You Can Come by Yourself: What Solo Travelers Should Know About Joining a Hosted Group

You Can Come by Yourself: What Solo Travelers Should Know About Joining a Hosted Group

There is something I hear more often than you might think:

“I would love to go, but I don't have anyone to go with me.”

Maybe your spouse doesn't enjoy traveling. Maybe your friends aren't interested in the same destinations you are. Maybe their schedules or budgets don't line up with yours. Maybe life has simply changed, and the person you always thought you'd travel with isn't the person you'll be traveling with now.

Whatever the reason, I hate the thought of someone looking at a place they've dreamed about seeing and deciding:

Maybe someday. If I can find someone to go with me.

Because someday has a funny way of turning into years.

And here's something I want more travelers to know:

You can come by yourself.

A hosted group can give you the freedom to travel on your own without feeling like you're completely on your own.

But will I feel awkward coming alone?

This may be the biggest concern.

You see pictures of cruise groups and immediately notice the couples. Or groups of friends. Or sisters traveling together.

And you wonder, Where exactly would I fit into that?

You fit right in with everybody else.

A good hosted group shouldn't feel like a collection of little cliques you have to somehow break into. People are there because they have at least one important thing in common already:

They wanted to take this trip.

That's a pretty good conversation starter.

Some people arrive knowing several people. Some arrive knowing one person. And some may not know a single soul.

By the end of a trip, that can look very different.

Do I have to do everything with the group?

Absolutely not.

This is something I feel strongly about with the groups I host.

It's still your vacation.

A hosted group isn't supposed to mean being marched around together from breakfast until bedtime.

There may be group activities, excursions, gatherings or meals along the way, but you should also have the freedom to explore on your own, choose a different excursion, spend an afternoon reading on your balcony or decide you've had enough people for one day and want a little quiet time.

There's comfort in knowing the group is there.

There's also freedom in knowing you don't have to be attached to it every minute.

I think the best hosted travel gives you both community and independence.

What about meals?

This is another question solo travelers worry about, even when they don't say it out loud.

Am I going to have to eat dinner alone?

You certainly can if you want to. But being part of a hosted group means there are other people around to connect with.

Maybe you meet someone on an excursion and decide to have dinner together. Maybe several people decide to meet for breakfast. Maybe there's a group dinner planned.

Those little connections tend to happen naturally when people travel together.

And sometimes the person you meet on Day 2 becomes the person you're saying, “Where are we going next?” to on Day 7.

Yes, traveling solo can cost more

This is the part I won't sugarcoat.

Cruise cabins, hotel rooms and many tour prices are traditionally based on two people sharing the room. When one person occupies it, there can be a single supplement, and sometimes it's substantial.

But that doesn't mean every trip costs twice as much.

Some cruise ships have cabins specifically designed for solo travelers. Some cruise lines and tour companies periodically reduce or waive single supplements. Certain itineraries are simply much more solo-friendly than others.

That's something worth considering before choosing the trip rather than discovering it after you've fallen in love with one.

And as I continue planning hosted travel, it's something I want to pay attention to: Is there a reasonable way for someone traveling alone to join us?

I don't want solo travelers to be an afterthought.

What if I'm nervous?

You can be nervous and still go.

You don't have to transform yourself into some fearless world traveler before you're allowed to get on the airplane.

Maybe you've never cruised.

Maybe you've never traveled internationally.

Maybe you've always had someone else beside you handling the details.

Or maybe you're perfectly capable of traveling alone, you simply don't want to.

Those are all different situations, but a hosted group can provide something valuable in each of them:

There's somebody you know you're connected to before the trip ever begins.

You aren't just arriving at a ship, hotel or airport wondering what happens next.

And you don't have to call yourself a “solo traveler”

This may be my favorite part.

There is a whole world of solo travel out there, and I think it's wonderful for the people who love it.

But maybe that isn't what you're looking for.

Maybe you don't particularly want to spend three weeks wandering Europe completely by yourself.

Maybe you just want to see Europe, and nobody you know can go this year.

Those aren't necessarily the same thing.

You can travel by yourself without wanting to travel alone.

That's where joining the right group can make all the difference.

Don't wait for someday

There are places you want to see.

Alaska. Italy. Greece. The Christmas markets. A river cruise through Europe. Maybe somewhere completely different.

If someone you love wants to go with you, wonderful.

But if they don't?

Please don't automatically cross that trip off your list.

Ask about the group.

Ask what the other travelers are like. Ask how much is done together and how much independence you'll have. Ask about solo pricing. Ask whether the trip feels like a good fit for you.

And then consider doing something you may not have thought you could do:

Come by yourself.

Because you may arrive by yourself without ever feeling like you're traveling alone.

Don't miss the world because you're waiting for somebody to go with you. Come with us.