Roommate or single supplement

Judy Puckett requested comments from readers as to how they’ve located suitable travel partners (Oct. ’08, pg. 18). I am very glad that she asked for this information. I have a related request.

My wife, a schoolteacher, often cannot travel on the dates I want to travel. Sometimes she simply has no interest in my destination. This leaves me with the option of either finding a roommate or paying the single supplement.

I view single supplements as something to avoid for this reason: whatever I save in not having to pay a single supplement becomes my deposit on the next trip I take.

However, many of the travel companies shift the burden of locating a “share” to the traveler, which makes it difficult if not nearly impossible to avoid the single supplement.

I would like to see ITN readers regularly write in about which travel companies either 1) waive the single supplement if you are willing to share, whether the travel company is able to match you or not, or 2) discount the single supplement if you are willing to share, whether the travel company is able to match you or not.

Currently, ElderTreks (Toronto, Ontario; 800/741-7956, www.elder treks.com) waives the entire single supplement if they can’t match you. Overseas Adventure Travel (Cambridge, MA; 800/493-6824, www.oattravel.com) and Vantage Deluxe World Travel (Boston, MA; 800/322-6677, www.vantagetravel.com) discount their land trips’ single supplements by 50% if you are willing to share, and they refund the remaining 50% if they succeed in matching you with a share.

I think many ITN readers would find this information helpful.

While in a perfect world I’d be rich enough to take an unlimited number of overseas trips without worrying about the cost, that’s not reality for me and for many others who travel solo. We look for ways to minimize our costs so we can afford to go on our next adventure.

JAMES P. “JAY” SIBLEY

Houston, TX