Travel hack: how to avoid single surcharges when traveling solo

There is so much I love about traveling solo. The freedom to wander without set plans, being able to start the day as early or late as I want without having to wait for someone else to get ready, and – the best part – the serendipity of meeting new people that occurs most often when you’re out and about by yourself. The one thing I don’t like about traveling alone? It’s more expensive.

Without someone to split the cost of a room, costs add up quick and it’s even worse if you’re booking a cruise or organized group tour, where you’ll actually be charged a fee for being single, simply because they can’t sell the extra space in your room to someone else. Solo travel can be very rewarding, but nobody said it was easy. Here are a few tips to help you bring down the costs of your next solo trip.

Avoiding the single supplement on group tours and cruises

When you book a space on a group tour, the price typically includes all your meals, rooms and excursions, so you pay per person. However, if you are booking just for yourself and you expect a private room, you will have to pay a supplement which covers the room costs that would have been paid for if you were sharing with a travel companion. If you want to avoid this fee, ask the company if they can match you up with another solo traveler to be your roommate for the experience. Small-group tour companies like G Adventures and Intrepid even offer tours for solo travelers exclusively, which will automatically pair you with a roommate. If you want your own room, you can still pay the fee, which G Adventures describes as “modest,” but the exact cost will vary based on the total cost of the trip.

Cruise fares are also based on double occupancy, so you will be charged a single supplement if you want your own room in most cases. They won’t offer to match you up with a roommate, but many cruise lines now offer solo cabins, designed for one person only, so you don’t have to pay the extra fee. You’re more likely to find these on bigger ships, though, as no river cruise line currently offers staterooms in this size. You can sometimes find special deals and promotions when single supplements will be waived on specific routes and dates.

Hotel booking tips for solo travelers

Hostels were made for solo travelers, but sharing a dorm room with 3 to 12 other travelers doesn’t always fit the trip vibe. If you’re willing to pay a little more for privacy, but not enough to bite the bullet on a double room to yourself, look for hotels that offer private single-bed rooms. They’re becoming more common, and some hostels are even offering them now, which means you can still benefit from the social aspect without having to worry about getting woken up by that one person with the 5am flight. Just bear in mind, a single room in a luxury hotel might cost more than a double room in a cheaper one, so do your due diligence by comparing rates across the board.

Also, without stating the obvious, if you do really want to splurge on a hotel room, you can keep costs down by booking in advance, checking for deals and even contacting the hotel directly to see if there's something they can offer you at a reduced price. It can't hurt and you might be lucky, especially if you're planning to travel out of season.