I know I've been on a few tours where people already know each other from previous tours, or they're related, or on one tour, a couple who'd met on a previous tour.

I was just wondering, as I've recently booked two tours with JY and whilst booking both was asked if I had any mobility issues or dietary requirements, could a question also not be asked as to whether you know anybody who's already booked on the tour? Obviously, I may just turn up on a tour and be totally unaware I'd been on the same tour as somebody I'd met before, but at least it might weed out some of the groups that turn up on some tours - like the 17 who turned up on my Tuscany tour last year. Obviously if a person did say they knew a few people on the tour they were booking, what would JY say to them? I know it's very difficult for JY to prevent this happening, but I feel the problem may get worse over time and the purpose of JY will be lost.

Sorry for the delay - I wanted to talk to a few of my colleagues about this as it is a subject that has come up a number of times in the past.

In terms of whether or not we can ask customers when they call if they know any others on the tour, I've forwarded the suggestion on to the team - it's a good idea! I've also had a chat with my colleague in the care team who has notified me that if we are aware at the time of booking that the traveller will be accompanied by a friend or relative they do try to steer them towards the brands that are not geared towards single travellers (such as our Travelsphere holidays). The problem may still occur if the travellers book individually online or if they choose not to disclose that they know others when they call and book.

In terms of the groups section in the back of the brochure, this was asked a while ago and the response still applies...

The reason for including the group bookings section is so that we are potentially able to meet the needs of a group, without it impacting on the single traveller experience for others.

For example if a large group phone up individually and book, they could almost take over a holiday and leave remaining passengers isolated which is certainly not what we want (this is what happened on your Tuscany trip last year). If they call up our groups team - the team may be able to offer an exclusive departure just for the group or for smaller groups, the team are able to establish how it would impact on the larger group and notify fellow travellers that aren't part of that group.

Kindest regards,

Julia

When I have traveled in the past with my friend (who I met in my very 1st JY tour) she rings first to make her booking and then gets that JY agent to ring me direct then JY can sort of link the bookings so we hopefully have rooms/seats on plane near one another, it certainly does not bother us at all if this does not happen. Neither her or my self have been steered towards using say travelsphere and not JY. So perhaps that needs looking at your end? personally I think this is a hard issue for JY to get in hand, but perhaps there is a way. Personally I am more worried about the client who has health issues and then thinks it's up to us to help them, that again is hard for JY to monitor. I wish you luck in trying to find the right balance.

Cindy

On all the JY holidays I've been on (7 or 8, I think) there have always been some "couples" who have known each other beforehand; most have joined in with everyone else but there has usually been one lot on every holiday who ignored everyone else. The most I have come across so far was a group of 3. However, if groups were any larger than this and if more than one ignored the rest of the party, I would feel very uncomfortable. I started travelling with JY after an unpleasant holiday with another company where I was one of only 3 or 4 singles and the married women obviously thought that their husbands were God's gift to women and that any single woman was after her man (they weren't, in both cases!).

Reading the various postings elsewhere on this subject, I have always wondered why groups of more than 3 or 4 (at most) come with JY rather than with Travelsphere - I realise they would all have to pay a single supplement but all in all I don't think the end result would be more expensive than with JY. I know that nowadays most bookings are done by computer and, however good they may be, they aren't going to flag up a booking for a larger number, especially as JY is just part of a much larger holiday company. In some cases the initial "fault" may have been with a travel agent, since it seems that not everyone books direct with JY (or even knows the company exists!), and it might be worth you starting a campaign to educate travel agents in what JY is about/for so that they can give their customers a better service.

Food for thought!

Ann

On the Tuscany tour last year, there were a group of 4 ladies who booked together and did not really integrate themselves, ensuring they stuck togther whether we went or what ever we did.

When people meet up on a tour and then decide to travel togther on future tours it does create a barrier to single travellers, no matter how welcoming or integrating the couple think they are. They give off a feeling of an invisible wall, especially to shy travellers, and its not a nice feeling. They of course do not sense this not matter how outgoing and welcoming they think they are being, as they are not in the position of the single traveller and how they feel, when they are more secure as a couple. It's both sub-concious on the part of the couple and outwardly concious for the singleton.

Part of the attraction of a Just You holiday is that the other travellers are single travellers and do not know each other beforehand, making it easier to overcome fears and breakdown barriers. When faced with seasoned JY travellers who choose to travel together it does create cliques and makes it more onerous for singletons.

Its good to steer these travellers who now have the comfort of a travelling companion to Travelsphere, so single travellers who book a Just You Holiday have more confidence in the Brand and it ethos.

Jackie

Cheers,

Hils

Whatever holiday you choose, "couples" or "groups" will still be in the minority and there will be plenty of other people to link up with so you certainly won't feel isolated, although if at any time you do want some time to yourself you won't be hassled. So go off to the Cilento coast in September and have a lovely time. Don't forget to have your Just You luggage labels on both your suitcase and hand baggage and look out for them on other passengers' cases too.

