Angie S
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
I'm just back from a Burma tour and having went with Travelsphere on my own on my last two trips I was looking forward to being in a group of solos again.

I was pretty disappointed to discover on our journey out that many people already knew other people having booked the holiday together. Whilst there was no single large group, 10 of the 24 people travelling booked the trip knowing someone else. This for me is not a Just You holiday and was a major disappointment for me.

One person travelling with a friend said she does not want to travel with couples but wants to travel with solos - I'm sorry but I don't want to travel on a trip designed for solos which is full of people who know other people and in my mind have a head start.

Don't worry they are not joined at the hip our tour guide said but when at meals and out and about they are constantly with their friend(s) then they are joined at the hip. Breakfast could be tricky. Funnily many of them did not feel the need to be beside their friend on the bus but bags on seats prevented you from sitting beside them - one day I thought I was going to have to sit on the floor being last on the bus.

Travelsphere is not just for couples in the convemotional sense - I've been with friends and sisters. I'm concerned about the two trips I have booked for 2017 with JY - please leave Just You for just you or there really is no point and we should all just go with Travelsphere.

Sorry - it is with regret I have to write this. Editor is Just You a victim of its own success? Is a name change needed to "Just You And A Bunch Of People Who Know Someone Else" or am I just over reacting?

Angie

Moderator2
(Member)
Good Afternoon Angie,

When reviewing the tour all the bookings were made separately, there was no indication that there were groups of friends travelling. Should we become aware that our customers are travelling with friends and/or relatives, we always try to recommend our sister company Travelsphere. Of course some friendships may have been formed on a previous holiday with us, however, again we would be unaware of this.

We are sincerely sorry that you had a bad experience

Kind Regards,

Mildred

lesley07
(Member)
Hi Angus

There have been groups of friends on almost all the JY holidays I have done dating back to 2010. Some have been long standing friendships and others have been individuals who have met on previous JY holidays. The only time this could have been a problem was on an American trip where more than half the people on the tour were travelling with friends. Fortunately people did mix otherwise mealtimes could have been an issue. I did a Travelsphere trip with a friend this year and I have to say I would not have gone as a single traveller. I am meeting up with someone I met on a previous holiday next year but I can assure you that we will be making an effort not to be joined at the hip.

I think it is inevitable that friends will continue to travel together and I do not mind as long as they do not outnumber single travellers.

Lesley

lesley07
(Member)
Apologies Angie. Should have checked the predictive text before posting previous item

Regards

Lesley

SarahS
(Member)
I understand how you feel Angie.  The same thing has happened to me on most of my JY holidays, and for that matter, on singles hoIidays with other operators. The first few times, it was upsetting to be left out, but now I just do my own thing during the day.  As a keen photographer, I'm happy on my own with my camera.  Evening meals can be akward but there's  usually a few "singles"  to sit with. I take the view that in a group of disparate travellers, I'm never going  be bosom mates with everyone
nixon
  • (Member)
(Member)
The trouble is we make friends on JY tours as we have similar interest that's why we choose the same tours, I personally think it's nice to meet a familiar face from tour to tours. As Mildred said it's very hard for JY to monitor as people book individually. I have travelled with my Ma In Law in the past, and I have travelled many times with a lovely lady I met on my very first JY tour in 2006. I have also travelled again with others I have met, I have shared emails with a few people I have met and when new tours come out if we like the same tours then yes we travel on the same tour, for me this is a bonus to make JY holidays friends.

When I started useing JY in 2006 the tours were very new, with less tours and less people travelling,now with all that's on offer that's even more people to get to know. Also more people now use these boards and make friendships before they even meet in person,

I do know that when I travel with JY friends we are not joined at the hip, yes I like to sit in my own on the coach if seats allow to have a window seat and space to relax, as for eating together I go on the busy tours so yes when locating places to eat we would be together, but if we were in a group of people we would mix in with others, breakfast times I always go down on my own, I am a early bird and like peace before the manic tour day begins.

This really isnt a issue that JY can control, and people will make friends and travel together again for sure.

Cindy

intrepid traveller
(Member)
I have sometimes had someone with me who was not brave enough to holiday alone for the first time but having been introduced to JY by me are now going solo.  Also I have booked a JY for 2017 to meet a friend I met on a previous trip but we will definitely not be joined at the hip.  Part of the fun is meeting new people.
leeC
  • (Member)
(Member)
Past experience of this means I now tend to travel more with Travelsphere and the company for older people!

There are always other single travellers and the couples and friends have been very welcoming and inclusive. It is also usually cheaper or has added value. That's not to say I won't travel with Just You in the future but it's not the experience it used to be.

sallyc
(Member)
This is a tricky one in my opinion.

I have been on trips knowing that there is someone on it who I have previously travelled with. I have encountered people I have known on previous trips without having realised they were doing the same trip (this happened on my last holiday). As Cindy says you also get to know people before your holiday on this forum. I have also been on holidays where I have known no-one until I get to the destination.

In my experience people tend to 'pal up' on a holiday anyway and it is not uncommon that after a couple of days some people become inseparable. It is human nature to want to have the company of people you like and have things in common with but I think the most important thing is that other people are not excluded from enjoying their holiday and socialising with everyone in the group.

