Your child’s safety is your number one concern and the top priority of SKI TRAVEL, too. Our ski and snowboard trips offer students a wholesome activity with chaperones and professional transportation. In many ways they’re safer than when they’re out with friends on a regular weekend at home, when they may be unsupervised and subject to teen drivers. Our tour buses are driven by experienced operators from a reputable company, Gunther Charters. We go for safety and on large trips mechanics from Gunther Charters even follow our buses to ensure safe travel.

Once in Old Quebec City, students find themselves in a charming, walled, historic pedestrian village

The village of Old Quebec offers plenty of things to keep students entertained when the slopes close at day’s end. The Old City is small enough to ensure that students are always close to the hotel. The historic area around the hotel offers a variety of wholesome activities, as well as great shopping and eateries for all tastes and budgets. While Ski Travel chaperones conduct regular check-ins with their assigned bus of students, the youth travelers are allowed to assert their independence in choice of activities.

Although we often have multiple buses of students on the trip, our staffing and chaperone arrangements make the travel more intimate. Each busload of students has their own assigned staff. The staff, roommates and friends travel together through out the drive and day at the slopes. During the trip north, chaperones and staff are able to establish a positive rapport with the students so they can work well together throughout the weekend.

Starting off right

  • Policy Agreement with Rules and consequences of the trip, signed by student and parent.
  • Organized and straightforward system for check in at departure
  • Strong policy against use and possession of alcohol and/or illegal drugs
  • Student bags and personal items carefully checked at bus boarding
  • Quick and decisive action with consequences for policy violations

Chaperones and Security Staff

  • Meet their students at bus and stay assigned to those students for the duration of the trip
  • Include parents, teachers, law enforcement officers, nurses, government professionals
  • Their backgrounds have been checked and are all personal referrals
  • Most chaperones ride buses with students, others take a plane and meet the buses in Canada
  • Ratio: one adult to 12-15 students
  • Aged 25-60+; average age is 38
  • Accessible at all times in hotel and by 2 way radios
  • Eat in same area of restaurants, and walk the same streets as students; present throughout ski area and hotel area
  • Several local French and English speakers to assist with emergency situations
  • Assist students with check-in at ski area and hotel
  • Personal mandatory check in with all students 3 times each day:8:30 am; 4 pm 10:30 pm
  • Professional security guards are in the hotel hallways in the late evening hours.

On-Site Staff During Trips

  • 24-hour emergency line
  • Security guards on each floor of the hotel in the late evening hours
  • Professional Ski Travel tour operators
  • Staff continues to patrol the area throughout the evening after night-time check-in
  • Equipped with 4 wheel drive vehicles for emergencies
  • In contact with chaperones and security via 2-way radios
  • Quick access to paramedics and emergency medical services
  • Hospitals are also available very nearby
  • Security /chaperones enforce after 11:00 p.m. restrictions

Staff and Chaperone Profiles

Since 1981, SKI TRAVEL has recognized that dealing with students requires specialized skills and we have developed a staff to meet those needs. SKI TRAVEL’s trip management staff includes Trip Director, Assistants and seasoned professionals who specialize in travel logistics for youths. Our chaperones all come through family and personal referrals and their backgrounds are checked.

Most are parents, teachers, law enforcement officers, nurses, government professionals who enjoy winter sports and working with kids.

In addition, professional Security Guards are in the hallways in the late evening hours each night.

Individual Responsibility for Students / Parents

  • This begins at home with parents explaining proper behavior, Student and parent sign the Policies /Trip Rules
  • Trips like this offer parents a chance to see a child’s growing independence
  • Students must be mindful of the established rules and policies
  • Regular check-ins with chaperones at appointed times
  • Carefully note any damage to room at check-in to avoid problems
  • No guests allowed in student rooms after evening check with chaperones
  • Observe noise restrictions and evening rules after 11 p.m.
  • No official curfew* (see below), but students are not permitted in others rooms after final check-in.
  • Students are permitted in lobby, and to get food etc.

Most students have no problem following the rules and enjoying a terrific winter sport trip. They tend to stick with students of their own age, and generally, avoid late nights. SKI TRAVEL staff and senior chaperones patrols throughout the resort in the late hours to show a presence and provide supervision.

*25 years ago we did away with an actual curfew and “lights out” rule because the students seemed to view these as a challenge to violate.  SKI TRAVEL staff, senior chaperones and Security Guards patrol throughout the hotel in the late hours to show a presence and provide supervision.*

These high school students will be away at college in either a few short months or years and these trips offer a window into the type of independence they’ll soon face. SKI TRAVEL has been serving this age group since 1981 and year after year has found that most students have no problem obeying the rules.