Rare dickinson Posted January 4, 2017 #76 Share Posted January 4, 2017 My experience with tour companies in Italy, Israel, Turkey, Spain, Morocco, England, Portugal & France are exactly the same as Rome In Limo does it. As I said I found it easier to just book the tour myself and find people to join us rather than using the tour share way. Never, ever had trouble filling tours and most times turned people away. Hopefully by now the people who showed interest yesterday have gotten back to you and booked also so you can relax and just enjoy planning your trip to Rome....just no better city in the world!!:) Actually those people who asked for more info was over a month ago and still have not heard. I contacted the other couple still signed up and they are canceling their cruise :(. So now it is just the two of us. Roll call is not the most active and it has been many months that I have been trying to get others. Ultimately I may have to cancel. My experience in England was different than yours although my only excursion was with International Friends (great tour). It was priced per person and they are the one's who filled up a bus. Maybe because it was from leaving the cruise to get to London with sightseeing along the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gracie115 Posted January 4, 2017 #77 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Actually those people who asked for more info was over a month ago and still have not heard. I contacted the other couple still signed up and they are canceling their cruise :(. So now it is just the two of us. Roll call is not the most active and it has been many months that I have been trying to get others. Ultimately I may have to cancel. My experience in England was different than yours although my only excursion was with International Friends (great tour). It was priced per person and they are the one's who filled up a bus. Maybe because it was from leaving the cruise to get to London with sightseeing along the way. Sorry you are having so many trouble filling the tour. Sometimes roll calls are just very quiet. We had one like that in October and it was a TA which usually are very busy...hopefully yours will get more active now that the holidays are past and you'll get more to join you...:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DisplacedTexans Posted January 8, 2017 #78 Share Posted January 8, 2017 During our cruise along the Italian coast last April (2016), we had the pleasure of being accompanied by Tour Guides from Rome In Limo for 3 of our Port Excursions! If you want to spend the day in a Region with someone who not only knows the area but lives there or grew up there, use Rome In Limo! Their guides are wonderful! Also, we were traveling with a 2 year old and all 3 of the Guides were great with her! Here's a recap of our trip: First stop was Naples, and our first tour was of the Almafi Coast and Pompeii, First, we visited Sorrento and Positano and our guide was very knowledgeable of the history of the areas and took us to a wonderful restaurant up on a hill for lunch! At Pompeii, we had a special Tour Guide arranged by our guide who had actually worked at the archaeological site and we were so pleased to have a private, guided tour with her. This was a wonderful day. Our second port was Rome, where we were treated to a wonderful tour of the highlights of Rome, and we had lunch at an authentic family-owned restaurant where we ate lunch and sipped wine! Of course, we stopped for Gelato before returning to the Ship. Our third port was Livorno and we spent the day touring the Tuscan Countryside and visited San Gimignano & Volterra. Once again, because our guide grew up in the area she was very knowledgeable about the history of the villages and knew so many people as we walked around! Once again, a wonderful lunch was arranged at a local winery, and the day could not have gone any better. All in all, i highly recommend Rome In Limo! You will not be disappointed with the tour or the guide! We found the company so easy to work with when we were scheduling our tours, and the guides were outstanding! We will definitely use Rome in Limo again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngMo44 Posted January 10, 2017 #79 Share Posted January 10, 2017 We chose Rome In Limo this past summer after previously using their services in 2103. Both times we had drivers in Florence, Rome and Naples. We have used their shared tour services in addition to a car just for our family this most recent trip. We have recommended them in person, on cruise critic, on trip advisor, FB and more. They were just that good! There are just so many benefits starting from the moment of email contact! Jany (I actually asked a driver is she is just 1 person ;)) always promptly and courteously answers any and all questions you may have. She makes whatever you want happen! The drivers are all personable and speak excellent English. The information they provide is invaluable. Their concierge services always helped us to find a great place to eat any time we opted to grab a bite to eat. We were personally escorted to the front of numerous lines to help us avoid extra delay in seeing the many incredible sights. Many of the drivers have an extra special little surprise they add to help make the trip even more memorable. Because we had traveled the Med previously, they helped customize our trip this summer to see things beyond the "Top 10" we had seen before. Our drivers recommended fantastic places that made for a wonderful trip. We have also hired tour guides through them which did not disappoint, either. Duman operates a fantastic company whose sole aim is to make your experience the most comfortable and memorable as possible! The vehicles are modern, clean and comfortable. With their services, we were able to see so much more and at our own pace/interest vs. a ship excursion. There was not