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Each month, new travel tips will be posted on the Travel Tips page. Tips from previous months will be displayed here.
The Single Friendly Travel
Directory is an important resource for solo travelers. It lists travel clubs
and companies that are specifically for solo travelers or that at least give
solo travelers a break. Compiled by Diane Redfern, of Connecting: Solo Travel
Network, the directory is available in print for $7.95 or in E-version for
$5 through her website at www.cstn.org.
Mountain Trek Fitness Retreat
and Health Spa, in British Columbia, Canada, presents hiking, biking and
kayaking adventures as well as spa retreats and weight loss programs. Solo
traveler friendly, 95% of their guests are solo travelers! Mountain Trek
promises, “All our single traveling guests are accommodated in their own
private room and do not have to pay a single supplement for this service.” For
information, call 800-661-5161 or visit www.hiking.com.
One of the surest ways to enjoy a vacation on your own is to take a trip that offers activities of special interest to you — from gourmet tours and language programs to tennis camps and safaris. You're sure to meet people who like to do the same things you do and tend to share your philosophy of life. I've made several good friends on bike tours, women like me who love to be outdoors and physically active. Not only that, but I met my husband on a ski trip!
This tip comes from Joan Heilman,
author of Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely
Can’t Get Unless You’re Over 50 ($14.95, Contemporary
Books/McGraw-Hill). The newest edition is available at bookstores and also at
Amazon.com. To get there via this website, just click on The Book, then
on the Amazon icon.
One of my favorite ways to find
hotel bargains is through Hotel Reservations Network. HRN offers
substantial savings, as well as room availability during sold out periods, in
more than 170 cities worldwide. Destinations include New York, Boston, Las
Vegas, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, San Diego,
Cancun, London and Paris. For more information visit www.hoteldiscount.com.
Depart Miami May 24 for a three-night singles cruise to Nassau, Bahamas on Carnival’s Fascination. This annual Memorial Day weekend singles cruise has prices starting at $399 plus $119 port taxes.
Depart Miami July 4 for a 4-night singles cruise to Key West and Cozumel on Carnival’s Imagination. Prices start at $475 plus $121 port taxes.
Prices are based on two people per
room, but you can be matched with a roommate, if desired. Call Debbie at
800-393-5000 or visit www.SinglesCruise.com.
Please tell Debbie that you heard about her cruises at TravelAloneAndLoveIt.com!
50plus Expeditions, based in Toronto, Canada, presents active, exotic adventures for travelers 50 and over. Trips offered in 2002 include:
April Galapagos cruise and Amazon jungle
May Hiking in the Austrian Alps
June Kenya & Tanzania Safari
July Peru
Aug Greenland Cruise
Sept Cycling in Austria
Oct Thailand & Cambodia
Nov India & Nepal
Dec Antarctica Cruise
Trips are solo-traveler-friendly,
some with guaranteed share prices. On other trips, you can be matched with a
roommate or pay a small surcharge for a private room. For more information, call
toll-free 866-318-5050 or visit www.50plusExpeditions.com.
The Women’s Travel Club, celebrating its 11th year, presents trips for women only. Dues are $35 per year and upcoming trips include:
April 3-7 Oaxaca, Mexico
May 10-17 Paris and the Loire Valley
May 15-20 London Theater Weekend
For more information, visit www.womenstravelclub.com
or call 800-480-4448.
Travelers are only permitted one
carry-on bag by most airlines. Try to pack everything you need in one carry-on,
22-inch or smaller suitcase but, if you must check a bag, make sure it has a
sturdy lock – not the one provided by the suitcase manufacturer. A friend
recently had her flimsy suitcase lock opened and her CD player was stolen. It is
worth a few dollars to buy a more hefty lock with a combination that you can set
with numbers you’ll remember. Buy these in any travel store or at www.Magellans.com.
TSW Singles Vacations features trips for singles of all ages and offers a free roommate-matching service so solo travelers can avoid the single supplement. Upcoming trips include:
June 11-17 Galapagos Islands Voyage of Discovery
July 20-27 Costa Rica Adventure Week
August 10-24 Australia/New Zealand Journey
September 19-29 Cruise the Greek Islands, Venice and Istanbul.
For more information visit www.allsinglestravel.com
or call 800-717-3231.
Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula offers great beaches, modern resorts, colonial villages, rainforests and ruins of an ancient Mayan culture.
Meridia, once known as the Paris of the West, is a colonial city and Yucatan’s state capitol. There you can take in Mayan ruins, colonial architecture and historic haciendas.
Chichen Itza, founded in 445 B.C., is known for its highly preserved Mayan and Toltec ruins. During the 6th - 10th centuries, Chichen was ruled by the Maya. Only later, in the year 1000A.D., was the city "reborn" under Toltec rule.
Cancun, one of the largest resort towns in the world, offers modern luxury with more than 26,000 hotel rooms, miles of beaches, nightclubs, shopping and a wealth of restaurants.
It is easy to plan an independent, solo trip to suit any budget by doing your research through travel guides such as those published by Moon and Lonely Planet. Shop for these, and other books, on Amazon.com, via the icon on The Book page at this website.
