Penguins put together an unbelievable package for traveling fans
Where hockey fans go to get gouged.
With the Penguins opening this year’s NHL season in Sweden, the Summit Performance group, a do-it-all travel package company (with a remarkably slow website), has cobbled together an incredible deal for Pens fans. Those that wish to visit their beloved team in Stockholm will receive the following:
- 5-Day/4-Nights accommodations at the Nordic Light Hotel(or similar property) in Stockholm, Sweden
- Upper Level Tickets at the Globe Arena to the Penguins season opening games against the Ottawa Senators on October 4th and 5th with bus transfers
- Welcome Reception at Hotel on the Evening of October 2nd
- ½ day Stockholm City Tour
- Breakfast each day at the hotel
- Attendance at a Penguins Practice
- Commemorative Gift
- Summit Performance Group pre and on-site management; Travel with international event and travel experts.
Doesn’t seem like too bad of a trip, except for the whole “upper level ticket” thing. How much does this go for?
The trip package costs $3,062 per person (single occupancy) or $2,250 per person (double occupancy). These prices include VAT and all other taxes.
Wait, how much? Well I mean I guess it could be worse considering the price of airfare these da…
Package does not include air travel to Stockholm, personal items/incidentals and optional excursions. Air travel to Stockholm can be arranged through Summit Performance Group.
WHAT?
Let me get this straight. For $3,000 (and keeping in mind that right this second $1 US dollar= 6.30 Swedish kronors), you get:
- Four nights in an admittedly four-star hotel (No. 14 of 152 in Stockholm, says TripAdvisor. It costs about $350 a night in early October.): $1,400.
- ONE upper-level seat: $65 a night
- A welcome reception: Priceless?
- A half-day tour: $65
- A Penguins practice: Free if you can find any NHL team’s practice rink stateside, $15 in Sweden
- Some orange juice and corn flakes: Call it $30-50
- A “commemorative gift:” Who knows?
- Traveling with so-called travel experts: Pricless?
Add that all up — without putting a price on the commemorative gift, the welcome reception, and the travel experts — and get a grand total of (drumroll): $1,660!
Only about 100 percent markup.
Plus airfare, which Hotwire says gets as cheap as $877 roundtrip from Pittsburgh to Stockholm with one stopover.
Even allowing for scalping tickets, which eBay has going as high as about $125 per seat in the LOWER level, this is ridiculous.
Book your own trips, guys, or better yet stay home. The view from your house is gonna be pretty good. Unless the “commemorative gift” is $1,400 cash money, Pens fans are getting robbed blind.
August 11th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Your “bad deals” tag should be followed by “cars that break down” and “if you can find a better deal you can kiss my ass”.
August 11th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
The “commemorative gift” is most likely a limited edition snowglobe featuring MA Fleury falling flat on his face whilst stepping onto the ice. GET ‘EM WHILE THEY’RE HOT, PEOPLE!