Single travelers: has our day finally come?

One of the chief problems facing single travelers is the cost, particularly from the dreaded single supplement charge for cruises and tours but according to this story, things are changing. Certain cruise lines are leading the way in attracting single travelers by eliminating the supplement and hopefully it will become the industry's standard practice. In my humble opinion, the tour operators would benefit even more than the cruise lines because in many respects, tours are an ideal way for singles to travel; however, most single people (myself included) are put off by the idea of having to share a room with a stranger in order to save money. For a traveler on a budget, the cost of the single supplement can be the deciding factor in taking the trip at all. Also, it goes without saying that singles are tired of being treated like second-class citizens by an industry which has gone out of its way to attract other special-interest groups. I'm speaking of people who are truly focused on traveling, particularly to foreign destinations, as opposed to those interested in socializing or meeting potential mates on the many singles cruises that have been offered for years - and even they can get hit with the extra cost.


Whether this is driven by pressure from single travelers or the economic reality of a seemingly endless slump in travel is a matter of debate, but I think it's a good move. And long overdue.