How does one choose a Tour Company for Amalfi/Sorrento/Positano?

[cruizinpooh]

I've spent almost a month reading reviews of others that have visited Naples/Amalfi Coast. I've read some really great reviews that mention the following companies:

 

• Amalfidrive

• Benvenuto

• Francesco Marapese

• APTours

• Drive-Amalfi

• See Sorrento

My question is - How does one choose a company? :(

 

They're all priced more or less the same. Therefore, rates are not a deciding factor.

 

We are interested in a tour of Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi & Ravello. We will be in port for 11 hours. Therefore, we have around 9 hours to tour.

 

Any help/recommendation is greatly appreciated.

[hillslife]

We are doing this tour with AP tours in July - we based it off of friends personal experience as well as lots of good reviews on CC....We also asked to have Herculenan included, which they did, no problem.

 

Good luck:p

[nparmelee]

Dart board might work. You just have to decide which one sounds best for you. We used DriveAmalfi two years ago and have them booked again for next year. If they had been unavailable, we'd have just picked one of the others. Depending on when you are going and how many other ships are around that day, the smaller companies may be booked up already and reduce your list for you.

[Moondawgie]

You forgot http://www.sorrentolimo.com

 

I used them in 2004 and will be again this coming September. Gennaro is the owner and he is great.

 

See which ones makes you feel comfortable booking with them. Good luck.

[Mike073]

I found on all my trips, the recommendations from this board were sufficient. I would not worry about picking and choosing. We have not had a problem on any of them for the three trips to Europe and probably 20 ports. This is an excellent board.

 

ps - we used Francesco the past two trips to Amalfi.

[bxny]

I chose this company because of the email reply I received and the idea of a visit to the family home.

 

 

http://www.pleasantravel.com/index.htm

[mbleackl]

We are doing this tour with AP tours in July - we based it off of friends personal experience as well as lots of good reviews on CC....We also asked to have Herculenan included, which they did, no problem.

 

Good luck:p

 

We used AP for our tour of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Positano. What a great tour we had. Alberto was our driver (fantastic). On our way to Positano he asked if we would like to lunch at a local resturant in Positano for 25 euros per person - everything included - which we did. What a feast - starting with appetizers, the main dishes, deserts, unlimited wine throughout and lemon cello afterwards. The View from the resturant was out of this world. To get back to the ship we had decided to take the ferry from Sorrento to Naples. This was a great move. Alberto helped us to buy the tickets and made sure we got on the ferry. We plan on using them again when we are in Naples in 2009.

 

Just a little advice. We booked a licenced guide for Pompeii, but not for Herculaneum. While we got around Herculaneum OK, we did a lot of backtracking and spent some time reading the guide book to figure out where we were. I'd reccomend using a guide here as well, or at the very least the audio guides that you can rent.

[1happyfam]

OMG I was making myself crazy with all the great recommendations too. I choose APTOURS b/c the day tour sounded much like we wanted. Then I emailed several companies and Sarah from AP was wonderful I have emailed her with many,many questions and changes to the itinerary and she is very accomodating. We actually are chatting about kids in our last eamils I like the personal touch. One other company responded quickly but didnt actually answer my many questions and that first email and the subsequent email they kept referring to the wrong port times! So they were out.

Maybe email a few companies and see whose response you feel comfortable with and also some of the quotes did differ by up to 100E and that makes a difference.

Hope that helps

Lee Anne:)

[lvannrn]

We just returned from a cruise around Italy and used Giovanni from Tourofitaly.com. We had a fabulous day with him. He picked us up when we docked in Sorrento around 8:30AM, and we didn't return to the ship until 7PM. We went immediately to Pompeii and avoided the crowds. After touring Pompeii (he got us a guide), we drove the Amalfi coast. We stopped for an amazing, non-touristy lunch at a family run restaurant attached to a farm where they grow their own vegetables, and the grapes for their wine. We got to tour the farm with the owners. After lunch he drove us along the Amalfi coast. We stopped at several charming towns and walked around. We also stopped frequently to take pictures along the way. I would highly recommend this company. They are family run, and Giovanni couldn't have been more accommodating (or more fun). He even gave each couple a bottle of Limoncello, as a parting gift!

[EASYTRAVEL777]

My question is - How does one choose a company? :(

 

They're all priced more or less the same. Therefore, rates are not a deciding factor.

 

Our CC group booked with 5 different companies and 2 different licensed guides last fall.

 

The company didn't make any real difference. The actual driver or guide made a huge difference depending on what you wanted to see. A guide is not necessary for the Amalfi coast, but having one along and being able to show you Pompeii is fantastic.

