Ski Esprit and Thomson cash grabbing

[kookaburra]

Posted this on another thread and then noticed it as an old one, so sorry if you have read this elsewhere.
My pet (and petty!!!) hate is the way on the coaches (have had this with Esprit & Thomson so far this winter - not before, must be catching on) they offer the extras, but insist on being paid in cash, or if CC then (really!)crazy rate. If cash, they have no change- "will give to you later.." In resort found that things like torchlight descent etc odd amounts required - eg 8 Euros, no change)Also, if you have pre-paid ski passes, they require cash for a deposit on the card that you get back at the end, if you traipse to the ski office to do it, as no-one does on their last afternoon. No-one would notice an extra few euros when they purchase the passes with their holiday six months before - bloody irritating when you're exhausted having got up @ 3am, sitting opn the coach with only big euro notes!
Asking the chalet host about this widespread lack of change, she said "Oh, that's because the ski hosts don't get left tips LIKE US CHALET HOSTS DO, so they make it on the change scam, and taking the passed back to the ski lift office."
Thanks Esprit - sorry my £5k wasn't enough for you to pay your staff a living wage...
(Funnily enough, on one occasion I gave the guy a load of coins and said - "here you are, now you'll have change for others further back" - wonder if they were offered it...?

[MrLSG]

All those things have to be paid for, but there is no reason why you have to pay the tour operator for them (whether in-resort or earlier). If it's not something the TO is arranging themselves (childcare is the biggerst), then all these things are available if you go directly to the ticket office, usually at a better price: I've been overcharged by the TO too many times to believe they offer a good deal to anyone and never even risk it nowadays.