one minute that we were concerned about arriving back in time. 5 stars all the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamj03 Posted January 11, 2017 #80 Share Posted January 11, 2017 We did the Rome Highlights shared tour and we had Nik as a driver. He was awesome. He was super knowledgeable, courteous, and very personable. He was a great driver, which seems to be challenging in Rome. I would totally recommend him as a guide and if I were ever in the area again, I would definitely book another shared tour through this company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsa Posted January 12, 2017 #81 Share Posted January 12, 2017 I thought it worth adding to this thread as there are numerous tour and transfer companies around. Our experience with RomeInLimo has been excellent in every respect. We had used them twice for private tours of Rome. On both occasions for eight people in a high quality clean and fairly new luxury mini bus. Itineraries were tailored to our exact requirement for both locations and timings. The driver/ tour guide spoke excellent English and also added a few unknown views of Rome that were amazing. We have booked with them again for this year, not for a tour this time, but for transfers as we are using independent transport for the cruise with a few days in Rome beforehand. With this I mind, they are picking us up from the airport and taking us directly to our hotel, then a few days later from hotel to the port to meet the ship, then back from port to the airport after the cruise. I will report back on their performance as we have not used them for this purpose before and as they are not the cheapest, I do expect a great service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gracie115 Posted January 12, 2017 #82 Share Posted January 12, 2017 I thought it worth adding to this thread as there are numerous tour and transfer companies around. Our experience with RomeInLimo has been excellent in every respect. We had used them twice for private tours of Rome. On both occasions for eight people in a high quality clean and fairly new luxury mini bus. Itineraries were tailored to our exact requirement for both locations and timings. The driver/ tour guide spoke excellent English and also added a few unknown views of Rome that were amazing. We have booked with them again for this year, not for a tour this time, but for transfers as we are using independent transport for the cruise with a few days in Rome beforehand. With this I mind, they are picking us up from the airport and taking us directly to our hotel, then a few days later from hotel to the port to meet the ship, then back from port to the airport after the cruise. I will report back on their performance as we have not used them for this purpose before and as they are not the cheapest, I do expect a great service. We have used RIL for tours and transports and they excelled in both areas, am sure you will be quite happy. On our last visit our driver was waiting for us as we exited the ship....unlike many others who had to wait for their rides...our driver explained that he had been there for an hour because he knew what kind of a traffic jam would occur later and he was right, as we left the port area the number of cars backed up to get into the area was amazing and they were not moving at all. We were at our hotel in Rome before 10AM. So you have no worries about transport service, sometimes it's worth it to pay a bit more...sure was for us..:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishmum40 Posted January 12, 2017 #83 Share Posted January 12, 2017 We used RomeInLimo to create a tour share from our roll call on Harmony of The Seas in September 2016, they were just excellent. Our tour guide was awesome, such a knowledgeable guy who'd grown up in Rome. He took us to a fantastic traditional italian restaurant for lunch and they provided us with quite a banquet. It was a great day in a lovely Mercedes mini van, the air conditioning was very welcome as it was a hot day. We chose to have the private tour guide for the Vatican and she was also fantastic. We got to see all the sights and were back to the ship in plenty of time. The good thing about having the minivan was that it could get down all the little side streets that may of the larger buses couldn't go near. I cannot recommend this company enough, the communications from Jany were spot on too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetylori Posted January 15, 2017 #84 Share Posted January 15, 2017 Adding my two cents to this informative thread, as I found reviews I read most helpful in deciding to use this wonderful company. I contacted Rome in Limo way in advance of our Livorno port stop in November 2016. There were several tour choices on their website. We chose Lucca & Pisa rather than driving all the way to Florence. When I inquired about a Winery, they added that also. The day before our tour, we found out our ship was not going to stop in Livorno after all (due to high winds). I emailed Jany and got a quick response that they could pick us up in La Spezia instead for an additional charge. We happily agreed, and Vinny picked us up as scheduled. It's very cool to walk off the ship and have a personal driver waiting for you with a sign with your name and a Mercedes! :D The two of us had a fabulous day, seeing way more of Italy than we would of had we not done this. Plus we could ask questions. Vinny was a wealth of information! Highlight of our day was definitely the organic Winery, where we had a private lunch and olive oil/wine tasting in the middle of Tuscany. This company is a fantastic trustworthy way to maximize one's time! We can't wait to go back one day and take another Rome In Limo tour! And if you're on a cruise, it's honestly not much more than a cruise sponsored tour that would probably involve busloads of people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElenaM Posted January 16, 2017 #85 Share Posted January 16, 2017 My husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on the Norwegian Epic out of Barcelona in October 2016. As part of our many excursions, Rome in Limo was one of our favorites. They were easy to work with, and we were able to see many areas of Rome that others couldn't because of their bigger buses. Our tour guide was great, and even took us to an out of the way restaurant for lunch that was outstanding!! We were able to get to know a family from Canada, and a couple from Belfast because we had a 8 passenger van, no big bus where you cant even talk to to anyone. Rome in Limo also got us an awesome private tour of the Vatican with an fantastic guide, she Paulo was small but feisty and knew her way around the crowds. All in all it was a wonderful day, and we would recommend Rome in Limo to anyone traveling or touring in Italy. We cant wait to go back. Ciao Elena and Doug Muller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinban Posted January 17, 2017 #86 Share Posted January 17, 2017 Can anyone tell me which tour company is better? Many people on my boards are using italytours.eu but I heard great reviews on RomeInLimo. Any feedback I would greatly appreciate Cindy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs4fun Posted January 17, 2017 #87 Share Posted January 17, 2017 For those who wish to dig a little deeper and DIY in the Vatican Museum, I highly recommend reading the book: In the Footsteps of Popes (Enrico Bruschini) before you go. Audio guides are also available for rental in the museum. Guided tours are great for many visitors that wish to see the highlights but other than the great frescoes of Michelangelo and Raphael, most guided tours don't visit the areas (Etruscan, for example) or spend enough time in the collections (classical antiquity, Egyptian) that most fascinate me. The Belvedere Apollo and Torso (classical antiquity) are the originals that inspired the Renaissance artists & it was Michelangelo who identified the Laocoon upon its rediscovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beanb41 Posted January 18, 2017 #88 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Any reason why you don't use a Vatican organised guide tour and book it through the Official Vatican website. We did this last year and it proved very effective and cheaper than third party guides. The Vatican museums are going to be packed similar to leaving a major sports event and the only way of keeping in touch is to follow the guides flag and listen to the commentary on the supplied headset Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickysol Posted January 18, 2017 #89 Share Posted January 18, 2017 We used Rome in Limo twice during our cruise last September through the Mediterranean. It was my first time in Italy! Our driver in Livorno was Maria Clara and in Rome was Nick. Both of them were great! They shared their knowledge with us and scheduled the stops in a very convenient way. I highly recommend using this company for your shore excursions in Italy, so you can make the best of the hours you spend in these beautiful cities. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sippican Posted January 18, 2017 #90 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Can anyone tell me which tour company is better? Many people on my boards are using italytours.eu but I heard great reviews on RomeInLimo. Any feedback I would greatly appreciateCindy I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you looking at booking a tour that includes a visit to the Vatican as part of your whole experience, or are you looking to arrange a visit to the Vatican only? There is a difference between the drivers and guides. Generally, there is a pool of licensed guides and the tour companies, like Romeinlimo, will engage one of these licensed guides to conduct your private tour of the Vatican. They frequently freelance and you pay them directly. The quality of the that tour will depend entirely on the guide (we had an exceptional guide booked through RIL, but cannot speak to the other company). In some instances, a guide may have a group from one company one day, and a different company the next. If you are looking to arrange a Vatican visit only, I would look to book it directly through the Vatican as suggested by others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweetylori Posted January 20, 2017 #91 Share Posted January 20, 2017 If it helps anyone, here is a link to a review I did here on Cruise Critic about our November 2016 Transatlantic. Page 2 and 3 are about our RomeInLimo experience including pics: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2426534&page=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Bonjour Posted January 20, 2017 #92 Share Posted January 20, 2017 (edited) It just seemed, after almost 120+ pages, it was time for a fresh new thread on an often asked about company. Please continue to keep in mind our community guidelines when you *thoughtfully* reply to a post - kindly limit your response to YOUR experience or, your specific question/needs. We aren't ever all going to agree on things all the time but we are all expected to respect and be kind to one another all the time. So, for all intents and purposes, consider this post to contain the following question: "Anyone have any recent, personal experiences with RomeinLimo"? What's recent? The last 18 months sounds fair. Thank you! (LS) Please note, the previous threads/posts may still be viewed - it is only closed to new posts; hence this "continuation" thread but without voluminous pages to click through. Thank you. Please Note: This thread is NOT an endorsement of Rome In Limo by Cruise Critic, its employees, affiliates or volunteer moderators. It is only intended to serve as the *replacement* of a thread originally created by a member