If you're travelling solo, you've probably noticed the single supplement. Here's what it is, why it exists, and what we do about it.
What a single supplement is
A single supplement isn't a surcharge added by a tour operator or travel agency. It comes from how the whole travel industry prices trips. Almost every tour, whether it's by coach, cruise or rail, is priced per person based on two people sharing a room (double occupancy).
Accommodation is often a third to a half of the total trip price, sometimes more. Hotels and cruise lines charge by the room, so the room costs the same whether one person or two stay in it.
Here's an example. If the room for a trip costs $4,000 in total, each of two sharing pays $2,000 toward it. A solo traveller pays for the whole room, which means an extra $2,000. That extra amount is the single supplement: the cost of the second person not being there.
We know that can feel unfair. It's the reality of the industry, a bit like airfares, where the price can change from day to day and there's not much anyone can do about it.
How we keep single supplements as low as we can
We look for destinations that price by person. In much of Europe, many hotels charge per person rather than per room. They often have dedicated single rooms with one bed and a special single rate. For example, a hotel might charge €100 per person for a double room and €120 for a single, so the extra cost is only about 20% of the accommodation instead of 100%. We're always looking for places with preferred single rates, so we can offer trips with a much lower single supplement than you'd find on cruise ships or many conventional programs.
We look for properties that welcome solo travellers. We're constantly on the lookout, all over the world, for special trips and properties for single travellers, and we'll keep building more of them.
Sharing a room
The other way to avoid the single supplement is to share a room with another traveller. Some members love travelling alone and having their own space. Others are keen to meet a travel companion, get to know them, and travel together to save the supplement. We have plenty of both, and we're developing trips to suit both.
If you'd like to share, our Companions for the Road program can match you with another member. See How Companions Work.