their routes in 2014 due to rising oil prices, so taking that into consideration, the actual percentage rate increases from 2014 are less (as long as more fuel surcharges aren’t imposed for 2015). Rocky Mountain Holidays are still currently offering “rail and cruise fuel surcharge protection” on all of their Rocky Mountaineer bookings, so they will pay any fuel surcharges imposed on your behalf when you book through them.

The Canadian Dollar ["Loonie"]
The Canadian dollar has weakened significantly over the past year, most dramatically over the past few months.

How do these rate increases affect you?

The good news for most international guests is that the Canadian dollar has weakened significantly over the past year, most dramatically over the past few months.

For example:

  • The U.K. pound has increased in value against the Canadian dollar by 17% over the past year
  • The U.S. dollar has increased in value against the Canadian dollar by 10% over the past year

Unfortunately, Australians have seen a 5% decline in the Australian dollar against the Canadian dollar over the past year and most guests who live in Canada will not see any benefit in a weakened Canadian dollar.

That being said, the early-bird booking deals set to be offered for 2015 will be very attractive to encourage guests to book far in advance.

What do you think about these changes? Feel free to comment below.

Source: Rocky Mountain Holidays

2012, 2013, advice, alberta, banff, banff national park, banff norquay, Canada, canadian rockies, coupon, deal, discount, free, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, lake louise, lift pass, north america, notification, official, preparation, promotion, resorts of the canadian rockies, resource, Rocky Mountain Vacations, rocky peak, rocky-mountain-holidays, rocky-peak.com, ski, ski banff, ski holidays, ski holidays canada, ski lifts, ski resort, ski shuttle, ski sunshine village, ski-holiday, special, sunshine village, tips, tourism, travel, tweet, tweeting, twitter, twittering, update, western-canada, winter
Leave a comment

All ski resorts in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies will be open this weekend and to celebrate, we are offering a FREE 3-day Tri-Area ski pass to one lucky Twitter follower (CA$279.09 value with tax). The Tri-Area ski pass covers Banff Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise ski resorts as well as the ski shuttles from Banff. Banff Norquay celebrated it’s earliest opening ever and is currently open weekends until November 30 2012. Sunshine Village and Lake Louise are set to open for the season this Friday, November 9 2012.

To enter, follow all you have to do is:

  1. Follow us on Twitter @HolidaysCanada
  2. RT the tweet below

One of tweeters who RT will be chosen at random to win the 3-day Tri-Area pass. The pass must be redeemed and used this season. Good luck and happy skiing!

2012, advice, award, british columbia, Canada, comments, holiday, holidays, information, north america, official, preferred, preparation, resource, reviews, Rocky Mountain Vacations, rocky peak, rocky-mountain, rocky-mountain-holidays, rocky-peak.com, ski holidays canada, things-to-remember, tips, tourism, travel, trip advisor, u.k., update, vacation, warning, western-canada

Rocky Mountain Holidays™| Reviews

Leave a comment

You should always research the travel company before you make a reservation with them.

We are proudly based in Beautiful British Columbia (BC) here in Western Canada which is currently one of the most heavily regulated Canadian provinces for travel companies. With this comes Consumer Protection BC, which by law, BC travel companies must be licensed with in order to offer you, the consumer, financial holiday protection. Our Consumer Protection BC licence number is 58516 or you can simply look us up by business or trade name. For those of you from the U.K. this kind of protection is similar to that of ABTA or ATOL.

rocky-peak Holidays | Rocky Mountain Holidays | BBB | A+

Another place to check out a North American business is the Better Business Bureau. We currently hold their highest rating of A+. Their ratings are based on a number of factors including time in business and consumer complaints.

Finally, the internet is a wonderful thing and you can easily find out a lot about a company by searching their company name online. If guests are not happy, they will likely complain online. If guests are thrilled with the service they receive, they will likely seek out review sites to let the world know about their positive experiences. If you can’t find anything on a company online, you have to ask yourself why.

rocky-peak Holidays | Rocky Mountain Holidays | 5-stars

We are thrilled that we are currently rated 5 stars on www.reviewcentre.com, this is their highest rating.  We are grateful that our satisfied guests have taken the time to review us online through various sites. If you were one of those guests who reviewed us, thank you!

