According to the Travel Industry Association of America, 34.8-million adults have taken a vacation alone in the past three years. Smart travel operators are positioning themselves as "solo-friendly."
Included among their policies is dampening the sting of the single supplement: the surcharge that travel operators add to compensate for what they consider "lost" revenue when one person occupies a hotel room or a ship's cabin designed for double occupancy.
For example, if the package price were $100 per person, based on double occupancy, meaning the tour operator or cruise line expected to get two customers paying that price, the supplement charged to a solo traveler might start at $25 but more likely would be from $40 to $100.
Inherent is the assumption that humans travel in pairs. The single supplement is a "minus one" philosophy that perceives solo travel as a default rather than a choice.
The amount of a supplement depends on group size, trip itinerary and the company's negotiating power.
Large, well-established operators such as Grand Circle Travel, which caters to seniors, have the clout to offer a limited number of single rooms on many of their tours. Solo travel clubs and networks have ferreted out hundreds of solo-friendly companies.
In July, Cruise Lines International Association conducted a survey of its members' single supplement policies. Of the 20 operators that responded, eight offered single-occupancy cabins at no additional charge, 10 offered shared-room programs, and all charged single supplements, which ranged from 25 to 200 percent of the double occupancy rate.
According to the survey, lines such as Silversea, Norwegian Coastal Voyage, Royal Olympia, Radisson Seven Seas and Fred. Olsen Cruises have standardized more solo-friendly policies. These lines either have eliminated single supplements on certain ships, itineraries and stateroom categories, or reduced the supplement amount.
This year, INTRAV, a St. Louis tour company that operates the deluxe Clipper Cruise Line, waived its supplements on its European river cruises. Depending on the ship and the itinerary, the supplements typically started at 170 percent for an 11- or 16-day all-inclusive tour.
Now solo travelers can choose any cabin category at a single-occupancy rate.
"We wanted to extend (the cruises) to as many people as possible," said Doug Bolnick, public relations manager for INTRAV. "Since travel has been impacted to Europe, we wanted to see what the response would be. Now, some of our ships are going out (closer to) capacity."
INTRAV will not decide until after the end of its river cruise season, in early November, whether it will continue to waive the supplement.
When single rooms are not available, or if smaller group sizes limit the tour operator's negotiating power, solo-friendly companies offer a variety of room-sharing policies.
Before travelers plunk down money to reserve space on their next adventure, they should ask tour operators these questions to understand the full cost of their trip:
Do you have single rooms?
Some companies offer a limited number of single rooms, perhaps as few as four per trip, at no additional charge. Some companies have single hotel rooms or ship cabins available but don't advertise it.
Do you have a room-sharing program?
Many operators will pair you with a same-gender roommate at your request and will not assess the single supplement. To be eligible, a traveler may have to book the trip 60 to 100 days in advance of departure. Ask what happens if the company cannot find you a roommate or if the appointed roomie cancels. Some operators will let you have the room with no supplement; others will charge at least a portion of it.
What is your single supplement?
This will vary based on destination, type of accommodations and the number of travelers in the group. A general rule: The smaller the group and the more exotic the destination and lodgings, the higher the single supplement.
I've paid my share of single supplements over the years but never more than $250 per trip. When I booked an eight-day hiking tour of the Grand Canyon with the Boulder company the World Outdoors, I took advantage of its room-share program because the supplement of $355 exceeded my limit. I decided that for one week, I could handle whatever personality the universe tossed my way. In the assigned-roommate department, I have yet to draw the short straw.
Solo travelers who won't abide the supplement or don't want to risk a questionable roomie can avail themselves of a third option: traveling on their own.
For travelers who want to be independent but don't want to deal with the day-to-day details, some companies will arrange independent solo itineraries for which supplements may be levied. Chief among the advantages of traveling solo within a group is the pleasure of simply showing up. Group travel offers a turnkey vacation package that includes having someone else worry about managing the details of itinerary, transportation, meals and lodging.
The question that underlies the single supplement dilemma for each traveler is: How much is the particular group and/or package worth to me?
Here are details about the supplements of some companies:
The World Outdoors. Off-the-beaten-path adventures for groups of no more than 13. Fifty percent of the travelers are solos. Supplement range: $170 to $695 on trips costing $1,595 to $2,695. Room-shares available. Toll-free 1-800-488-8483; www.theworldoutdoors.com
Classic Journeys. Cultural walking adventures for small groups. More than a third of the customers are solo. Supplement range: $285 to $750, depending on itineraries costing $2,565 to $2,995. Room-shares available. Toll-free 1-800-200-3887; www.classicjourneys.com
Grand Circle Travel. Worldwide operator that caters to travelers 50 and older. Offers large-group bus tours and a limited number of single rooms on some trips. Supplement range: $295 to $925 on trips costing $1,395 to $1,995. Room-shares available. Toll-free 1-800-955-1034; www.gct.com
Overseas Adventure Travel. Sister organization to Grand Circle Travel. Specializes in physically active, international tours for groups of 10 to 16. Supplement range: $250 to $1,840 on trips costing $1,490 to $3,790. Room-shares available. Toll-free 1-800-955-1925; www.oattravel.com
INTRAV/Clipper Cruise Line. Deluxe, all-inclusive, 16-day European tours. Supplement: none through November. Cruises cost $1,495 to $4,995. Toll-free 1-800-456-8100; www.intrav.com
Clubs and networks supporting solo travel include:
Connecting: Solo Travel Network. Members communicate through a bimonthly newsletter. Offers reader recommendations for solo-friendly homestays, bed and breakfasts, and hotels. Toll-free 1-800-557-1757; www.cstn.org
O Solo Mio. Organizes solo-traveler group tours. Supplement waived through room-sharing. Toll-free 1-800-959-8568; www.osolomio.com
Singles Travel International. Organizes cruises and tours for solo travelers only. Guaranteed roommate if clients pay in full by a set date; if a roommate is not found, the company will waive the supplement. Toll-free 1-877-765-6874; www.singlestravelintl.com
A comprehensive resource site for independent traveling is at www.BootsnAll.com call 503 528-1005.
- Gina Greenlee is a writer living in Hartford, Conn.