You can also research via the Internet. The following websites will help you research this fascinating part of Mexico:
American Singles and Discount Travel present singles cruises for 2002, all aboard Carnival’s fun ships. All prices are cruise-only, per person, double occupancy, though you can be paired with a roommate to avoid the single supplement. Activities are organized just for the singles group and dining will be with other singles, not couples and families. For more information, call Debbie at 800-393-5000 or visit www.SinglesCruise.com. Please tell her you heard about it from Sharon Wingler at TravelAloneAndLoveIt.com!
Upcoming cruises are:
· Eastern Caribbean, March 3-10, aboard the non-smoking Paradise, visiting Nassau, San Juan and St. Thomas, departing from Miami. The cost is $499/inside cabin or $599/outside. Port charges and taxes are $182.
· Mexico, April 12-15, aboard the Ecstasy, departing from Los Angeles and visiting Ensenada, Mexico. The cost is $299/inside or $350 outside. Port charges and taxes are $115.
·
Western Caribbean, April 28-May 5, aboard the Victory,
visiting Playa del Carmen, Cozumel; Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios, Jamaica,
departing from Miami. The price is $650/inside or $750 outside. Port charges and
taxes are $179.
Singles Travel Connections
is the only travel agency in Australia to specialize in singles travel. Trip
packages are offered to destinations worldwide and most are “guaranteed
share,” to avoid the single supplement, though single rooms are available if
you desire. Potential roommates are put in touch with each other prior to their
tour. Singles Travel Connections can plan travel for people worldwide and many
clients are from the U.S and U.K. For more information and a list of tours,
visit www.singlestravel.com.au.
O Solo Mio offers tours
geared for solo travelers in their mid-30s, 40s and 50s, with some tours for,
ages 18-35. This is not a dating service and the accent is on travel, with trips
offered to destinations in Europe, South America, the U.S., Canada and the
Caribbean. Prices are per-person, double occupancy, but they will match you with
a roommate to avoid the single supplement. Check out the exciting trips for 2002
offered at www.osolomio.com.
World Explorer Cruises welcomes
solo travelers and offers four cabin categories, D, E, F and G, aboard Universe
Explorer with no surcharge for the 2002 cruising season in Alaska and
Central America. Early booking is recommended. World Explorer features nine
Alaska sailings with different itineraries, of eight, nine and 14 days in
length, between May and August. There will be two, 18-night sailings in Central
America with transits of the Panama Canal at year’s end, 2002. Alaska fares
start at $1,525 per person, cruise only; Central America at $2,450. For more
information, call your travel agent or World Explorer Cruises at 800-854-3835 or
visit www.wecruise.com.
Jewish Singles Vacations
presents a 10-night vacation to Madrid, Cordoba, Granada, Costa del Sol, Seville
and Lisbon April 17-28 for $1,499, land only. Stay in first class hotels with
breakfast included daily, as well as a welcome dinner in Madrid. Participants
are usually ages 35-55. For more information, visit www.tourgroups.com/jsv/
or call 617-782-3396.
South
Africa is the destination for this September 22-29 trip presented by Travel
Time, Dollies Party Book and Single Gourmet of Atlanta. Tour
the bush in an open safari vehicle with your own game ranger and tracker to see
lion, cheetah, giraffe, rhino, leopard, elephant and more. You’ll tour the
Winelands, Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope. The eight-day land package
costs $2795 per person and includes airfare from Atlanta, GA, accommodations for
two nights in Cape Town and accommodations at a game lodge at the edge of Kruger
National Park. A three-day extension to Victoria Falls is available for $595.
Solo travelers can be matched with a same-sex roommate to avoid the single
supplement. For more information, call Libby Shields at 800-469-0091 or e-mail
atraveltime@yahoo.com.
Adventure Associates presents a wide array of adventure trips for women of all ages. Some trips have no single supplement and, on others, director, Sandy Braun will work with you to avoid the added fee.
Trips for this year include:
San Juan Islands kayaking and camping, starting at $350
Alaska Inside Passage cruise, nine days for $2,650
Kauai, Hawaii, eight days for $1,495
Peru, Macchu Picchu, 10 to 12 day trips, starting at $1,995
New Zealand, 16 days for $2,595
Tibet, 22 days for $5,275
Galapagos, 10 days for $2,575
Baja, eight days for $995
Tanzania, 16 days for $3,195
Turkey, 14 days for $2,595
Visit the website, www.AdventureAssociates.net,
or call 888-532-8352 for a brochure. Men will find some coed adventures on the
website.
Solo Flights/Mature Tours presents these upcoming travel opportunities for solo travelers:
Costa Rica, March 31, seven nights for $999 pp/double, plus airfare.
Glimpse of Ireland, March 23, nine days for $1,065 pp/double, includes airfare from New York.
South Pacific Adventure, to Australia and New Zealand, March 22 or Dec 20, 14 days, land only for $1,798 pp/double.
Solo Flights will match you with a roommate to avoid the
single supplement. For more information, call 800-266-1566.
Solo guests at LaSource, on
the Caribbean island of Grenada, can avoid the single supplement from now to
December 20, 2002 in the Garden Single room category. Daily, all-inclusive rates
range from $245-315, depending on time of year. Guests can opt to join a
‘communal’ table at dinner, plus, in the many sports and fitness classes
offered all day, it is easy to meet other guests. Included are all meals, all
beverages, including fine wines at lunch and dinner; a wealth of land and water
sports, services of a personal trainer, daily treatments in the spa, stress
management, Tai Chi and yoga classes, airport transfers, hotel taxes and
gratuities. For more information, visit www.lasourcegrenada.com.
