Single Travelers Can Find a Break -- But It's Not Easy

If you prefer to travel alone, you're not alone. A study by the Travel Association of America found that 15.9 million one-member households took trips last year -- that's 22 percent of all travelers.

And while you may not have noticed the millions of other single adventurers traipsing the globe, you've most likely encountered the nemesis of all single travelers -- the single supplement. If you're not aware, the single supplement is a fee the unencumbered pay to cover the unoccupied half of their accommodations. Sometimes that fee can be an additional 200 percent!

Yet while the playing field is still far from even, single travelers have reason to be encouraged. Here and there, the travel industry has taken note of the increase in demand for solo travel and the penalties for traveling alone have been eliminated on enough cruise ships and packaged tours that the opportunities for solo travel are better than ever before.

Here are some ways to minimize the single supplement, or get around the extra cost of traveling alone entirely:

1. Take advantage of "matching programs." Cruise line Holland America, for one, will do its best to hook you up with a compatible cabin mate. If none can be found, you get the double-occupancy cabin at half price.

2. Cruise during off-peak season. During the winter months, many ships go out less than full. In an effort to book passengers, cruise lines offer solo travelers their pick of cabins and suites.

3. Join a singles travel club. There's power in numbers, and singles tour packagers can often leverage no-supplement rates from hotels and cruise lines.

4. Plan your trip with a travel agent familiar with the obstacles faced by single travelers.

5. Work with a tour packager with sufficient clout to find you the best available deals.
Reviewed July 2008