Experience with Smart Cruise Tours - Italy

Hi, our family book the NCL-Epic in Mid Aug 2012, I prefer to prebook all the excursion prior the departure. Did anyone use Smart Cruise Tours in Naples, Rome and Florence? It seems their private tour for 4 is a lot cheaper compare with RomeinLimo, Banana Joe Limo or Aldo Limo. Is anyone out there can give me advise. thanks

I will agree. Their customer service is awesome. We have had a similar experience with Alessandra from smartcruisetours

We just used them for a port transfer from Civitavecchia to FCO. They apparently are an agent for other tour companies and have seemingly negotiated a discount. We were very pleased as we had a transfer for 8 for 150E instead of the usual 200E. The driver/van was actually provided by NCC (noleggio con conducente). The driver arrived 20 mins ahead of schedule at the pier in a clean new van. He helped with the luggage and had us from the port to the airport in less than an hour. His English was excellent.

I keep hearing good things about this company. I am planning on trying them out in February on our Destiny TA. Thank you

We did the bus tour to rome with them and felt we got amazing value for money . Some people on the same bus were just using it as a transfer too, we dropped them off by st peters basilica and picked them up again at 4pm.

Liberty of the seas 9-16 September

On our recent trip to Rome we wanted a private excursion.

Travelling with 3 children we were not keen on sharing a tour as we wanted to do our own thing and not impose our kids on others.

We checked out the forums and found the usual recommended excursion services and found them to be in the 500-600 Euro price bracket

Then we happened to come across SMARTCRUISETOURS charging 330 Euros for the same type of tour as the rest

My wife and I discussed it and decided even if all they did was taxi us from A-B-C and back it would be better than traipsing 3 children round Rome

Our itinerary

1. Pick up at cruise ship’s pier at 8:30 am (driver will have a sign with your name)
   
2. Depart pier and drive to Rome, about 1 hour (depending on traffic)
   
3. Drive to Circus Maximus for a spectacular view of Palatine Hill
   
4. Reach Colosseum, Palatin Hill and Roman Forum for an independent visit (2.5 - 3hrs approx)
   
5. Continue to Fontana di Trevi
   
6. Stop for lunch
   
7. Continue visit to the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona
   
8. Drive by Castel St. Angelo (possible stop)
   
9. Reach and visit Vatican Area St Peter's Square (external 30 min approx)
   
10. Return to indicated drop off location after about 9 hours
    

How wrong we were

E-mail communication with SMARTCRUISETOURS was easy and pain free and Julia who we were in contact with made some really useful suggestions about our itinerary.

Our driver Giuliano was waiting for us at the port even though we got off 10 minutes early

He was courteous and polite and showed us to a new model Mercedes mini-van this was starting off well.

The visit to Rome was spectacular and our driver was fantastic showing us around Rome as only a local could we saw a lot more sights than on the itinerary and Giuliano was informative and very helpful. Towards the end of the day the children were beginning to struggle to take everything in but Giuliano was very good, parking as close as possible to the sights reducing the need for the kids to a lot of walking

In summation I would highly recommend SMARTCRUISETOURS and especially Giuliano

Their service and professionalism beat all expectations

Liberty of the seas 9-16 September

On our recent trip to Rome we wanted a private excursion.

Travelling with 3 children we were not keen on sharing a tour as we wanted to do our own thing and not impose our kids on others.

We checked out the forums and found the usual recommended excursion services and found them to be in the 500-600 Euro price bracket

Then we happened to come across SMARTCRUISETOURS charging 330 Euros for the same type of tour as the rest

My wife and I discussed it and decided even if all they did was taxi us from A-B-C and back it would be better than traipsing 3 children round Rome

Our itinerary

 

1. Pick up at cruise ship’s pier at 8:30 am (driver will have a sign with your name)
   
2. Depart pier and drive to Rome, about 1 hour (depending on traffic)
   
3. Drive to Circus Maximus for a spectacular view of Palatine Hill
   
4. Reach Colosseum, Palatin Hill and Roman Forum for an independent visit (2.5 - 3hrs approx)
   
5. Continue to Fontana di Trevi
   
6. Stop for lunch
   
7. Continue visit to the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona
   
8. Drive by Castel St. Angelo (possible stop)
   
9. Reach and visit Vatican Area St Peter's Square (external 30 min approx)
   
10. Return to indicated drop off location after about 9 hours
    

How wrong we were

E-mail communication with SMARTCRUISETOURS was easy and pain free and Julia who we were in contact with made some really useful suggestions about our itinerary.

