Nice to Venice - Shore Excursions vs. Private Drivers

[goredsox98]

My wife and I are booked on the Sept 22nd Voyager trip from Nice to Venice. We are first timers and have booked private drivers for day trips to Florence and Rome. Can anyone give us some comparisons of the ship's Shore Excursions vs. hiring private drivers? We'd like the flexibility of the private trips, but they are pretty pricey. Thanks!

[RachelG]

I personally would not hire a private driver for either of these cities because the ship offers transfer. The driver is just going to drive you there and back--just as easy to do the ship's transfer for a lot less. You don't really need a guide for either of these cities. However, you do need to do your research ahead of time. But you would need to do that anyway if you hired a driver. What do you want to see? Is it open that day? Do you need to get tickets in advance?

I do hire private drivers on occasion--to go from Dover to LHR for instance, but not worth the expense in these cases. Now a private tour guide is a different thing, but again I wouldn't hire one for either of these.

[goredsox98]

Thanks for your input. Actually, it's not just a driver, but a tour guide with an agenda, itinerary, etc. They say the advantages are that we get immediate access to the museums, sites, etc., don't have to wait in lines for any of the other sites, etc. So..... this is a private tour with an English speaking guide that get get us access to things that we may not be able to afford on our own.......

[RachelG]

If he can get you access there, you would be able to afford it on your own too. Most of the places that have big crowds (such as the statue of David in Florence) have ways that you can purchase an advance ticket online with a set admission time.

But if the guy is actually a private guide, that is a totally different thing than a driver. He would actually guide you, so that would be worth something. Personally, I would still do these cities on my own, but we have traveled a lot and feel very comfortable touring in cities on our own. And I truly do like to do the research and get the tickets myself, etc.

[Iamboatman]

Without question, especially as first timers, I would go with the private driver/guide. There are ones that I use which bring, especially Florence, the sites alive and also obtain tickets either in advance or with priority where needed.

 

One thing to understand in Italy (and Greece) is that there are "drivers" (who just drive and may speak English), "driver guides" who speak English and are knowledgeable, but cannot take you into any of the sites and "guides" who do not drive and are licensed experts who take you around various sites. If you want the "top shelf" experience it is a driver and a guide vs. a driver-guide.

 

Personally I think a driver guide in Rome and a driver and a guide in Florence would be sufficient unless you really want to delve into ancient Roman history.

[Dolebludger]

I can only speak to the situation in Rome. I would recommend using the ship's transfer from the port to Rome (about a 1 1/2 hour drive in itself). Then, I recommend use of one of the limo services that does tours of Rome with a driver who speaks English. (Some examples I know of are Bob's limo service and Claudio's limo service). I also recommend getting together with one or two other couples from the cruise to share the fare with you.

 

On our '03 Mariner cruise, we used Bob's limo, but Claudio was the driver (he has since started his own limo service). The Mercedes C Class (smaller) limo was able to go places where the ship's excursion's tour busses couldn't, due to narrow roads and alleys. Our driver was well versed in where to go, and what time to go there to avoid the crowds. I don't know what comparitive costs are now, but on our cruise, the ship's bus excursion would have been $90 pp. for a 3 1/2 hour tour of Rome. Our costs with the limo (sharing the fare with only one other couple) was the equal to $110 $USD pp, for an eight hour tour, including a nice tip. The limo was more than worth the additional cost, in terms of both quality and quantity. But I suspect that the trick will be now (as then) in getting some others to go with you in the limo and share the fare.

 

One final word -- stay off the public transportation busses in Rome, as they are a haven for pick-pockets.

[Georgia30327]

We are on the Voyager on Sept. 22 as well. I woud love to speak with you about your tour guide. Betsylurey@aol.com

[Andy 1333]

We will be on that same cruise as well. Its our first Regent cruise.. For what its worth...We are going to take the train to Rome (supposed to be faster than driving) where we have hired, with another couple, a private guide for a 5 hour walking tour of Rome.

[carol luvs cruisin]

I just returned from the Navigator Athens to Monte Carlo cruise. I was very sorry that we booked the ship's excursion," The Vatican & Rome Orientation". It was interesting to see the Vatican, but we then spent 2 hrs in a hotel restuarant for lunch and then just drove by some of the sites in the afternoon. Very disappointing! We hired private drivers/guides in some of the other ports and it was definitely worth the extra expense. Either that or plan ahead and do it on your own with just a transfer from the ship.

[Dolebludger]

carol:

 

Exactly our experience a few years back with the ship's bus tour of Rome vs. our limo we shared with another couple. The folks who took the bus also reported some very long walks (by my definition) because the bus is too large for the narrow streets leading to some of the sites. Then, with a bus, you can't say "stop here, I want to get out and take a picture." With a limo, you can. Again, a few years ago, the cost difference between a 3 to 4 hour bus trip vs and 8 hour limo trip (split with another couple) was about $30 USD pp, including a generous tip for our driver. Using the limo, we wasted no time sitting in a restaurant. (Heck, I can sit in a restaurant here in Olkahoma!) The driver suggested a place to get some authentic Italian pizza (which is a bit different from the US version). He drove the compact Mercedes limo down some alleys that a bus could never have navigated to a place the was like an open air market. We had some great true Italian pizza, which was fast, good, and inexpensive. Then, we had more time to see the sights.

 

After having "done Rome" this way, there is no way we would try to do it via bus. There are just too many places a vehicle as large as a bus can't get near in that ancient city of narrow streets and alley ways. Had it been necessary, in retrospect, I would have paid a much greater difference to take the limo rather than the tour bus. After our eight hour limo tour, we feel that we have substantially "seen Rome" with no need to go back. And think about the cost of "going back!"

 

Now, on Regent and similar lines, we generally like the excursions offered by the ship, and usually take them, so we have no prejudice against Regent's excursions. But in touring European cities, narrow streets and congestion just make touring those cities in large busses undesirable. And large bus tours are all Regent (and other lux lines) seem to have to offer. We've taken Regent's excursions in Polynesia, Alaska, Bermuda, and the like, and we and fellow guests found them first rate. But bottom line, you just can't do a decent tour of an old or ancient European city in a large tour bus, no matter who sponsors the tour.

[carol luvs cruisin]

Dolebludger-

 

I agree with you about Regent excursions, they usually are very good, but you are so right about big busses and narrow streets. We learned our lesson.