Rome Tours

[hooked cruiser]

We are a party of 7 and will be in Rome in August on the "Grand". Can anybody recommend a reliable independent tour company for a tour of the usual tourist locations?

[ActiveTraveler]

There are several long threads about this in the Italy Ports board.

[Essiesmom]

Have you joined the roll call for your cruise? I am sure there are many people there talking about independent excursions and forming groups...EM

[alabama ghost]

We were in Rome for a few days pre-cruise in early June and hired Romeinlimo for two different tours in Rome, one for those who hadn't been there before and another Angels & Demons tour. Each tour was for 8 persons, they picked us up in a mini van, bot really close to everything. We hired a guide at the Vatican also which was well worth the money. These were wonderful tours and we ended up spending less than we would have on the cruise line tours. Jany and Duman are wonderful to work with. Check out their website, romeinlimo.com.

 

We also had them set up two tours for us from Livorno for 8 persons each, one to Pisa and Florence and the other to see some of the countryside. I'd use them again in a heartbeat.

 

Enjoy your trip!

[ayr625]

Sincere apologies for coming in to this thread when I do not have an answer for you but I am tearing my hair out trying to find out how I start a new post.

I have posted before (too long ago now to remember how I actually did it :confused:).

Is there some kind soul here who could send me in the right direction? ;)

 

Thanks

[caber]

Sincere apologies for coming in to this thread when I do not have an answer for you but I am tearing my hair out trying to find out how I start a new post.

I have posted before (too long ago now to remember how I actually did it :confused:).

Is there some kind soul here who could send me in the right direction? ;)

 

Thanks

 

Forums - Princess Cruises. The top left hand corner is a blue box "new thread" click on that and carry on.

[ayr625]

Forums - Princess Cruises. The top left hand corner is a blue box "new thread" click on that and carry on.

 

 

:) Thanks caber, much appreciated.

[ibfern]

We are a party of 7 and will be in Rome in August on the "Grand". Can anybody recommend a reliable independent tour company for a tour of the usual tourist locations?

 

 

I'd grab Fabrizio at allarounditaly.net if I was you! :)

[MarleyMc]

Our group of 6 just returned from our Med cruise on Sunday. Had a great time. We used Aldo Monti's yourtourinitaly for our 3 stops in Italy and all of us agreed that this is the only way to go. They were prompt, professional, courteous, and were flexible to our suggestions as to what to see. Since we were in a mini-van, we were able to go many more places where a bus couldn't. As I expressed to Aldo, the reason I chose his company was that he was prompt at returning my emails and I didn't have to give my credit card info to reserve unlike some of the other operators. I would highly recommend them.

[chipmaster]

Just curious, did you use both and what made allarounditaly superior?

 

Pretty late for August, but try allarounditaly, much better than romeinlimo

[samavarcruiser]

Check it out :)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1170062&highlight=allarounditaly

[Gibby]

We used Miles & Miles in Rome on our trip in May. There were 8 in our group, and all were extremely impressed with the service.

[sweetpea143]

We just returned from the NCL Jade and did 2 private tours with Driver in Rome and 1 with Rome in Limo. Rome in Limo was very good, but Driver in Rome was spectacular. It is a family company and they made us feel like family. We used Driver in Rome for Florence/Pisa and Naples/Pompeii/Amalfi coast and Rome in Limo for Rome. The Driver in Rome tour from the Naples port was a memorable day with sites, lunch, music and beautiful scenery. The Florence/Pisa tour included a 500 year old winery through the Tuscan countryside. What a bonus. We were also given information about the leather market, the shops and general prices we should bargain for. You will get very personal and prompt service from Driver in Rome. I can't rave about them enough.

[Pia1913]

Pia, I'm also curious! Is it more personal perhaps? Hope to hear

 

dutch

 

I usually book tours for others; this time I got lazy. Romeinlimo might be OK for the major sights like Rome, Florence and Pisa, but I would look elsewhere for the other outlying areas. Romeinlimo didn't know diddly about where/what we were supposed to do/see.

