Anyone travel alone?
 

I hope I put this in the right place. I like to travel. I had a travel partner for many years but in the past few years her health has gotten worse and she couldn't travel. She died July 13th of this year and I will miss her dearly. Like I said, I love to travel. But, there is that extra charge that I have to pay to travel alone. I am traveling to Nova Scotia in another week and I had to pay $750 extra because I am traveling alone. My question is, is there someone out there that likes to travel but also has to travel alone? I would be more than happy to communicate with anyone/someone and see if we might be interested in traveling together. I am in upstate New York and my friend that I traveled with lived in Oregon, which (I guess) means that location shouldn't be a problem. Let me know. Marilyn

Hope you find a travel buddy! Would love to travel but have other commitments at the moment.

There is a website vacations.com that has information on singles rates for cruises as well a other trave.

hi marilyn, i too enjoy traveling and would like to have someone to share with. i live in southeast ga. i am interested in traveling. am

Best wishes on finding a travel partner from me. My older sister who was intelligent enough to divorce her mean, cheating husband about 10 years ago, retired and was traveling with a friend from her church women's group. Unfortunately her travel mate is suffering from some problems and not longer travels. My sister stuck with the hunt and found another retired teacher to travel with which is wonderful for both her and her new friend.

Good luck. Terrible that you're penalized just because you travel alone :(

I hope you find the right person! My travel partner was diagnosed with ALS in December 2011. Up until the ALS took her mobility, we would jump into the car and go at the drop of the hat. I miss that - as she does - she was always ready to go! I haven't found anyone else to travel with yet - somehow it seems disloyal. I don't know how long it will take me to feel differently.

As someone who was widowed 15 months ago and loves to travel - the surcharge is ridiculous. Check out Grand Circle Tours - if booked far enough in advance, they don't add a surcharge. They allow up to 4 "single" rooms on the trip - but you have to book at least a year in advance. If the 4 single rooms are booked they try to pair you up with someone.

DH doesn't like to travel so I never waited for him or anyone else or I'd never get to go. I travel all over the US alone. I like driving west but I always fly going east. I haven't been able to travel at all this past year, I want to keep my grandson during the day until he's old enough for preschool. He's worth giving up the wonderlust for awhile. LOL. My traveling now is day trips to the zoo and park. Have you tried tour groups? Many of my friends go with tour groups and have a great time.

Why should it cost more to travel alone? I don't get it! Is it because of notifying next of kin? I mean as long as I'm takingcare of myself and don't need any assistance. $750.00 OMG!!!!! Or is that because of a bogo thing.? But I don't travel much so OhWell! Hope you find someone quickly! Just won't be me:(

Thank you all for your responses. I have traveled alone before and I don't mind. There are advantages as with anything else but the price is sometimes ridiculous. I am taking a tour with AAA and that $750 is a "deal" for a single rate. Other places charge much more. I will check into the suggestions here. Usually I go on a quilt tour and this will be a first which is not related to quilting. Kydeb, I understand about not wanting to travel without your partner. My travel buddy and I went someplace almost every year including Alaska and France. She was about 5' tall and a real spit fire. I will miss her dearly. For the past several years she was unable to talk due to a stroke so each month I sent her a card, sometimes pictures, sometimes just talk about the weather. But I wanted her to know that I hadn't forgotten her.

maybe try your local Senior Center for someone.... I wish you luck!! and good hunting.

My Mom has traveled alone for the past several years ( she is now 85) .. and is still traveling alone. She has used Grand Circle and Over Seas Adventures. She said the first year she met so many people , that via e- mail they all communicate as to what trip they are all taking and who wants to room up. She too hates to spend the extra $$ single room. FYI she is in Western NY.
If you have not checked out the Bali tour its wonderful ( Just went in May/June). The organizer really does a good job of trying to double up any single travelers.

They have to cover the cost of the "double occupancy" rooms. She is not "penalized". Just a fact of travel costs.

Sandy

The $750 was EXTRA....over the regular price. That is ridiculous. Can you book a double and take stuffed animal?
D

ha, ha. stuffed animal!! here, in the car pool lanes , you now must have two riders with you instead of just one. This extra stuff is everywhere!!

I love to travel but have not done any since my husband passed in 2009. I would be interested in having someone to share expenses and not have to pay the additional for "single occupancy". Please send me a PM and perhaps we could get acquainted. I live in NE Tennessee, my neighbors are from upstate NY. Hope to hear from you.

I used to travel alone, now i'm married. my mil sometimes comes w/us, but she too has to pay the extra. last cruise, she found someone.
sometimes, the resort will give you a roommate
good luck

The price for these tours is usually for 2 people in one room, so if you are alone, you have your own room. I think you can see that would cost much more. $750.00 extra for a single is cheap for some trips.

Hotel room rates are based on double occupancy. If there is only one person in the room the rate is the same as if there were two. So if I am travelling with DH and a hotel room costs $100.00 per night, that same room costs $100.00 per night if I am travelling alone, not $50.00 per night. Over a week it adds up. Opps posted at the same time to explain single rates.

