stevmag
  • (Member) (Topic Starter)
(Member) (Topic Starter)
I started off my 'Holidays on my own' as a single person on a Travelsphere holiday. It was a Christmas present bought for me by my wife so I had no say in the content of the holiday, she just knew I would enjoy it....and I did. There were 2 other single people as well as me. We all got on well together (least I think we did) and being on my own amongst couples did'nt cause me any problems. It may have been different if I had been the only single on the trip but I always had 2 others I could pair up with instead of feeling I was 'pushing in' when talking to. or sitting at a meal table with couples. Since then I have been on 3 Just You holidays but still think my Travelspere holiday was up there amongst the best.

Steve

BGray
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi I'm going on a Travelsphere holiday as a single traveller next month - to South America (Chile, Argentina and Brazil). However, I'm going with another single traveller whom I met on the South Africa tour last year, so I don't think that counts!! However, I've spoken to a good number of folks on JY hols who have also gone with Travelsphere as a single traveller and they were very positive about their holiday experiences. As far as I understand it, there are usually 3-6 single travellers on any given Travelsphere holiday and the singles generally tend to go around together. In some cases, the single traveller hooked up with a couple or two, who were happy to dine together, go for drinks after dinner etc. I am sure that most couples want to be as sociable on holiday as most single travellers want to be. I will report back on my experiences after my S America tour!

Cheers,

Bob

nixon
  • (Member)
(Member)
Steve

That's good to know that you had a good time on a travelsphere holiday.

Cindy

Jenny789
(Member)
I am going on a travelsphere tour to Nepal in october. I can feed back afterwards what it is like. I always look at the destination and itinerary when booking and will book a solo traveller company if they have the places i want to go but if not I will use another company. I did a tour of china on my own with Virgin holidays and it was a mix of couples, friends and there were 2 single travellers. never did I feel left out and neither did I impose myself on anyone. It helped all meals were included and everyone ate together. I may be a bit more anxious on a holiday with no meal plan as wandering round looking for somewhere to eat can be daunting when in a different country. I have so many places I want to travel to I will need to do some with other companies but as long as I get to see some great places I am happy.

Jenny

marks
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi,

I went to Paris with Travelsphere however i was the only single person on the trip. To be honest it was a bit off-putting and the Tour Guide said it was quite unusual, however there are a lot of tours that Travelsphere do that JY don't so it is always an option.

Mark

Mick W
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(Member)
Must say the thought of been potentially the only single person on a travelsphere holiday i find off putting, would rather just sort out flights and hotels and go by myself. Of course nothing wrong with the holidays, I've been with them but with a friend.

JY holidays are great, almost certain to make new friends and have a good time, everyone is in the same frame of mind.

Think the secret is to get JY to include more different holidays each year, if there is something you really fancy and many others think the same way JY have proved in the past they will listen.

BGray
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Mick I agree with Mark, I think it would be highly unusual to be the only single traveller on a Travelsphere holiday but I suppose it could happen - I think I would check if there were any other single places already booked when I ring up to inquire about the holiday and if there were none, I'd wait a while and try later to see if any had booked since. Having said that, if it was a Travelsphere hol that I really, really wanted to do I think I would go ahead and book it anyway, even if I was the only single - I'm determined to do Costa Rica and Nicaragua in 2014 if the dates suit, even if I'm amongst couples!!

Cheers,

Bob

AngeS
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi all, I travelled as part of a couple with TS many times and enjoyed all the holidays, but now that I am sinlge I just would not want to run the risk of being the only single person, or if there were a couple of other singles perhaps not gelling with them. The beauty of JY is that as most are single travellers, in a party of 20+ I would say there is always going to be somebody who you gel with, so for this reason for me JY is by far the safer option

Ange S

AnnieMay42
(Member)
Hi. I agree that JY have a limited choice when it comes to some destinations especially Canada. I would love to do the holiday detailed in the Travelsphere brochure that crosses Canada from east to west. But, I am glad that they have taken on the Route 66 holiday which I am taking in 2 weeks time. Cannot wait. Annniemay
AnnieMay42
(Member)
Hi, I agree that JY have not got a big selection of holidays. I have just looked at the Travelsphere brochure. I would love to do the "cross Canada" holiday but as meals are not included would not choose to do a "couples" holiday. But, I do this holiday all over Europe with other holiday companies.
BGray
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Annie May, that was a scary font you used in your second message!! I think JY have a very good range of single traveller holidays, it is miles better than Solo's range, most of which are either sun holidays or activities like golf and tennis which definitely don't appeal to me! Yes Travelsphere do have a bigger range but I reckon it's a mixture of a larger client base enabling a wider choice and also the difficulty in some places of striking a deal with the hotels to give double/twin rooms at a reasonable price for single use. Correct me if I've got that wrong Ben! JY drop holidays that don't sell understandably enough, although I think they sometimes offer too many dates which don't always fill. Especially for long haul destinations, I wonder would it be better for them to offer just three or four dates rather than six or eight or more, then having to cancel some or deciding to drop the tour altogether? On the other side of the coin JY seem to offer new tours every year too, so I can't wait to see what the new brochure will bring! This post is a bit off topic I know, but I think it was worth saying. As I said above, if I really wanted to go somewhere I wouldn't think twice about going with Travelsphere as I trust the company and I'm sure that I would meet up with the other single travellers or a couple or two for meals etc.

