Say No to Solo Fees

Avoid outrageous fees for single travelers.

by: Peter Greenberg | from: AARP The Magazine | Nov./Dec. 2010 issue

Travel expert Peter Greenberg — Photo by Art Streiber

If you've traveled alone or as a single person in a group, you've probably fallen victim to the dreaded single-supplement fee. Almost all ground-tour accommodations and cruise cabins are built for two. So when travelers go solo, they often get socked with an additional fee to make up for lost revenue. If a cabin costs $200 a night for two people, solo travelers — even though they use half the towels and eat half the food — still pay full price. Can you avoid solo-traveler discrimination? Your options are limited, but here are three smart moves.

1. Shop for a single

Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ship, the Norwegian Epic, features an industry first: 128 lower-priced studio rooms for solo cruisers, plus a private two-story lounge reserved for studio guests so they can relax and mingle. This could be a cruise-industry game changer: Shortly before the Epic's maiden voyage in June, the P&O Cruises ship Azura launched with 18 dedicated single-passenger cabins priced at 70 percent of the cost of a double. For land tours, Gutsy Women Travel — which obviously caters to female travelers — is one company that offers low single-supplement fees.

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2. Ask for a break

Instead of requiring the nearly standard 200 percent single-supplement fee, Princess and Holland America cruise lines sometimes drop fees to about 150 percent. Booking early is often helpful. Also, smaller luxury lines occasionally waive or reduce fees on sailings if they expect unsold cabins. Check around: Paul Gauguin Cruises recently waived single-supplement fees on South Pacific cruises. It never hurts to inquire.

3. Get a roomie

"Guaranteed Share Options" are popping up among lots of land-tour companies: They'll attempt to pair you with a same-sex partner, and if they can't, they'll waive the fee. Try Intrepid Travel, Mayflower Tours, Backroads, and O Solo Mio Tours.

On some cruises Holland America books singles at half price with the caveat that the company may put another same-sex single in your cabin. If they don't have a match for you by sail date, you get the cabin to yourself at a 50 percent discount.