I wanted to share this experience, as it was something I was apprehensive about, and wanted to let others know about how it went for me.
So last year, I took a tour as a solo female with Trafalgar in southern USA with about 40 travellers. Usually I travel with my partner, so I’ve never worried about sharing a room with another traveller. When I was a bit younger, I travelled around plenty staying in hostels but now I’ve upgraded to hotels and like my own space!
I had to choose, do I want to pay for a single supplement and privacy? Or save those funds for more spending money or well, something else! I opted to share a room and see how it went.
This is what I found:
It was clear the operator had made an effort to pair people up based on approximate ages - so you were with someone of a similar(ish) age to you - of course this would depend on who was travelling on the tour booked!
I was seated next to my roommate on the bus throughout the tour, so we were able to connect and get to know each other from the get go
The woman I shared with was a seasoned solo traveller on tours, and had some basic ‘room sharing strategies’ that we used throughout:
In the morning - we’d take it in turns to get breakfast - so every morning we each had time to ourselves in the room to get ready
She had a call scheduled with her family each evening - and told me in advance the time, so I would make myself scarce, and in return she would give me a bit of time to myself in the evening too
We took it in turns deciding which bed/side of the room we wanted to sleep on (really made no difference to me, but for the sake of fairness)
Overall, I really had no reason to be hesitant about it, it was just another traveller there for the same experience as me, sharing space, and meant I had a ‘buddy’ throughout the tour. I’d definitely consider sharing a room again on future solo travels.
My advice for anyone in the same situation, if you’re open to it (but maybe a little apprehensive), give it a go and save some funds! Communication was key (as with most things! ), we talked openly about what worked best, and set a simple routine that made things comfortable for both of us.
Has anyone else tried room sharing on a tour? How did it go for you?
I’ve been on tours a bunch of times where I’ve shared rooms (and in some cases, tents!).
For sure when I first started doing it in my younger years it was all about saving money. However, as time went on it was also either a practical requirement or simply just better fun. Each experience was different, but if you approach it with the same mindset and curiosity as you approach traveling in a new destination, then I find it to be a great experience. A few times when I’ve opted for my own room I’ve ended up with a bit of FOMO as others bonded better together - but that’s as much about my personality type as it is sharing / not sharing. If you get exhausted being around people too much, then for sure I’d say you should consider paying a bit more to get your own space at the end of the day.
I do love the suggestion about alternating breakfast times - that kind of upfront communication is key (and also means you don’t feel like you have to do ‘everything’ with your new room-mate). For me it depends on what else I’m doing on a specific journey - if I have a lot of other solo travels, then joining with someone else helps to break down some social barriers within the bigger group and can often lead to a richer experience on tour for everyone. However, if I’m coming off the back of a busy time with lots of other people, then in those cases I’m prepared to pay a bit more.
What I’ve found when sharing a room is that you get out of it what you put into it. Make an effort, have a clear chat upfront to set your own boundaries and expectations and quite I’ve found is that the best thing about my travel was the people I met!
It sounds like you hit the jackpot with your roommate! It can be difficult to share a room with friends you’ve known forever, let alone someone you’ve only just met, but it seems like her previous experiences made the whole trip really easy. Communication is definitely key!
As someone who enjoys scrolly-time at the end of the day or if my social battery has depleted, I would usually opt for a private room, but I will admit it does reduce the ability to connect with my fellow travellers, which is all part of the experience.
Maybe for my next trip, I might opt for a shared room and see how I go!
I had my first experience a year ago in Bali, travelling solo for my birthday. I got a sweet lady to share a room with. Our age difference was considerable so I was a bit skeptical on how the experience will be. As soon as the whatsapp group was created we started texting. As soon as she arrived, we hugged like we’ve known each other for years. She was younger in spirit than I was! Fun girl, drinking espressos martinis for breakfast. Such a vibe.
6 months later we booked a trip to Philippines together. I made a friend for life.
I feel that if you are open to think that things can go really well - why wouldn’t you go for it?
I’ve also had such positive experiences sharing a room as a solo traveller and made some good connections. I also liked having the same roommate throughout as well so we could get to understand each of our habits.
I will say though… as I’ve gotten older I have started snoring a lot lol! Something a lot of us deal with, so I plan knowing this and book a private room just so I can sleep easy knowing I’m not keeping my roommate up. After a good night sleep waking up to hear how you kept your roomie up all night is not how I want to spend your vacation. I know it’s not feasible for everyone with your budget but just being conscious if you do snore, bring some breathing strips, maybe ear plugs for your new roomie?
), we talked openly about what worked best, and set a simple routine that made things comfortable for both of us.