single travelers on Rick Steves' tours

I went alone on the 7 day Rome tour--first time out of the country on my own and I had a blast!! Go for sure! You won't regret it. Everyone (there were 24 of us total) was so nice, looked out for me, and I was always getting invited to join different couples/groups for dinner or sightseeing during the tour's free time.

My roommate was fabulous, and thanks to her, I actually made a day trip out to Florence with her and a couple of her friends which was the highlight of my trip--and that's hard to do with all the wonderful things in Rome! I just brought some earplugs and a sleeping mask in case of snoring, which you would probably want to block city noises anyway.

If you want more info, feel free to PM me. You can also get a free tour DVD from Rick which takes you along on a tour and one segment talks about solo travelers on the tours.

Go, go, go! I can't emphasize enough how wonderful it is.

~Liz

P.S. I love Bellingham!! It's my favorite place here in the States!

I have - Italy in 17 days (best trip of my life) and will do another in May (Ireland). As with all things like this, it's all in your approach. Is it "weird"? Yes, at first, but if you're flexible, open, take earplugs, and patience you'll be fine. As with the prior poster, the other tourmates were fantastic and welcoming as well - it is nice to have 25 other people keeping track of you. The best advice I can give is don't expect your other single roommate to want to do everything with you - or vice versa. You're both traveling solo after all! If you're lucky, there will be many singles so you can rotate roommates occasionally. The RS folks can tell you how many singles are signed up for a particular tour (although no more details than that). Other than that, I say GO!

Another vote to go for it! I went on one of the France tours as a single and it was fantastic. There were also some families. I appreciated having time to myself to go at my own pace, and sometimes skipped the group meals if I wanted to do something else. No problem. But it was nice to have company if I wanted it, and all the details arranged for me. I did have some issues with the sleeping patterns of my roommate (although a wonderful person), which the others seem to also mention. If your tour offers a single room supplement, it would be worth it- that was the only "complaint" that I have.

I'm glad to hear people giving positive responses. I was widowed last August. My wife of over 31 years died suddenly and unexpectedly. We'd planned a trip back to the UK for this summer the night before she died. Now, no UK for me just yet. I decided I need to try to learn how to travel alone and still try to enjoy the trip. So, look out Rome, I'm going to give the RS tour a shot in May. It is a little unnerving travelling alone again after all these years.

I did it, glad I did!

Half the dinners are group dinners, so everyone's eating together whether they're couples or not (although sometimes the group is split over 2 or 3 tables). On the other nites, its easy to meet up with other people since a lot of people go in smaller groups anyway rather than pairing off as couples.

Sharing a room is no problem; just bring earplugs. A little consideration for each other and you're fine. Just don't assume the other person was assigned to hang out with you; if you're both going the same place, great, if not, find some other people who are.

You have to have some independence on the free times; don't be afraid to go to a museum or spend an afternoon alone.

Finally, on the bus there's room for everyone to have their own seat and many people spread out, so you won't stand out because you're not sharing the pair of seats with someone.

Guy, good for you, I know it may be hard to do something you planned on doing with your life partner, but, I am glad that you are keeping your end of the bargain so to speak, go and enjoy it for both of you.

jenny,
I took a RS Ireland tour in October, and had a great time! Due to the fact that Rick's groups are limited to about 28 people, it's somewhat of a "family" atmosphere, and there's definitely enough time to do some things on your own. Part of my focus in travel is photography, and I like to get away from the group at times for photo op's - I didn't have any problem doing that.

Guy,
I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. As Pat said, it's great that you've decided to travel again. I would most certainly recommend a RS tour and Rome should be fantastic. Although I've only been on one RS tour so far (still working on this year's plans), I found that Rick's Guides were incredible!

Several replies have mentioned Ear Plugs. As I recall, these were provided as part of the tour. I prefer to use an I-Pod with noise cancelling ear buds - works just as well.

Happy travels!

