Independent Lapland v Canterbury Travel

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Looking at taking DCs to Lapland next December (2024). They’d be 8, 7 and 5 so feels like the best timing for them all to be at the right age.

We’ve done quite a bit of research and thought we’d settled on a 3 night trip with Canterbury Travel but I’m now doubting myself. It’s going to cost close to £10k for a family of 5 and whilst I’m prepared to pay that, it would stretch us and be a once in a lifetime trip and I’ve started wondering if we could actually get something better for our money by going independently. We’re not necessarily looking to reduce the cost, just want to feel like our trip is worth that amount.

Main concerns are being herded about/rushed, whether or not it’ll feel authentic or just tacky plus the quality of accommodation and quality of food for such a huge sum of money.

Any views on Canterbury v independent would be much appreciated before we commit all of our savings!

Recommend taking a look at the Facebook groups about Lapland like Lapland on a Budget. There are many, many threads about the benefits of package Vs DIY. It depends what kind of traveller you are. It feels like 3 days isn't enough for that much money and a trip of a lifetime. Try and build in time just for messing about in the snow because that's often the best bit! We did DIY but went via Sweden and got trains up north. Then travelled across to Finland. There are many different ways to do it! Swedish Lapland is less touristy. Rovaniemi is very commercial. There are some places further north in Finland which are less commercial. People usually recommend Northern Lights Village and Apukka resort as slightly more genuine experiences.

For context, I don't have kids, but I've done a lot of independent travel in the Lapland area, I spend a lot of time in and around Scandinavia.
What are your "must do/see" things for the trip, what's the most important aim? And then what are the "would also be great to have/do/see"?

We did Canterbury over Christmas (albeit many many years ago) - it was excellent, very authentic and well away from the touristy bits. We ‘found’ Santa on Christmas morning and he greeted my DD by name and said’ how you’ve grown!’ It made me believe again.

Thanks all. I’ve spent the weekend tying myself in knots over this. For us it’s all about the kids and the magic for them but we’re keen to experience huskies and reindeers as proper experiences and not just a rushed taster which is why, out of all the packages, I liked the look of Canterbury. I also like the look of their log cabins in Luosto which seems like it’d feel more authentic than Rovaniemi or any of the hotels offered.

I guess the price just shocked me a bit but I suppose we’d be paying for the convenience of direct flights, having everything organised for us and having ATOL protection.

This is great to hear. I joined several Facebook groups at the weekend and reviews of Canterbury do seem to be overwhelmingly positive

The food was pretty average in general- particularly when out and about at lunchtime. Think stringy reindeer stews ( but in a teepee near a frozen lake around a log fire). We were very lucky in that our in-laws took us, so difficult to be objective about the cost/benefit balance. Having said that, we hope if we have DGC we can afford to do the same for them.

We did Canterbury (stayed in a cabin in Luosto) over Xmas a few years ago and it was amazing.
It is well away from the tourist areas and whenever you are out and about you only see and mix with the people on your coach. They had about 10 coaches on our trip and all of them did different activities at different times so it never felt touristy and we never had to wait for anything.
The elves stay in character 100% of the time even when no children are around, you get to do full activities (as opposed to a company like Tui who offer you a taster session then you pay extra if you want to do longer).
The while operation is slick - from a dedicated check-in at the airport, to the children’s letters to Father Xmas appearing at the post office to Father Xmas giving them a present that is on their Xmas list to having sledges available at your cabin so you can pull the kids on a sledge to breakfast and dinner each day instead of them walking.
It is a lot of money but it was a once in a lifetime trip for us and it was worth every penny.

we went to Ruka with Crystal ski and organised the trips via the local tourist office. Santa was AMAZING.

A whole week of fun and a fraction of the price of canterbury travel.

No brainer for me

we stayed in Ruka village and kids had ski lessons.

If you search Ruka there are a few threads I and others have contributed to.

Thanks. I think I’m 99% sold on Canterbury. From what you and others have said, it’s a full experience from start to finish rather than a trip with activities. Going to book this evening before I talk myself round in more circles

Hi

did you book it? We’re going with Canterbury this Monday to Ruka and getting exited, just discovered Santa village though and would be lying if I didn’t say I’m a bit gutted we didn’t book there

I did Lapland independently several years back, and it was fine for our family group. Came to just under €1k all in for the 3 of us, for 4 nights (Helsinki/train/Rovaniemi/train). We flew into Helsinki, had a day/night there and then got the sleeper to Rovaniemi. Taxi straight to Santa Village (dumping bags at our hotel en route) and spent day there and at Snow World. We did reindeer ride through the forest, had the salmon at Santa’s Place, ate reindeer etc.

Spent a second day there, and then sleeper back to Helsinki (great city, btw).

The trip was budget, but ticked all our boxes and we enjoyed our time in Helsinki. We ate very well. Rovaniemi is commercial, but our family group of kids were slightly older, and so it was less about Santa and more about the whole winter/Christmas experience. The Santa at the Santa Village was excellent, and the official Post Office was great.

The Canterbury experience is clearly on another level, though.

