RomeInLimo questions

[CJPETERSON]

We just returned for our 12 day cruise and we used Rome In Limo in Florence, Rome and Naples. There were 4 adults and we were picked up in a sedan each day. We had wonderful drivers in each port. They gave us such great information on the area we were in and they dropped us off and picked us up at just the right places. The guides in Rome and Naples that they arranged were excellent as well. The highlight was signing with a Dean Martin CD as we drove along the Amalfi coast. Jany did a great job with arranging everything and was so easy to work with. I would highly recommend using them for anything while in Italy.

[mdj101]

We used Romeinlimo for our tours of Pisa and Florence and also Rome.

 

Both drivers Elisabetta and Stefano where superb and full of local knowledge.

 

Some of our party (who we met on the boat) tagged a long in rome at the last minute, but nothing was too much trouble for jany to sort out.

 

As a result they (the extras) didn't have any tickets for the colloseum and vatican but Stefano soon sorted this out for us, even arranging a table for us at a local restaurant next to the vatican.

 

I would highly recommend Rome In Limo and would not hesitate to use them again.

[Loonbeam]

We had 8 people on every tour. The van styles differed a bit, but for the most part we were fine (we rotated seats so no one got stuck in the middle constantly). The one for Amalfi was the smallest (which makes sense when you see the roads) I'd call that one snug for 8 people.

 

If you have a number of larger individuals it could get tight.

 

Just wondering if 8 ppl in these vans is over crowded? what is the seating arrangements 4 rows of 2? 2 rows of 3 one of 2?

[MominSwitzerland]

We have just booked 3 transfers for 2 families - 8 people total, in Rome for next month. Airport to hotel, hotel to port, port to airport. I did it all online and got the confirmation in 1 business day. The prices were cheaper than I spec'd out online and comparable with competitors. I have been very pleased with their service and reliability when I used them in Rome and Naples for tours in 2013, so it was a no-brainier to use them again.

[Loving My Life]

We are definitely using RIL for Rome and Naples, with private guides. I wonder about Pisa/Floence though. We will spend 3 days in Barcelona pre-cruise. We are planning an all-day wine tour in Toulon, France. Then we have Florence/Pisa, Rome, and Naples all in a row, all 8am to 7pm, followed by a sea day, then a DIY day in Mykonos.

 

In Livorno, we are primarily interested in Pisa and David at the Accademia. Do you think RIL is a must for this port as well? I'm wondering if we will be exhausted from 4 all day tours. Is it possible to do Pisa and the Accademia on our own? Would we miss out on the other sights in Florence? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!!

[surreyfamily]

There were 8 of us in total on this Rome day tour as a private day excursion from a cruise. Our driver/guide was Enrico and he was brilliant. He got us down all the side and back roads and was able to stop where a larger coach would not have been able to. He was knowledgeable and helpful and we saw everything we wanted. We were given bottles of water which was much needed and the minivan was very comfortable.

Highly recommended.

[ssbloobelle]

Our driver Vinny was a true gentleman, informative and knowledgeable. We visited all the main attractions we wanted to and he then took us to a couple of hidden gems. His choice of a lunch time venue was first class as well. I have no hesitation in recommending RomeinLimo

[Déplaçons-nous]

I used Rome in Limo in Naples and Rome. Both tours were excellent.

 

In Naples, our small group of seven was immediately met at the port by Giovanni. He was a joy to spend the day with. He told us about Naples and a little history along the way. We drove to Positano and made some stops along the way for photo stops and we got an amazing tour of the Amalfi coastline and all the beautiful towns! He brought a cooler full of water. We then were whisked off to a beautiful vineyard, Cantina del Vesuvio, at the base of Mt. Vesuvius where we were given a tour and then had a fantastic lunch and wine pairing. After lunch, we left for Pompeii and met our tour guide, Paola (also arranged through Rome in Limo). She was very knowledgeable and expertly led us through the Pompeii. After the tour we met back up with Giovanni, who dropped us off curbside and gave us a bottle of Limoncello, which we chilled and had later in the evening as a way to top off a perfect day!!