seeking advice. That thread had become way too long - it was time to start fresh. Again, this thread is NOT an endorsement or recommendation of Rome In Limo - it is a thread to exchange information about your fairly *recent* RIL experience or any plans you might be making for future visits. Re-posting for clarity (see "red" letter text highlighted/added by our Manager Laura) with regard to guideline for posts. Please NOTE all recent posts *have been within community guidelines* THANK YOU so very much. Since we expect this thread to grow long (and it is already) we thought this might be helpful in the event that anyone was unsure what was/was not within guidelines before posting/reporting. Again, grazie and enjoy! Edited January 20, 2017 by Host Bonjour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinban Posted January 21, 2017 #93 Share Posted January 21, 2017 We just booked three tours with RIL and we were told to just view the Colessium from the outside due to the lines to get through security. We were advised to just go To the vatican with the private guide we hired because going inside the Colessium would take over an Hour at least. This is what RomeinLimo told us. Can I get some feedback on this? Did anyone go into both and had no problems seeing all the other important sites in Rome? What do most people do in the shared tours? Do they also go inside the Colessium or just view it from the outside due to the time it yakes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare dickinson Posted January 21, 2017 #94 Share Posted January 21, 2017 We just booked three tours with RIL and we were told to just view the Colessium from the outside due to the lines to get through security. We were advised to just go To the vatican with the private guide we hired because going inside the Colessium would take over an Hour at least. This is what RomeinLimo told us. Can I get some feedback on this? Did anyone go into both and had no problems seeing all the other important sites in Rome? What do most people do in the shared tours? Do they also go inside the Colessium or just view it from the outside due to the time it yakes? It would help people to answer if you mention when you are going as I would think the answer would depend on that info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinban Posted January 21, 2017 #95 Share Posted January 21, 2017 We are going May 7 on Freedom of the seas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare dickinson Posted January 21, 2017 #96 Share Posted January 21, 2017 We are going May 7 on Freedom of the seas So you will be in Rome on May 7? (I will be in Rome May 17 so I am curious to the answers you get). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinban Posted January 21, 2017 #97 Share Posted January 21, 2017 In Rome May 11 we leave Barcelona on May 7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beanb41 Posted January 22, 2017 #98 Share Posted January 22, 2017 We just booked three tours with RIL and we were told to just view the Colessium from the outside due to the lines to get through security. We were advised to just go To the vatican with the private guide we hired because going inside the Colessium would take over an Hour at least. This is what RomeinLimo told us. Can I get some feedback on this? Did anyone go into both and had no problems seeing all the other important sites in Rome? What do most people do in the shared tours? Do they also go inside the Colessium or just view it from the outside due to the time it yakes? What one has to weigh up is what do I want to see and how much time do I have. We took almost a week to see the main sights in Rome last year. It is not conceivable to expect to see everything in a day. One has to take into account that one is going to lose 3hours in the day travelling to and from the port. The Vatican tour is going to take 3 hours and there is not really anyway of shortening that timeframe even with immediate entry. Once in the museum one just has to follow the crowd. One can compare the crowd through the museum to that of a major sports event crowd leaving the stadium. One just has to go with the flow. To visit the Coliseum on the Underground tour for example is another 90 minutes and probably a further 30 minutes to get through security even with entry tickets. If one also wants to visit the Trevis Fountain, Spanish Steps and Pantheon another couple of hours, something has to give. For a day trip it is Vatican or Coliseum to be realistic. From the exterior there is nothing to see of the Vatican but one can at least see the Coliseum and forum from the road. In this instance I think you have to trust your tour company that they are doing the best by you and will provide the best snapshot of Rome you can. I would take advantage of every photo opportunity available including selfies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinban Posted January 22, 2017 #99 Share Posted January 22, 2017 I totally agree with you. The problem is we started a group on RIL and need four people to have a group of six. If they want to go in we are stuck going in. If we don't while the others go in is there anything around the colessium to see in walking distance? What do you suggest? I appreciate your input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beanb41 Posted January 22, 2017 #100 Share Posted January 22, 2017 I totally agree with you. The problem is we started a group on RIL and need four people to have a group of six. If they want to go in we are stuck going in. If we don't while the others go in is there anything around the colessium to see in walking distance? What do you suggest?I appreciate your input. Want are timings for ship's arrival and departure at Civitivecchia so we can perhaps provide a reasonable solution Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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