Reviews for Rocky Mountain Holidays (rocky-peak Holidays)

We understand that most guest’s decision on who to book with is price – this is the bottom line for most and we understand this by keeping our rates competitive. We take care of our guests from your initial contact with us through to your feedback when you return and so you can always be rest assured, you will be taken excellent care of when you book through Rocky Mountain Holidays™, a trade mark of rocky-peak Holidays Ltd.

Thank you for choosing us!

2013, advice, Alaska Cruise, alberta, august, available, banff, banff national park, british columbia, brochure downloads, calgary, Canada, canadian rockies, change, coach holidays, company news, descriptions, download-brochure, early-bird-discount, early-booking, eastern canada, fairmont-package, fall, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, hotel, information, itinerary, jasper, jasper national park, July, June, lake louise, links, luxury, may, north america, notification, october, official, package, packages, photo, photos, preparation, prices, promotion, rail, rates, reference, reserve, resource, reviews, Rocky Mountain Vacations, rocky peak, rocky-mountain, rocky-mountain-holidays, rocky-mountaineer, rocky-mountaineer-holiday, schedule, seattle, self-drive, september, special, summer, summer vacations, summer-holiday, things-to-do, tips, toronto, tourism, tours, train, travel, update, USA, vacation, vancouver, western-canada, whistler, whistler blackcomb, YVR, YYC

Rocky Mountaineer Vacations 2013

Leave a comment

Rocky Mountaineer 2013 packages are now available to book with Rocky Mountain Holidays.

For 2013, there are less vacation package options due to the fact that a lot of packages can easily be customised making some of the current 2012 packages redundant.

The new Rocky Mountaineer Coastal Passage Route – 2013:

Rocky Mountaineer Coastal Passage Route - 2013

The most exciting addition is the new Coastal Passage Route from Seattle which connects to Vancouver then onto Banff or Jasper in the Canadian Rockies. There is currently only one departure date set in August 2013 which means that this debut route will likely book up quite early.

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Another addition for 2013 is the option to board and disembark the Rocky Mountaineer train in Lake Louise (as well as Banff as before) in Banff National Park. This provides us with more customisation options based on guest preferences.  The station is located just southwest of the Lake Louise Village, and less than 5 km northeast of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. The address is: 200 Sentinel Road Lake Louise, Alberta T0L 1E0. View Map

Motorcoach transfers will be available to and from the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, and are included on all packages except 2 day rail-only. For guests departing from Lake Louise, please note that all check-ins will be at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, and NOT on the station platform or at the station itself.

Rocky Mountaineer SilverLeaf Service - 2013

After the successful introduction of the onboard SilverLeaf service in 2012, the Rocky Mountaineer will also be offering this service on the Vancouver to Jasper two (2) day “Journey through the Clouds” route. SilverLeaf service will not be available onboard the Rocky Mountaineer route between Whistler and Jasper in 2013 and could potentially be introduced in 2014.

Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf Deluxe Service - 2013

For the most luxurious accommodation option, this has been rebranded as “GoldLeaf Deluxe Service”. This allows us to book more than just Fairmont properties, such as the Four Seasons brand in this deluxe accommodation category, without conflicting with the Fairmont branding.

Cruise terminal transfers will be included with all Rocky Mountaineer rail and cruise packages in 2013.

Other than on packages connecting to Coastal Passage route, Holland America’s Oosterdam cruise from Seattle up to Alaska has been removed in 2013.

The Rocky Mountaineer city stops will not be available in 2013.

Rocky Mountain Holidays now have all of the 2013 Canada rail vacation packages for download along with early-bird pricing and promotions.

Thanks for reading and don’t hesitate to message us direct with any questions you may have. For reservations, we recommend you book direct with Rocky Mountain Holidays, an A+ rated business with the Better Business Bureau (their highest rating) and licensed with Consumer Protection BC for financial protection.