Marya Charles Alexander, solo
dining maven and publisher of SoloDining.com,
has just launched a new website for solo travelers, SoloTravelPortal.com.
Add it to your bookmarked sites of solo travel resources.
Be aware that airlines have stopped
serving food on most flights of less than four hours. So, if a tiny bag of
pretzels won’t suffice, it’s best to bring a snack from home. Food that
travels well includes dried apricots, raisins, nuts, trail mix, apples, oranges,
granola, bagels, rice cakes, peanut butter, bean dip, baby carrots. Also handy
are individual cartons of soy or rice milk and juice. Airport food has improved
over the years, from just hotdogs to an array of healthy choices. Bypass the
greasy grub and carbonated drinks. Opt for yogurt, fruit, veggies and juice or
bottled water.
Plan an independent trip to London.
Airfares are low and there’s plenty to do: shopping and museums by day, pubs
and theater by night. There’s a cash-only, half-price box office in Leicester
Square for same-night theater performances. Low priced rooms, at less than $100
per night, including breakfast, are clustered on Sussex Gardens Street, near
Paddington Station. It’s a safe bet that you won’t need an advance
reservation this winter. Scope out more info on www.travelbritain.org.
Protect your vacation investment with insurance. Many airlines and tour companies are struggling financially and some won’t make it. Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance provides reimbursement of non-refundable prepaid travel arrangements due to a number of reasons such as illness or injury to you or a close family member, financial default of a tour company or airline, strikes or natural disasters and your being required to serve jury duty.
Every insurance plan has restrictions and limitations, so read the fine print carefully.
Some of the companies that provide this insurance are:
Access America, www.accessamerica.com
CSA Travel Protection, www.csatravelprotection.com
Travelex, www.travelex-insurance.com
Travel Guard, www.travelguard.com
Travel Insured International, Inc., www.travelinsured.com
Wallach & Company, Inc., www.wallach.com
Winter is a great time to visit
Santa Cruz County. Crowds are gone and accommodation rates are discounted. There
is plenty to do, such as whale watching, exploring the many art galleries,
sampling wine, or visiting the wintering monarch butterflies at Natural Bridges
State Beach. The musical season is in full swing with the Santa Cruz Symphony,
Santa Cruz Baroque Festival, Bay Shore Lyric Opera and Santa Cruz Chorale.
January features a Fine Arts Festival and February offers a Clam Chowder Cook
Off. For more information, visit www.santacruzca.org.
I’ve found that e-mail provides
the easiest and least expensive way to stay in touch while traveling. There’s
no need to worry about time differences, as you must when phoning across time
zones. So be sure to pack the e-mail addresses of family and friends. Cyber
offices are usually easy to find at most destinations, but to locate them in
advance, visit www.netcafeguide.com.
Mature Tours presents a May
14-19 tour of NYC for $1,599, land only, per person, double occupancy, and will
arrange shared accommodations when possible, so you can avoid the single
supplement. The tour includes five nights at the Helmsley Windsor Hotel,
dinner at Tavern on the Green, a Broadway musical, lunch at Ernie’s, a
farewell dinner at a charming French restaurant, visits to Liberty and Ellis
Islands, if open, or a 90 minute narrated sightseeing cruise with a close-up
view of Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. There is a private guide for all
sightseeing. For more information, call Betty Sobel at 800-266-1566.
Solo Flights/Mature Tours
presents an escorted, 9-day tour of Ireland for prices starting at $1,047,
including airfare from New York, with low-priced add-on fares from other cities.
Included are seven full, Irish breakfasts, one lunch and five dinners, as well
as sightseeing across Ireland, including Dublin, Mayo, Galway, Clare, Shannon,
Cork, Waterford and more. There is a low single supplement of $200, or you may
request a roommate to avoid the single supplement. Departure dates are January
26, February 23 and March 23. For more information, call Betty Sobel at
800-266-1566.
Visit the U.S. Virgin Islands this
winter. It’s possible to find rooms for less that $100 in St. Croix, St. John
and St. Thomas. There are flights from most major cities in North America. Scope
out the possibilities at www.usvitourism.vi.
Travelin’ Singles presents
a 17-day cruise, departing April 4, which transits the Panama Canal and visits
Caretena, Columbia; Acapulco, Mexico; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Puerto Vallarta,
Mexico; Putarenas, Costa Rica and Mazatlan, Mexico. Without airfare the package
is just $1,330 per person; a same-gender cabin mate can be arranged to avoid a
single supplement. Most Travelin’ Singles are aged 40-60. For more
information, call John La Point at 800-748-6662.
Travelin’ Singles offers a 16-day tour to New Zealand, departing May 3, for $2,760, including roundtrip air from Los Angeles, airport transfers, hotel, welcome cocktail party and dinner, daily breakfast and some other meals, as well as sightseeing. Room shares can be arranged to avoid the single supplement, which is $500. For more information, call John La Point at 800-748-6662.
Low single supplements of only $140 assure the privacy of your own room for 9-day trips to London, Paris or Rome with Go Ahead Vacations. Prices as low as $1,139 include round-trip air, airport escorts, and 7-night’s hotel with breakfast daily. Most excursions cost extra, or you could do some research and plan your own day trips. Go Ahead vacationers are usually age 50 and better. Visit www.goaheadvacations.com for more information.