Cheers,

Bob

badskittler
(Member)
I intend to go with TS next year in June on their "Top to Toe of Italy" tour as it looks spectacular and not available elsewhere. Been on a "couples" holiday before to Iceland (not TS) and there was only one true couple, others being singles or friends. I would say give it a try at least once.
BGray
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi folks, I'm just back from Travelsphere's Chile, Argentina and Brazil tour and had a fantastic time! I went as a single traveller, but did travel with another single friend. As requested, I'm writing a testimonial on the tour as a few folks are interested in seeing how a single traveller would fare on a Travelsphere holiday. So see the Testimonials section for a run down on this wonderful holiday and my experiences with Travelsphere v. Just You. Should appear later today!

Cheers,

Bob

jen1
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi everyone,

I have just returned from a Travelsphere holiday to Mexico and there were 5 other single travellers - and I had the most fantastic holiday. Since the only meals included were breakfasts, I was greatly relieved to find out I wasn't the only single person. When we arrived at the first hotel we all agreed to meet up for dinner, and from then on, we always met up for lunch/dinner. Some of the couples would often join us, and at breakfast the whole group was incredibly social. I have also been to Namibia, New Zealand, Tanzania and South America with Travelsphere - and there have always been other single people/sociable couples that I have kept in contact with after the holiday. I admit that it is always worrying when you are sitting in the departure lounge and facing the possibility that you will be the only single traveller - but even if this turns into a reality (I have been with other tour companies to Vietnam and India where I was the only single person), once the reality sinks in, things are not so bad. The group tends to watch out for you - and dining alone and meeting the locals can be fun!

Perhaps we should try to maintain a thread for people that have booked holidays for 2013 with travelsphere - so that if there is a holiday that somebody desperately wants to do, they know that they won't be the only single traveller. I am definitely going to book the September departure to Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

If anyone is thinking of Mexico though - it is amazing!

Jenx

stu151
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi everyone

I'm considering a Travelsphere holiday as a single person, so it's been really good to get everyone's feedback.

Thanks to you all for taking the time to post your experiences.

It's a great suggestion for people to add any 2013/14 booking/intentions to this thread, so that people can see what happening. I know it would be of help to me, and hopefully to others as well.

Stuart

jo1
  • (Member)
(Member)
'jen1' wrote:

Hi everyone,

I have just returned from a Travelsphere holiday to Mexico and there were 5 other single travellers - and I had the most fantastic holiday. Since the only meals included were breakfasts, I was greatly relieved to find out I wasn't the only single person. When we arrived at the first hotel we all agreed to meet up for dinner, and from then on, we always met up for lunch/dinner. Some of the couples would often join us, and at breakfast the whole group was incredibly social. I have also been to Namibia, New Zealand, Tanzania and South America with Travelsphere - and there have always been other single people/sociable couples that I have kept in contact with after the holiday. I admit that it is always worrying when you are sitting in the departure lounge and facing the possibility that you will be the only single traveller - but even if this turns into a reality (I have been with other tour companies to Vietnam and India where I was the only single person), once the reality sinks in, things are not so bad. The group tends to watch out for you - and dining alone and meeting the locals can be fun!

Perhaps we should try to maintain a thread for people that have booked holidays for 2013 with travelsphere - so that if there is a holiday that somebody desperately wants to do, they know that they won't be the only single traveller. I am definitely going to book the September departure to Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

If anyone is thinking of Mexico though - it is amazing!

Jenx

jo1
  • (Member)
(Member)
hi,i like the idea of a thread for 2013 travelsphere hols,i have booked the lake garda stay & greek island cruise,6th june.& it would be nice to find someone else going on it,like most people i would prefer not to be the only single traveller.
Debzie
  • (Member)
(Member)
Did this thread ever take off?? I have just discovered that Travelsphere are offering a whole range of tours during the summer - which is is wonderful for those of us who are tied to booking during the school holidays. I'm not so sure I'd like eating by myself so it would be nice to find out if any JY people have booked with Travelsphere. Unfortunately tours offered by JY during July and August are a bit limited.
TonyW
  • (Member)
(Member)
Hi Debzie

I travelled with Travelsphere for many years until Just You started. I was always made to feel part of the group. I was looked after as I was single. You will find its just like Just You holidays if you want company you can have it if you want quiet moments you can have them.

Tony

Sussex Downs
(Member)
I agree with Tony.

I went with Travelsphere last year on their ‘National Parks, Canyons and Little Big Horn’ (which by the way is a brilliant tour and available with JY) and there were about 8 single people. I have also been with another tour company and there were always plenty of single people but having said that, I never had a problem teaming up with married couples. Never dined alone!

In September I am with Travelsphere again with their San Francisco to Vancouver tour and that has at least 10 single people on it when I paid the balance due in June. Probably this tour has a higher single content as it is not available with JY.

Did my first JY holiday in May, Texas and New Orleans. Although in my opinion the content in this tour could be improved the fellow travellers I teamed up with were brilliant and made this tour one of my favourites.

If anyone has a query about a Travelsphere holiday this site will answer the question. See my thread on ‘Ask The Editor’ page 4 ‘Travelsphere Holiday Questions’

Hope this helps anyone who thinks they will be alone on a Travelsphere holiday, you will not be!!!

Regards

Malcolm