Single parents face travel challenges
Some all-inclusives won’t offer cheaper packages for just one adult
I’m on the phone with a booking agent, my voice rising with frustration.
“I have to pay for two adults even though I’m a single parent?” I ask. “How does that make any sense?”
According to travel industry experts, most all-inclusive vacation options are priced on the assumption that a family comprises two adults and a child.
“The double adult occupancy rate is the price based on two adults in a room; it’s the most common way to price out a vacation package,” says Karen Fine, team leader at Yonge-Lawrence Flight Centre.
While hotels charge based on the rate per night, when it comes to allinclusive resorts, single parents are often met with higher fees, like the double-adult occupancy rate or the single supplement, an inflated rate based on one adult in the room.
A single mother to three boys, Ali Lubin has been forced to count one son as an adult and then pay the child rate for her two other children.
“For sure it’s frustrating. It makes a difference,” she says. “A kid doesn’t consume what an adult consumes. It’s ridiculous and should be modified.”
To make her vacations more affordable, Lubin says she sets a budget, does her research and makes sure to choose an all-inclusive package that meets her requirements.
Canadian families are changing and the travel industry is starting to take note of the statistics. Just over 19 per cent of children in Canada live in single-parent families.
Within the last one or two years, travel operators have started offering all-inclusive packages that cater to single parents travelling with their kids.
“There are some resorts that offer specials for single parents,” Fine says. “They waive the single supplement and have free kids’ clubs so that parents can have a break.”
She says there used to be only a few such options, but availability is starting to widen, especially in countries such as Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
If you’re a single parent planning to take your kids on vacation, Fine says there are a few things you should keep in mind:
If you’re set on travelling to a certain country or resort, be prepared to pay more. There may be no way around it.
Price out the various options. It may actually make financial sense to pay the double-adult occupancy rate for one child rather than the single supplement.
Look for resorts offering single parent rates. They will waive the single supplement fee, offer special pricing for children and have free kids programming to help entertain kids while you get to relax.
Invite more people: it’s always better pricewise to have more adults and it can also be fun to travel with friends.
When travelling outside the country, you will need a notarized letter from your co-parent authorizing you to take your children out of the country. Be prepared to present it to customs officials when asked.
I ended up booking my all-inclusive package at a resort in Muskoka and I’m bringing my parents. This will not only meet the double-adult occupancy requirement, but give my family a weekend of priceless memories.