[Grandpaul]

We used Romeinlimo last time in Italy and had great tours. Couldn't have been better. A lot more than just "OK". A good driver in Rome means a lot with the congestion and traffic. Plus they lined up our own guide for the Vatican and she was terrific also. We're heading back there in December and we have one tour of the outlying areas of Rome and they couldn't have been more helpful with their suggestions. We have a group of 8 for that tour and there are 14 of us doing a tour by Florence. I was reffered to RIL by a friend who is a big traveller and he was right.

[mafiadon]

I would recommend Romeinlimo, we used them this past October and they were wonderful. I did four tours and two transfers with them, I couldn't have ever asked for anything better, they took very good care of us and made sure that we got to see all that we wanted and more. They made us feel like family. I will be using them again in October 2011 and know that I will get the most for my money and fantastic service. Linda

[Off2China]

I usually book tours for others; this time I got lazy. Romeinlimo might be OK for the major sights like Rome, Florence and Pisa, but I would look elsewhere for the other outlying areas. Romeinlimo didn't know diddly about where/what we were supposed to do/see.

 

This is the tour that I organized and that is being referred to above: http://www.romeinlimo.com/cerveteri.htm I chose this tour because we have seen the traditional sites in Rome on a number of occasions, and I wanted to do something different this time.

 

Our driver met our group of 8 as we got off the ship and took us to his clean, comfortable, air conditioned van. Our first stop was in Cerveteri where 7 of us saw and walked among the Etruscan tombs. After that, our driver took us to the museum in town where he arranged a private tour for the 7 of us who had visited the tombs. We then drove through the countryside to Lake Bracciano and spent some time in the village there. Then we went to Ceri, where 6 of our group (2 chose not to participate) enjoyed a very nice lunch in a family-owned restaurant. We were also taken to the restaurant's wine cellar (which is located in an old tomb) and told we could help ourselves to some free limoncello or wine, which we did. We briefly visited an old church near the restaurant before leaving Ceri. On the way back to the ship we stopped at Cento Corvi winery http://www.casalecentocorvi.it/inglese/home.php where we tasted several wines and purchased a couple of bottles to take aboard. We were taken back to the ship in the late afternoon.

 

The tour was what I expected it to be based on the description on RomeInLimo’s web site. I was not at all disappointed. On this cruise, I booked tours with RIL in Naples (Amalfi coast/Pompeii), Rome and Florence (San Gimignano/Volterra). I would not hesitate to use them again in the future, and I highly recommend them to others.

 

At the end of the day in Rome, 6 of us agreed that we had had a good day. Well, possibly 6.25 of us had a good day. I may be wrong (and I'm sure I'll hear about it if I am), but the seventh person appeared to enjoy himself at the tombs and the museum.

 

debelm2@yahoo.com

[doublemm16]

I booked tours with RIL in Naples (Amalfi coast/Pompeii), Rome and Florence (San Gimignano/Volterra). I would not hesitate to use them again in the future, and I highly recommend them to others.

 

We were on the Florence excursion referenced above with Rome In Limo and had a fabulous time. The van was clean and airconditioned, and our driver John was very personable and knowledgeable. While I did not book this tour directly, I would definitely use Rome In Limo on my own in the future.

 

Mindi:D

[alabama ghost]

We were on a tour with John of Romeinlimo from Livorno in early June. He took us to Pisa and then Florence and we had a fabulous trip. He was there outside the ship when we arrived with a very nice van and gave us all kinds of information during our day long tour, parked very close to all points of interest, went with us to the Ufuzzi and got us in as quickly as possible and did the same thing at the Academia. We also stopped at an olive oil coop on our way to Florence which was really interesting and had lunch at a great place in Florence--very few tourists and timed so we were inside when it was pouring rain. He came with umbrellas after we were finished eating.

