By Marilyn Jones

Solo travel no longer belongs only to young backpackers making their way around the world. More and more travelers of every age are setting off without a companion. Two of the best ways to travel on your own in a safe, organized manner are on a tour or a cruise.

Tours

I recently went on a tour through Vietnam and Cambodia. I met three women traveling on their own. One of the women, Helen Walsh, says it felt liberating to know she could travel alone and says she’ll do it again.

“It was my first solo experience, and I absolutely loved it,” she says. “The advantage is the other tour members I met were like-minded. They were interested in the same things I was.”

Choosing a tour is about destination, activity level, and the amount of time you spend at each destination. More than likely, you’ll want to see famous landmarks and explore local culture, so make sure the tour company builds in free time around the scheduled tours. Tours are normally small, making it easy to make new friends.

Cruises

Whether you pick a river, sea, or adventure cruise, they’re all perfect for solo travelers.

On a river cruise, you get off the ship nearly every day. An organized tour usually takes place after breakfast. Ship passengers (around 150) are divided into groups, making the size of each group manageable. Itineraries generally include free time in each port as well. The organized tour, a good basis for knowing where you want to explore on your own, often is included in the price of the cruise.

There are plenty of opportunities to meet other travelers if you want to, especially during social hour and dinner.

Ocean cruising is different because typically you spend several sea days and tours and excursions generally are not included.

On a recent cruise I took, a meeting for single cruisers was held the first evening. I met a young man from New Zealand and the two of us shared meals, on-board activities such as movies and evening shows, as well as two excursions. On the one excursion I took alone, I ended up “copiloting” an airboat on a nature tour, giving me an excellent vantage point to take photos.

The third option is the adventure cruise. This type of cruise combines the tour and cruise. Because of the small number of cruisers, you have plenty of opportunity to get to know new people.

Single supplement caution

The only disadvantage is many tour companies and cruise lines charge a single supplement; the per-person rates are based on double occupancy. The single supplement compensates for the absence of a second occupant. Some tour companies help solo travelers save money by offering them a roommate. Fortunately, this policy is slowly changing to encourage solo travelers.