Safe travels 🙂

 

 

2011, 2012, advice, airport-transfer, alberta, availability, available, banff, banff national park, british columbia, bus, Canada, canadian rockies, canmore, change, christmas in the rockies, comments, fate, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, information, itinerary, kicking horse, kicking horse mountain resort, kicking_horse, lake louise, lift pass, links, may, new year, north america, notification, open, panorama, panorama-mountain-village, powder, powder express, preparation, prices, rates, reference, resorts of the canadian rockies, resource, reviews, round-trip, schedule, shuttle, ski, ski holidays, ski holidays canada, ski resort, ski shuttle, ski-holiday, snow, snow-coach, spring, things-to-do, tickets, tips, tourism, travel, update, vacation, winter, YYC

What’s happened to the Kicking Horse Powder Express?

Leave a comment

I can’t tell you how many calls and emails we have received over the past few weeks from return and new guests regarding the Kicking Horse Powder Express. There seems to be a lot of confusion over what the Kicking Horse Powder Express is this season. Where has it gone? What has replaced it? How much does it cost? We have already spent a lot of time answering these questions and to make it easier and to save us some time answering individual calls and emails regarding this topic, here are some questions and answers below.

All of our guests seem disappointed and frustrated about these changes. Feel free to comment on this post as we would like to hear your thoughts.

Okay, let’s start with the questions and answers below:

1) Is the Kicking Horse Powder Express operating this season?

The Kicking Horse Powder Express with the dedicated return transportation and lift pass included at a rate of about $100 including all tax is no more.

2) Is there a replacement to this service?

Yes. There is a scheduled service which is about $100 plus tax return for just the transportation and in addition to this, you must purchase the lift pass. There is no discount on the lift pass – you must pay full price making this ski-away day quite pricey compared to the old service.

3) How is this service different?

This service is not a dedicated Powder Express ski shuttle as in previous seasons. It is a scheduled service connecting Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, Golden and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. The advantage of the scheduled service means that minimum numbers are not required.

The return time of 3:30pm means that you do not get to enjoy a full ski day on the mountain but you do have the convenience of catching a one way shuttle for a reasonable price.

4) What is the schedule for this new service?

This is the new schedule correct as of today:

FROM CANMORE / BANFF / LAKE LOUISE / GOLDEN TO  KICKING HORSE

Depart Canmore 5:30
Arrive in Banff 6:00

Depart Banff 6:15
Arrive in Lake Louise 7:15

Depart Lake Louise 7:30
Arrive Golden (Prestige Inn) 8:50

Depart Golden 9:00
Arrive Kicking Horse (Glacier Mountain Lodge) 9:30

FROM KICKING HORSE TO GOLDEN TO LAKE LOUISE / BANFF / CANMORE

Depart Kicking Horse (Glacier Mountain Lodge) 15:30
Arrive Golden (Prestige Inn) 16:10

Depart Golden 16:10
Arrive Lake Luoise 17:40

Depart Lake Louise 18:00
Arrive Banff 19:15

Depart Banff 19:45
Arrive Canmore 20:00

5) When does the above new service operate?

Daily: December 20th, 2011 through March 31st, 2012.

6) Are there other ski-away options out of Banff?

Yes, the Panorama ski bus is operating again this season with a minimum of 4 required to guarantee a departure. We are finding most guests are booking this ski-away day instead this season to experience another ski resort in the Canadian Rockies at a fraction of the cost.

7) Will the original Kicking Horse Powder Express be offered for the 2012-2013 season?

We have no idea but hope so! If it does, we will be sure to get the word out!

❓ How do I book this new service?

➡Contact Ski Holidays Canada.

Happy Holidays to you all and thanks for reading. We hope that we have answered your questions okay? Remember to visit www.SkiHolidaysCanada.co.uk for ski package deals and specials.

Looking forward to your comments!

