[manaboutown]

Chachacha has a great idea. If as few as ten people book a trip together many times one goes free. This of course can be used as a discount for everyone. It is also a great way to get to know other single Villagers, make new friends and feel safe when traveling abroad, knowing if something happens others with you can help out. Over here where I currently reside in Orange County, CA, a couple of the local entrepreneurs who sponsor singles dances and other singles events have successfully put together a few cruises and international tours. If one goes the first good news is you may already know some of the single participants. The second good news is you will meet and get to know new single people. It is a win, win, win situation since the "promoter" may get enough people on board to get a free trip (the third good news)!

Over the past eleven years I have traveled as a single probably on about 40 trips on both land and cruises all around the world including China, Russia, Egypt (glad I went a couple of years ago), Scandinavia, Eastern and Western Europe, Central America, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and more. Since if I am not traveling with someone of the opposite sex I am dating I prefer a cabin or hotel room to myself a single supplement is almost always a cost. Cruise ship lines typically charge large single supplements since they are essentially renting a stateroom. Carnival's single supplement almost brings the cost for a single to what it would cost a couple. Frankly, I no longer cruise with them since their food is like Denny's except for a couple nights and their ships cater to a demographic promising many undersupervised children running all over the ship at all hours. The cost of the food for two to a cruise line is not all that much more than for one yet if they book a single traveler to a stateroom they will probably only sell half the adult beverages, have one person gambling in the casino rather than two and sell only one shore excursion at each port rather than two, all of which lowers their profits on the room. On most trips and cruises I use a couple of companies that cater to singles and am very happy with one of them and satisfied with the other. The company I like the most, allsinglestravel.com, has a cruise lined up on NCL's Epic for seniors (60 and over) for December 10-17. If you want to check this out call Eric at the company and tell him you heard about this cruise from Bob in Newport Beach. Eric is a great guy and knows me pretty well after all the trips I have taken with him. Although I find the trips for singles especially enjoyable I also book some trips with general tour companies if I want to visit a particular place. Usually I end up being invited to join others on such trips. I have made some pretty good long standing friends from these trips, particularly the singles trips, and have visited and even stayed with people I have met on them.