 

Some drivers are just better then others. Most of the companies pool their drivers. So if you are not getting their top driver for 650 euros, make sure you are only paying 500 euros.

[cruiser123cba]

We just returned from a cruise around Italy and used Giovanni from Tourofitaly.com. We had a fabulous day with him. He picked us up when we docked in Sorrento around 8:30AM, and we didn't return to the ship until 7PM. We went immediately to Pompeii and avoided the crowds. After touring Pompeii (he got us a guide), we drove the Amalfi coast. We stopped for an amazing, non-touristy lunch at a family run restaurant attached to a farm where they grow their own vegetables, and the grapes for their wine. We got to tour the farm with the owners. After lunch he drove us along the Amalfi coast. We stopped at several charming towns and walked around. We also stopped frequently to take pictures along the way. I would highly recommend this company. They are family run, and Giovanni couldn't have been more accommodating (or more fun). He even gave each couple a bottle of Limoncello, as a parting gift!

 

Did you go to Sorrento and Ravello?

[loufiji]

We visited the Amalfi Coast last month and used Marcello from See Sorrento. He was fabulous. He didn't stop talking for 8 hours and he took us off the beaten track to a small medieval village for the Best Italian Meal ever. I think the bonus with seesorrento is that Marcello does the tours himself- with the other companies I'm not sure if there's any guarantee about which driver you'll get. He gave us great advice, like doing Pompeii last, which meant no queues & we were close to the ship at the end and had a lot less chance of getting stuck on the one (skinny) Amalfi Coast road - I just read about a disaster which some passengers missed their ship because of a 5 hour holdup on the Amalfi Coast Road. I highly recommend Marcello!

[cruizinpooh]

I'd like to thank everyone for their responses. I've started sending e-mails out to the different companies. We will decide on a company based on their e-mail correspondence. It's worked out in the past. I was just curious as to how everyone else has chosen a company.

 

Once again, thank you all!

[cruiser123cba]

I'd like to thank everyone for their responses. I've started sending e-mails out to the different companies. We will decide on a company based on their e-mail correspondence. It's worked out in the past. I was just curious as to how everyone else has chosen a company.

 

Once again, thank you all!

 

What cruise are you taking? Maybe we'll be on the same cruise. We're also trying to book an Amalfi/Pompeii tour.

[1happyfam]

We visited the Amalfi Coast last month and used Marcello from See Sorrento. He was fabulous. He didn't stop talking for 8 hours and he took us off the beaten track to a small medieval village for the Best Italian Meal ever. I think the bonus with seesorrento is that Marcello does the tours himself- with the other companies I'm not sure if there's any guarantee about which driver you'll get. He gave us great advice, like doing Pompeii last, which meant no queues & we were close to the ship at the end and had a lot less chance of getting stuck on the one (skinny) Amalfi Coast road - I just read about a disaster which some passengers missed their ship because of a 5 hour holdup on the Amalfi Coast Road. I highly recommend Marcello!

 

Was the hold up an accident or just traffic? I know APtours said they are in constant contact o know the traffic and will make adjustments, wouldnt all companies do this too?? How did the people catch up to thier ship?

 

Lee Anne :)

[lvannrn]

In response to your question- we went to Sorrento, Positano, and a charming little town (I think it was Ravello). Giovanni was more than willing to adapt the day to our needs.

[sea-explorer]

Was the hold up an accident or just traffic? I know APtours said they are in constant contact o know the traffic and will make adjustments, wouldnt all companies do this too?? How did the people catch up to thier ship?

 

Lee Anne :)

 

Lee Anne, it was an accident.

 

Full story here..although the type is a little small. If you scroll down a few posts there are links to a more easily readable version.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=791021

[oscar1966]

Lee Anne, it was an accident.

 

Full story here..although the type is a little small. If you scroll down a few posts there are links to a more easily readable version.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=791021

 

I have to recommend the driver we used this May for our Pompeii and Amalfi Coast tour. The website is sorrentotopcar.com. The owners name is Guiseppe and he was WONDERFUL. We made many photo stops along the Amalfi Coast, we saw Sorrento, Amalfi and had lunch in Ravello. The lunch was at a Mom and Pop restaurant where Pop served and Mom cooked. WONDERFUL.

