Everything Solo Travellers Need To Know About Single Supplements

There is nothing quite like travelling solo. Exploring new places and experiencing new things by yourself can be an eye-opening and almost life-changing adventure. You have the freedom to fully enjoy your experience and indulge yourself without compromise. While deciding to undertake a trip alone may seem daunting, it is becoming more and more common. Travelling alone opens up a whole range of exciting ways to experience an overseas adventure. However, there is one thing that often puts people off booking solo trips or holidays, and this is the single supplement. We have put together a comprehensive guide with all you need to know about single supplements, so that you can book your solo trip with absolute confidence.

What is a single supplement?

Simply put, a single supplement is an extra cost charged to travellers that book a room that they won't be sharing with a partner. When you don't share with someone else, the tour operator or hotel is losing out on the fee they would have gained from two travellers. The single supplement is therefore charged in order to make up the full cost of the room. This is why travelling alone can sometimes be more expensive.

Can I avoid a single supplement?

With a bit of research and planning, you can reduce or even avoid the extra cost of travelling alone. Check up on the following before booking your solo trip:

• Not all hotels or tour companies charge a single supplement. Find the best tour or trip for you that doesn't charge a single supplement.
• Some single supplements are only charged at certain times of the year, or during certain seasons.
• Consider sharing a room with someone else on the tour. This option may not appeal to everyone, but if you are comfortable sharing a room with someone else on the tour, this is one of the easiest ways to avoid paying a single supplement. Many companies have a system to match you with a roommate that you will be comfortable with.

Is a single supplement worth it?

Sometimes a single supplement is unavoidable. But there are many benefits to having your own room on a tour, which definitely makes the extra cost worth it.

• You will come back to your own space after a long day of touring and sightseeing, where you can relax and unwind in comfort
• You have the freedom to enjoy your own routine and sleeping patterns
• You have more space for your luggage and personal items

Our single supplement policy:

The vast majority of our tours at Encounters Travel have a mandatory single supplement. This will apply whenever a single room is requested or whenever a same-sex room share can't be arranged.

The following tours are exceptions to this:

• All Peru and Bolivia Tours: There are no single supplements on these tours. Guests are paired up. No single supplement applies if guests don't wish to be paired up.
• Tonga Whale Encounters: On this tour, there is no mandatory single supplement. However, if guests don't pay it, they will have to share a bathroom. If you wish to have a private bedroom and private bathroom, you can pay a supplement to upgrade to a double room for sole use.
• Maldives on a Shoestring: An optional single supplement only applies if guests wish to guarantee themselves single accommodation. Besides this, no single supplement applies.
• All China Tours: These tours feature hostel accommodation, which consists of shared dorm rooms. Guests can add a supplement to book private rooms if they wish.
• Arctic and Antarctic Tours: These tours feature shared double, triple, or quad cabins on the cruises. No single supplement applies, unless you wish to book a private cabin for yourself.

On all other tours, a single supplement is charged if you wish to have a single room or if we can't arrange a room share. Where possible, we will arrange a room share if passengers request this (with another traveller of the same sex). If you have already paid the single supplement, we will remove and refund this back to you.