As great as it can be to travel solo, it can also be expensive. One of those expensive costs is what’s known as the “single supplement.”
This fee is often tacked onto tours and cruises where you’re taking up space for two but as one person. It’s annoying, but thankfully there are ways to avoid the single supplement — or at least reduce what you have to pay.
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- Single supplements might be charged on tours or cruises when the package includes overnight accommodations or where the operator expects couples or groups.
- Some cruise lines and tours don’t charge single supplements, so focus on those companies to avoid paying extra.
- Ways to avoid the single supplement include asking for a waiver, finding a roommate, or using a travel agency to book your trip.
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What Is the Single Supplement?
Despite the massive popularity of solo travel, the default expectation is still that you’ll be with at least one other person.
As a result, many tours and cruises, especially those that offer overnight accommodation in a package, will invoice on an individual basis but assume that two people are coming.
For example, you might book a cruise that advertises a trip for $1,000. But the $1,000 usually refers to the per-person cost for double occupancy. The cruise company expects to receive $2,000 total for the room. If you’re booking alone, the cruise company will likely charge you for two people even though you’re traveling solo.
In some cases, the single supplement isn’t exactly the same as paying for double occupancy. Some companies might charge a 50% single supplement. So, instead of paying $2,000 total, you’d pay a single supplement of $500, totaling $1,500.
It’s still more than you’d pay if they just counted you as one person, but it’s not as much as paying double.
Not all companies allow single travelers
It’s worth noting that some companies don’t allow for single travelers at all. You might go to book a tour and find that the minimum number of tickets to purchase is two, or that you can’t purchase an odd number of tickets.
This can happen on day tours as well as overnight tours. Read the fine print to determine the policies for solo travelers to avoid unpleasant surprises when you try to buy.
READ MORE: How To Travel for Free (or Close to It!)
How To Avoid Single Supplement Charges
The good news is that you might be able to avoid the single supplement if you plan ahead. Here are some things you can do:
Look for solo-centric experiences
Some cruises and tours don’t charge a single supplement. For example, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, and Virgin Voyages offer cruises that don’t come with an extra charge.
You can also look for tours designed for solo travelers. G Adventures specializes in solo travel, including catering to solo women. You can also use a site like Tour Radar to find tours that focus on solo travelers and won’t charge you extra.
Find a roommate
See if you have a friend or family member who wants to come along. If not, some travel communities can connect you to other single travelers also looking to avoid extra costs.
Depending on the company, you might be assigned a roommate of the same gender if you’re traveling solo. (Different companies have different criteria for pairing based on gender identity, so if you’re trans or non-binary, you may want to factor that into the company you choose.)
Read the fine print to see what happens if they can’t assign you a roommate. In some cases, you just get the room on your own at no extra charge. But in other cases, your trip might be canceled if you can’t be paired up for sleeping accommodations.
Ask to waive the single supplement
Call the cruise line or tour company to see if they will waive the charge.
If they haven’t sold out, and they’re not sure they will, they might be willing to waive the cost of the supplement to get some money in their pockets.
The worst that can happen is they say no, and then you decide whether to go ahead with the trip or look for something else that doesn’t charge the single supplement.
Book last minute
If you have some flexibility, booking last minute can be a great way to get the single supplement waived.
Check for tours and cruises close to the departure date and then see if you can book. This works best if you aren’t picky about where you go.
Contact a travel agency
If you’re having trouble avoiding the single supplement on your own, consider working with a travel agency.
In some cases, a travel agent will have contacts and access to special deals and information. They might also be working with other single travelers and can potentially pair you up.
This can be more convenient and solve your issue faster than calling around to several companies.
FAQs
What is the single supplement for cruises?
This is an extra charge that a cruise might require of solo travelers. Because many cruises assume double occupancy, they charge per person for a single room.
If you don’t have a roommate, you might have to pay up to two fares to get a room on a cruise ship.
How do you calculate the single supplement?
Some companies charge 100%, while others might charge 50%, or some other percentage. Multiply the cost for one person by the percentage to get the amount of the single supplement.
For example, if a company charges 50%, you’d multiply the one-person cost by 0.50 to find out the amount of the single supplement.
Where should a single woman travel alone?
Where to travel alone as a single woman depends on your comfort level and how safe you might feel.
Some countries that are considered top destinations for solo women travelers include Iceland, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Japan, and Australia.
You can also consider booking full-service tours and cruises if you’re nervous about being on your own as a single woman traveler.
TL;DR: Avoiding the Single Supplement
It’s an annoying reality of solo travel that you sometimes have to pay extra, since so many tours and cruises assume a two-person occupancy. But not all companies charge it, so shop around.
If you do go with an operator that charges it, you may be able to have the fee waived or reduced by opting for a roommate, calling up the company and negotiating, or working through a travel agent.
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Miranda Marquit, MBA, has been writing about money since 2006. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets, including FOX Business, Forbes, CNBC, MSN Money, and Britannica Money. Miranda is also the co-host of two financial podcasts, Money Talks News and It Doesn't Make Cents. She lives in Idaho where she enjoys the outdoors, board games, reading, and travel.