Our driver Giuliano was waiting for us at the port even though we got off 10 minutes early

He was courteous and polite and showed us to a new model Mercedes mini-van this was starting off well.

The visit to Rome was spectacular and our driver was fantastic showing us around Rome as only a local could we saw a lot more sights than on the itinerary and Giuliano was informative and very helpful. Towards the end of the day the children were beginning to struggle to take everything in but Giuliano was very good, parking as close as possible to the sights reducing the need for the kids to a lot of walking

 

In summation I would highly recommend SMARTCRUISETOURS and especially Giuliano

 

Their service and professionalism beat all expectations

I am so happy to read your review! We're using Giuliano and Smart Cruise Tours in October for an excursion to orvieto and civita di bagnoregio

I have just returned from a Mediterrean Cruise. Shore excursion with the cruise liners are expensive, but fortunately I found Smart Cruise Tours offering In Rome. It was the best day of my entire holiday. Our driver Micheal was fantastic. I took a shared ex. for 8 but there were only 4 of us on this tour . From the time we got into his vehicle he made the trip special. He played appropriate Itlian music along the way which enhanced the experience. He drove us to the sights listed on the programme and allowed suffcient time at each place. He waited at the stop where he had left us so no time was wasted waiting for him. This is ideal for people who do not want to walk distances to the various sights. He even gave the ladies roses. I definetly recommend this company.

I am so happy to read your review! We're using Giuliano and Smart Cruise Tours in October for an excursion to orvieto and civita di bagnoregio

Hi, we also had Giuliano as our driver on our tour of Rome. As previously mentioned, dealing with Julia was fantastic, she even phoned me in Australia a couple of times when things neede to change (which would have been after midnight in Italy!).

We also had a guide at the Vatican (well worth the fee), Marianna who was also excellent.

I am so happy to read your review! We're using Giuliano and Smart Cruise Tours in October for an excursion to orvieto and civita di bagnoregio

I would love to hear how your tour was. Hope you'll report back when you return from your cruise.

We used Smartcruistours this morning. Our pleasant and knowledgable driver,Simon, picked the 4 of us up at the Hilton airport and brought us to our B&B in Civitavecchia (Port of Rome). He arrived 15 minutes early, sharply dressed and loaded and unloaded all our bags. The van was very clean. Total cost was 120€ for all four. Sure beats worrying about a rail strike. Five star all the way.

We will be using them for our Amalphi/Pompeii tour and will post later.

We used Smartcruistours this morning. Our pleasant and knowledgable driver,Simon, picked the 4 of us up at the Hilton airport and brought us to our B&B in Civitavecchia (Port of Rome). He arrived 15 minutes early, sharply dressed and loaded and unloaded all our bags. The van was very clean. Total cost was 120€ for all four. Sure beats worrying about a rail strike. Five star all the way.

 

We will be using them for our Amalphi/Pompeii tour and will post later.

Thanks for sharing and look forward to hearing how your Amalfi/Pompeii tour is. We've booked them for a tour from Livorno next May.

Thanks for sharing and look forward to hearing how your Amalfi/Pompeii tour is. We've booked them for a tour from Livorno next May.

I should also note that the owner, Julia has been great. She patiently answered all our questions. On my request she gave us some helpful tourist hints for restaurants and sites. They do ask for a small deposit on your credit card. But not to worry. We paid 15€ in advannce for our 120€ transfer. She sent a voucher by email that clearly marks the balance of 105€, which is the amount our driver requested.

I will be sure to give everyone my Amalphi coast tour before I get back. Got nothing better to do on our 14 day Transatlantic :)

We used Smart Cruise Tours this past November 03.