Save $10 while staying connected to solo travel news. Connecting: Solo Travel Network, a vital resource for solo travelers, will change its fee structure on January 1, 2002. Rates for those wishing to receive their newsletter by mail will increase from $28 to $35 for one year. Enroll this month to avoid the increase. Better yet, those who prefer to receive the same information by e-mail will pay only $25 per year. Either membership includes six bimonthly, 20-page newsletters, a current copy of the Single-Friendly Travel Directory, unlimited travel companion advertising and discretionary participation in hospitality, advice and lodging exchanges. For more info, visit www.cstn.org.
For holiday travel by air, plan to arrive at the airport at least two hours before your scheduled flight departure. Bring your passport or other government issued photo I.D. Purge your carry-on luggage of any sharp objects, such as scissors, knives, box cutters and corkscrews. I was made to place my tweezers in my checked luggage in London last week. Gifts should be packed unwrapped, should they need to be opened for closer inspection. Be patient with airline and security personnel; theirs is a difficult and necessary job.
Bring a snack from home or purchase one at the airport. Meals are no longer served in economy class on flights of less than four hours, and in first class on flights of less than two hours.
Make 2002 plans for fresh air, exercise, scenic beauty, camping and wildlife sightings, including whale watching, with Sea Kayak Adventures. Ply the waters off Vancouver Island, Canada or the Baja Peninsula and the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. Mexico destination departures begin December 16 and continue through April 21. Trip departures to Canada begin in mid-June and run through mid-September. Prices are from $895 to $1350, excluding air, but all gear is included. Baja tour prices include 2 nights' hotel and airport transfers. For more information, visit www.seakayakadventures.com.
Sail Carnival’s newest ship, the Carnival Pride, with Singles Travel International March 9-16, 2002. Enjoy your own cabin for just $1,199 or share a double for $849, excluding air. Included: Seven nights onboard accommodations, six meals daily, complimentary room service, singles-only seating in the dining room, dinner at David’s reservation-only supper club, singles-only welcome aboard cocktail party with open bar and hors d’ouevres, complimentary drink before dinner during three nights at sea, beach party with refreshments on private island, and coordinated sightseeing and activities for members of Single Travel International’s group. Act quickly, as final payment is due by December 28. Visit www.singlestravelintl.com for more information.
Hankering for a vacation down on the farm? Rural Treats offers the stress-free joy of country life and lets you choose from over 6,000 farms worldwide. Whether it’s for cultural immersion or pleasure, visit www.ruraltreats.com and choose the crop, animal, subject or geographical location that interests you. Up will pop a list of farms that might suit your taste. Each features a brief description with contact information. In 2002, Rural Treats will sponsor exclusive trips to China, Australia and New Zealand featuring rural attractions as well as famous tourist sites. Quality artisan wine producers are featured on the Australia and New Zealand tours.
Singles Travel International presents a South African Safari with visits to Wine Country and Victoria Falls, June 4-17, 2002. Land-only price is $3,599 with a shared room; have a private room for $750 more. Price includes premier hotels, full English breakfast daily, all meals and drinks at the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, plus other gourmet dinners, wine tasting, baggage handling and more. Group size is limited to 13. Visit www.singlestravelintl.com for the full itinerary and call 877-SOLO-TRIP for the best airfare.
TSW Singles Vacations features trips for singles of all ages and offers a free roommate-matching service so solo travelers can avoid the single supplement. Trips offered for 2002 include a Caribbean cruise and Jazz Fest celebration April 27 – May 5 at $599 for the five-night cruise and three nights in New Orleans for the Jazz Fest. Details on this and other trips are available at www.allsinglestravel.com or by calling 800-717-3231. Be sure to sign up for the free monthly e-newsletter.
Other trips include:
April: A Taste of Ireland
May: Memorial Day Weekend Blast in Kissimmee and Cocoa Beach, Florida
June: Galapagos Islands voyage of discovery
July: Costa Rica all inclusive adventure escapade
Aug: Australia & New Zealand – Journey to the land down under
Sept: Labor Day Holiday Weekend Getaway
Oct: Cruise to Bermuda
Nov: Cruise of the Hawaiian Islands
Dec: Singles New Year’s Celebration
Pamper yourself at a beachfront resort on the Caribbean Isle of St. Lucia. The Body Holiday at LeSPORT has dedicated rooms for singles ranging from $175 to $435 per day, depending on time of year. Included are all meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, including wine at lunch and dinner, land and water sports, with instruction; fitness classes; treatments at the Oasis spa facility; hotel taxes and gratuities. Sports include water skiing, scuba diving, tennis, archery and more. Unlimited golf greens fees and transfers to and from the nearby 18-hole course are also included. For more information, call 800-544-2883 or visit www.lesport.com.lc or www.thebodyholiday.com.
Curaçao, from which the tasty liqueur got its name, is a Dutch Caribbean island with daily, nonstop flights from Miami. It features more than 40 white sand beaches, historic architecture in its capital city, Willemstad, a new championship gold course and year-round good weather. Best of all, it is affordable for singles! Visit www.curacao-tourism.com. Under listings of “hotels with less than 100 rooms,” you’ll find rates starting at as little as $25 per night.
