Package holidays as a solo traveller

SaxonMaiden

I don't often book package holidays, but I'm trying to go to Greece for my birthday, which is next month (not over the Easter weekend itself, but in the awkward bit) and I've read that's usually cheaper as a package deal.  Been looking for weeks and not finding much.  Especially frustrated with sites that say they do solo package holidays, but then I try to book and the price more than doubles when I say it's just me (why, when the flights are the most expensive part and I only need one seat on the plane, will only eat/drink enough for one when there are meals included etc.)?  Lastminute is guilty of that and so is Cheekytrip.  Or in Holidaypirates' case, I searched for a solo holiday, they quoted me and then they wouldn't let me book without a 2nd passenger.  

So which tour operators do good deals for solo travellers?  Also, since flights don't usually get cheaper as the date nears, how long can I keep looking before any chance of a deal evaporates?  Is it possible to get deals the week before when the travel dates are in a high demand period?  If not, then when should one cut one's losses and book the cheapest deal one can find?  And are phone lines still any use for this sort of thing?  I tried calling Teletext to haggle and the guy I spoke to was trying to push something I'd seen cheaper on Holiday Gems, though not cheap enough or I would've booked it.  

zagfles

What you've read about package deals being cheaper probably applies to couples/families, packages are generally aimed at them, not solo travellers. 

These days flights are probably the cheapest part of packages, we've just been to Spain for a week and were going to sort flights and accomodation separately, the flights were incredibly cheap at around £75 return each, the accomodation was around £600 for places that looked any good. In the end we booked a package for £800 total as that was better value. But the main tour operators probably use hotels with double/family rooms and possibly SC facilities, so they'd be hardly any cheaper for a single. 

I travel a lot on my own and never bother even looking at packages when travelling alone. It is getting harder these days to find good value accomodation for solo travel in some places due to the shift from hotel accomodation to Air BnB type places which generally cater to couples/families/groups. Even using hotel booking sites like booking.com, in some areas 90% of the accomodation shown is AirBnB style apartments which are usually ordinary residential flats which people are letting out rather than proper accomodation aimed at tourists.

Look at hostels, they're not just grotty dorms these days, there are some really good hostels that have private rooms of hotel standard, and you get all the advantages a hostel like friendly common areas/bars where you can have a chat with other travellers and they often do good value trips aimed at backpackers on a budget. 

strawb_shortcake

SaxonMaiden said:

I don't often book package holidays, but I'm trying to go to Greece for my birthday, which is next month (not over the Easter weekend itself, but in the awkward bit) and I've read that's usually cheaper as a package deal.  Been looking for weeks and not finding much.  Especially frustrated with sites that say they do solo package holidays, but then I try to book and the price more than doubles when I say it's just me (why, when the flights are the most expensive part and I only need one seat on the plane, will only eat/drink enough for one when there are meals included etc.)?  Lastminute is guilty of that and so is Cheekytrip.  Or in Holidaypirates' case, I searched for a solo holiday, they quoted me and then they wouldn't let me book without a 2nd passenger.  

So which tour operators do good deals for solo travellers?  Also, since flights don't usually get cheaper as the date nears, how long can I keep looking before any chance of a deal evaporates?  Is it possible to get deals the week before when the travel dates are in a high demand period?  If not, then when should one cut one's losses and book the cheapest deal one can find?  And are phone lines still any use for this sort of thing?  I tried calling Teletext to haggle and the guy I spoke to was trying to push something I'd seen cheaper on Holiday Gems, though not cheap enough or I would've booked it.  

Tui have holidays for Greece starting at £492 for a week self catering towards the end of April. 
You'll be competing with school holidays. In out area Easter holidays are spanning 3 weeks with some starting the 7th and others 14th.

Holidays starting early April seem no cheaper.

It is airport dependent, Bristol prices start at £632

SaxonMaiden

zagfles said:

What you've read about package deals being cheaper probably applies to couples/families, packages are generally aimed at them, not solo travellers. 

These days flights are probably the cheapest part of packages, we've just been to Spain for a week and were going to sort flights and accomodation separately, the flights were incredibly cheap at around £75 return each, the accomodation was around £600 for places that looked any good. In the end we booked a package for £800 total as that was better value. But the main tour operators probably use hotels with double/family rooms and possibly SC facilities, so they'd be hardly any cheaper for a single. 

I travel a lot on my own and never bother even looking at packages when travelling alone. It is getting harder these days to find good value accomodation for solo travel in some places due to the shift from hotel accomodation to Air BnB type places which generally cater to couples/families/groups. Even using hotel booking sites like booking.com, in some areas 90% of the accomodation shown is AirBnB style apartments which are usually ordinary residential flats which people are letting out rather than proper accomodation aimed at tourists.

Look at hostels, they're not just grotty dorms these days, there are some really good hostels that have private rooms of hotel standard, and you get all the advantages a hostel like friendly common areas/bars where you can have a chat with other travellers and they often do good value trips aimed at backpackers on a budget. 

How does one do point by point replies here?  

Paragraph 1: Well, I read about packages being cheaper on MSE, so if they're not cheaper for solo travellers, then the guides need an update.  

Paragraph 2: Flights were coming up in the hundreds when I tried looking separately, especially on the way back, because of Easter hols.  Hence my question about how long I should play chicken with the tour operators, because e.g. Ryanair (which operated a lot of the flights) charges through the nose if you try and book a few days before, so will there really be any good deals later or will the flights push the prices up?   

Paragraph 4: Hostels used to be my go-to when private rooms there were cheap.  However, these days they generally charge as much as hotel rooms for a private room, so I use them less and less.  

eskbanker

SaxonMaiden said:
Well, I read about packages being cheaper on MSE, so if they're not cheaper for solo travellers, then the guides need an update.

