Boldly Go Solo

Lots of hubbub in the blogosphere over Sunday’s New York Times article on solo travel. As of 5 p.m. on Friday, 82 readers had sent their online comments. I’m impressed by how one rabble rouser, Ted, expresses his point:

The "Immutable Law of Double Occupancy" punishes solo travelers, he says. Tour and cruise industries have built their businesses on the bedrock of double occupancy. That means couples and families benefit, while solo travelers – who are "more than an insignificant aberrant minority" – get stuck shelling out more than their fair share for what he calls a "non-conformance penalty."

He says this about the tour operators who inflict the penalty:

"The best they seem able to do is to pair up roommates, providing a Hobson’s choice of sharing accommodations with a total stranger or paying double."

It hadn’t struck me like that before. Ted recommends avoiding the tour packagers to avoid single supplements. His further thoughts are compelling:

"Perhaps the long-term solution might be for solo travelers to make a point of letting executives of travel companies know that they’d be eager to book tours and cruises that offer prices without the difficulties of sharing a small space with a total stranger."

Amen, brother. Would tour companies like to respond?