Humph well i will be thinking again about that deal.

Required deposit of £585!!!!! That's half the total, due to a special air fare or something................ yet this air fare is a non changeable, no refundable one so any probs further down the line and I'm well and truly stuffed. Normal deposit is £150.

Renew my search it is then...............

Hi,

I wouldn't just give up on it - remember if you have to cancel for some reason other than that you've just changed your mind then there's a good chance it would be covered by your travel insurance anyway. Kuoni have a good reputation at the top end of the market and a fortnight AI with no single supplement for under £1200 sounds like a good deal to me.

Fares to Cuba aren't cheap and it might well be that in order to secure the flights at that sort of price then they are having to pay up front for them and hence why they are asking you to do so as well. I know from my own experience that Cubana on its cheap deals won't hold them on an option - TOs have to pay in full at the time of booking to secure them at that price. The small company I go to Cuba with uses Cubana and it does do only a £250 deposit but makes it clear that should I cancel after they have booked the air ticket then even if I do so well in advance then I am still going to be liable for the balance of the air fare because it will be a non-transferable, non-refundable ticket which will already be in my name. It's never bothered me - I have annual insurance policy and know that I'm unlikely to cancel for any reason other than what would be covered on my policy.

SM

Thanks SMa. I have looked again and I can use an alternative airline for a bit more money so I think I will go with that - I've checked and that's the standard deposit of £150.

I am sure I will be bothering you lots more about my trip but I will take that to the Caribbean forum when I know what I'm doing.

Hi
I have been on a few trips on my own for various reasons, including an ex in the forces, who seemed to be constantly posted overseas. Some have been GREAT but one or two not so.
Trips to the Med have not been so good, people seem to think you are an oddity if you aren't part of a family or couple.
However in the Far East, whilst some of the locals may find it a bit strange: "where is your husband lady?", I have have a superb time, doing things I would never have done as a couple & met some really interesting people. It seems to be easier to get talking to strangers here as there are a lot of others on their own or there is always that odd British sense of a fellow explorer.
On a cruise down the Nile, I met a girl from California, who was also travelling on her own. This is now some 10 years ago & we are firm friends, we travel back & forth & have also been other places together, meeting up in the middle, as it were.

On the down side there is no one to share the experience with & reminisce with later and I find eating alone rather depressing.

In summation, I guess I wouldn't choose to travel alone but if there was no other option I wouldn't miss out because of it!

Vickie

can anyone recommend a cheapo singles company i like it how they say no single suppliment,(and then charge double) have just been looking at lanzarote at £472 s/c (2 off us went there last monthe for £350 also tunisia at £599 rip off or what. i went t to lanz last oct for for £275 including single supp.have also got the saga singles brochure, and very nice to look at that one was !! was thinking about middle of april. or does anyone want a mate to go halves,

Take a look at this recent topic on the same subject http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=110393&hilit=singles
If you arean't bothered about interacting with other single travellers in a group situation then it often works out much cheaper to DIY your holiday and book direct with hotel/apartments as they tend not to charge single supplements especially out of high season and then book your flight yourself too.

** Edit - Topics now merged. luci **

I phone Sunescapes for a friend and was told that they cater for singles. I don't know what they charge, so give them a bell.
01924788700/01

Parky

There are a number of websites operating which introduce people to perspective holiday companions. One is called holiday buddies (just google it). I looked at another one but can't remember the name of it. These sites ask for payment for membership and will put you in contact with other people not wishing to travel alone.

I know what you mean about the singles holiday companies. Why they bother advertising no single supplement is beyond me. Okay, so they don't have a brochure price but add on X per day for being on your own but they make out that your hol will be cheaper.

If you are having a normal room to yourself (many hotels just don't have 'single' rooms) then it's fair enough that you pay for it - after all hotels will always charge per room when they are selling direct.

I use them myself but won't do a one week trip as it's just ridiculous. As it is I've going to Turkey for £670 for a fortnight half board (bar one night) which isn't as bad as some holidays but I could obviously get far cheaper booking on my own. The thing is we don't all like to travel totally alone and like the company of others, even it's only over dinner a few nights.