2011, accommodation, advice, alberta, august, autumn, banff, banff national park, blackcomb, british columbia, brochure downloads, calgary, Canada, canadian rockies, canmore, coach holidays, deal, discount, discounted-package, download-brochure, early-bird-discount, early-booking, eastern canada, fairmont-package, fall, Fernie, free-vancouver-tour, heavy snowfall, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, hotel, information, itinerary, jasper, July, kicking horse, kicking_horse, kimberley, lake louise, links, may, new year, north america, october, package, packages, panorama, powder, preparation, prices, rail, rates, reference, resorts of the canadian rockies, resource, rocky-mountain, rocky-mountain-holidays, rocky-mountaineer, rocky-mountaineer-holiday, round-trip, Sale, self-drive, snow, snowfall, special, spring, storm, summer, summer vacations, summer-holiday, things-to-do, things-to-remember, tips, tourism, tours, train, travel, update, vacation, vancouver, vancouver-whistler-train, victoria, western-canada, whistler, whistler blackcomb, whistler-mountaineer

2011 Summer Holiday Packages – Canada

Leave a comment

What a great start we have had to 2011 with about a metre of snow received by the ski resorts across Western Canada over the past week! Now that we are into 2011, the busy summer season does not seem so far away. With the early-bird deals starting to “fizzle” out or become less attractive for the summer, especially with the Rocky Mountaineer train packages, now is a good time to get a good deal on a 2011 spring, summer or autumn/fall package. Rocky Mountain Holidays have brochure downloads in PDF (Portable Document Format) and as always, we have provided the links below for easy reference. These packages can be easily customised based on your preferences (as long as the changes fit in with the rail or cruise schedule). Be sure to take advantage of specials such as free nights and activities in Vancouver – value added rather than discounts are the way to go.

Self-drive holidays are becoming increasingly popular in the Canadian Rockies as it gives you the independence but you also have full support when you are out here and the peace of mind that you won’t struggle to find accommodation during the peak season months in the Canadian Rockies. When booking a self-drive package, check to see if you have Loss Damage Waiver insurance coverage with your credit card provider as this can save you about $30 per day. Also, check out what the one way drop-off fees are from Vancouver to Calgary for example. When you book independently they can be as much as several hundred dollars whereas through a tour operator, typically the rates are about $75-$100.

Other things to look out for if you are shopping around are hidden fees such as “credit card surcharges”. This is a common technique used by some companies to squeeze some extra cash out of you after you have already agreed to the booking. It is also good to ask the straight question – “what extra costs will I have to pay in additional to the package price?”. Any good tour operator will be able to list these for you immediately so you know where you stand with the total of your holiday cost.

Here are the holiday brochures for 2011 – available for download through RockyMountainHolidays.com.

Wishing you all a healthy and happy 2011.

2011, accommodation, august, availability, available, backcountry, Canada, canadian rockies, heli-hike, heli-hiking, heli-yoga, helicopter, hike, hiking, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, information, mountain, package, packages, preparation, prices, rates, rocky-mountain-holidays, summer, summer vacations, summer-holiday, things-to-do, tourism, tours, travel, vacation, video, western-canada

Heli-Hiking in the Canadian Rockies, Canada

Leave a comment

We are excited to tell you about heli-hiking packages in Western Canada for summer 2011. You may think it is too early to be planning next year’s summer holiday in the Canadian Rockies and Western Canada, but there are limited departures for these popular three and six-day trips and so they usually book up quickly. You will have the opportunity to hike in the Purcell Mountain Range and the Bugaboos.

These heli-hiking tours are customised and so are suitable for families through to extremists! It’s not all about hiking either, with two luxury backcountry lodges in the Columbia Mountains of BC, there are many fun activities to take part in. For those of you who are into keeping your heart rate down, there is painting, photography and yoga available for you and your group. If you are looking for an adrenalin rush, there is via ferrata, ziplining, traversing a snow-covered glacier (whilst being roped to your fellow travellers) and rappelling a sheer rock-face to keep you entertained. There are of course plenty of spectacular hikes to do from both lodges (Bugaboo Lodge and Bobbie Burns Lodge).