Volunteer vacations are particularly suitable for solo travelers. They give you a chance to pursue your interests, meet like-minded volunteers, and contribute your efforts to make the world a better place. Accommodations are usually shared, which eliminates that pesky single supplement. There is a wide offering of volunteer vacations, ranging from gritty to glamorous, in places to suit any travel yearning and at prices to suit any budget. Some volunteer vacations are even tax deductible. Here is a list of organizations and resources for volunteer vacations:
Cross Cultural Solutions is a non-profit organization that sends volunteers abroad to provide humanitarian assistance through volunteer work programs in China, Ghana, India, Peru and Russia. They also offer authorized travel to Cuba to learn about the people and culture there. Call 800-380-4777 or visit www.crossculturalsolutions.com
Earthwatch Institute operates on the belief that, if you fully involve the general public in the process of science, you not only give them understanding, you give the world a future. Volunteers assist scientists in their field research projects in more than 50 countries. For information visit www.earthwatch.org.
Global Volunteers, founded in 1984, has special consultative status with the United Nations and offers volunteer humanitarian services in 19 countries. It seeks to build bridges of understanding between people of diverse cultures by involving them in one-on-one service projects that create a foundation for peace and greater understanding. Call 800-487-1074 or visit www.globalvolunteers.org.
Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian housing organization, which, since 1976, has built more than 100,000 houses in more than 79 countries, including the United States. Visit the website at www.habitat.org and click on “Get Involved” to search the one-to-three week Global Village trips.
Idealist is a project of Action Without Borders, a global network of individuals and organizations working to build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives in a health environment. www.Idealist.org lists more than 23,000 nonprofit and community organizations in 153 countries. You can find thousands of volunteer opportunities in your community or around the world.
InterAction, the American Council for Voluntary International Action, is a diverse coalition of more than 165 U.S.-based relief, development, environmental and refugee agencies working in more than 100 countries around the world. Links are provided to sites offering international volunteer opportunities. Visit www.interaction.org.
International Volunteer Programs Association is a search site for international volunteer and internship opportunities. It offers a wealth of links to other websites with programs for volunteering abroad. Visit www.volunteerinternational.org.
SCI International Voluntary Service, founded in 1920, has official relations with UNESCO as a partner non-governmental organization. It promotes worldwide volunteer service to impact social, environmental and humanitarian issues. Search listings of volunteer work camps at www.sci-ivs.org.
Sierra Club, founded in 1892, is America’s most influential environmental organization. Its philosophy is expressed in its motto, “Explore, enjoy and protect the planet.” To find volunteer vacation opportunities, visit www.sierraclub.org, click on “Get Outdoors,” then “Search for a Trip.” Under “Activity,” click on “Service.” Most service trips are within the USA, including many in Hawaii.
Volunteer Abroad is a division of GoAbroad.com, founded by international education professionals. It offers a directory of international volunteer programs, ranging from two weeks at a work camp in France to two years of teaching in Nicaragua. Visit www.VolunteerAbroad.com.
WorldTeach, founded by a group of Harvard students in 1986, offers programs of one year, six months or eight weeks for volunteers willing to teach English in communities throughout Asia, Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe. Training and orientation are provided. For more information, visit www.worldteach.org.
Solo travelers must be especially prudent when traveling the world. Heed your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable with a person, place or situation, leave immediately.
Be selective about whom you tell you’re alone. Most of the time I’m free with this information and find that people help me and befriend me more quickly as a result. But, if I feel harassed or uneasy, I will say my husband is here with me on business, or that I’m with friends.
Be selective, Americans, about whom you tell your nationality. Again, I usually am free with this information, but if you find yourself talking with Sadam Hussein, for example, say you’re from Toronto. Nobody hates Canada.
The Wayfarers walking tours offer low single room supplements that average from just 9- 20% more than the standard, shared-room cost. Tours include meals, accommodations and more. Destinations include England, Scotland, Spain, The Czech Republic, Ireland, Switzerland, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S.A. Call 800-249-4620 for a 2002 catalog or visit www.thewayfarers.com
Cross Country International presents equestrian tours to Costa Rica in winter and European destinations in summer for riders with various levels of skill. Room shares may be arranged, but most solo travelers choose to pay the low single supplement for a private room. Call your travel agent or 800-828-8768 for a 2002 catalog or visit www.equestrianvacations.com.
American Singles invites romantic eligibles of all ages to avoid the single supplement with a guaranteed cabin-share cruise aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Elation January 6-13, 2002, as they cruise to Mexican Riviera ports of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas. Private parties are organized for this singles group, along with dining room seating and shore excursions. The cruise-only, per person price is $510 for an inside cabin and $610 for an outside cabin. Port charges add $170. Call 800-748-6662 to lock in the early-bird low price.
The U.S. Virgin Islands offer affordable accommodations for solo travelers. These small properties offer rates of $100 or less, even during the high season of December 15 – April 15.
St. Thomas:
Bunker Hill Hotel, www.bunkerhillhotel.com
Hotel 1829, www.hotel1829.com
Miller Manor, www.millermanor.com
St. John:
Inn at Tamarind Court, www.tamarindcourt.com
Cinnamon Bay Campgrounds, www.cinnamonbay.com
St. Croix:
The Frederiksted Hotel, www.frederikstedhotel.com
King Christian Hotel, www.kingchristian.com
Pink Fancy Hotel, www.pinkfancy.com
Carrington’s Inn, www.carringtonsinn.com
Cottages by the Sea, www.caribbeancottages.com
Hilty House, e-mail: hiltyhouse@worldnet.att.net
Inn at Pelican Heights, www.innatpelicanheights.com
California based Travelin’ Singles offers a wide variety of tours, based on members’ suggestions. First you pay $15 to put your name on their mailing list. This is offset by a $20 credit on your first trip. Once tour arrangements are made, flyers with details are sent to everyone on the mailing list. When you see a tour you like, send your deposit. Offerings include Thanksgiving in Los Cabos, Mexico, five days, including meals, domestic drinks, air from Los Angeles, and more for $745 with guaranteed share, or $200 extra single supplement. Plans for 2002 include Dominican Republic, Australia/New Zealand and at least six more tours. All ages are welcome and most Travelin’ Singles are 40 to 60 years of age. Call 800-748-6662.