 

I really couldn't figure out what the other person didn't like about her tour and still can't, but our experience with RIL was wonderful. 18 of us used them for a total of 4 tours and we were pleased with all of them. It made the most of our limited time and we'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

Pam

[partymaker]

We were on the Ruby Princess (May 17th sailing) asnd used Rome-in-limo for our group tours in Florence and Rome. I was the one that booked the tours with Jany at Rome-in -limo. My contact with the company was wonderful prior to the trip. The vehicles and drivers were excellent. Elizabetha in Florence was exceptional. We loved every minute of our tour with her. She even took us to see the "expensive movie star homes" on a hill above Florence. I would definitely recommend the company. Vinnie, our guide in Rome even took some of our group to the Catacombs (the other side of the city). Duman, the owner, personally met our group at the Vatican to secure our tickets without waiting in line. I GUESS YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE.....or perhaps some people just aren't easily pleased!!!!!

I usually book tours for others; this time I got lazy. Romeinlimo might be OK for the major sights like Rome, Florence and Pisa, but I would look elsewhere for the other outlying areas. Romeinlimo didn't know diddly about where/what we were supposed to do/see.

[Pia1913]

We were on the Ruby Princess (May 17th sailing) asnd used Rome-in-limo for our group tours in Florence and Rome. I was the one that booked the tours with Jany at Rome-in -limo. My contact with the company was wonderful prior to the trip. The vehicles and drivers were excellent. Elizabetha in Florence was exceptional. We loved every minute of our tour with her. She even took us to see the "expensive movie star homes" on a hill above Florence. I would definitely recommend the company. Vinnie, our guide in Rome even took some of our group to the Catacombs (the other side of the city). Duman, the owner, personally met our group at the Vatican to secure our tickets without waiting in line. I GUESS YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE.....or perhaps some people just aren't easily pleased!!!!!

 

Had you bothered to read what I wrote before quoting me, you would have noticed I said they were OK for the major sites. Instead, you chose to shoot your mouth off and scream, something that is not appreciated on CC.

[cruisemom42]

Heaven knows I get tired enough of hearing RIL's praises sung on this board, but having never used their services myself, I reserve judgement.

 

However, I am a little curious if perhaps part of the issue might be a misunderstanding of the fact that RIL basically provides a driver and a car. They are not guides, although some drivers apparently impart a good amount of information (accurately or not....) about the sites visited.

 

I don't want to speak for Pia, who is perfectly capable of expanding on her comments if she wishes. But for others, I think it is worth emphasizing that RIL provides a car and driver and, if you believe most posters, excellent service. Anything beyond that is not guaranteed unless you also reserve a guide.

 

Just as an FYI, one other poster whose opinion I trust also had a not-so-great experience with RIL that was outside the normal scope of their Rome, Florence, and Naples offerings.

[ibfern]

The reason I really enjoy using Fabrizio (allarounditaly.net) is because he has a fantastic sense of humor, he is entertaining and quite the character. He is honest, industrious, and very well connected. We went to a tiny cliff town where no cars could get closer than a mile to the entrance of the ancient town but Fabrizio flashed a card and we parked at the entrance! He saved us a lot of time by navigating our tours on beautiful back roads that large buses could never be on and, and we always beat the cruise ship buses and often the crowds.

 

Don't use Fabrizio if you are offended by jokes, he might poke fun at the things various tourists he encounters do (Brits, Germans, Americans, and so on) but this makes the tour even better. He is not for the uptight, but everybody I have introduced him to really enjoys him.

 

Fabrizio is a driver guide, not a tour guide. He simply takes you around to various sites and while he does give information, he is not licensed as a tour guide, and tour guides are not licensed at driver guides. I am too lazy to organize DIY tours anymore, I did a lot of this when I was younger but in my 50's now I am happy to let a guide take me when I want to get somewhere. If I really want to good tour in a city I really like Context tours.

 

Hope this helps,

Amelia

[LUVNICK]

Do the drivers from Rome in Limo speak english?

[Off2China]

Do the drivers from Rome in Limo speak english?

 

Yes they do.