Know what you want to do or see on your free time. Even if no one else wants to go where you want to, go anyway. It's your trip.

While I have never been on an RS tour, I used to lead tours and found the people that knew what they wanted to see had a better time than those who waited for me to suggest things.

And contrary to what Rick has said about tour directors hating passengers who want to be independent, well, he's completely wrong. People who knew what they wanted were easier to please than those who wanted me to tell them what to do.

Added to what Frank said: Rick's tour guides are very friendly and helpful, and actually encouraged us to go off on our own, which was rather amusing the first day. We had just finished our ancient Rome tour outside the Pantheon and the tour guide basically said "OK, the rest of the day is on your own, see you guys tomorrow"

A couple of people moved off, but most of us stayed standing there like lost little sheep, so the guide took pity on us and led us to a restaurant for lunch so we could rest and recover. Then we were ready to be set free.

I made it a point to socialize with as many people on the tour as possible. You learn pretty quickly who has the same interests as you and wants to go to the same places. I went several places I wouldn't have gone on my own thanks to my tour family (Florence, Mamertine Prison, etc.). I also took an evening off and walked around the hotel neighborhood by myself.

One last note, continued in the next post...

Continued...

On a city tour where you don't change hotels, you will have the same roommmate the entire time. You also have the option of paying for the single's supplement, which if you feel awkward about sharing a room with a stranger would be a good option. But I think it would also have diminished the experience I had.

Guy, let me also offer my sympathies on your loss and congratulate you on deciding to continue to travel. I am sure your wife will travel with you in spirit.

Every etbd tour I've taken (14 and counting) has been as a single. Do I need say each experience is unique? From never a problem to, well, yes! would be my answer. But if you remember Rick's policy outlines such as "bending like a willow" whatever happens makes for good travel in odd circumstances. Also clear communication between roomates about any issues must begin immediately. The answers can be easy, or not. Also remember your guide has lots of experience dealing with roomate choices, resolving issues, calming stirred waters-on and on. Besides travel is adventure, solving the unexpected. I would change nothing, nor will I stop traveling as a single. Larry from springfield.

Jenny, GO! On both ETBD tours I've been on the singles have been readily "adopted" by the group. I never saw any of the singles appearing to feel awkward or lonely.

I will say though that I was on two city tours and I don't think the singles were sharing. I think they had purchased the supplement.

Greetings -
I took the Best of Europe with RS by myself and had a ball!!! Roommates will be switched around and if there are single rooms those are rotated as well. My fellow tourists were welcoming, friendly and inclusive. It seemed that small groups (2-5) would form spontaneously. Even married couples split up according to their interests. I heartily recommend ETBD tours. Additionally, I learned how to travel independently. I am now planning a trip to the UK by myself and have also traveled solo to Poland. I sure wish my husband (my favorite travel partner) was interested in European travel. However, the people I met were wonderful. Go! Go! Go! Ann

Hi Jenny:

I am on my 5th RS tour as a single traveler and have had a blast on each one. They have ranged from the week long city tours to a 21 day tour of italy.

I have had only one experience where my roomie was difficult, but all the others have been wonderful. If there are several single women, you rotate between them for a roomate. So at each stop you have a different roommate unless there are only two single travelers. That happend on my last tour and I lucked into the best roommate I have had so far.

I have always found someone to join, and have never felt like I was a third wheel.

I have gained so much confidence that i am heading over to Paris several days before my tour this year and am exploring on my own.

You go and you will have the time of your life

Jenny,

I haven't done a Rick Steves tour, but I have traveled as a single with groups and twice ended up sharing a double bed with the opposite sex through circumstance, not choice, LOL! Of course, the first time it happened, the gorgeous hunk of a man turned out to be gay...sigh. The second time, we were the last two in the group to get to the hotel and there was only one room left with a queen bed. He was so funny, he insisted that I sleep under the sheet and blanket while he would only sleep under the blanket. A variation on the "wall of pillows" down the center of the bed. What can I say, he was a true southern gentleman.