Hi.

We went in 2015 when our Daughter was 7, it was fabulous and although she's now a teenager there's a part of her because of the trip that's left her still a kind of believer !

Anyway ours was a package and in a way it was a pain because the days were all full of activities and sometimes we just wanted to wander about. One day we came back and crashed in our room but there was an evening meal for the group, somebody actually came and knocked on our door to ask us why we weren't going and tried to talk us into it.

Some activities weren't really us like games as a group involving running and catching type stuff that we really couldn't be bothered with.

It was fabulous though but I'd rather make my own schedule if I went again.

Ruka is amazing! We had the most brilliant trip there. If the same chap is Santa, the day was magical, he was fantastic #stillbelieve

Thanks for the replies, we paid £6k for 2 nights stay, it does include a lot though and itinerary does seem hectic, there’s nothing we can do now about changing it so just going to enjoy it and wait and see, litreally only just packing 😂🙈

We decided to book 4 nights with Canterbury staying in a log cabin in Luosto. It’s costing an arm and a leg but we decided it was worth it to have everything included and arranged for us. Plus everyone raves about Canterbury and apparently it’s one of the only packages where you get full length activities. I believe you do spend 90mins at the Santa Claus village on the way back to the airport but everyone seems to say that it feels quite tacky after 3 days of really authentic, more remote experiences (I’m sure it’s great if you’ve got nothing to compare to). Good for a few photos and souvenir shopping though. Just one whole year to wait now 😂

Ooohhh I thought you were going this year, we defiantly don’t get to go to Santa Claus village, rukas a few hours away and a different airport :( and we’re only going 2 days, il drop another message when we get back 👍🏼

We did Canterbury travel for 4 day trip to Luosto in 2018. It was fabulous, kids loved it and still want to go back, despite oldest being 11. Cabins are lovely, meals pretty average. activities like dog sledding were long enough when it's below freezing and your out in the open. They get you to take their Santa Christmas letters to Luosto with you, so Santa has their handwritten letters in his hands when the kids meet him, which is fab for kids with wavering beliefs. Lots of group singing on the bus to the Canterbury travel song "we're off in search of Santa" between activities. It does cost a fortune, but no regrets on spending the cash.

We did Canterbury Travel last year in Phya for 3 nights. It was absolutely fantastic. The activities were excellent, you will never regret spending the money with Canterbury.

We did Canterbury to Luosto a few years ago and it was amazing. You won't regret spending the money at all.

Hi,
I’ve been doing lots of research into Lapland these last few days and am really torn whether to book with Canterbury or Santa’s Lapland. Both have good reviews but Santa’s Lapland, which provides package hols to Saariselka, is a shorter transfer and seems to be more reasonably priced.
I’m also torn as to whether 2 nights would be sufficient or whether 3 nights would be best? If we go with 2 nights then it would likely be more doable to go in 2024 when my eldest will be almost 10 and my youngest 6.5, but I’m wondering whether 2 nights would be enough given that the first day is spent getting to the airport - this is where Santa’s Lapland has a big positive as flights are earlier and transfers to Saariselka are only 25 mins as opposed to the 90 mins to Lusoto with Canterbury travel.
Also, if we waited until 2025, would that be too late as my eldest would be in Y6 then and almost 11 and I worry it she may have stopped ‘believing’ in another few years. Of course I’m sure she’d still enjoy the trip but given the amount of money spent it would be nice if we could go whilst she still believed! Any thoughts greatly appreciated 🙂

I should add that we don’t want to be too tied in to a schedule, at least not for the full duration of the trip. For those who have travelled with Canterbury, can anyone advise how much free time is offered for families to do their own thing?
Ideally what we’d like to get out of the trip would be an authentic and magical visit to Santa, experience of a huskie/ reindeer ride and some free time for fun in the snow!
Thanks, and Merry Christmas!

We did a week independently in january 2020. €1400 for 4 of us, including flights, accommodation and car hire. It was absolutely epic and we'd all do it again in a heartbeat. It's a great time to go, it's not crowded, there's more snow than December and Santa is in residence all year.

Hi

we just got back in the 20th, we went with Canterbury to Ruka, we really enjoyed it but found the 2 night sparkle hard going and very regimented, I didn’t know about Santa Claus village until after we booked it and would of booked there instead, we wanted this to be a one off before one our children stopped believing but I am still a bit gutted we didn’t book there.

This was our first snow holiday and we have learnt we are 100% going to do something similar again but more independent and defiantly more time!

I don’t know what the Santa’s Claus package offers but I’m sure it will be alongside the same lines as Canterbury, Santa village just looks more magical to me, like santas home.

If you want everything done for you though I would recommend Canterbury, it was alot of money but the memories will stay with the kids forever and fair play they do mage it special for them, my son cried on the way home because he missed the elves.

sorry iv not been much help xx

Another vital thing to add though is our Santa ruined it for us, the elf took about 8 photos and he didn’t smile in one! The main reason you take them, was nothing jolly about him and this really tainted our trip, seen much jollier Santa’s in a shopping centre!