Why does it cost nearly twice as much for a woman to get a shirt cleaned and pressed/ Several years ago, the insurance agent I had dealt with happily for years called and told me the company he respresented was no longer going to sell homeowners policies to single people. A clerk at a grocery store that is part of a national chain (not Wal Mart) required identification before she would take my check because it had only one name on it. Lest you think I was a new customer or had previously written checks that bounced, neither was the case. The clerk said the new manager thought people who don't have a joint account are unstable. Being single is mostly wonderful, but there are penalties that duos don't know about. froggyintexas

yep, that proves it. Times are going backwards!!! I remember when I needed to establish a credit rating, I opened a charge account at a dept. store in my hubbys name and mine. Never mind we were divorced. Paid on it one year and called them and told them. They let me open another account under my name and start over. sigh. but I got started. Now I do wonder. Sounds very odd. but sometimes odd is true.

Everything is based on double occupancy, so if you travel alone, your get stuck with the 'empty' charge.

I had a friend who used to travel a bit with me when were both "into" Antiquing...but that faze has passed and the last time we went somewhere together...we didn't agree on much.

I would be concerned about traveling with someone unless I knew we were somewhat compatible. Doesn't that bother you? If I wanted to go to a museum and she wanted to go running along a river...could be hard! LOL

I've been trying to get someone to do a river cruise in Europe with me for couple of years now with no luck

I have a friend I attend quilt shows with - we agree in advance to sign up for classes separately so one of us doesn't influence the other. We sometimes end up in the same classes but many times don't - that is ok with us - just gives us more to talk about when we meet up for supper and going back to the hotel!

the extra cost is simple economics. think of the ship as being charged per foot. a single person is given the same amount of feet, or room , as 2 people. the price charged is based on the amount of sellable space, not really the number of people. the cruise line would go bankrupt if they sold all double rooms at singles cost. they can't just take a smaller boat, so they have to charge for the amount of space you are using.

I went on a tour where I accepted to share a room with another lady I had never met before. I had a wondeful pairing. Some are less lucky. I brought ear plugs with me in case the other person snored (I don't snore). Beside sharing the room, we agree to not share anything else during the day. Each one of us would do whatever they wanted. It worked perfectly. I would do it again. Being with a group of people, I found it easy even easier to mingle than when I travel with a partner
.... Try it once and see!

Just as "car pool" means more than one person, hotel rooms are meant for two or more people, meaning two or more paying customers. I understand not wanting to room with a stranger, but accept that rooming alone costs more.

Try suggesting that it would be "a financial hardship" to pay the extra fee. I said that on my last trip, and the extra fee was instantly removed.

I certainly know where you are coming from. I have traveled alone some since losing my husband in 1999. I have lost to death, 3 traveling gals. Have traveled with my SIL - went to Minot to the HostFest. A fun trip. I have 2 gals I travel with and they wanted to go the next year. So then there were 4. This year we will be 7 going. You meet people on these trips and the group increases.! There are times we end up 4 to a room. This is fine with me. BUT one travel company would not allow more than 3 to a room. We thought that was odd. What hotel cares if you are one or two in a bed?
I give a donation to a public TV station. The 'perks' are usually 2 for 1 prices at food establishments. I also had a meeting with my 'broker' She had someone in the room with her and asked if I minded if he stayed for our meeting. I did not mind. Later I find he was one of her bosses and was running the info meeting. After he was finished he asked if anyone had any questions. After a slight pause I asked if there were any benefits for single people. Another short pause and he asked "Does anyone else have any questions"? ha

I would be interested in talking with you. I live alone and my family is scattered all over. I haven't traveled alone as I have worried about my safety. I'm so sorry about your traveling buddy. I won't be able to go to NS with you but perhaps we could talk and discuss possibilities

[QUOTE=janjj;6218856]I certainly know where you are coming from. I have traveled alone some since losing my husband in 1999. I have lost to death, 3 traveling gals. Have traveled with my SIL - went to Minot to the HostFest. A fun trip. I have 2 gals I travel with and they wanted to go the next year. So then there were 4. This year we will be 7 going. You meet people on these trips and the group increases.! There are times we end up 4 to a room. This is fine with me. BUT one travel company would not allow more than 3 to a room. We thought that was odd. What hotel cares if you are one or two in a bed?
I live an hour from Minot and they now have all kinds of hotels in the area. I don't know the prices but it seems like there are more people coming to the Hostfest than ever before. This year will be the 1st with out the founder of it. He died this past year so hopefully they have the same stuff as when he was alive and running it.

I have checked out the Grand Circle Tours and there are multiple complaints against them from people who have used them and feel cheated, also from employees. Just be careful before you commit to anything with them.

Just wanted everyone to know I had a great trip and never felt out of place. I had a great trip to New Brunswick, PEI and Nova Scotia. I was seated next to another single lady traveling alone and we hit it off right away. There were a few other women traveling alone but most had roommates. I will never feel uncomfortable about going alone again. I noticed that most of the couples that were traveling, one or the other of the couple had some sort of medical problem such as parkinsons, bad knee, hip, etc. Most of the time it was the men that had the problem and the women were taking care of them. If you have a spouse, start traveling now while you both can get around. Marilyn