I'd always be wary about generalisations - so much will depend on the circumstances, but it's not usually difficult to benchmark packages against DIY for any given itinerary.

Which guides stated or implied that packages are cheaper, without further qualification?

Doshwaster

As a solo traveller (I have no friends) I almost never do package holidays as they are designed for couples and families. It is usually cheaper to go DIY where you book the flights and accommodation separately. This also gives you more choice and flexibility over what the package brochure holiday will offer. 

daveyjp

Book a flight and find accommodation.  Airbnb room in a house or flat is ideal for solo travellers.

zagfles

SaxonMaiden said:

zagfles said:

What you've read about package deals being cheaper probably applies to couples/families, packages are generally aimed at them, not solo travellers. 

These days flights are probably the cheapest part of packages, we've just been to Spain for a week and were going to sort flights and accomodation separately, the flights were incredibly cheap at around £75 return each, the accomodation was around £600 for places that looked any good. In the end we booked a package for £800 total as that was better value. But the main tour operators probably use hotels with double/family rooms and possibly SC facilities, so they'd be hardly any cheaper for a single. 

I travel a lot on my own and never bother even looking at packages when travelling alone. It is getting harder these days to find good value accomodation for solo travel in some places due to the shift from hotel accomodation to Air BnB type places which generally cater to couples/families/groups. Even using hotel booking sites like booking.com, in some areas 90% of the accomodation shown is AirBnB style apartments which are usually ordinary residential flats which people are letting out rather than proper accomodation aimed at tourists.

Look at hostels, they're not just grotty dorms these days, there are some really good hostels that have private rooms of hotel standard, and you get all the advantages a hostel like friendly common areas/bars where you can have a chat with other travellers and they often do good value trips aimed at backpackers on a budget. 

How does one do point by point replies here?  

Paragraph 1: Well, I read about packages being cheaper on MSE, so if they're not cheaper for solo travellers, then the guides need an update.  

Paragraph 2: Flights were coming up in the hundreds when I tried looking separately, especially on the way back, because of Easter hols.  Hence my question about how long I should play chicken with the tour operators, because e.g. Ryanair (which operated a lot of the flights) charges through the nose if you try and book a few days before, so will there really be any good deals later or will the flights push the prices up?   

Paragraph 4: Hostels used to be my go-to when private rooms there were cheap.  However, these days they generally charge as much as hotel rooms for a private room, so I use them less and less.  

Packages are generally cheap for mass market stuff, the sort of holidays most people book, generally families/couples for a week/fortnight in holiday resorts in Greece/Spain etc. Packages which cater for non standard holidays such as unusual destinations or non standard requirements are generally expensive, and solo travel is non standard. 

Ryanair and other budget airlines aren't necessarily expensive for last minute travel, you can fly to Athens tomorrow morning on Ryanair for £90, or £74 if you wait till Monday. It could of course be vastly different around Easter. 

Yes hostel private rooms aren't much different in price to a hotel room but price isn't the main reason I use them when travelling alone, they're just generally friendlier places for solo travellers than hotels, as above. 

PS you can do point by point replies but it's a bit of a pain, you need to quote, snip all but the point you want to reply to, then quote/snip again. I sometimes do it but it's usually easier to reply in the way you've done.  

NoodleDoodleMan

TUI do package holidays for the solo traveller.

After my mother passed away we found a really nice hotel in Majorca where my father could have a single room along the corridor from us.

https://www.tui.co.uk/holidays/single-holidays

Worth a look ?

Incidentally, we've stayed in some of the hotels featured in these offers - would be happy to go back.

Although we haven't been in any of RIU hotels listed - they are an excellent group, based on repeat visits to one in Spain.

madlyn

If you want a package? both TUI and JET2 give a small discount for solo travellers.
I've got my 3rd solo holiday booked, I'm free to go whenever as I have not children and the two tour operators I've mentioned both have the ability to check prices by day, week and month so you can see when is cheaper.
Solo supplements are a pain, but as I'm a coward I always book a package as pretty much everything is included.

I'm a member of a couple of solo traveller groups on FB and solo travel is becoming very popular for many reasons, some tour operators are starting to take notice and some cruise lines don't charge a solo supplement.

Olenna

SaxonMaiden said:

I don't often book package holidays, but I'm trying to go to Greece for my birthday, which is next month (not over the Easter weekend itself, but in the awkward bit) and I've read that's usually cheaper as a package deal.  Been looking for weeks and not finding much.  Especially frustrated with sites that say they do solo package holidays, but then I try to book and the price more than doubles when I say it's just me (why, when the flights are the most expensive part and I only need one seat on the plane, will only eat/drink enough for one when there are meals included etc.)?  Lastminute is guilty of that and so is Cheekytrip.  Or in Holidaypirates' case, I searched for a solo holiday, they quoted me and then they wouldn't let me book without a 2nd passenger.  

So which tour operators do good deals for solo travellers?  Also, since flights don't usually get cheaper as the date nears, how long can I keep looking before any chance of a deal evaporates?  Is it possible to get deals the week before when the travel dates are in a high demand period?  If not, then when should one cut one's losses and book the cheapest deal one can find?  And are phone lines still any use for this sort of thing?  I tried calling Teletext to haggle and the guy I spoke to was trying to push something I'd seen cheaper on Holiday Gems, though not cheap enough or I would've booked it.  

Your outlook is maybe a tad simplistic - flight aside, you'll probably cost the operator most of the costs of a couple Factoring in connections, price of the room (assuming the hotel even offers single rooms) and slightly smaller amount on food (if supplied). With the package deal flights, they might end with a single seat that they can't sell to a couple.

Jet2, Easyjet holidays and Holiday Hypermarket (TUI) all let you select decent single deals.