The video below should get you excited.  If you want more information including rates, just click on the link below for this and other Rocky Mountain Holiday packages:

=>Heli-Hiking in Canada (External Link)

2010, august, blackcomb, Canada, hotel, information, itinerary, kokanee, Mountain Bike, mountain_bike, preparation, prices, rates, resource, schedule, summer, summer-2010, western-canada, whistler, whistler blackcomb

Kokanee Crankworx Evening Events 2010

Leave a comment

EPIC KOKANEE CRANKWORX EVENTS ROLL OFF MOUNTAIN AND INTO THE NIGHT

Deraylor Music Festival And Saint Deep Summer Photo Challenge Back For Second Year

WHISTLER, BC July 29 , 2010 – The world saw Whistler go off this February, and that spirit and vibe will be back in full force with Whistler’s other big event, Kokanee Crankworx.  With a sporting event roster matched by none, Kokanee Crankworx throws down huge in the special events department to keep the energy and excitement flowing day and night.

BLOCK PARTY – Skier’s Plaza August 7, 8:30pm

First up to kick start the biggest mountain biking festival on the planet is the Block Party.  This community event is free for all participants and will take place in Skier’s Plaza and the Boneyard.  The tenth anniversary of bike movie mavens Freeride Entertainment will be celebrated with a showing of their first film, New World Disorder 1. This movie epic played a huge part in bringing the sport of freeride mountain biking to where it is today. Huge outdoor screens, prizes, interviews from the original crew and a few surprises will make the Block Party an incredible all-ages launch for Kokanee Crankworx. The party will continue for those of age at the GLC with Metallica cover band Damage Inc. The $5 cover includes a live feed of the Block Party inside, great views of the action outside, an epic after party with Damage Inc and, of course, ice cold Kokanee will be flowing all night long.

PECHA KUCHA NIGHT – Maxx Fish, August 9, 7:30pm

Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of “chit chat,” Pecha Kucha will open minds with an eccentric mix of Whistler locals presenting stories and photos. Each presentation will move through 20 images shown for 20 seconds each. Current presenters include Tyler Schramm, Schramm Vodka; Rick Harry, Aboriginal Artist; Keith Reynolds, Playground Builders; Robin O’Neill, Photographer; Peter Alder, Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners; Leslie Anthony, Writer, Paula Shackleton, Bookbuffet; and Carla Gutierrez, Fitness Model.  Tickets are $7 at the door or at Hot Buns Bakery.

SAINT DEEP SUMMER PHOTO CHALLENGE – Fairmont Chateau Whistler, August 11, 7pm

The Saint Deep Summer Photo Challenge is back for 2010 with an unbelievable list of confirmed photographers. Paul Morrison, Sven Martin, Nicolas Teichrob, Jordan Manley and two wildcard photographers, Steve Lloyd and Adrian Marcoux will work against the clock to create a slideshow from images shot over three days in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park and on Whistler’s cross-country trails. Each show will be presented to a live audience of over 1,000 at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Tickets are $17 and on sale now at Whistler Blackcomb Guest Relations.

DERAYLOR MUSIC FESTIVAL – Whistler’s Best Nightclubs, August 11-13

The Deraylor Music Festival takes place August 11, 12 and 13 with the Deraylor wristband granting access to more than 40 artists in six venues over three days for only $40. Venues include the Garibaldi Lift Company, Garfinkel’s, Maxx Fish, Merlin’s, Moe Joe’s and Tommy Africa’s.  The current Deraylor line-up includes strong talent such as DJ Nu-Mark (from Jurassic Five), Mike Relm, BCDC, Fort Knox Five, DJ Jelo, Marcus Visionary, Said the Whale, Hannah Georgas, Mishka and illScarlett and many more. The first 100 tickets sold online will also receive access to the exclusive Kokanee Silent Disco party at the GLC on Saturday, August 14. Admission to all shows is through a $40 Festival wristband only, and are subject to age (19+) and capacity restrictions.  Visit www.deraylor.com for all ticket and event information.

