>Newsletters>January 2014>Single Travellers

Scuba Diving Travel Newsletter

The Single Traveller

Holidays can be hard to organise when you need to get friends or family together and make plans for certain dates. Yet the experience of diving, while fun when shared, is quite a solitary experience. Staring through a mask you see only so much and often can't communicate certain experiences to other divers. So what about going on diving holidays on your own? Should be a breeze right?

Well not always. Sometimes solo divers get stung with large single supplements which can really hurt the wallet. You might have to decide between sharing a room or cabin, or booking a private room or cabin for yourself. If you insist on privacy a single supplement is common. However, the policies and amount of supplement can vary from resort to resort, liveaboard to liveaboard and destination to destination.

What a minefield! If only there was someone could take my hand and guide me through! Well indeed there is ... Dive The World is here to save the day ...

We can sift through all the information and make your travel choices easier, saving you time and money and making sure you get what you want. But to give some general advice, here is a destination by destination guideline on single supplements.

Australia

Is it optional? Yes. As a single traveller you can expect to share a cabin on an Australian liveaboard.

What's the usual supplement? 70% to 100% of the published price. Recommended: MV Kangaroo Explorer have a range of single supplements often less than 70% so please check with us. Spoilsport's single supplement is 70%.

Belize

Is it optional? Some Belize resorts insist that single travellers cannot share with other guests, but pay for the whole room. Others are happy to allow sharing, at non-peak times and subject to availability. It is entirely optional on liveaboards.

What's the usual supplement? Resorts: There are many variations, please check with us. Liveaboards: 65% of the published price. Recommended: At Blackbird Caye Resort, Turneffe Flats and Turneffe Island Resort and you can take your chances that there will be no-one to share with, or pay for privacy. This is more likely at non-peak times and subject to availability. Both Belize Aggressor and Sun Dancer II have a 65% single supplement.

Burma

Is it optional? All Burma liveaboards treat single guests sharing a cabin as the norm.

What's the usual supplement? There is a big difference in single supplement policy between the liveaboards here: anything from 50% to 100%. Recommended: MV Sea World and MV Thai Sea both have a 50% single supplement.

Cocos

Is it optional? Yes. As a single traveller on Cocos liveaboards, you can share a cabin.

What's the usual supplement? Cocos liveaboards are normally an expensive option if you want a cabin to yourself with the majority of boats having a 100% single supplement. Recommended: Wind Dancer and Okeanos Aggressor are the best bets, charging a 65% single supplement.

Fiji

Is it optional? It depends whether you choose a resort or a liveaboard. It is compulsory in all resorts. Single travellers are not normally permitted to share in Fiji resorts but they can and do on liveaboards.

What's the usual supplement? It varies from one liveaboard to the next: from 50 to 100%. Recommended: AS Tui Tai and MV Nai'a both feature a 50% single supplement.

Galapagos

Is it optional? Yes. The Galapagos liveaboards expect single travellers to share. However you can book a cabin to yourself if you pay the supplement. What's the usual supplement? There is a narrow range here: 65% to 80%. Recommended: Galapagos Sky, Deep Blue, the 2 Aggressors and Pinguino Explorer all share a 65% single supplement.

Indonesia - Komodo

Is it optional? On all Komodo liveaboards sharing is the norm. However, you can have a cabin to yourself if you pay the supplement.

What's the usual supplement? There is quite a degree of variation - 46% to 100%. Recommended: MV Mermaid I has single cabins available. KLM Sea Safari VI charges 42% to 46% depending on cabin. Cheng Ho's single supplement is 50%.

Indonesia - Raja Ampat, Cenderawasih Bay

Is it optional? You can choose to pay the single supplement for privacy or share with another single travel on Raja Ampat and Cenderawasih liveaboards.

What's the usual supplement? There is a wide range, with an average of 65%. Recommended: KLM Euphoria 40%, KLM Sea Safari VI charges 42% to 46% depending on cabin, there is a 50% single supplement on MV Pindito and SMY Seahorse.

Indonesia - Bali

Is it optional? It is compulsory if you are staying at a Bali Resort; you may not share a room.

What's the usual supplement? It depends on the resort, standard of room and season. Please check with us. Recommended: If you are a single traveller, lt us help you find the option that is best for you in Bali.

Indonesia - Sulawesi

Is it optional? No. If you are staying at a Sulawesi Resort you cannot have the option to share with another single traveller. You can share a cabin if you are on a Sulawesi liveaboard.

Malaysia

Is it optional? Normally it is compulsory at dive resorts in Malaysia. Generally speaking you may not share a room, however there are exceptions to this rule. On a Malaysia liveaboard you can share a cabin.

What's the usual supplement? It depends on the resort, standard of room and season. Please check with us. A single supplement of 45% will apply for a private cabin on a liveaboard. Recommended: SMART Resort and Seaventures dive resort allow sharing. Other resorts like Sipadan Water Village and Mabul Water Bungalows may allow sharing, subject to availability and during non-peak times. MV Celebes Explorer has a 45% single supplement policy.

Maldives

Is it optional? Yes. It is optional on all Maldives liveaboards. You can share with another guest or pay the single supplement if you want privacy.

What's the usual supplement? There is a lot of variation. 65 to 70% is about average. Recommended: MV Sting Ray and MV Eagle Ray have a 40% single supplement. Carpe Diem has a 50% single supplement for summer trips.

Mexico

Is it optional? Yes. Most single people share a cabin, no problem.

What's the usual supplement? There is quite a spread between the different liveaboards. From a boat with single cabins meaning no additional cost to 100% of the published price. Recommended: Please check with us. We can advise as to the single cabin options. Also the Nautilus Explorer has a 25% single supplement.

Red Sea - Egypt

Is it optional? Yes. Most single travellers share cabins.

What's the usual supplement? There is a large variation here: from 25% to 100%. Recommended: Golden Dolphin's boats charge only 25%, MY Cassiopeia and MY Andromeda: 30%.

Red Sea - Sudan

Is it optional? Single travellers can share cabins, no problem, unless you prefer to pay for a private cabin.

What's the usual supplement? 30% to 65%. Recommended: MY Andromeda's single supplement is 30%. MS Royal Evolution's is 65%.

Thailand

Is it optional? Yes, on all Thailand liveaboards you can share a cabin. Only if you want a private cabin, will you need to pay the single supplement.

What's the usual supplement? It ranges from 50% to 90%. Recommended: MV Scuba Adventure, MV Peter Pan and SY Diva Andaman have a 50% single supplement.