I think the discussion has started up so that we can alert Just You to a potential problem and give them an opportunity to find a solution. That's one of the reasons for the Forum - to share our views and to let the company know if and when something needs to be looked at.

Have a lovely holiday and perhaps post a Review when you get back.

Best wishes, Ann

I am booked for Cliento coast on 28th Sept. It's my first holiday travelling alone & am now starting to worry, as I have been reading on forum recently that a lot of tours have groups of people that already know it other. Whilst I can appreciate the odd couple of people that travel together, I now have visions of me being the only one on my own & as in some of the cases on here being ignored! I'm probably worrying for nothing , but the reason I booked with JY was that I wouldn't feel so isolated. Lets hope my fears are unfounded as I'm looking forward so much to this trip.

Jackie

Don't worry, not everyone will be in a pair or group. You won't be left on your own. There are always some people traveling alone. I'm sure you will be fine.:)

I am glad that this separate thread has been started as it is a topic that comes up time and again and tends to intrude on the original thread each time.

Anyway. I have had plenty to say on the subject and agree particularly with what Ann F and PA have to say. I was on the same Tuscany trip with PA last year and the 4 ladies that he mentioned had booked through a travel agent and claimed to have no idea that they had booked on a singles holiday. If the travel agents are not telling them then they are not to blame really. There were problems on that holiday with what I can only call "cliqueness" and I know that I was not the only one to suffer. The last night I was " unfortunate" to be seated (because I had sat there at breakfast post the same group sitting there) on the same table. The hotel had put on a lovely farewell dinner for us, complete with disco, but because I was totally blanked by them I felt very uncomfortable and retired back to the hotel early. This experience is I have to say a very rare occurrence or so I have found. Most people will (even if they are in small groups) or at least have a drink or a conversation with you.

I agree that perhaps travel agents are not being educated as to what JY is as a company. Perhaps they are throwing the no single room supplement at any potential bookees to the exclusion of anything else. I feel like giving them a trial run to se what is said. :thumbup:

I have been on 4 trips with Just You. I have only met two sisters travelling together- a favourite photo of one sister painting the Pyramids at Giza with a guard standing watching over her- this was 3 months before the Arab Spring, and a group of 3 who let others into the group so that we ended up with seven out for a meal. You are never alone as mostly everyone is in the same boat.

I was shocked by the 17 though on one trip- that should never have been allowed. Maybe they went with JY due to not sharing rooms, but as Julia said, they could have had their own tour.

Jan

However I usually book touring type holidays and I have never found it a problem if several people who know each other are on the same holiday. I’ve travelled with lots of different travel companies offering holidays for single travellers and it has always been the same. I myself, have booked a holiday because friends I’ve made on past holidays are on it.

Let’s be honest here, most of us travel with a company like just you, so that we are not travelling on our own. Travelling in a group makes us feel safe but it also enables us do activities that we normally wouldn’t be able to do or wouldn’t feel comfortable doing on our own, plus you get the added bonus of being able share the experience with likeminded people.

I don’t actually think it really matters if you know or don’t know people on a holiday, in my experience if the group of travellers is larger than say 15 people, the group naturally form little cliques of people, because likeminded people are attracted to each other – that’s not a bad thing – making friends is part of the holiday experience. We are all different, so it not surprising that occasionally you come across people or small groups of two or three who keep to themselves, that is their choice and their loss.

In addition, the Tour Manager is on hand to ensure that everyone gets the best out of a holiday, I’ve usually found that if the Tour Manager is good at his/her job, they make sure that those who are maybe a little less self-confident are integrated into the group, as do the rest of the travellers. On the whole single travellers, whether they travel in packs or alone, I have always found to be friendly and caring.

Kezzer

Jackie

One thing I have noticed, that this does not apply to men! I have never come across a group or a couple of men on any holiday. In fact the best holidays are when there is a 50/50 split of men and women. Men do not get cliquey!

That is so true, why is it? maybe those of the 'fairer sex' :rolleyes: could give some insight as to why they tend more to form little 'cliquey' groups and men don't? :)

Bosuncat was right about the Tuscany trip last year, there were a few little cliquey groups, all female!

and Kezzer has definately summed it up nicely with his paragraph on why single people choose to travel with just you! :thumbup:

Recent comments on groups travelling together are starting to destroy the JY ethos. Possibley a victim of sucess? I will be seriously considering whether to go on paying a premium for solo travel, if I am likey to end up in the midst of couples, when I could spend considerably less by paying a single supplement with a regular company. I am also concerned at the of adverse reviews of some the hotels in this year's new holidays. I had several of the new trips earmarked for 2015, but I have almost decided to take a chance they will run in 2016, so I can read some reviews first.

Hi Sarah, can I ask which holidays you are referring to? We spend a lot of time trying to ensure we have the right hotels for our holidays so would be interested to know more.

Being a woman myself, I still do not know why they can be 'cliquey'. I have come across this at work as well - some place more so than others. Best thing is to just ignore the 'cliquey' group and show them that it does not bother you. They are the losers in the long run!

Jaya