 

For the Rome tour (Civitavecchia port) I was co-ordinating with two couples from another cruise line which made me just a bit nervous; however, I was met by Enrico and then he gathered the others from the other ship. Enrico filled us in on the history of Rome and the many sights we were visiting. Nothing about the day felt rushed, although we were cramming a lot into one day. After several stops, we met our guide, Azzura, at the Colosseum. She quickly maneuvered us through the crowds and we skipped the lines. She was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Enrico offered us options for lunch and he took us to a excellent restaurant, L'Insalata Ricca, near Piazza Navona. The portions were large, food was tasty, and prices were cheap. After lunch, we visited a few more sights and met Azzura once more at the Vatican. Once again, another great experience. I had been to the Vatican before and enjoyed this tour much more.

 

Jany was great as well in helping to set up the tours, guides, answering any questions/concerns you may have. She also provided all the information needed to purchase tickets in advance.

 

If you are planning to go to Italy, use Rome in Limo! I cannot say enough about how they made this a fantastic experience. Remember to request Giovanni, Paola, Enrico and Azzura. I will definitely be using them in the future!

[newcruiser551951]

We just returned from a 12 night cruise which included stops in Pisa/Florence (Livorno) and Rome (Civitavecchia).

 

If you want to go with a tour company that is exciting, informational, goes at your pace, gets you up close and quickly to the sites (unlike the big tour buses who can't get through the small streets and have to unload 40+ people), is flexible to accommodate your wishes, and who employs people who love their jobs, then Rome in Limo is for you.

 

From the very beginning of contacting Jany to set everything up, to additional correspondence with Jany to get her advice on certain matters, and to the actual tours......everything went very, very smoothly.

 

Pisa/Florence: From the minute we met Clara at the ship, we knew we were in for a wonderful day. Clara is very outgoing and you can immediately tell she loves her job and loves sharing information about her country. Some tour guides talk and it's like 'blah, blah, blah.....", but Clara made everything so interesting there wasn't a peep out of the 8 people in the van. Hearing the history of the places we visited enhanced each stop. On the drive from Pisa to Florence, we stopped at a wine 'station', where people purchase foil bags of wine that are filled from something like a gas pump. Very interesting. We also sampled several brands of olive oil at the same stop. We also stopped at a vineyard by the side of the road where we sampled grapes off the vine (no, we weren't stealing, Clara knows the owners). We asked Clara's advice for a place to stop for a quick lunch, and she was right on; the food was delicious and inexpensive. As were were leaving Florence, Clara stopped at a wonderful place for gelato.

 

Rome: Maurizio, Maurizio, Maruzio!!!!!! If only we could have brought Maurizio back with us to the U.S. What a charming man. Another wonderful guide who loves his job and loves to share information about Rome. While some people think history is boring, history came alive with this stories. We asked Maurizio for a place away from the tourist crowds for lunch and Maurizio suggested a restaurant where many locals were dining Food was excellent and quick.

 

At St. Peter's Basilica, Maurizio introduced us to Sarah who would be our guide through St. Peter's. Sarah is an art history major. (Unfortunately, it was Sunday and the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel were closed.) I previously visited St Peter's in 1975 and we just walked through the Basilica admiring the works, but not truly understanding what we were looking at. This time, the visit was 1000% better. Sarah must know St. Peter's inside and out. With her commentary, we were able to not only see the beautiful things, but also understand what they were, the significance of them, and the history behind them.

 

All 8 of us in the van highly recommend Rome in Limo and especially, Clara, Maurizio and Sarah. When you look at their website, the prices may seem a little high, but when you split the cost among your group, it actually comes out to less than what the ship's tours cost. There is a saying, that "you get what you pay for", but with Rome in Limo, you really do 'get more than what you pay for'.

[rhlaw]

We just returned from our Med. Cruise and I just want to recommend Rome in Limo. We had Mike and we had a wonderful day in Rome. There were six of us who met thru the roll call here. I highly recommend them for Rome and also book the private vatican tour, well worth the money. I will definitely use them again and will recommend them to anyone going to Italy.

[krev]

Another vote for Rome in Limo,

A fellow from our roll call set up two tours, Rome and Pisa/Florence. We had Enrico for Rome with Selena as our Vatican guide and Clara for Pisa/Florence. We had 8 people in each group and we were thrilled with both trips. We've never done a private excursion so we were a little nervous. It has completely changed our minds and we can't say enough good things about this company. We saw so much in just a short time, can't wait to go back and spend longer in both places.