Helloo all

In the last few months I have become single again for the first time in over ten years! All going well in general but the topic of holidays is a different matter! I absolutely love my hols and am now thinking...what do I do? Do I go on my own or try to find a friend to go with (single friends are very thin on the ground!) ? Find the thought of going on hols on my own very strange but don't want to miss out! Can anyone give me some advice on how to approach this new situation?

Thanks!

MsH

MsH
Hi there If I was you I would try and get one of your friends to go with you as then you wont have to pay a hefty under occupancy supplement plus you could try and persuade one of your friends to do just a short weekend away it's better than nothing.
Hope everything goes well for you and hope you do get to a nice place in the sun

There's lots of "friends" type single holiday companies who aren't of the dating kind that you could consider.

One recommended site is http://www.friendshiptravel.com

Their prices are slightly higher but not anything like the tour operators for single travellers.

The Turkish Gulet cruise is FANTASTIC

Do a DIY you don't pay supplements - the price is per room My friend came with us on a girly holiday recently and had to have her own room - she only paid a tad more than us and that was AI.

If you want company but on your terms, I agree with the above recommendation for Friendship Travel, I have used them a couple of times and made some great friends. There is not hassle, you are not herded about in groups, it's exactly what it says it is, but no evening dining alone (unless you want to that is). I have also used TravelOne and I am going with them again this year. They are far more reasonable in price than FT.

I'm doing two weeks in Oludeniz, Turkey, half board for £650. Nope it's not a bargain, but if you don't fancy doing DIY and being alone it's about as good value as it gets I'm afraid.

Another one to look at is Solos, who I haven't used.

All of them you are not in a 'single' room, you have a double/twin room to yourself. They advertise no supplements but they are still pricey because you are paying for a twin room.

Unless you really know a friend who you would like to spend a holiday with I would suggest you go on your own, preferably booking d.i.y., which can sometimes avoid the single suppliements. Most of the 'single' holiday companies advertise 'no single supplements' but the prices are usually quite a bit higher to start with. I've known many people who have gone on holiday with friends and confessed that it was a nightmare when they got home, usually because they each had different expectations of what they wanted to do - lay on the beach, tour the sights or party all the time. Even little things like what time to go to bed or get up can become a source of irritation. I find I always make friends with other holiday-makers at the hotel and am often invited to join them on a trip which I sometimes accept, but no-one is offended if the offer is refused politely.

I agree with that. I could find a companion(s) to go on holiday with by canvassing friends of friends etc., but the prospect of going away with someone I hardly know but am obliged to spend time with doesn't fill me with glee at all. Not having gone 'solo'.

I've been away before totally on my own and from my point of view I find that those holidays are best when you are in a complex where there is a lot going on at the hotel (for instance I went AI to Dominican Republic on my own). Because the nature of those holidays is centred around the hotel with day trips out here and there you can't help but meet people. In fact on that holiday I ate alone only once and that was brekkie on the first day.

I personally wouldn't like a holiday on my own in a holiday town/resort so much. I might manage a week but I can't help but still feel uncomfortable having an evening meal in a restaurant alone. Not uncomfortable so much as not enjoying it for what it is like I would with others.

Anyway, there are more and more people going it alone through whichever route so go for it!

I'll try and keep it as short as possible.

Basically, I'm fed up of trying to organise holidays with mates only for them to be a let down at the last minute and say they suddenly can't afford it, or they are suddenly not keen on the destination etc.

What I'm wondering is, if there's a way of finding someone to holiday with? Where people initially are going away on their own, but all meet up and be part of a big group, so nobody is alone. I know they have 18-30s but that's for groups of people to group together - not people who are on their own.

I'm 28/male - looking for maybe a week away which has a good nightlife but also quiet spots. I like Greece/Spain, but would consider other places too.

Can anybody point me in the right direction?

Merged with existing topic which should have some information.

luci

Ok thanks. If anybody has suggestions as well as 'Holiday Buddies' please can they let this thread know.

*Edit to remove spam. Member banned. Pippy*