Solo travellers are routinely paying over the odds for package holidays, cruises and coach holidays, research from Which? Travel has found.
In the worst example, we were quoted almost £1,400 for a solo cabin on board a P&O Mediterranean cruise. A couple occupying a larger double cabin on the exact same trip would be charged just £749 per person - a huge 87% less.
Solos who book a package holiday with Tui will also pay 47% more on average than a person travelling as a pair.
Single travellers are often forced to pay an extra sum of money – known as a single supplement – to occupy a double room alone. But our spot checks show that some coach companies are applying the charges for small single-bed rooms only suitable for one person.
One in 10 people holidayed alone in the 12 months leading up to August 2022, according to travel association Abta. But if you’ve ever holidayed as a trio, and been given two rooms, it’s likely you’ve covered the cost of the ‘missing’ fourth person. Find out the companies that solo travellers rated highly in our recent survey.
Package holidays for solos: less choice, higher prices
We analysed thousands of package holidays from the UK’s two largest providers, Jet2holidays and Tui during five peak times of the year.
We found that Tui customers were charged 47% more if travelling alone, on average.
When we checked Tui’s website, we found a week’s all-inclusive holiday to Majorca for £840 per person for a couple sharing. A single traveller would be charged £1,448 for the same holiday – over 70% more. That’s despite them occupying just one seat on the plane and consuming half the amount of food and drink. To make matters worse, they were offered a twin room – while the couple were ‘upgraded’ to a bigger one-bedroom apartment.
Tui told us: ‘The price increases referenced in the report don’t reflect the travelling habits of our customers, with most solo travellers travelling outside of peak holidays and choosing single occupancy rooms.’
Singles paid slightly less with Jet2Holidays, an extra 36%. However, they also had less choice – 20% fewer holidays (compared with 10% less with Tui). However, Jet2 was ranked the best package holiday provider by solo travellers in our recent survey. Read our Jet2Holidays review to find out more.
Jet2 told us it does everything it can to ‘cater for solo travellers[… ]working with hotels to offer single rooms or rooms for sole use, and giving solo travellers £30 off their booking through a promotion code. ‘Although many contracted hotels have single rooms or rooms for sole use, allocations do vary and can sell out quickly,’ a spokesperson added.
See how well Which? members ranked Tui in our package holiday provider survey results
Solo traveller, second-class citizen
On a recent coach holiday to Llandudno, Wales, Elizabeth Knowlson was allocated a ‘filthy’ hotel room by Shearings. There was even a bucket catching water drips outside in the corridor.
After complaining, she was moved to a tiny new single, despite paying a supplement of £79.
‘I could simultaneously touch the opposite walls with outstretched arms,’ she told Which? Travel. ‘I don’t mind paying a single supplement, but this room was only fit for one person.’
Our spot checks found that single supplements are common practice for coach companies, including Caledonian Travel, Edwards Coaches, Johnson Coaches and Just Go – even when customers book a room specifically designed for solo use.
The Leger Shearings group told us it was sorry to learn that Elizabeth was unhappy, explaining that the extra charge had been imposed by the hotel.
It continued: ‘A single room does not cost half that of a double room… the fixed costs, such as heating, electricity and cleaning for single and double rooms are roughly the same.’
Shearings has since announced that it will be removing single supplements in 27 of its UK hotels.
P&O and Fred Olsen solo cruise cabins
P&O’s website claims it has removed single supplements on ‘selected’ cruises. However, we could only find deals on off-season voyages to Spain and the Canary Islands - when operators struggle to fill cabins.
A more popular cruise comes with a bigger price. What’s more, when we checked, it was £200 more expensive to book a solo cabin than to occupy a double (up to 106 sq ft larger) alone.
When we approached P&O for comment, it said that single occupancy cabins were priced ‘depending on demand’.
It added: ‘Where there is a single supplement, solo travellers will always pay a reduced price compared with if we had two guests staying in the same cabin.’
Hunting for solo deals with rival operator Fred Olsen was just as confusing. We were bamboozled by the various promotions, from the Freedom Fare and Freedom Offer to the Saver Rate and Saver Plus. And, once again, the solo cabin wasn’t necessarily cheaper.
This chaotic system means that lone travellers could easily miss out on the best cabins as well as the lowest prices.
Fred Olsen told us: ‘We are currently in the process of implementing a new booking engine, which is aimed at making the process simpler for all our guests, including our solo guests.’
Find out how Fred Olsen and P&O performed in our ocean cruise survey results.
How to save money when travelling solo
Swerve single supplements
Look for companies that waive supplements, or at least remove them from select trips. Make sure you’re getting a good deal by comparing the total against the per person price of a couple’s package.
Book in wave season
Cruise companies tend to offer deals from January to March. Keep track of solo prices to see if they drop.
Avoid peak times
Consider travelling in shoulder season when demand drops. One occupant is better than none, so cruise lines, hotels and coach companies will reduce prices to fill empty spaces.
Keep your options open
A single room is often a moneysaver for hotel stays, but for cruises, a roomier double can work out cheaper for single occupancy. Make sure to compare prices before you book
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/solo-travel-single-supplements-aMTc91M8tYV5