Solo travelers remain second-class citizens

For solo travelers, there are no more annoying words than “based on double occupancy.” But fully one quarter of Americans travel domestically or abroad, according to travel research company D. K. Shifflet & Associates.
 

So why hasn’t there been a greater movement towards singles?
 

There have been some inroads. Norwegian Cruise Lines recently made waves by offering hundreds of studio suites for singles on its recently debated Epic ship.
 

“Still, the dreaded single supplement remains the norm on cruise ships, with solos paying as much as double the fare for one person if they don’t share a stateroom,” says the LA Times.
 

Those who specialize in singles travel say solo travelers are treated like second-class citizens.

And by far the most-voiced complaint is about the single supplements on cruise lines.
 

Epic’s studio suites are "the best thing that’s happened to solo travelers in decades," said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor of CruiseCritic.com, a Web-based guide to cruising. But she doesn’t expect other lines will rush to follow suit, if only because staterooms on most ships now being built are prefabricated as doubles. But she thinks Norwegian’s move "has awakened the industry to demand."
 

For the cruise lines, it’s all about the bottom line: If a ship is filled to capacity, more people are spending in the bars, the casino, the premier restaurants and for shore excursions.
 

Kevin Sheehan, chief executive of Norwegian, said that although the cruise line "is taking a bit of a financial hit," he’s betting on "attracting a whole new demographic."
 

"The single traveler has been completely missed by this industry." He noted that although 20 percent of Americans have taken cruises, only 5 percent of single travelers have because they balk at paying for two. "We think we’ve got a winner here. We’re sold out on a lot of our sailings."
 

One bright note for singles: In a poor economy, solo travelers have been able to snag some bargains. On a Holland America cruise to Alaska last summer, a friend and I each scored a double stateroom at a single fare.

But, Weiler said, "as soon as the economy is back on track, [the industry] is not going to recognize us, so single travelers should take advantage of any breaks while they last."
 

And there is some movement in other areas of travel towards singles.
 

Tauck, a high-end tour operator based in Connecticut, reduced single supplements on 102 departures this year — land tours, European river tours and small-ship cruises — by an average of 42 percent.
 

Besides Norwegian, other cruise lines that offer single staterooms, including Southampton, England-based P&O whose new Azura has 17, at about 125 percent of the fare for one person sharing a double. The ship is in Europe this summer and will be cruising the Caribbean in the winter. One caveat: These sell out fast — and a limited number is offered to US travelers.
 

By David Wilkening