An experience shared is an experience doubled—especially when traveling the world.

But that doesn’t have to mean with a partner or a globetrotting companion who happens to have the same schedule as you. Our Roommate Matching Program helps solo travelers connect with an instant friend to bunk up with, whether it’s aboard a Virgin Voyages vessel, a cozy river cruise down the Danube, or when visiting us in our home city of Madrid.

Here’s the deets on our Room-Matching Program for your next Two Bad Tourists adventure.

Why Share a Room?

Traveling solo comes with its own pleasures! You get to follow your own rhythm, say yes to what excites you without pause, and make your own adventure without compromise.

But there’s always a catch, isn’t there? Solo travel can be expensive, especially when hotels and cruise cabins are priced for two. Room-sharing solves that problem!

Sharing a room or cabin can help you save money, avoid the “single tax” that manifests in the form of a single supplement, and make the trip more accessible. Instead of paying extra just because you’re traveling alone, you can put that money toward something much more exciting, like an extra excursion or post-cruise drinks with your new bunk buddy.

There’s also the social side. Having a roommate doesn’t mean you need to become instant best friends, braid each other’s hair, or coordinate outfits for dinner. But it can be nice to have a familiar face to chat with at the end of the day, compare notes after an excursion, or ask, “Wait, what time are we meeting in the lobby again?” Room-sharing can offer just enough connection without taking away your independence.

Why It Works So Well on Our Tours and Cruises

Our Two Bad Tourists trips are designed with solo travelers in mind. Whether you’re joining us for a land tour to Madrid, Barcelona, or Italy, a European river cruise, or a Virgin Voyages cruise around Greece and Croatia, you’re already stepping into a welcoming LGBTQ+ group environment where people are there for the same reason: to explore, connect, laugh, and have a damn good time.

That makes room-sharing feel a lot less intimidating. You’re not being randomly placed with a stranger from the internet and hoping for the best. You’re joining a hosted group trip with other travelers who have chosen the same kind of experience as you. Everyone is part of the same itinerary, the same group dynamic, and the same shared adventure.

Reading the Room: How Our Roommate Matching Program Works

Our Roommate Matching Program is an optional service for solo travelers who want to share a room or cabin and avoid the single supplement. It starts with a compatibility questionnaire, which helps us understand your travel habits, sleep schedule, cleanliness style, social preferences, and any potential dealbreakers, such as smoking, snoring, early alarms, late nights, messy spaces, or lights staying on late.

Once we review the responses, we look for a possible match whose habits and expectations seem reasonably compatible with yours. We also consider things like whether you’re an early sleeper, a night owl, or flexible; whether you wake up at sunrise or prefer a slower morning; how sensitive you are to noise; how tidy you like your space; and how much time you expect to spend in the room. We ask whether you’re comfortable sharing with someone who drinks alcohol or may return late at night, because on a gay group trip, “late night” can mean anything from “quietly back by 11 p.m.” to “I made friends with a DJ and suddenly I’m staggering back at 6 a.m.”

When we find someone who looks like a good fit, we’ll introduce you by email so you can schedule a private video call. Think of it as a low-pressure roommate vibe check. After the call, both travelers decide independently whether they want to move forward. A match is only confirmed if both people say yes. If either person declines, no explanation is required. There’s zero drama, and we simply keep searching.

The Important Terms and Conditions

There is a non-refundable matching fee to join the program: €100 for land tours and $200 USD for cruises. This supports the matching process and contributes to our Roommate Guarantee Fund, which may help cover an empty bed or support roommate separation if issues arise later.

For shared rooms or cabins, final payment may be required earlier than usual to allow time for rematching if needed. Once final payment has passed, your price is locked in and protected from roommate-related financial changes.

If your roommate cancels before final payment, we’ll try to rematch you. If no match is found, you can accept the single supplement or cancel under the standard cancellation policy. We strongly recommend waiting to book flights until after final payment. If your roommate cancels after final payment, your price stays the same. Any new roommate match will follow the same compatibility review, video call, and mutual approval process.

Share the Room, Double the Adventure

Our Roommate Matching Program is designed to make our trips more accessible, more social, and more flexible for solo travelers. With a little openness, a little communication, and maybe a shared appreciation for not leaving wet towels on the floor, room-sharing can be a fantastic way to save money and most likely make a buddy in the process.

Because perhaps the real treasure was the people we shared a room with on the way.

Find out more about our roommate matching terms and conditions here. 

Take our room compatibility questionnaire here.