 

I would highly recommend a guide for Pompeii. We did not use one and did not believe we received the most of the experience. Pompeii is huge. We did not realize there were multiple exits and we were 20 minutes late meeting our group. (There was a total of 6 of us). Guiseppe was very worried about traffic and meeting our ship. He called several of his tour guide friends and believed we would be back on time. We did make the ship with almost 20 minutes to spare. I had the Carnival port information, but thank goodness I did not need it.

[cruiser123cba]

I have to recommend the driver we used this May for our Pompeii and Amalfi Coast tour. The website is sorrentotopcar.com. The owners name is Guiseppe and he was WONDERFUL. We made many photo stops along the Amalfi Coast, we saw Sorrento, Amalfi and had lunch in Ravello. The lunch was at a Mom and Pop restaurant where Pop served and Mom cooked. WONDERFUL.

 

I would highly recommend a guide for Pompeii. We did not use one and did not believe we received the most of the experience. Pompeii is huge. We did not realize there were multiple exits and we were 20 minutes late meeting our group. (There was a total of 6 of us). Guiseppe was very worried about traffic and meeting our ship. He called several of his tour guide friends and believed we would be back on time. We did make the ship with almost 20 minutes to spare. I had the Carnival port information, but thank goodness I did not need it.

 

Has anyone used APTours or SorrentoLimo who can give me some personal feedback on these tours? Thanks!

[cruiser123cba]

I have to recommend the driver we used this May for our Pompeii and Amalfi Coast tour. The website is sorrentotopcar.com. The owners name is Guiseppe and he was WONDERFUL. We made many photo stops along the Amalfi Coast, we saw Sorrento, Amalfi and had lunch in Ravello. The lunch was at a Mom and Pop restaurant where Pop served and Mom cooked. WONDERFUL.

 

I would highly recommend a guide for Pompeii. We did not use one and did not believe we received the most of the experience. Pompeii is huge. We did not realize there were multiple exits and we were 20 minutes late meeting our group. (There was a total of 6 of us). Guiseppe was very worried about traffic and meeting our ship. He called several of his tour guide friends and believed we would be back on time. We did make the ship with almost 20 minutes to spare. I had the Carnival port information, but thank goodness I did not need it.

 

Hi. Did you use the audio headsets in Pompeii?

[hillslife]

Has anyone used the head sets at Herculenan???? Any advise or recommendations???

 

We could get a private guide but it is 110E for 2 hours and with the rate of exchange that is pretty pricey, plus renting the private car and driver for the day.

[texancruzer]

Has anyone used APTours or SorrentoLimo who can give me some personal feedback on these tours? Thanks!

 

There has been lots of discussion on private tour co's for this area including this thread

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=785967

 

We used APTours and had a wonderful perfect day. We did Pompeii in the morning (got there before the buses) with a private guide that AP arranged for us....then to Ravello, Amalfi, Positano and finally Sorrento where we took the ferry back to Naples.

 

Also if you do a "search" for APTours or SorrentoLimo all the posts with those names in them will come up. :D

[1happyfam]

Lee Anne, it was an accident.

 

Full story here..although the type is a little small. If you scroll down a few posts there are links to a more easily readable version.

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=791021

This story is 5yrs old and it really was under crazy circumstances, Iwouldnt worry about this scenario happenig agia.

Lee Anne

[oscar1966]

Hi. Did you use the audio headsets in Pompeii?

Yes, we paid the extra (I believe 5,00 euro) for audio headsets. They were better than nothing, but fairly difficult for the two of us to use. It was hard to coordinate the map and the headsets. Other sites (Ephesus, Vatican) we had a private guide and it made a world of difference. Hope this helps.

[jmb4534]

I've spent almost a month reading reviews of others that have visited Naples/Amalfi Coast. I've read some really great reviews that mention the following companies:

• Amalfidrive

• Benvenuto

• Francesco Marapese

• APTours

• Drive-Amalfi

• See Sorrento

My question is - How does one choose a company? :(

 

They're all priced more or less the same. Therefore, rates are not a deciding factor.

 

We are interested in a tour of Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi & Ravello. We will be in port for 11 hours. Therefore, we have around 9 hours to tour.

 

Any help/recommendation is greatly appreciated.

 

Last month we toured the Amalfi Coast with Marcello of See Sorrento. I would HIGHLY recommend his services. We had a wonderful day that I will never forget. The BEST part was the lunch in a quaint little village overlooking the coast. These people made us feel so welcome. Marcello is such a nice gentleman. To alleviate your concerns about getting back to the ship I will say that he was very dilligent about making sure we were back 1 hour prior to departure. He was in regular phone contact during the afternoon keeping up with traffic conditions. I'm sure they are all great, but I wanted to share our rercent experience.