Spend Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Vienna, or take any of more than 100 other learning vacations offered year-round and worldwide by INTERHOSTEL to people 50 and older. Programs are all-inclusive and offer activities, lectures, field trips and excursions. The Vienna trip costs $2895 for 15 days, including roundtrip air from Boston. Single supplement is $475, but Interhostel will provide a roommate, if desired. Other holiday programs are offered in France, Germany, Italy or the Czech Republic. Call 800-733-9753 or visit www.learn.unh.edu/interhostel
Singles can enjoy the pleasures of Cancun, Mexico, February 21-24, 2002, on a trip sponsored and escorted by Singles Travel International. Stay three nights at the 5-star Camino Real Cancun with full American breakfast daily, a welcome dinner with cocktails, a dinner cruise with cocktails, resort taxes and gratuities and coordinated activities with other singles. Land-only cost is $795 per person, double, though Singles Travel International can provide a roommate if you wish, in order to avoid a single supplement. Call 800-SOLO-TRIP (765-6874) or visit www.singlestravelintl.com.
Pack your t-shirts, not your tux. Windjammer Barefoot Cruises offers seven singles cruises for 2002, and will provide you with a roommate to avoid the single supplement. There is no fixed dinner seating arrangement so you’re free to mingle. You can sleep on deck under the stars, hike, snorkel, kayak, shop, loaf and, of course, explore each port of call. The August 3-15 sailing is for Silver Singles 50+. The following sailings are for all ages:
January 7-12
April 22-17
April 29-May 4
July 29-August 4
December 9-14
December 16-21
For more information, see your travel agent, call 800-327-2601 or visit www.windjammer.com.
Solo Flights/Mature Tours offers two holiday options for mature solo travelers. Room shares can be arranged as possible. For information on both trips, call 800-266-1566.
Celebrate New Year’s Eve at a Los Angeles Gala, then enjoy the Tournament of Roses Parade from a private grandstand on a five day trip which also includes four breakfasts and dinners, a box lunch for the parade, sightseeing, live entertainment and more. December 29-January 2, $1399, land only, per person, double room. Single supplement is $350.
Visit Spain, Portugal and Morocco for 13 days, departing December 23 or December 30 for $899, land only, per person, double room. Single supplement is $254. Additional airfare is much lower for the Dec. 30 departure.
Take a jungle
survival course or just hog a hammock at the lodge. Amazonia Expeditions offers
a wide range of activities in the Amazon rainforest of Peru. Land cost for up to
seven days is $1295, with each additional day $100, includes your cabin, all
meals, transfers, excursions customized for your interests and more. There is
never a single supplement. For more information, don your loincloth and visit www.perujungle.com
or call 800-262-9669.
Norwegian Coastal Voyage offers
Northern Lights and bargain rates to singles and seniors from mid-September to
mid-April, 2002. Daily departures stop at 34 points along Norway’s coast.
Choose sailings of six, seven or 12 days and prices start at under $700. For
more information, check with your travel agent, call 800-323-7436 or visit www.coastalvoyage.com.
Solo travel lets you mingle with
the locals more easily. One of the most fun ways to do that is by attending at
least one cultural event at your destination, whether it’s a ballet, concert,
soccer game, opera, bullfight or sumo wrestling match ― find out what the
locals do for fun, snag a ticket and go.
Travel deals galore are listed in
Joan Rattner Heilman’s book, Unbelievably Good Deals & Great Adventures
That You Absolutely Can’t Get Unless You’re Over 50 ($12.95, McGraw
Hill) Revised every year, it is jam-packed with detailed information about
benefits, and special perks for the fastest-growing segment of the population.
It is guaranteed to make people 49 and under wish they were older.
Singles Travel International
presents a cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Monarch of the Seas,
departing Ft. Lauderdale December 29, 2001, returning January 3 with stops in
Cozumel and Grand Caymen. Cruise price is $1,149 per person; cabin shares can be
arranged. Features include a welcome cocktail party, New Year’s Eve party,
singles-only seating in the dining room, a complimentary cocktail before dinner
during the two nights at sea, and special attention from the Singles Travel
International escort. Visit www.singlestravelintl.com
or call 877-SOLO-TRIP.
Many solo travelers dread the evening meal at a table for one. There are many solutions, including taking your evening meal at a pub, bar or sidewalk café. One friend makes a point of dining in department store restaurants because there are so many shoppers eating alone.
If
you make lunch your main meal of the day, you’ll not only save money but
you’ll find other solo diners as well, such as office workers and people
traveling on business. Then you can graze your way through dinner, grabbing a
delectable snack to eat as you explore.
TSW Singles Vacations presents an
eight-day, seven night trip, departing December 28, for $899, including
accommodations at 4-star Hotel Innsbruck, breakfast and dinner daily, round trip
motorcoach transfers from Munich’s airport and New Year’s Eve party.