Sally

valley
(Member)
I agree with Angie, ok there have been occasions where I have been on holiday and people I have met before have been there but this is down to just you, when booking previously by phone I have been asked 'how many in your party' urm just me! Now when I book on line I am offered a drop down box to put the number of people in my party, IT IS A SINGLES holiday. It is becoming more of a regular thing now that groups of 4 or 6 people travel on just you holidays and thus divide the group, not really a fair way to sell singles holidays.
Jaya
  • (Member)
(Member)
I agree with Sally that this is a very tricky situation. Not sure how you can control it. I always book my holidays over the phone and I have never been asked 'how many in your party'. So sorry to hear Angie had a bad experience. People should not be allowed to reserve coach seats by leaving their bags on the seats unless there are enough seats for everyone to sit by themselves. The TM should see to this. I prefer to sit by myself if there are enough seats as I can't talk a lot on a moving coach - I feel nauseous and being quiet might make me sound unsocial. If I have to share I always make sure the other person knows that I am not being unsocial if I do not talk. Angie, you should have asked them to move their bags so you can sit down. This is very selfish of people.

Jaya

magpie10
(Member)
Hi,

I totally agree with Valley, why have a drop down menu when booking online, or ask how many are in the party when it is supposed to be a single traveller tour company? If you book on your own and get to your destination and there is someone you already know on your holiday, fair enough, but I can't understand groups booking with JY.

I've been on holiday with friends in the past and we'd never dream of booking with JY, we'd book with Travelsphere or another non-single traveller company. Perhaps JY need to ask at the time of booking and redirect those in groups towards Travelsphere instead? One of these days some poor person will turn up on a JY holiday to discover everyone knows each other and they're stuck on their own. Personally it doesn't bother me as I'd just wander off on my own as I wouldn't let it ruin my holiday, but I would probably not bother using JY again in future - why pay more for a holiday, you might as well use a local travel company instead.

Regards

Caroline

manrod
(Member)
I must say that I was warned about booking a JY holiday, and am a bit nervous about all 'the groups'

that book, however I am going on the Vietnam Christmas tour as the dates fit in for me, so we will see. I have travelled on a Travelsphere holiday and found it excellent, as a few are single travellers, and have booked many Saga singles whom I find exceptionally good, and they rotate seats on the coaches

Jenny P
(Member)
I would like to say it is very off-putting when people are travelling together and saving seats. Although I always ask 'May I join you' or 'Is this seat taken? To then have to wander off and try again can be awkward and I hope friends who decide to use JY bear this in mind. In practise, the vast majority of people have been solos on the two trips I have taken and I hope it stays this way.
BGray
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi I hesitate to contribute to this discussion as it has been had many times before!  But just for the benefit of newer customers I'd just like to say that I've been on 13 JY tours and friends travelling together has never been a problem.  On many of the tours there have been some people travelling who have known each other but it has never caused a problem to the group dynamic as they are very much in the minority.  On a number of tours I've travelled with people I've come to know through other JY tours but we are not "joined at the hip" and mix with everyone.  I can understand if two people have booked together that they would want to sit on the coach and at mealtimes but in my experience on an average tour of 25 people, there might be two or three pairs like this, that's all so it really isn't a problem on JY tours - the majority will always be people travelling by themselves.  And I have often joined a table where a pair of friends are seated and have invariably been made welcome!

All the best,

Bob

Hils
  • (Member)
(Member)
I agree 100% with Bob. I have done 17 JY tours and one Travelsphere, and invariably (law of averages) I have met people I know from other trips. I have booked trips (especially new long haul ones) knowing that I will know some of my fellow solo travellers, but no way will we be joined at the hip and definitely mix with the rest of the group. Luckily I have never come across these big "groups" and have made some really good friends through JY. I would suggest however - JY - that you remove the drop-down box on the online booking system (I always book over the phone) that asks how many are in your party.

Please do not be put off by some of these comments re groups - JY look after you really well - I wouldn't keep booking with them otherwise! I have done 3 long haul with them this year and have 3 booked for next year!

Cheers

Hils

SarahS
(Member)
I must be the exception that proves the rule!  On all of my many JY holidays,   I have met  groups travelling together. Not a big problem with twos and threes, but of late, the groups seem to be getting larger. On my latest holiday a group often  had come on a group booking, and indeed had requested and been allocated adjoining rooms. Each night they congregated in one or other room until the early hours, causing many complaints to our long suffering tour manager about the noise and disturbance.  Although ladies of mature years,  their behaviour  particularly at meal times, made the tour feel more like a hen party  than a singles holiday.   Several first time single travellers in the group said that based on this experience they would not book again.  I appreciate  JY needs repeat business, and it may be difficult to monitor individual bookings, but group bookings  such as the should be diverted to Travelsphere, although I wouldn't  wish an experience like mine on any group of travellers, couples or singles.
BGray
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Sarah,

I would hope that your experience was a once off (frustrating and all as it must have been for you) and that JY would channel a group into going with TS if they were aware of such a situation - we can all enjoy ourselves on holiday but it sounds like that group went too far!  I am sure we will all be better behaved in Burma next Feb!

All the best,

Bob

nixon
  • (Member)
(Member)
As long as people book there own holiday JY has no knowledge of who is who they cannot oversee this..

So I don't know how people can think JY can sort group bookings out.

When I travelled many times with a dear friend we booked separately but our bookings were linked when I booked, and the person on the phone at JY added her reference to mine so we had rooms if available near each other and plane seats etc.

Cindy

SarahS
(Member)
'BGray' wrote:

Hi Sarah,

I would hope that your experience was a once off (frustrating and all as it must have been for you) and that JY would channel a group into going with TS if they were aware of such a situation - we can all enjoy ourselves on holiday but it sounds like that group went too far!  I am sure we will all be better behaved in Burma next Feb!

All the best,

Bob 

I'm so looking forward to Burma. From the reviews I've  seen it's a really great trip.