RS Tour policy changes 2026

No problem with any of the changes. Never traveled as a single, but understand the reason for change. Also understand the 30 day limit on refundable cancellation, if you are not ready to commit, then delay booking. BTW, Odyssey’s Unlimited allows cancellation with refundable deposit up to 90 days prior to tour start so consider Odyssey’s if you want more flexibility. Expecting 2026 tour release very soon and am ready to book.

The only thing I was concerned about was that it is not clear if you can change to a different departure date. When you are signing up a year in advance, it is nice to have a bit of flexibility. I definitely understand trying to prevent people from gaming the system by signing up for mutiple tours and only taking one, but I hope that they will allow someone who signs up for one date to transfer to a different date within a certain period of time and not lose the deposit.

I was incredibly grateful to the RS organization for giving me a credit when I had to cancel a tour (more than 60 days out) due to an unexpected family caregiving need. There was no other tour open that I could transfer to. I fully expected to lose my deposit. They offered to apply my deposit to a tour for the following calendar year. This was such a kindness to me.

Mind telling me what travel insurance you get? I’ve read bad stories in BBB.
Thanks,
Bill

Bill, I'll send you a PM so we don't sidetrack this topic.

I've never traveled solo, but like the new solo policy and how it is encouraging and positive for solo travelers. On our 3 RS tours, I think we only have seen two strangers pair up; as most have chosen to have their own room.

In spite of traveling as a single for all my traveling life, I have never totally bought into the single supplement charge, especially as I have usually ended up in a singles only room when in Europe. So for 1 small bed, usually in a very small room in a poor location, 1 breakfast and whatever other meals are included, and 1 seat on the bus, I have been charged up to 50% extra. And then there are cruises where you get charged even more (and good luck on trying to get one of the few single, usually interior, cabins on a cruise line!). So it is really nice to see a standard $50/day rate, for example on a 7 day city tour I would pay $350, much better than the $1025 for London, $575 for Rome or $825 for Paris currently being charged. As a retiree on pension, this makes a big difference.

Regarding room sharing, I’ve done it twice. Once worked well, once was a disaster. As a life long single, I realize I need some quiet downtime after a day filled with new experiences and sights and people.

Like Horsewoofie, I pay deposits by credit card and haven’t changed my mind once a tour is booked……and insure the trip.

So thanks for the break on the single rate Rick! It is appreciated!

I have always bought books well before booking a trip as I research before traveling, does RS still give you the option of declining a guide book aspartame of the kit?

Love the aspartame, Lesley!

Definitely a solo traveler improvement, though I once benefitted from others choosing supplement and I ended up with a "free" solo room, it never did seem fair on either side.

I agree with Laura about the departure date change, I suppose that will become clear when the full details come out. I had to change a tour due to Icelandic volcanic activity and they were extremely accommodating. I hope that flexibility continues.

. . . but as I read it, you still have to pay the single supplement, so how is that money-saving?

The longest tour I see us 21 days. So at $50 a day that’s $1,050 for the single supplement. Not bad. I’ve seen far higher.

I don’t see where is says single rooms are unlimited though. I imagine there is still only a limited number of single rooms. The hotels Rick uses tend to be smaller with only so many rooms to start with. A hotels probably can’t hold 24 rooms in the event there are 24 singles.

Stan, the money saving is for those of us who always pay the single supplement - ex: 11 day Tuscany tour, this year is $825 and next year will be $550.

OK I just read the email and didn't go to the details link. Thanks.

Stan - click on link within the email which has more details - clearly written out. https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/policy-updates.

Single Supplement could be a real savings if I'm reading it correctly.

"We’re calculating the Single Supplement fee at a flat $50 per day and subsidizing the actual cost to make it more affordable. This means the cost of single supplements is going down in 2026."

Best of Scotland 13 days currently 2025 tours - $1,525. Cost in 2026 would be $600 (12 nights).

I always book Single Supplement as others have noted.

I'm really glad they are sending out tour packages earlier. I like to start reading and planning way early, so I have been checking the guidebook out of the library until my own arrives. This is much better.

Regarding singles room sharing - totally agree to let that one go. I cannot imagine sharing a room with a random stranger, RS-approved or not. The list of possible things that could go wrong is endless.