Optional excursions are available. Price is per person, double occupancy, and
TSW provides a guaranteed room share. Roundtrip airfare is $399 plus tax from
New York, with low add-on rates from other cities. If you reserve before
September 21 and mention TravelAloneAndLoveIt.com, you will receive a $100
discount! Call 800-466-0202 or visit www.allsinglestravel.com.
Saga Holidays offers solo travelers
aged 50-plus a week or more in Greece with no single supplement. Prices as low
as $1199 include roundtrip airfare from New York for a week in the village of
Kamena Vourla, known for its beaches, healing waters and fish tavernas along the
seafront promenade. A full-day trip to Athens, plus three other excursions are
included; others are optional. All meals, with beer and local wine, are
included. Call 800-343-0273 or visit www.sagaholidays.com.
Got a long weekend and an urge to
go somewhere? Check out last minute deals at Site59.com
and LastMinuteTravel.com. Keep
your bag partially packed with toiletries, underwear and other necessities.
Then, when you find the right deal, off you go!
Now through October 31, when you book an online reservation at one of the participating hotels and resorts through www.puertoricoisfun.com, you will receive a fifth night free, breakfast daily, an upgrade to an ocean view room (based on availability) and a LeLoLai Fun & Savings Package, which includes a coupon book with $3400 in savings at 165 tourist venues, a 5-unit calling card, a gift bag and a full-color brochure with maps.
Kwikpoint
International Translator lets you hurdle the language barrier by pointing to
pictures of what you want. Sturdy, laminated cards illustrated with items common
and not-so-common are available in several sizes and prices. I recommend the
deluxe passport size with 600 pictures, priced around $10 in travel stores, or
order online at http://www.kwikpoint.com.
This would make a great gift for any international traveler.
Singles
can quit smoking while cruising the Caribbean during the Great American Smokeout.
Non-smokers are also invited on Carnival Cruise Line’s non-smoking Paradise
October 28 - November 4 sailing to Nassau, Bahamas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Halloween festivities are planned and single
cruisers are guaranteed a roommate so they won’t have to pay the dreaded
single supplement. Presented by American Singles and Discount Travel Club, the
cost is $499, per person, double occupancy, inside cabin, cruise only. Outside
cabins are available at additional cost and port charges are an additional $167.
For more information, call Debbie at 800-393-5000 and mention American Singles.
There’s
a difference. Singles are assumed to be romantically eligible and looking for a
mate. Solo’s may or may not be, and are often happily married or attached,
such as me, and simply enjoy the benefits of independent travel. It’s
important that you know the difference when you book a tour, cruise or resort,
so that you won’t feel out of place.
When you know how they operate, you can avoid being a victim of pickpockets, thieves and con artists who prey on travelers. Jens Jurgen details their tricks in his 24-page booklet with the long name, Foiling Pickpockets & Bag Snatchers and Other Travel Related Crimes/Scams. Send $4.95 check or $5.00 cash to Travel Companion Exchange Inc, P.O. Box 833, Amityville, NY 11701 and request the ‘Travel Safety/Pickpocket Booklet.’ I encourage all solo travelers to read this important information — consider it a very inexpensive insurance policy!
Saga Holidays, for travelers 50+, often offers tours with no single supplement. Departures are available November 3, 2001 and January 26 and March 30, 2002 for a 13-night exploration of Egypt, including a three-night Nile cruise and interactive murder mystery. Single rooms are provided at no additional cost. Prices start at $2899, including airfare, accommodations, many excursions and discussions, medical and baggage insurance, the services of a tour director and all breakfasts, all dinners and ten lunches. For more information or to receive a brochure, call 800-621-2151 or visit http://www.sagaholidays.com
When I compliment well-dressed women
passengers on my flights, often they tell me they bought their outfit at
Chico’s. After I’d heard this several times, I checked out the store myself
and found a wonderful array of moderately priced, attractive clothes that are
flattering to many figures and ages. Their knits are especially suitable for
travel, as are many of the accessories such as costume jewelry, scarves and a
nice, micro fiber tote for $30. For a catalog or a store near you, call
888-855-4986 or visit http://www.chicos.com.
The
main reason that liquids, creams and lotions leak outside their containers
during flights is because the air inside expands during pressurization changes.
The air tries to escape, but whatever liquid is in the way also gets forced out
the cap. To prevent this seepage, or at least to keep it from ruining your
clothes, squeeze the air out of your travel containers when you pack them,
double-bag them in plastic, then pack them so that they’ll be upright when you
stow your bag overhead.
San
Antonio is a wonderful solo travel destination with lots to see and do, great
food, friendly people, easy public transportation and affordable accommodations.
A perfect time to go will be October 27 through November 4 to join in the
festivities surrounding the Mexican-style Days of the Dead and the New
World Wine and Food Festival. San Antonio’s beloved River Walk features
the unique Haunted River Festival with Coffins on Parade October
27 and 31. November 1 and 2 are known as the Days of the Dead, during
which departed loved ones are expected to return for a brief visit. The New
World Wine and Food Festival takes place November 2-4. For a free visitor
information packet, call the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau at
800-THE-ALAMO, ext. 10 or visit http://www.SanAntonioVisit.com.