 

 

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[Jenal2]

I apologize if this was already answered but this is a really really long string. Anyway, we are considering using RIL for the Florence/Pisa tour in November, but based on the description on their website it doesn't sound like you get much/any free time to explore Florence. Can anyone tell me if we have the option of self exploration while the rest of the group visits a museum at the end of the tour?

 

 

 

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[nana541]

I apologize if this was already answered but this is a really really long string. Anyway, we are considering using RIL for the Florence/Pisa tour in November, but based on the description on their website it doesn't sound like you get much/any free time to explore Florence. Can anyone tell me if we have the option of self exploration while the rest of the group visits a museum at the end of the tour?

 

 

 

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RIL will build you tour to your needs! If you want to include a period of shopping that is no problem....however the whole purpose IMHO of hiring RIL is to get the very best of the sites in a very limited time you have in port. You are paying an awful lot for shopping time.

 

But just tell Janey when you make your reservations exactly what your needs are. The different tours they show on their website are suggestions based on years of offering tours. You can adjust and customize all the details.

 

They are wonderful we have used RIL on two different cruises and several ports.

 

 

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[SA Traveler]

You can do this. We had that situation which in the end didn't happen because the couple who wanted to shop canceled. I had spoken to Janey about it and in our case she said it could be done. Probably depends on what Museum and whether there is any shopping nearby.

 

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[nana541]

In Florence I actually did have a chance to shop briefly after seeing the "David" in the little square just behind the museum.

 

But the OP is trying to do Florence and Pisa in one day.... I don't see a second to even grab a bit to eat. That is a very very full day! When factoring in the drive to from port & back!

 

 

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[SA Traveler]

In Florence I actually did have a chance to shop briefly after seeing the "David" in the little square just behind the museum.

 

But the OP is trying to do Florence and Pisa in one day.... I don't see a second to even grab a bit to eat. That is a very very full day! When factoring in the drive to from port & back!

 

 

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I thought she was wanting shopping time while others went to the museum. Not a lot of shopping time but we did it.

[Loonbeam]

Our Florence and Pisa tour had about an hour for shopping in the Ponte Vecchio area, enough time unless you need to explore every stall.

[krev]

In Florence I actually did have a chance to shop briefly after seeing the "David" in the little square just behind the museum.

 

But the OP is trying to do Florence and Pisa in one day.... I don't see a second to even grab a bit to eat. That is a very very full day! When factoring in the drive to from port & back!

 

 

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We did Florence/Pisa is one day and had 1 1/2 hours free time for lunch and whatever. It was quick shopping but we managed a few things. Even got to pick grapes in a vineyard and go to "Clara's" favourite gelato place!

 

 

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[Huntermedal]

This was our first trip to Europe and our first cruise to the med. From the start I was a little hesitant as we were traveling outside our comfort zone, but that was put to rest when I contacted Jany at Rome in Limo. We arrived at the pier and there was Mike waiting on us with a Mercedes van! Off to a great start. Mike, having lived in the US spoke excellent English and gave us very nice introduction to Rome. At each stop in Rome, Mike would take a few minutes to explain what we were seeing and the history, then we were off to explore and meet up with Mike at a certain time, ie at the Spanish Steps 15 minutes to explore. Since the Trevi fountain is being worked on, Mike took us to one overlooking the city, how special. Lunch at a local restaurant, then on to meet our Vatican guide, Massimo.

Jany's advice of getting tickets to the colosseum and the Vatican saved us hours! Massimo was knowledgeable, knew the lay of the land, stopped to show us things we would have walked right by, then before getting into the Sistine Chapel, stopped and explained what we were going to see and showed us pictures before the restoration. Just amazing. After the tour it was back to Mike and a nice drive back to the ship.

A great introduction to Rome, provided by a first class tour company.

[Josie2]

Obviously, Rome in Limo gets great reviews, and was also recommended to us by a friend, so we felt confident using them for our tours in Naples, Rome and Livorno in September 2014. Jany is very professional to deal with, she helped me set up our shared tours on the website and was always responsive to questions and requests. We ended up doing a private (four person) tour in Naples/Amalfi coast as we wanted to enjoy the scenery in a private vehicle, and a tour of eight in Rome and six in Livorno.