Nancy, I don't know what tour company you were with, but your tour manager should have made separate arrangements or even give up his/her room and made other arrangements.

On one of my tours, I had two older single women who were paired together as roommates. On the last night of the tour, they were given a room with one bed. I spoke to the manager, who hated tour groups, but his bosses loved them, and he said he'd put a rollaway bed in.

When we returned, no bed was put in the room. He said the room was too small and they had no rooms left. The women refused to sleep in the same bed so I gave up my room to one of them. I had to argue with the manager on duty for a long time before he would agree to pay for a room at another hotel for me...and I had to go to two different hotels. It was 2 AM and I had a flight home at 9.

18 months ago I did RS Rome City Tour. I was solo and put that I was ok with a roommate so I didn't have to pay the extra money to bunk alone. When I got there, to my surprise, all the other singles paid the extra... by luck of the draw I had my own room without paying extra. I don't know how often that happens but for me it was great, not that I would have minded a roomie but, I can tell you this, there were few night I was home before midnight. I
don't drink so it is not like I come back drunk or anything, but I remember one night I was in Piazza Navona until after 1am and then walked back. I met a family from Holland who were celebrating a wedding anniversary and I spent most of my free time with their 20something, kids.

I was 36 at the time and was the youngest solo traveler in the group and I am not sure how any of them would have felt if I was coming in at all hours of the night.

The people from the tour made me feel welcome, too, so it was a win win situation.

I went solo last Sept. on RS Berlin, Prague and Vienna tour. There was one other single female and we shared a room each night. It worked out better than either of us expected. Our habits worked well . . . she preferred to shower in the evening and I preferred the morning. Perfect. We would usually meet up for dinner with each other or with others from the group but we were totally fine spending our free time by ourselves. I really enjoyed that. It made me feel like a "big girl," if that makes sense. Besides, I was able to see what I wanted to see and do what I wanted to do. By the end of the trip, some of the couples and families were commenting that they were ready to get away from one another. Lucky me didn't have that worry! :o) I'm enjoyed myself so much that I'm going on a RS Paris tour this fall. A friend may travel with me, which is fine, but if she doesn't, I'm still going.

Good luck and happy travels to Jenny and Guy!

When I went on my first tour, it was a RS tour (I'd traveled alone all over Europe but elected to go on a tour to Italy). My roommate was 72 and I was 27!! A large age gap you may be thinking but we could not have been more perfectly matched!! We were both free spirits and, although we did not hang out together during the day, we had a wonderful time at night chatting the night away! Who knew we would have so much in common? It was a great experience!! I have been on countless tours and have been assigned roommates on all of them--they all have worked out great!! I wouldn't worry about it--you're not in the room that much anyway!!

My one RS tour (I use his books all the time!) was to Paris as a single. The positive was that of the 4 singles, all women, two paid the single supplement and I got a great girl (my daughter's age) for my roommate. The negative was that one of the other singles was my age and seemed to think that somehow that entitled her to be my buddy. It was so bad that others on the tour asked me several times if I needed help to get away from her!! (She had some other irritating characteristics, too, like wanting to know intimate details of everyone's life.) The one thing I would do differently would be to make my views clear FROM THE BEGINNING with that lady.

As it was, I waited until the last night to say what I should have said earlier. Has this put me off travelling alone? No, in fact, I am going to Turkey with RS this fall. Like someone said earlier, get things clear at the BEGINNING. It is only harder later on.

Am I ever glad to read all the positive responses about single travel with RS. I am half of a couple and we have taken 5 RS tours (going to 6 this summer) and have had numerous singles on all 5 tours. I have always seen many of the coupled folks make an effort to include (or at least offer to) the single folks on the tour. I have only heard one complaint from a single and that involved a situation that could have been avoided if addressed early on. I was single for over 47 years and wished I had started traveling as a single many, many years ago. Happy travels.