2010, 2011, available, calgary, Canada, canadian rockies, change, download-brochure, early-bird-discount, early-booking, fairmont-package, holiday, holiday-package, holidays, hotel, information, itinerary, jasper, package, packages, preparation, prices, rail, rates, resource, rocky-mountain, rocky-mountain-holidays, rocky-mountaineer, rocky-mountaineer-holiday, schedule, seattle, summer, summer vacations, summer-holiday, tourism, tours, train, travel, vacation, vancouver, vancouver-whistler-train, western-canada, whistler, whistler-mountaineer

Rocky Mountaineer Train Holidays 2011

Leave a comment

We are not even into August 2010 yet and the rates have been released for all Rocky Mountaineer Train and Cruise Holiday packages for 2011. They have kept most of the packages the same as 2010 but have added an Alaska cruise from Seattle onboard Holland America’s ms Oosterdam to seven of their existing popular 2010 train holiday packages. Alaska cruises from Vancouver for 2011 are still onboard the Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam, which, in our opinion, has to be one of, if not, the best cruise ship sailing up to Alaska from Vancouver, Canada.

Below are the new 2011 Rocky Mountaineer train holiday packages with the Seattle cruise add-on. The links are to PDF documents on RockyMountainHolidays.com.

Rocky Mountaineer with Cruise to Alaska from Seattle

New Rocky Mountaineer Holiday Products for 2011

There have not been any major changes to the 2010 Rocky Mountaineer packages for 2011. Any changes are “tweaks” to already very popular and exciting train holiday packages.

Changes to Existing 2010 Products for 2011

  • All tours that overnight in Vancouver now include admission to the Vancouver Lookout
  • All tours that overnight in Calgary now include admission to the Calgary Tower
  • RedLeaf Service pre- or post-cruise tour packages now utilize Ocean- View Staterooms (Category D).
  • GoldLeaf Service pre- or post-cruise tour packages continue to use Deluxe Verandah Ocean-View Staterooms (Category VC).
  • Classic Rail Circle now has an additional pre-night in Vancouver plus a six hour sightseeing tour of Vancouver’s spectacular North Shore.
  • Grand Rail Circle now has an additional pre-night in Vancouver plus a six hour sightseeing tour of Vancouver’s spectacular North Shore
  • Canadian Rockies Highlights now has an additional pre-night in Vancouver plus a six hour sightseeing tour of Vancouver’s spectacular North Shore.
  • Canadian Rockies Highlights – 5 nights is also available; this is the same as the 2010 Canadian Rockies Highlights.
  • Canadian Rockies Circle is now 9 nights in duration instead of 12 nights.
  • The westbound itineraries of Trans-Canada Rail Adventure, Canada’s Coast to Coast by Rail, and the post-tour cruise options of these packages now include 2 nights in Jasper plus a Jasper highlights motorcoach tour, but only one night in Lake Louise.
  • City Stop add-on products are able to be sold independently, with rail-only, or in conjunction with any Rocky Mountaineer packages. Please note that transportation to/from the station or airport is not included in any City Stop packages.
  • Taxi transfers to/from cruise terminals in Vancouver are no longer included.
  • Travel documentation will advise of estimated taxi transfer rates, and limousine transfers available for purchase.

Discontinued 2010 Rocky Mountaineer Holiday Products

New for 2011 – Child and Youth Rates

New for 2011, Rocky Mountaineer holiday packages now include rates for youths (ages 12-18) and children (ages 2-11) when travelling with at least one single adult guest.

The published child and youth prices will apply for a maximum of 1 child or youth sharing with 1 adult. Parties of 1 adult and 2 or more children/youths will have to be booked with a minimum of 2 adults. It is not possible to book a single room with more than 2 persons sharing.

These are all the changes to the Rocky Mountaineer Holiday packages for 2011. Rocky Mountaineer package information which include cruises up to Alaska from Vancouver or Seattle can be all found at RockyMountainHolidays.com. You can view all the latest Rocky Mountaineer early-bird deals there too.