We took a private tour as 5 of the 6 of us had been to Rome before so wanted something a bit different. Our driver knew this and took us to sites you wouldnt see on a "usual" tour for the morning, a great place for lunch and then we left Rome for Cerveteri and the Etruscan Tombs.

I didnt know anything about these tombs but Alessandra the owner of SCT suggested this stop and we were very glad she did. It was fascinating.

I must admit to being a bit worried about a private tour and getting back to the ship in time in light of the distance from the port to Rome but we had no worries at all in the end. We were back in plenty of time after experiencing the best tour we could have had. It was half the price of any of the ship's tours and we did what we wanted as well.

Highly recommend Smart Cruise Tours.

I should also mention how easy they are to book with. Any questions you may have(and I had a lot!) are answered right away even by a direct phone call.

We used Smart Cruise Tours this past November 03.

We took a private tour as 5 of the 6 of us had been to Rome before so wanted something a bit different. Our driver knew this and took us to sites you wouldnt see on a "usual" tour for the morning, a great place for lunch and then we left Rome for Cerveteri and the Etruscan Tombs.

I didnt know anything about these tombs but Alessandra the owner of SCT suggested this stop and we were very glad she did. It was fascinating.

I must admit to being a bit worried about a private tour and getting back to the ship in time in light of the distance from the port to Rome but we had no worries at all in the end. We were back in plenty of time after experiencing the best tour we could have had. It was half the price of any of the ship's tours and we did what we wanted as well.

Highly recommend Smart Cruise Tours.

I should also mention how easy they are to book with. Any questions you may have(and I had a lot!) are answered right away even by a direct phone call.

I should also note that the owner, Julia has been great. She patiently answered all our questions. On my request she gave us some helpful tourist hints for restaurants and sites. They do ask for a small deposit on your credit card. But not to worry. We paid 15€ in advannce for our 120€ transfer. She sent a voucher by email that clearly marks the balance of 105€, which is the amount our driver requested.

 

I will be sure to give everyone my Amalphi coast tour before I get back. Got nothing better to do on our 14 day Transatlantic :)

Thanks for the positive feedback. We're booked with them for May 2013.

has anyone used their bus transfer from Civitavecchia back to FCO airport? We are thinking of using this next summer.

We just used them twice on our cruise. Once as transportation only to Rome and back and then for a driver to Florence. We boarded the bus in Civitavecchia for our drive to Rome. The first stop was the Rome airport. I don't remember which terminal but they can tell you as they only stop at one place. We then went into Rome. They dropped us off in a parking garage near the Vatican. We had over 5 hours in Rome. And met our bus in the same spot as the drop off.

We then used them in Florence with a driver. We had Diego as our driver. He picked us up in Livorno and drove us to Florence. We had a reservation for David at 10am. We spent a few hours in Florence and then he met up with us again and drove us to Pisa. We spent some time in Pisa before heading back to the ship.

I would use them again.

Dena

has anyone used their bus transfer from Civitavecchia back to FCO airport? We are thinking of using this next summer.

We were a group of 4 that used there service from the airport to Civitavecchia in November. 30 Euros per person in a roomy van.

Just email thw owner Julie for details on their website. She is from Civitavecchia and will give you great tips on the area if you are staying a day or two.

The driver is there early. Very clean vehicle and was very knowledgable. This is definitely one of the best bargains.

We also booked an incredible tour of Pompeii and Amalfi Coast that I will comment on separately.

We were a group of 4 that used there service from the airport to Civitavecchia in November. 30 Euros per person in a roomy van.

 

Just email the owner Julie for details on their website. She is from Civitavecchia and will give you great tips on the area if you are staying a day or two.

 

The driver is there early. Very clean vehicle and was very knowledgable. This is definitely one of the best bargains.

 

We also booked an incredible tour of Pompeii and Amalfi Coast that I will comment on separately.

As promised here is our fabulous Pompeii and Amalfi Coast tour with Smart

Cruise Tours.

