Single room vs. Roommate

I've always gotten a single room. I'm not a sound sleeper, and I'd hate to disturb a roommate. Also, it's nice to have some "alone time" in the evening.

I have taken 15 RS trips and have two more planned. I prefer a single room, partially because I snore and have occasional noisy sinus problems. I've noticed that the single supplements have become very high, even exorbitant. I wanted to go to the Glimmerglass Opera Festival, but the SS was $2000+ for the 5 nights. This amounts to $400 per night. Checking the website of the motel where we'd stay, its highest price, even during the festival, was no where near that amount. In addition, I researched a few high-end opera tours which cost much more: their single supplement is lower even though they stay at expensive hotels. Please explain someone.

In reply to onlyoneman012915:

Mind if I ask -- what is the other company you travel with, that doesn't charge a single supplement?
Thanks - Bev

In reply to bevlowen110202:

I know Overseas Adventure Travel - (O.A.T.) does not charge a SS on International trips.

In reply to sandy94538011157:

I haven’t had any problem with my roommates but if you’re at all uncomfortable don’t do it

In reply to touch3041141:

I am the same way. How do you deal with your out of whack circadian rhythms on the trip? I don't look forward to that.

In reply to alabamadixiegal061002:

@alabamadixiegal - To deal with jet lag/travel tiredness, try to go at least a day ahead. Two days is better! Try to spend time out in the sun on your arrival day. If you have to nap on your first day (I often do especially if I am traveling solo) set an alarm and only sleep for 1-1.5 hours, then get up and go back outside. Don't spend a lot of this day on indoor activities like museums and churches.

In reply to alabamadixiegal061002:

For European trips, RS's schedule is perfect for me to adjust to the new time zone since there is little programming scheduled for the day of arrival. I am usually very sleep deprived when I arrive in Europe, due to inability to sleep on airplanes, but an afternoon nap of two hours and then a walk outside usually would refresh me enough to attend dinner and the intro meeting. After that, I can go to sleep early enough to get caught up with sleep and adjust to the new time zone. I am normally a night owl, with bedtime between 1 and 2am, but on RS trips we tend to have earlier starts to each day than my usual so going to bed earlier than my normal works out perfectly.

For Asia, it is more challenging and might take a few days to adjust since the time difference is often around 12 hours. Pam's suggestion of arriving a day or two early would work best. Actually, I have found that adjusting back to my home time zone is harder after an Asian trip than adjusting when I arrive there.

In reply to akajanap011001:

That's exactly why I am getting a single, Janet! Sometimes I snore a little and I am very self-conscious about it!

This thread has clearly struck a nerve, and most of the responses have been in FAVOR of traveling solo, with the corresponding idea that RS should re-think the single-supplement idea. Some of the SS's are truly exhorbitant,
some are close to reasonable, but ALL should take into account that there are more and more solo travelers and it's only going to put more and more pressure on travel organizations to come to grips with that fact.

In reply to larrylobo42010500:

Hello larylobo, For our solo participants who want a room to themselves, we offer a single room option at additional cost. We do not profit from this single supplement fee. The added cost of this option covers the expense of not splitting the room with someone else. For those solo participants who don’t want to pay the additional cost to have a room to themselves, we offer roommate matching on many of our programs, as well as a large collection of single room special offers. Here's a link to those programs -- www.roadscholar.org/special-offers/singles-at-no-extra-cost
Best, Rachel

In reply to cstevensonparis011942:

I signed up for a trip to Charleston SC. The single supplement is $600. I booked it because I really like the program, but I am thinking of canceling. Any way to see if RS can do better than that?

In reply to kathleenshatus112715:

"Any way to see if RS can do better than that?"

Are you asking if RS would reduce the single supplement? I'd think not and the post upthread said they do not profit off the single supplement. You can opt to share with another participant and not pay the single supplement.

TBH, I always get the single supplement because I need some time away from the group. It feels like you are just focusing on the amount and not on the fun time you'll have in Charleston! Unless this is going to put you in to debt I'd go. There may be a cancellation charge anyway depending on when your trip is.

www.roadscholar.org/.../na_regpgs_web_aug18.pdf

I'll also add that I travel solo to Europe a lot with another company which also has single supplements and theirs are usually more than Road Scholar. I just pay it because I enjoy travel with both these companies.

In reply to ssweeny9013124:

Why didn't you tell the group leader the minute you became uncomfortable. Also, were you being literal about the roommates being "40 years older"; would not make them in their 90's? Being a RS trip; I assume you are 50 is why I ask. Just curious.

In reply to hjones022832:

I totally agree with you., with one rare exception. Since Road Scholar limits the number of singles, it became necessary to agree to have a roommate on a 6-day trip to the Florida Keys. We were lodged at Key Largo in a one- bedroom, two-story condo unit with a bathroom on each floor. I slept in the bedroom upstairs, and my roommate slept in on the sofa-bed the main room downstairs. If Road Scholar used that type of lodging more often, I think many males would be willing to share.