Dealing with roommate issues on a tour

With some tour companies, you pay extra for single accommodations on the tour unless they find a roommate for you. But what happens if the roommate they find has issues that are not satisfactory to you? Loud snoring, for example.

What if it’s someone who talks too much when you want to relax or sleep or someone who goes on about politics or religion or who you just find irritating because of personality conflicts? How can you find out these things before agreeing to the roommate… or can you?

What if you are the one with the snoring problem or other bad habit? Should you tell the tour company in advance in order to give a potential roommate a “heads up”? I know that the simplest thing would be to just pay for a single, but maybe the person you’d be matched with is such a sound sleeper that he or she wouldn’t care about your snoring.

What is the protocol in these cases prior to the trip?

And what if you’re paired up with someone and find it necessary to switch roommates after the trip begins?

To date, I’ve always booked a single room, but I’ve entertained thoughts of traveling with a roommate, thus these questions.

DONNA McDONELL
Spokane, WA

If you have answers, suggestions or comments on the above, write to Dealing with Roommate Issues on a Tour, c/o ITN, 2116 28th St., Sacramento, CA 95818, or e-mail editor@intltravelnews.com. Include the address at which you receive ITN (ITN prints letters from subscribers only). Responses will be printed in a later issue.