By Kelli B. Grant
July 25, 2007
ONE ISN'T THE loneliest number when you're on
the road. That's because single travelers often have a constant — and annoying — companion:
so-called single supplement fees.
"You see this great deal, but in the fine print it's 'rate per person,
based on double occupancy,'" gripes Sarah Schlichter, associate editor for The Independent
Traveler. When individuals travel alone, hotels, cruises and tour
operators tack on the single-supplement fees to recoup the profit lost when
they haven't been able to book a second traveler in that double-occupancy
room. At best, single travelers can expect to cough up an extra 25% of the
per-person rate, says Schlichter. Worst-case scenario, you'll pay double —
as if you were traveling with a second person.
However, you don't have to bring someone along with you in order to cut costs
on your next trip. There are ways to reduce or even eliminate
single-supplement fees. Try these tips to make going it alone a more
affordable option...
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Pick the right destination Solo travelers can save more in some countries than in others.
"Price-friendly places for solo travelers are almost always going to be
English-speaking countries with a strong hosteling culture," says Anne Banas,
executive editor for
SmarterTravel.com. That's not to say you need to stay in a hostel — just
that local travel companies are more used to people visiting on their own.
That makes for fewer single-supplement fees and more negotiating leverage on
per-room rates. Banas's top picks: the U.S., United Kingdom, Australia and
New Zealand.
Steer clear of singles tours
If the goal of your trip is alone time, signing up for a tour that caters
to single people or solo travelers is one of the worst things you can do,
says Teresa Rodriguez Williamson, author of "Fly Solo." You'll pay less,
sure, but at the cost of sharing a room with one or more complete strangers.
(Tours often pack as many as four people in a two-bed room.) Keep in mind
that you'll be sharing a bathroom with these folks as well.
Play travel agent
Skirting single supplements is more feasible when you have freedom of
choice, says David Lytle, editorial director for Frommers.com. A little
price comparing on any major travel site can help you find a low rate in
your desired destination. An Expedia search for four-star hotels in Rome in
September, for example, turns up the Colonna Palace Hotel, which has single
rooms for $144 a night, much cheaper than its double room rate of $311.
Shop big-name tour groups
Standard bulk-buying agreements with travel suppliers enable big-name
tour operators to keep single supplements small — if they exist at all, says
Lytle. (For starters, try Gate 1, Contiki and Abercrombie & Kent.) Consider the price difference on a tour of Egypt in October: Egypt-based
tour operator Misr
Travel offers a seven-day package at the per-person rate of $1,749, plus
a $390 single supplement. Meanwhile, Gate 1 Travel has an eight-day tour for
just $1,698, with no additional fees for solo travelers. You'll save 20%,
plus you'll get an extra day.
Book late
Single supplements are the first fee to be waived when hotels, cruises
and tours are scrambling to fill leftover vacancies, says Lytle. Luxury
cruise liner The
Eclipse, has already cut its single-supplement rates on December
Galapagos cruises in half for state rooms. Travelers will pay an additional
$800, instead of $1,600, on the per-person rate of $3,200 for the
seven-night cruise. Ask for discounts
If the rate is per-room rather than per-person, it never hurts to ask for
a solo traveler discount, says Williamson. But don't bother calling major
hotels' toll-free numbers. "Cut out as many of the middle men as possible,"
she advises. A B&B owner or hotel manager is more likely to cut you a break.
To view this content directly on SmartMoney.com, click this link:
http://www.smartmoney.com/dealoftheday/index.cfm?story=20070725
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