We are a group of 4 that just returned from a wonderful Med trip. Their prices were fabulous but it was the tour guides and service that was 5 star all the way. When we were searching for a tour we also looked at the highest rated company. I won't mention their name because they get enough free air time. I am sure that they are excellent but I started looking elsewhere when I saw the price. We feel we have found a hidden gem in Smart Cruise Tours. We must thank the previous posters who steered us toward Them.

We paid 30 euro per person for transfers from the Airport Hilton to Port of Rome in a private limo. We only paid 290 Euro TOTAL for a limo for 4 which was for 9 hours. Went to Pompeii (30 Euro per person) for a 2 hour private tour. The best with Patrizia as our guide. The only other cost was the best lunch (and view) at a small restaurant with our own private balcony. Prices were very reasonable.

Our guide Roberto took us to places that the big buses cannot go to. He made excellent suggestions, had a great sense of humour and made sure we were back to the boat with time to spare. Also he is one of the safest and most virtuous drivers we have had the pleasure to travel with. An important asset on the Amalfi coast. Just had to enjoy the beautiful views because he was always focused on safety firstl. My spouse has a bit of a fear of heights but after an hour on the coast she wanted the front seat. I suppose it could also have been for a better look at Roberto but I will assume it was for a better view of the landscape.

Our group has travelled extensively and we rate this the best tour we have ever had. Highly recommend this company.

I keep hearing good things about this company. I am planning on trying them out in February on our Destiny TA. Thank you

We did a a19-day Med cruise on HAL. Julia was like having a private travel concierge. She booked us the BEST tours, all tailored to our specific needs.

PALERMO - private car for 5 hours €210. I had a list of flea markets I wanted to visit & the driver knew exactly where they were and where to park conveniently. He also recommended the best "locals" trattoria & pastry shop for my bday lunch in Monreale. Oh, visit the Catacombe dei Cappuccini - creepy, but way cool!

ROME - COLOSSEUM & VATICAN - driver & guide were GREAT! The price the cruise line wanted for the same private tour was over $3000! We paid around €600!!! It is a MUST to hire a guide as they know how to REALLY skip the lines and will explain anything you might want to know - and also NOT waste time on things your group might not be interested in. We even had lunch @ ALFREDO's - where the pasta of the same name originated! The price may seem steep for some, but if you are only visiting ROME once in your life, may as well see it the right way & Smart Cruise Tours does it RIGHT! (and then some) As a side note, I requested VIP underground tours of the Colosseum and Julia made calls every day to secure these highly coveted tickets. Once she secured them, they unexplicably cancelled the tours that day! Julia credited the amount paid right away!

ROME (2nd visit a week later) - Fast train to and from the ship. Julia arranged it and made sure I knew which train to get on (there's only one daily in each direction from the port). She even met me at the train upon return and bought me the best gelato before i returned to the ship! (But everyone shouldn't expect that. It was my bday week, afterall!)

We planned another tour from NAPLES - my only condition was that I MUST visit CAPRI. After consulting with an expert driver, she advised that there wouldn't be enough time to do the Amalfi Coast AND Capri. She could have sold me a tour that wouldn't have been what I wanted, but she suggested that I do Capri on my own and gave me websites with schedules of ferries!

In closing, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Julia & Smart Cruise Tours. You will not be dissappointed, whether you just use them to book transfers or privated tailor-made tours. You will get the best personalized service!

Following the recommendation of a CC on a Roll Call, we booked the transfer from Fiumicino airport to Civitavecchia and back with this company.

We were 4 unrelated couples which got together on the Roll Call for NCL Jade.

The transfer was organized to pick-up 3 couples at the airport and the other 2 people at an airport hotel.

This company accommodated this situation very well and kept the same price advertised on their website for 8 people.

Mr. Giovanni, the driver, was very professional as expected, but this is nevertheless worth mentioning.

Ms. Julia, was the representative of smartcruisetours. Her prompt reply to all of our many questions, because we kept adding people to both transfers, was helpful and made a big difference, especially when we were getting very close to the date of the first transfer.

Overall especially because Ms. Julia's was very professional, these transfers turned out to be the best way to start and finish our cruise at a very competitive price.

Icha