Because
our passports are valid for 10 years, we often forget to check the expiration
date. Many countries will not admit you if your passport will expire within six
months after your visit! Make a habit of checking your passport on a certain
date each year, such as your birthday, so you can renew it in plenty of time for
your next trip.
Cruise
West lets you sail solo at no extra cost to all destinations served by three of
its ships: Spirit of Alaska, Spirit of Columbia, and Spirit of
Glacier Bay. Four destinations include the Inside Passage and Prince William
Sound in Alaska, plus British Columbia and the Columbia and Snake Rivers. The
special solo rate is available for B and C category cabins and rates vary
according to season. These small ships, which carry from 52 to 78 guests,
provide close looks at scenery, open seating in dining rooms and ample
opportunity to meet fellow travelers. For more information, call 800-888-9378 or
visit http://www.cruisewest.com.
Solo travelers of all ages can spend seven nights at the Bougainvillea Hotel just outside San Jose, Costa Rica, November 3-10, 2001. Unpack just once, and tour the city of San Jose, the Irazu volcano, Orosi Valley, Lankester Gardens, and take an all day rain forest tour, including the famous aerial tram. This package is presented by Solo Flights and Mature Tours for $989 per person/double, not including air. Airfares to San Jose are presently reduced, so now is the time to book. Shared accommodations will be arranged as possible, and the single supplement adds only $160. For more information, call 800-266-1566 or fax 203-445-0109.
You must factor in all the variables when shopping for airfares.
Some discount airfare Web sites such as Priceline.com do not award frequent flyer miles with tickets bought through them. Don’t give up more in frequent flyer miles (worth about two cents per mile) than you save in airfare.
It is worth paying more money to fly nonstop to your destination rather than having to connect in another city. Aside from the extra time spent, you risk missing your connecting flight if your first flight is delayed. There is also the risk of your luggage misconnecting.
You can lose two days of your vacation by accepting a low fare with “blind” routing, which is not disclosed until it’s too late, after you’ve paid. What if the flight leaves too late the first day, and departs too early on your return?
Airplanes, being the aluminum tubes they are, bake in the summer sun while on the ground. Their air conditioning is controlled by auxiliary ground power, notoriously weak. Even though your plane might be hot during boarding, once all the engines are fired up, the air conditioning blasts at full force. That’s when scantily clad travelers beg for blankets. Help regulate your own temperature by wearing layers you can either peel off or pile on. You’ll be happy if you brought at least a sweater.
Increase the friendly flora in your intestinal system by eating yogurt with active cultures daily for two weeks before your trip. Alternatively, you could take capsules containing acidophilus and other live, active cultures. Look for those that are stable at room temperature. This easy regimen will help your body adjust to changes in what you eat and drink while traveling.
Don’t be afraid
to ask a police officer for information, advice and help. After all, who would
know better than a New York policeman whether it was safe for me to walk back to
my hotel alone at night after catching a show at the Birdland jazz club.
Euro-Bike and Walking Tours, http://www.eurobike.com, offers guaranteed share prices for those willing to share a room on their relaxed, luxury tours throughout Europe. Guaranteed share means that you do not pay the single-supplement even if they cannot find a roommate for you.
Special tours just for singles and solos depart:
August 4 to Bordeaux and Dordogne France. 10 days, $2,645
August 4 to Belgium, Netherlands Luxembourg, Germany. 14 days, $3,295
September 22 to Burgundy, France. 6 days, $1,795
Prices include breakfasts and some dinners. Airfare is extra.
Pack candy to share with people you meet overseas. I like to take Tootsie Rolls because they can take the heat and are made in my city, Chicago. I keep them in small, zip-close snack bags to carry in my purse each day. I offer them to the hotel staff, restaurant staff, cab drivers, bartenders – anyone I’d like to talk with or need help from.
Get to really know a place by hopping a train or bus to the outskirts of the big cities. You can’t know England by just seeing London. Ask your hotel staff or the tourist office for ideal, one-day escapes.
Solo travelers can save big bucks by going independently and staying at hotels with only two stars or less. I stay in Paris, for example for just $50 per night in a small, charming, independently owned hotel.
Find these hotels yourself via the tourist office for your destination, Internet web sites or guidebook recommendations.
Margo Classé offers four books packed with recommendations of inexpensive, personally inspected hotels in her wonderful Hello Europe book series. Learn more at http://www.HelloEurope.com.
Our mothers taught us not to because, as children, our instincts could not warn us of “stranger danger.” But we’re older and wiser now. As solo travelers, we truly reap what we sow. Don’t hesitate to initiate conversations with strangers, relying first on your instincts (do they seem sane?).
A simple, “Excuse me, I’m not from around here and I wonder if you could recommend a good restaurant nearby.”
When you again crave privacy, just excuse yourself with a smile and, “Sorry, I’ve made other plans.”
The best way to get to know any city is by walking. You’ll discover things you could never spot from a bus or car window.
If you don’t already have a fitness regimen, begin walking daily for a few weeks before your trip. Work your way up to a few miles per day so that, at your destination, you’ll be ready to explore.
Saga Holidays, for travelers 50+, often offers tours with no single supplement. Departures are available September 7th and 14th, 2001 for a two-week, singles-only exploration of India's Moghuls and palaces. Single rooms are provided at no additional cost. Prices start at $3699, including airfare, accommodations, many excursions and discussions, medical and baggage insurance, and all breakfasts and dinners. For more information or to receive a brochure, call 800-621-2151 or visit http://www.sagaholidays.com