 

Our driver Giovanni met us on time on arrival in Naples. We had requested a tour of the Amalfi coast with stops in Sorrento and Positano. Giovanni was very personable, a good driver, and had lots of local knowledge of the surrounding areas. He did have his opinions on things, and we enjoyed several hours of animated conversation. The sights in this region are beyond compare. He also took us to Constantine for family style lunch - all you could eat and drink. This was fabulous, with outstanding views of Positano, but in retrospect, not the best idea before visiting Herculaneum in the afternoon sun. Our visit there was shortened as we were just too tired/full/sleepy after such a lunch. I might encourage others to visit Herculaneum or Pompeii in the morning because after such a lunch all you want to do is sleep!

 

The next day we were in Rome, with Enrico as our driver/guide. After our 24 day cruise, we are agreed Enrico was the best guide we had. He is extremely professional, courteous, knowledgeable and entertaining. He was very good at keeping us on time, without making us feel rushed. He provided two options for lunch, including a similar family style local lunch such as we had experienced the day before. It sounded wonderful but we had Vatican tickets and tour in the afternoon and knew it was not the best idea!

 

Our guide at the Vatican was Katerina, also arranged through Rome in Limo. She was an outstanding guide and wonderful person. She got us in through line-ups without waiting, had extensive knowledge of the sights and history of the art work and buildings in the Vatican and was most enjoyable to tour with. We had one participant who was a little mobility challenged, but Katerina handled this superbly not slowing the others down but ensuring everyone got to see what they wanted to see and hear. Outstanding.

 

Sabrina was our driver/guide in Livorno for visits to Florence and Pisa. She was also very knowledgeable, professional and polite. By this third day, we were tiring a bit, and she adapted the tour to suit us. We ended up leaving Florence a bit early and drove through Tuscan countryside, stopping at a winery for fabulous views and to buy a Chianti, as well as a local gelaterria to enjoy a nice treat. Florence was extremely crowded and busy which tired us out a bit I think, but overall we thoroughly enjoyed our day. The statue of David is worth the price of all admissions!

 

Rome in Limo does a great business, and deserves to. It obviously works hard to maintain its standing and reputation. Gracias Jany and Rome in Limo.

[cruiselover60]

in September, 2014 we booked a day tour with Rome in Limo. We found our driver Nicola to be extremely knowledgeable about the history of the city. We shared our tour with 2 other couples that we found on the roll call. The day was perfect, our pickup and drop off at the ship was very smooth. This was the 4th tour we book with RIL and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. It's a great alternative to the ships tours. It was a small group, we had a lot of flexibility and the pricing was right in line with the ships excursions.

[Cruisin' D]

We just returned from a 16 night Mediterranean cruise, and Rome In Limo is by far THE BEST way to see these cities. My wife and I wanted to see as much as possible in a small group, so after doing a ton of research I decided to start a group of 8 with Rome In Limo. I was nervous at first, wondering if people would join us, but Jany at Rome In Limo made it so easy with her prompt emails and simple instructions. When we arrived in Rome, Enrico was there to greet us right on time. Not only did he take us to all the main attractions, he took us down narrow streets to see many things people on a bus tour would never see, like the amazing 3D paintings at the church of St. Ignatius. For lunch, he arranged for us to have a magnificent, homestyle feast at tiny hole in the wall place that few tourists would ever find. He was so knowledgeable on everything, answered tons of our questions, and was really fun to spend the day with.

 

It got even better when we got to the Vatican and were greeted by our Rome In Limo guide, Serena. She was so friendly and knowledgeable. We would have never navigated the Vatican and never learned as much as we did without her. And talk about fun, Serena and Enrico even sang happy birthday in Italian right on the street to one of our group members.

The next day we were in the Port of Livorno where Clara from Rome In Limo was our guide. Clara was every bit as wonderful as Enrico and Serena. In addition to giving us all the information on all the main sights, she did many extras like taking us the back roads and stopping at a Chianti grape vineyard and taking us to her favorite gelato spot. She even provided free wi-fi in her van.

 

All we can say is this: if you tour Rome or Florence/Pisa by any way other than Rome In Limo, you're paying too much, and really missing out!

[smeck]

How far in advance would you recommend booking RIL? We will be in Rome May 15th.

[Cruisin' D]

How far in advance would you recommend booking RIL? We will be in Rome May 15th.

I would start ASAP so you have time to post on your cruise roll-call several times and get fellow cruisers interested in joining you.

[CruiserBruce]

I agree. I would book now.