When You're Singled Out: The Cost of Solo Travel

If you travel without a significant other — as a solo traveler or single parent/grandparent — chances are you'll be paying for that adult companion who isn't along with you for the trip. Tours, cruises and some all-inclusive resorts typically tack on a significant supplement fee if you don't have a plus-one and that surcharge can even be as much as 100% of the rate. 

The reason? The business model is that hotel guest rooms and cruise ship staterooms are built under the assumption that at least two adults will occupy them, so the supplement fee is to compensate for losses incurred. Some tour operators, too, often base their prices on double occupancy.

But as solo travel has gained in popularity, policies continue to evolve; single supplement fees for solo travelers are being waived more often. But while that's good news, supplement fees for solo travelers are still the norm throughout the travel industry.

Here's a look at some of the companies that waive the fees and tackle the subject with creative solutions.

"Solo travel is definitely on the rise amongst my clients, who are typically 50-plus," says Christina Schlegel, owner of Bluetail Travel in Arlington, Virgina. "Women in general are traveling more as solo travelers nowadays, especially senior women."

"One really needs to keep an eye out, though, as there are some really wonderful reduced or waived single supplements, even for non-solo-designated staterooms," says Schlegel. "Oceania, Silversea, Explora, Crystal are all cruise lines in the upper premium and luxury segment that have some great solo rates on selected sailings."

Typically, solo travelers are still expected to pay the 100% supplement fee. "Oftentimes, yes," says Schlegel. "Though of course the port charges and taxes are not doubled, so it's not quite at 100%. If you are paying a full 100% supplement, you may also receive double amenities," she adds.

"For example, I had a client that recently booked an Alaska ocean cruise as a solo traveler, and she received double the per-person complimentary onboard credit that was part of the included amenities. It pays to do the math on solo traveler specials, even comparing them to other promotions that are not designated as solo specials. You need to take in the whole picture (free air? higher onboard credit? lower base fare?) to see where the best value lies."

Riverside's fleet of three ships sail in Europe. The 162-passenger Riverside Mozart sails the Danube River through Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Germany and Serbia. The 110-guest Riverside Debussy sails the Rhine and Moselle Rivers in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Austria and Slovakia, and sister ship Riverside Ravel sails the Rhone and Saône rivers in the south of France.

Credit: Riverside Luxury Cruises

Riverside is waiving single supplements on all cruises in Melody Suites (Rhine Class ships) and Harmony Suites (Mozart) based on availability (varies by sailing) for 2025 and 2026. These cabins are double occupancy, as are all cabins on the ship. And a solo traveler can book any category of cabin they like, but they will get the waived single supplement if booking Melody or Harmony suites, says Jennifer Halboth, CEO Riverside Collection Americas.

Your chances of securing a waived single supplement are higher the earlier you book. "If a solo guest books a cabin category that isn't applicable for the single supplement waiver, or the waiver isn't available, the guest pays for one person plus a supplement equal to about 50-75% of that cost," says Halboth.

The allotment of no supplement fee cabins varies on each sailing, says Halboth. "This varies based on capacity and season. We encourage solo guests to book early for the widest variety of options."

Solos is a tour operator that crafts tours exclusively for solo travelers. It has been operating in the UK for 40-plus years and just expanded to the U.S. in January. Solos has never charged a single supplement fee and each trip is built exclusively for the independent traveler, offering the balance of 'me time' and small group connections.

"The demand from U.S. solo travelers was impossible to ignore," says Kendra Guild, VP of North America at Solos. "Since the pandemic, we've seen a significant surge in people, particularly those over 50, seeking opportunities to travel again, reconnect with themselves and explore the world."

"Too often, solo travelers are hit with single supplements — something our guests have referred to as a 'punishment' — or find themselves forced to share a room with a stranger," says Guild. Travelers also find themselves squeezed into limited solo spots on tours designed primarily for traditional group travel.

Some companies will waive the supplement fee if the traveler is willing to share a room with another traveler who is also traveling solo.

"We aim to make group travel as accessible and rewarding as possible for solo adventurers by offering affordable options without compromising on the experience," says Leigh Barnes, president of the Americas, Intrepid Travel. "While we don't waive single supplements, our trips are organized on a twin-share basis where we pair solo travelers with someone of the same gender, based on their passport. If you'd like your own space, the majority of our trips have the option to pay for an individual room with a single supplement."

"The issue stems really from the extra cost we pay for accommodations for a solo traveler," says Stephanie Vidergar, marketing manager, Zephyr Adventures, a tour operator specializing in active travel.

"We have not figured out a perfect system that does not simply roll the cost into the total trip price paid by everyone, which isn't ideal either," she says. "So, while we don't waive the fees across the board, we have a few efforts we try to implement. In general, we always offer to pair other travelers with someone of the same gender to avoid the supplement."

Vidergar notes that every year the company works toward offering at least one tour where they can negotiate the fees they pay or find lodging that helps avoid the supplement all altogether (but allows people to have their own room). And/or if a tour meets a minimum number of travelers and it can accommodate, they'll offer the remaining spots to solo travelers with no supplement required.

Navigating the solo travel supplement fee world can be choppy. "It is helpful to find a travel advisor who has experience in booking and supporting solo travelers," says Schlegel. "I receive the solo traveler sailing lists from my business contacts at the various cruise lines, which saves the would-be cruise traveler a lot of time in researching."

There is also a bit of art to finding the best value in a solo fare, she says. "For example, this week I booked a first-time solo traveler on a cruise that was advertising a 'solo traveler' special. However, the same sailing also had other promotions on offer, so I tried out different promotion codes and found that it was actually a better overall value to go with a non-solo traveler promotion, as the resulting combination of the fare and perks (in this case, several hundred dollars in onboard credit) made for a better value."

Laurie Bain Wilson's work has appeared in Real Simple, Working Mother, OpenTable, Travel Channel, CNNTravel, Eat This, Chowhound, Parents, Salon, Wine Enthusiast, VinePair, New York Times and longtime correspondent at The Boston Globe. https://muckrack.com/laurieheather Read More