Look at photos of passengers in brochures to pinpoint the demographics of a tour. What age and gender are the clients?
Ask about room share possibilities AND how long the company has been arranging these. Ask if there are other single travelers?
Choose a group with maximum 25 who travel in one bus and stay at the same hotels. Read the small print to see if a bus is provided if the group is limited in size. Ask how many free seats are on each bus so you know if you need to sit next to a stranger everyday.
Inquire about hotel neighborhoods so you are comfortable going out alone. Are these centrally located hotels in safe areas? If out-of-town or at the airport, is there a shuttle bus provided so you are not isolated during "down time.
Analyze "free time to see if you will be alone often and where you will be during "alone time. Some trips have afternoons free, read the itinerary carefully. Ask about options for those times and how many need to book to assure they go.
Make sure the trip has a welcome dinner or cocktail party. If not, ask what they do to integrate solo travelers; some cruises invite solos to parties or will give telephone numbers ahead of time.
If you are concerned about being alone in a hotel, ask for a room next to either the guide or someone else in the group.
Ask for wake up calls from the hotel to make sure you don,t miss the group departure.
Ask about languages spoken on the trip so you are not one of few English-speaking travelers.
Arrange flights through the tour company to be assured of transfers and follow up if flights are late.
If your transfer does not show; ask for help from other transfer agents; they are usually happy to call your company as many are freelancers working for the same outfits.
Even if inconvenient, fly from the most popular gateway so you meet other passengers before the trip begins.
If on a cruise, take the pre-cruise hotel option for at least one night to avoid missing the ship.
Does the guide carry a mobile phone? In case you are lost or have a serious problem, how do you get in touch?
Ask about meal seating. Is there a common table for solos? Are there assigned tables in each dining room or is it a free-for-all?
Pack in two suitcases to share the risk of baggage delay. This will help you if you are not picked up at the airport and need to move luggage yourself.
Before you go, take a few one-day excursions alone and make an effort to talk to people along the way and have restaurant meals by yourself. Solo travel is a learned skill.
