Comments on: Solo suckers? 4 ways the travel industry discriminates against singles

By: Ernest

Ernest — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:38:41 +0000

The roommate matching service offered by travel groups may be good for some people but there are those of us that value our privacy. Letting a stranger into your room is always a bad idea. You may be lucky a number of times but eventually, something usually goes wrong. As a shared room occupant, you can be held liable for damages that you did not do and missing items from the room. Some hotels do count towels.

For those who live alone by choice and travel single by choice, the stranger in my room at night is not an acceptable option. 30+ years in law enforcement may have jaded my view but I consider an unknown roomate the same hazzard as flashing cash in a bar or letting children get into a car with a stranger.

Think about it from a security point of view. I don’t know you. Being able to afford a trip does not mean you are honest. It does not mean you have good judgement. If I don’t know you well enough to give you money or loan you my car, I certainly am not going to sleep with you there. When some one is sleeping, they are completely defensless.

If you snore and I can not go to sleep, will you refund my money? I don’t think so.

By: Carly

Carly — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 05:56:34 +0000

I love traveling alone! This year I’ve been all over Mexico and down to Honduras solo. Recently, I was in Sayulita, Mexico alone and had TWO people ask me if I’d been left at the altar! I don’t think I looked that miserable… I guess they just didn’t understand a girl going to the beach alone. A few days later I had a hotel employee in Guadalajara inform me TWO times that I could not bring “a male friend back to the bed”. Thanks for the advice. I kind of accept the financial side of traveling alone, but I’m more sick of the perception that I’m either some kind of desperate fool who was left at the altar, or a desperate slut who needs constant reminder not to bring strange men back to my room. In Egypt I was harassed constantly by the staff at my resort (for example, they called my room at 1:00 am and tried to engage in phone sex, and they shoved breadsticks down their pants in the hotel restaurant, then asked me what I thought of the size). I know I would have been treated a lot better if I’d been with friends, family or a partner. I’m a teacher who works with kids all day and comes home to live with roommates. I just want a nice, quiet holiday to myself… please let me be!

By: Joe Farrell

Joe Farrell — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:44:40 +0000

Well – I CAN understand the supplement – prices for tours are determined based on a certain amount of revenue from each room and are priced accordingly. However, I have NEVER seen a single supp of more than 50% of the price of the room/cabin – guess I have not looked in a decade or two.

Handle it this way- make a reservation for TWO using a fake name, Pay the deposits. On the LAST day you can get a free refund, call the company directly and state: “My companion is unable to go due to a job requirement. What can you do for me – if they say nothing – then cancel. Otherwise – NEGOTIATE – HARD.

In this economy where cruise and tour companies are seeing bookings evaporate right and left, many will be more than happy to work something out with you.

Otherwise – do a last minute tour – and call and negotiate.

By: Carolyn I.

Carolyn I. — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:08:17 +0000

I’m taking a GAP Adventure tour this December by myself, and I am happy to say that they do NOT charge a single supplement for MOST of their tours. Mind you, you do end up sharing with another single person, most often the same sex, so you do not have a room by yourself. But there is an odd number on the trip, you can end up with your own room.

Actually, looking above, this company is basically the same type as Intrepid, they both offer similar trips.

By: John F

John F — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:36:51 +0000

A similar prejudice is against single parents traveling with children.
Take a resort and the kid pays full boat as the second adult even though they are not able to partake in all of the amenities.

We work with resorts that will work with us and are trying to eliminate the discrepancy!

By: boldlygosolo

boldlygosolo — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 01:14:47 +0000

I LOVE Joe’s idea! Otherwise, there’s no way I’d travel with a company that charges me more for being solo.
As for Stacy’s comment, many more companies than the one she found offer to pair people up. Most active adventure companies do so, it seems, particularly those that offer trips specifically for solo travelers.
I’ve heard the range in cruise companies, from waiving the supplement on certain sailings to charging solo travelers 200 percent what is charged per person double occupancy. I’d say, be willing to shop around.
Then there are the resorts that actually cater to solo travelers, such as the BodyHoliday at LeSport on St. Lucia which built 29 rooms specifically for solo travelers. They cater to a British clientele, at least that’s who’s shown up so far, and it seems the Brits are less willing to share a room with a stranger.
When it comes to solo travel, something’s got to give, I hope. More solo travelers are spending money on trips than ever before. Shouldn’t the industry wise up if it wants to capture their cash?

By: Joe Farrell

Joe Farrell — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:07:29 +0000

If you get a single supplement which is more than twice the price of the double accommodations – make UP a fictitious traveler and pay for them as well. you save money – when the time comes to check in – say they’ll be along later.

All is well. Take 2 keys.

By: Ingrediants for a Traditional Scottish Hotel

Ingrediants for a Traditional Scottish Hotel — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:00:08 +0000

[...] Solo suckers? 4 ways the travel industry discriminates against singles [...]

By: Stacy

Stacy — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:51:14 +0000

I am an avid solo traveler. I can never find friends or family to go to some far off place with me. Luckily, I found two tour companies that don’t charge a single supplement– I just have to share a room with a person of the same sex (you don’t speend a lot of time in your rooms anyway). It’s a great way to meet fun people from around the world who are out to have a good time and not fuss over hotel amenities. I highly recommend it!

The two companies are: Imaginative Traveller and Intrepid Travel.

Imaginative has a range of tour styles including “family” tours and a higher Connoisseur-style (which does charge a single supplement but not double the price!).

Can you tell I’m a fan??